You know, it was Russ Moulton while he was Spotsy GOP chairman that taught me that unit committees ought to allow children in the room. Is it a distraction? Of the best kind… but we’re supposed to be the party of family values after all. Bring your children, let them see politics in action, have a cup of lemonade and enjoy the time.
Lesson learned at a very young age, I’ve made it a point of pride to open up all my unit committee meetings while chair.
RPV would rather stick you with a $15 fee. Per kid. State Senator Steve Martin — one of the seven candidates running for Lieutentant Governor — was not amused this evening:
So, I find out today the Party requires me to pay $45 to allow me to bring my grandchildren on the stage with me during the convention Saturday.
That’s after they charge us $10,000 for undefined “preferred” sign placements, that we find later means the payer gets in to the Coliseum on Thursday to put up signs and the non-payer cannot get in until Friday morning.
Then I find out that though we were told we were limited to only 10 non-delegate volunteers within the Coliseum for the convention, in reality, at $15 per person, a candidate could fill the coliseum with non-voting volunteers carrying signs to give the false appearance of support among delegates. Does anyone see a pattern? I know State Central Committee members are not trying to sell the right to campaign for the office on the convention floor. They are just trying to keep the convention from losing money. But, they are in fact selling the right to campaign in the convention hall. As always, staff is great. But, this is not the way for a Party to remain neutral in a nomination. It is selling advantages.
We will be quite visible despite the roadblocks. We will have lots of volunteers. Join us Friday night at the most prominent Hospitality Suite, at the Liberty Lounge, in the main lobby of the Marriott. Then on Saturday take lapel stickers and signs and make sure our signs are visible in your delegation.
Really? Have to pay $45 so my grandchildren can join me on the platform of the convention? Really?
I can distantly see the point RPV is making — pack the room with non-voting delegates, and you give the impression of popular support. That having been said… can’t we have a friends and family rate, guys?
For the record, this ain’t a five-alarm fire or anything of the sort. You get 10 volunteers per campaign gratis. No worries there… but families of the candidates? Have a little heart, fellas!
