Your Money for Parties.
Mitt Romney is set to accept the Republican party’s nomination this Thursday in Tampa. In the days leading up to this orchestrated nomination, there will be 3 days of meetings held, speeches made, and policies cheered. All of this, of course, means nothing. The GOP easily could have nominated Mitt Romney in a million other efficient ways. So why do the elites of parties have to travel to all ends of the country to officially do it? And, more importantly, who is footing the bill for all of this? The answer, of course, is you. You are paying for the accommodations, the balloons, the airfare, etc.
In 2012, the U.S. taxpayers will contribute $136,000,000 to the two nominating conventions. $36,000,000 is cut in half and given to each of their party budgets. And Congress allocated an additional $100,000,000 to both parties for security, bringing the taxpayer grand total to a whopping $136,000,000. This tally includes:
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
And the kicker to all of this is that $136,000,000 isn’t near enough money to cover these two candidates giving speeches. So who gives the rest? Corporations….. and there lies the why of these conventions. Conventions give the opportunity for business people and lobbyists to “meet and greet” with policy makers. These millions are small investments in the face time they will receive at the many parties to be held. So as you are watching the foregone conclusions unfold. just remember to thank yourself!
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