Sanders delegates shocked they need cash for DNC trip

The New York Post ^ | 7/4/2015 | Mary Kay Linge

[NYRepublican72]

Some of Bernie Sanders’ 1,831 New York delegates can’t scrape up enough cash to attend this month’s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia — so they’ve turned to crowdfunding websites to raise the cash.

“The cost definitely was a surprise,” said Jessica Frisco, 23, a delegate from the Upper West Side. “People are freaking out.”

Unlike the savvy operators who usually win slots as convention delegates, some from Sanders’ campaign say they had no idea they would have to spend up to $5,000 on travel expenses.

[eddie willers]

So if I understand your correctly, (1) only the rich should attend political conventions as delegates and (2) it is bad for someone that does not have the means to seek community support to help finance their participation in a political convention. Do I have that correct?

No, you don't

It was a statement that liberals are stupid, though they obviously don't have exclusivity.

[gunsequalfreedom]

We are on two different subjects.

[Hulka]

That’s not how I read it.

I read it that the Sanders’ delegates discovered the real world and the real world operates on cash, something the little sweethearts feel comes from daddy or the “government.” They take no personal responsibility for the cost of their activities.

So, yes, they can go to crowd-funding but they should not be shocked that perhaps no one will fund them.

Maybe they will learn things cost money. (I can dream, can’t I)

[grundle]

Thanks for the explanation.

[grundle]

Thank you for the explanation.

[gleeaikin]

It is not the trip, but trying to find a hotel room anywhere near the action. $1000 a night might not be an unusual price. There will also be a huge number of Bernie supporters making day trips in buses to demonstrate about various things.

[exDemMom]

You’re welcome.

[wildandcrazyrussian]

That doesn't make any sense to me. Nobody is "invited" to be an RNC delegate. That's the kind of thing many thousands of people would love to have once shot at in their lifetime, and generally either have to be a long-time well-connected party loyalist with friends on the selection committee, or else as in some few states luck out in being on the ballot (filed months in advance) as committed to a particular candidate who happens to win some delegates.

I have a friend who is a delegate (average middle-class person, lucked out on the ballot) to the RNC Convention next week, and he says that the admission fee is $250, nowhere near $2,000. Also, there is no need to worry about food expenses since there will be loads of open houses hosted by companies and such. And he is driving over, then sharing a room in a normal motel several miles away with several other people. His entire expense might be about $600.

I approve of the idea that the average person can dream of such things.

[exDemMom]

I may not recall the exact amount, but I do recall that it was far more than I was willing to pay—and I do not think the $2000 figure is far off. I was a graduate student at the time.

I used to volunteer on campaigns and so forth. I worked on GW Bush’s and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaigns. I helped with the Gray Davis recall. I went to the county fair and manned the Republican booth and signed up voters. This is probably why I was invited to go to the convention. It may be that being invited is not the same as being elected to be a delegate—perhaps it was that delegates are elected from among the people invited to go. I don’t know, and this happened at least 16 years ago, so details are fuzzy now.

I do not participate any more like that, because I joined the military and it is illegal. However, I still receive emails from the county Republican committee where I used to volunteer.

After I retire, I may go back to volunteering, if the RNC cleans up its act and gets rid of the RINOs.