I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

If you're of my generation, you may recall this 1970 hit song by Lynn Anderson, "Rose Garden" ...

Speaking of rose gardens ...

The White House Rose Garden was first created by First Lady Edith Roosevelt in 1903 as a colonial-style garden, and various aspects of its design were changed over the years by various inhabitants of the White House. The plan with the large central grass lawn was created by Rachel Lambert Mellon in 1962 at the request of President Kennedy, and the latest redesign was undertaken by First Lady Melania Trump in 2020. 

The Rose Garden is in the news once again as Der Furor continues his makeover of the White House campus by paving over much of the existing garden. His stated reason is that the grass of the lawn area is easily damaged by foot traffic during events held in the Rose Garden, and that ladies' high-heels sink into the turf and create a tripping hazard. The actual reason, of course, is Der Furor's desire for an entertainment and event patio similar to the one on which he holds court at Mar-a-Lago - 

The makeover of the Rose Garden lawn was recently completed, and the patio area now looks like this* - 

You may notice a couple of things about this photo. First, there are no roses in evidence ... they're there, but the focus is on the paved expanse rather than the flowers. Second, the presidential seal appears at each corner. It is, of course, the president's patio, but making the seal a part of the decor seems to me to be a little gilding of the lily. And third, note that the drainage ports are in the shape of American flags - a probably-unintended allusion to the fact that, under the "leadership" of Der Furor and the GOP, the country is going down the drain.

Here's another view of the new patio**, with the new ice cream parlor-style tables and umbrellas in place - 

Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather a rose garden highlight roses rather than pavement.

Have a good day. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

* The style has been called "Noveau Brutalism."

** Photo from CNN reporter Kaitlin Collins' Twitter post.

The White House Ballroom

By now, you've probably heard more than you want about the Versailles-style ballroom that Der Furor wants to install in place of much of the existing East Wing of the White House. He foresees a 90,000 square foot "ornately designed and carefully crafted" ballroom that will seat 650 people and cost approximately $200 million. The quiet part, not said out loud, is that it will surely be named for him. 

Who will pay for this extravagant ballroom? According to the White House announcement, "[Der Furor], and other patriot donors, have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million dollar structure. The United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications."

Now, if you think that Der Furor, a notorious cheapskate known for stiffing his contractors, is going to shell out any part of the $200 million cost of this ballroom, I have some prime swamp land in Florida to sell you. The "other patriot donors" will almost certainly foot most of the bill, with any portion allegedly coming from Der Furor actually coming from Super PACs or other sources of funds he can tap without dipping into his own pockets. And the "necessary security enhancements and modifications" that will be provided by the Secret Service will, of course, come from you and I as taxpayers. 

We have a lot of things in this country that $200 million could be better spent on ... like education, health care, infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and all the other things this administration believes are frivolous wastes of money better spent on tax breaks for businesses and the wealthy.

The White House is a symbol of the United States. It should not reflect the gilded bling of a royal palace, but a modest, stately grandeur befitting our history as a people who repudiated rule by kings living in palaces. A gaudy Mar-a-Lago style ballroom - like the new, garishly-gilded version of the Oval Office - belongs in a royal palace rather than in The People's House. And while the President of the United States shouldn't have to rent the local VFW hall for state dinners, I believe that the modest size and understated grandeur of the White House is a more appropriate reflection of who we are as a people. If "a large and unsightly tent" is not desirable for larger events, Washington has no shortage of grand hotels and venues* which offer elegant spaces that could host state events while contributing to the local economy.

As those of you who are long-time readers of this blog may recall, I have a lot of experience in ballrooms, having spent many years competing with my wife as the "Am" half of a "Pro-Am" couple. I like ballrooms. They have their place as venues for weddings, quinceañeras, bar mitzvahs, conventions, and ballroom dance competitions ... but they don't belong in The People's House.

Have a good day. Think about how your tax dollars are being spent, and on the message a White House ballroom sends to the world about what's important to us as a nation.

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

* The Willard Intercontinental Hotel comes immediately to mind.