Poodlehead

Some friends are hosting a party this evening as a political fundraiser for someone who is running for Governor. The "suggested donation" was $50 per person.

When I see them, or any other friend who may have attended this party, if they ask why I didn't go, how do I explain?

I have nothing against the hosts of the party, or the political party being represented, and I have nothing against the person running for office. He is my current state representative.

I don't like the idea that the only way of getting face time with a political representative is if you're willing to fork over the cash. Joe Biden was here for a $500 a plate dinner. Really? Aren't you currently Vice President? Why do you need money so badly?

I wish there was a way to make politics not be so money-centric.

__________________
Minneapolis, MN

susancnw

Hey, my boss shelled out $30K to go to the DNC in Denver. And you are reading corrently THIRTY FRICKING THOUSAND DOLLARS to go and get a seat. He wanted to talk stimulus apparently and the one way to do it was to shell out.

__________________
My son wears combat boots (and a parachute).
The older I get, the less patience I have with cleverness. Thomas Sowell.
Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve. Benjamin Franklin.
Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. Mark Twain.

wild~hair

Unfortunately, what Joe Biden was doing was very typical. Politicians, even those already elected, must fund raise constantly to keep up the coffers just in order to remain viable. [That is, if they are up for re-election at the end of their terms, as Obama and Biden will be.]

There is no way around this, unless we change election laws. And freedom of speech always comes up as an issue when we try to do that.

A recent Supreme Court ruling gave corporations the freedom to spend as much money as they wanted to in order to promote a candidate, raising the financial stakes even higher.

So this problem isn't going to go away any time soon. In fact, it is only going to get worse since that SC ruling, seeing as corporations have very deep pockets and lots of reasons to back the candidate of their choice.

Interestingly [from Wikipedia]:

That article also mentions that John McCain, who has been a sponsor of successful campaign finance legislation in the past, predicts that there will be a public backlash from this ruling, once the effects of it start to reveal themselves. But that will take time.

webjockey

Elections cost money. Marketing costs money. It's just a fact of life. I'm in the middle of it myself (hubby is running), and I'm almost shocked how even in small towns for itty bitty positions, how it can easily add up.

__________________
hello.world.