Why do US taxpayers fund private political party conventions?

[Southern_Man 0]

Best I can research it looks as though the US Taxpeyer is on the hook for $36.5 million combined for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions (split evenly at 18.25 million apiece. Why in the world should we be paying for these glamorized commercials? If we are going to fund these two shouldn't we fund similar amounts for Libertarians, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party?

These are the same lawmakers who made hay over the GSA spending 822,000 for a convention in Vegas. There are pretty much no guidelines for how the parties spend the government funding, as long as it is associated with the convention in some way. Here are some of the expense listed (I think these are for 2008):

Republican National Convention Committee:

$2,313,750 – Payroll
$885,279 – Lodging
$679,110 – Catering
$437,485 – Airfare
$53,805 – Film production
$13,864 – Banners
$6,209 – Promotional items - gift bags
$4,951 – Photography services
$3,953 – Floral arrangement for convention
$3,369 – Communications consultant

Democratic National Convention Committee:

$3,732,494 – Salaries
$955,951 – Travel
$942,629 – Catering
$374,598 – Political consulting fees
$288,561 – Production music
$140,560 – Production: Podium
$49,122 – Photography
$14,494 – Gifts/trinkets
$3,320 – Makeup artist consultant
$2,500 – Entertainment

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[normiss 906]

Dangy.

Them democrats is expensive.

[billvon 3,132]

> Why in the world should we be paying for these glamorized commercials?

?? You don't have to if you don't want to. It is the only optional tax on the books for income taxes.

[ShcShc11 0]

just nickels and dimes in comparison to the total amount of money spent in a political campaign.

...fix the root instead (the outlandish money in politics).

[Southern_Man 0]

Quote

> Why in the world should we be paying for these glamorized commercials?

?? You don't have to if you don't want to. It is the only optional tax on the books for income taxes.

Money is fungible, so whether I check off the box or not there is still taxpayer money going to that and not to other, legitimate government purposes.

Why shouldn't parties that I support also be able to lap at the public trough?

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[billvon 3,132]

>Money is fungible, so whether I check off the box or not there is still taxpayer money
>going to that and not to other, legitimate government purposes.

So? I'm a taxpayer and I pay the government for things like my pilot's license, park entry fees etc. That's taxpayer money going to those and not to other more legitimate purposes. But I chose to pay for those things, just as some people choose to pay for the convention. Up to me and up to them. It's my money (and theirs.)

Heck, I think the tax code should do this more often. "You owe $23,000 in taxes this year; fill out the form below to indicate how you want it distributed." Fund all discretionary expenditures that way.

>Why shouldn't parties that I support also be able to lap at the public trough?

I think they should - and you should be able to send your money to them if you so choose.

[kawisixer01 0]

I had a similar thought a month or two ago when I was stuck on the Tarmac for an hour in Portland because I was unlucky enough to arrive around the same time air farce one was coming in. Then to observe the resources they also were flying in, then to see the roads shut down and the every place along the presidents route come to a screeching halt. I can only imagine what this costs. Then imagine my amazement to learn that this whole circus wasn't even for any real function beneficial to the tax payers....it was a $1000-$5000 per plate campaign dinner for Obama. That's it. Can you imagine the costs associated with this one little trip and the amount of inconvenience caused by it, all so Obama could go hang out with some rich folks for dinner.