FARK.com: (7142977) Taxpayers ante up $36.6 million this year to pay for the Democratic and Republican conventions. Wise investment in democracy or a waste of money?

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		Taxpayers ante up $36.6 million this year to pay for the Democratic and Republican conventions. Wise investment in democracy or a waste of money? (coburn.senate.gov)		63
		More: Interesting, Republican, Republican convention, nominating convention, democracy, taxpayers, Congressional Research Service, investments

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375 clicks; posted to Politics » on 04 Jun 2012 at 1:37 PM | Favorite | share:

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DamnYankees		2012-06-04 01:14:32 PM

Cant say I care either way for such a trifling amount of money.

Weaver95		2012-06-04 01:18:19 PM

unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

James!		2012-06-04 01:22:57 PM

Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

I just formed the Fark Party and wholeheartedly agree with this statement. There are about 35 of us but we're totes serious. Give us dollars.

FishyFred		2012-06-04 01:25:28 PM

DamnYankees: Cant say I care either way for such a trifling amount of money.

Seriously. Look at all the entertainment value you get for less than a dollar!

/MORE BALLOONS

vpb		2012-06-04 01:26:43 PM

Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

We don't need to fund them, that's what lobbyists are for. I am sure they won't expect anything in return.

sammyk		2012-06-04 01:28:06 PM

Charlotte typically has some pretty incompetent local politicians. But I have to say they did a great job of tapping into this sweet convention cash. They are hellbent on resurfacing every inch of road inside the I-77/I-277 loop. Pretty sweet if your me since I do %80 of my driving and biking there.

/fark you jack, I got mine.

Bhasayate		2012-06-04 01:39:14 PM

Waste of money, duh.

meat0918		2012-06-04 01:39:30 PM

Waste of money, but such a small drop in the bucket.

lacrossestar83		2012-06-04 01:40:44 PM

WWRPD

Lost Thought 00		2012-06-04 01:41:08 PM

Additionally, it would allow funds dispersed before that time to be returned to the Treasury for the purpose of deficit reduction.

I'm no constitutional lawyer, but I don't think they can do that

abb3w		2012-06-04 01:42:27 PM

Running elections is cheaper than having civil wars.

Dr Dreidel		2012-06-04 01:43:16 PM

Lost Thought 00: Additionally, it would allow funds dispersed before that time to be returned to the Treasury for the purpose of deficit reduction.

I'm no constitutional lawyer, but I don't think they can do that

I'm no grammarian, but methinks we taxpayers would rather the funds were allocated and sent appropriately ("disbursed") rather than scattered to the four winds ("dispersed").

thurstonxhowell		2012-06-04 01:44:25 PM

Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

There's gotta be some sort of threshold for inclusion.

Weaver95		2012-06-04 01:46:00 PM

thurstonxhowell: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

There's gotta be some sort of threshold for inclusion.

that's already been established. the rules for forming a political party are well documented.

qorkfiend		2012-06-04 01:49:24 PM

Weaver95: thurstonxhowell: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

There's gotta be some sort of threshold for inclusion.

that's already been established. the rules for forming a political party are well documented.

1. Be one of the following:
a) Democrat
b) Republican

Daraymann		2012-06-04 01:50:02 PM

It's an outrage that I am expected to fund a convention for the opposing political party with MY tax dollars!

What next, we elect someone that is not the same as me in every single social and economical demographic???

imontheinternet		2012-06-04 01:50:12 PM

With the campaigns and their SuperPACs looking to raise somewhere in the neighborhood of a billion dollars each, I think they can afford it.

Whichever candidate gets in front of this and proposes to split the bill wins the issue.

HairBolus		2012-06-04 01:54:19 PM

The sex industry in Tampa is sure going to get a lot of "trickle down".

TheOther		2012-06-04 02:05:06 PM

qorkfiend: Weaver95: thurstonxhowell: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

There's gotta be some sort of threshold for inclusion.

that's already been established. the rules for forming a political party are well documented.

1. Be one of the following:
a) Democrat
b) Republican

2. Who made and enforces the rules?
See 1.

Karac		2012-06-04 02:07:54 PM

sammyk: Charlotte typically has some pretty incompetent local politicians. But I have to say they did a great job of tapping into this sweet convention cash. They are hellbent on resurfacing every inch of road inside the I-77/I-277 loop. Pretty sweet if your me since I do %80 of my driving and biking there.

/fark you jack, I got mine.

That's nothing new. I haven't once driven through downtown Charlotte in the last 15 years where at least one street wasn't blocked off for repairs.

If we manage to stop funding private party conventions, can we aim for not paying for their primaries next?

lennavan		2012-06-04 02:08:52 PM

Waste of money. The DNC and RNC are private organizations. Why the fark should taxpayers help private organizations decide who best to run for them?

Hollie Maea		2012-06-04 02:12:06 PM

Quit whining Submitter. It's only ten cents per person.

macadamnut		2012-06-04 02:16:45 PM

"Ante" isn't quite the right word. It seems to imply getting a place at the table.

wildcardjack		2012-06-04 02:22:35 PM

I'm pretty sure the federal gov't wastes more than that in an hour, so spread out over a few days and tens of thousands of people it's not a bad thing.

KWess		2012-06-04 02:29:40 PM

One could argue an investment in democracy if the conclusions weren't known to every person in the world before they started.

Now they're more of an infomercial.

monoski		2012-06-04 02:30:23 PM

Who pays for the hookers and blow?

palelizard		2012-06-04 02:37:14 PM

Dr Dreidel: Lost Thought 00: Additionally, it would allow funds dispersed before that time to be returned to the Treasury for the purpose of deficit reduction.

I'm no constitutional lawyer, but I don't think they can do that

I'm no grammarian, but methinks we taxpayers would rather the funds were allocated and sent appropriately ("disbursed") rather than scattered to the four winds ("dispersed").

As a fellow taxpayer, since the likely highest value I'll get for that money is entertainment, I'm okay with dispersed. Beyond the lols, some of it my fly into my window.

RanDomino		2012-06-04 02:44:31 PM

$60 million on 'security' for the NATO summit.

numbone		2012-06-04 02:46:39 PM

abb3w [TotalFark]

Running elections is cheaper than having civil wars.

Yes, but we need more civility.

Citrate1007		2012-06-04 03:10:15 PM

DNRFA, but does this just include monies that go directly into the DNC/RNC coffers or does it also include expenses on the host cities for extra security and such?

whidbey		2012-06-04 03:23:52 PM

We should really be dispensing with both.

There's no amount of God's Party Hoopla going to get Romney elected, and Obama's got the election sewn up in the bag, sorry if that makes a very small minority of you mad.

Seems like 66 million dollars could be spent elsewhere--like where there's a budget shortfall.

BMulligan		2012-06-04 03:33:33 PM

I would like to compare this number with the cost to taxpayers of hosting the Super Bowl. You know, for perspective.

Gyrfalcon		2012-06-04 03:34:52 PM

James!: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

I just formed the Fark Party and wholeheartedly agree with this statement. There are about 35 of us but we're totes serious. Give us dollars.

I just formed the Gyrfalcon Party of Fark. I want some of your money too.

the801		2012-06-04 03:41:18 PM

If Americans are going to spend money to erect anything, why don't we tear down those nasty slums and erect luxury high rises for poor people and senior citizens? Not for presidents who can afford to pay for their OWN erections!

James!		2012-06-04 03:47:44 PM

Gyrfalcon: James!: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

I just formed the Fark Party and wholeheartedly agree with this statement. There are about 35 of us but we're totes serious. Give us dollars.

I just formed the Gyrfalcon Party of Fark. I want some of your money too.

FPINO!

palelizard		2012-06-04 03:56:50 PM

James!: Gyrfalcon: James!: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

I just formed the Fark Party and wholeheartedly agree with this statement. There are about 35 of us but we're totes serious. Give us dollars.

I just formed the Gyrfalcon Party of Fark. I want some of your money too.

FPINO!

The People's Party Fark frowns on both of your shenanigans.

Geotpf		2012-06-04 04:05:05 PM

RanDomino: $60 million on 'security' for the NATO summit.

Well, that is a governmental conference.

The party conventions are not.

theteacher		2012-06-04 04:13:29 PM

monoski: Who pays for the hookers and blow?

But your mother accepts pocket change.

Edsel		2012-06-04 04:18:43 PM

Geotpf: RanDomino: $60 million on 'security' for the NATO summit.

Well, that is a governmental conference.

The party conventions are not.

Except for the technicality that the two parties actually comprise 99% of our government.

Citrate1007		2012-06-04 04:19:00 PM

I think it would be great if we saved money by forcing the RNC/DNC to hold their conventions at the same time and place. It would certainly increase the lols and my give a farks.

imontheinternet		2012-06-04 04:28:41 PM

palelizard: James!: Gyrfalcon: James!: Weaver95: unless we fund ALL political parties equally, we should fund NONE of them

I just formed the Fark Party and wholeheartedly agree with this statement. There are about 35 of us but we're totes serious. Give us dollars.

I just formed the Gyrfalcon Party of Fark. I want some of your money too.

FPINO!

The People's Party Fark frowns on both of your shenanigans.

The Fark Liberation Front hereby declares its independence from the decadence and tyranny of the other Fark parties.

*pushes button*
*explodes*

Lenny_da_Hog		2012-06-04 04:46:49 PM

Parties are private organizations of people who want to affect government.

No public money should go to them, ever. Let them cover their own costs. I'm not against public campaign funds, but parties aren't campaigns. They're essentially massive lobbying groups.

urban.derelict		2012-06-04 04:53:01 PM

1. it's not money, it's Federal Reserve debt

2. we're all slaves to the Federal Reserve

Epoch_Zero		2012-06-04 05:15:23 PM

urban.derelict: 1. it's not money, it's Federal Reserve debt

2. we're all slaves to the Federal Reserve

Also, for instance, like, such as, RON PAUL.

Delay		2012-06-04 05:46:50 PM

What's that ten cents for each American? Here you go, pull three bottles out my trash.

Mayhem of the Black Underclass		2012-06-04 06:48:44 PM

Libertarian party gets $2 and some embalopes.

whidbey		2012-06-04 06:51:15 PM

Delay: What's that ten cents for each American? Here you go, pull three bottles out my trash.

You throw glass away?

christianity		2012-06-04 06:54:55 PM

For some reason I remember thinking of Tom Coburn as a crazy person just a couple years ago, but I can't remember why and lately I've been seeing his name pop up in places that make him look like a decent senator, at least relative to the norm. (I realize that doesn't say much, but you get the point.)

jigger		2012-06-04 07:01:18 PM

Edsel: Except for the technicality that the two parties actually comprise 99% of our government.

Then everyone gets to vote on party chairmen and such?

Delay		2012-06-04 07:03:00 PM

whidbey: Delay: What's that ten cents for each American? Here you go, pull three bottles out my trash.

You throw glass away?

OK. The bottles are in the recycle bin.

So, since they can't give plastic bags out anymore and the grocery stores charge 5 cents for each paper bag, in aggregate is that more or less than the cost of both conventions?

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