Costs of campaigns
What, exactly, does a national election campaign cost? I keep seeing large numbers, but they’re never itemized. Not a good sign, in a world that accounts for every penny.
Let’s see. I have always believed that campaign workers were volunteers. By definition, really cheap labour, because they believe in a nebulous “cause”. If so, why do I get requests for donations, tax deductible, every single day. Sometimes more than once, between my morning coffee and my evening milk. Along with receipts (shaming 101) that emphasize my penny-pinching nature. Yes, it’s true; I have donated exactly $0.00
Or, what about calling in famous friends to convince the world of the upstanding character of any given candidate/leader. Today, he-who-would-be-the-boss brought a veteran of the political wars to the campaign festival. Brian somebody-or-other. What caught my attention was a comment: is he Ben’s dad? Could it be that only the old remember how bad things used to be? I don’t want to go back to the world of three decades past. I don’t want to listen to some old man croon a fake Irish ballad. Bringing in a former doesn’t convince me that the present will be better.
I did discover one actual cost. Locally, they’re advertising for a poll worker. Pay is better than minimum wage, but you have to put up with meeting all of your neighbours (known or not). I didn’t apply. Now, if every riding requires temporary paid help, that will certainly force the bottom line for elections into real money. I will have to read more about this (and into this).
