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Romney Tries to Lure Student Fundraisers With Cash-Back Program
My Fox Washington ^ | 3/22/07

Posted on 03/22/2007 10:26:09 AM PDT by areafiftyone

Imagine getting a summer job with 's 2008 presidential campaign and getting 10 percent of the money that comes in. Sound crazy? It may be, but it's an offer now on the table for college students.

The Romney campaign is piloting the first-of-its-kind program around the country in which students are given a percentage commission of any funds they raise for the former Massachusetts governor in his bid for the White House.

Spokeswoman Carolyn Weyforth said nothing like this has ever been attempted. She said an e-mail to college students was sent out with the offer.

"Imagine getting a summer job with the campaign and getting 10% of the money that comes in! - Sounds CRAZY?! -... we bring you innovation #323 ... Students for Mitt. It goes something like this: If you are currently a student and want to earn from cash ... spend your summer touting Mitt Romney instead of selling Pesticide. For everything to raise over $1000 you will get 10% back! So if you raise $50,000 you get $5000 back. If you raise $100,000 you get $10,000 back! That's serious money for a college student and for a great cause! Legal has vetted this," the e-mail reads.

The students are then given the Web site address to sign up. Weyforth said students must meet certain criteria, for instance, having a valid ID, being at least 18 years old and a full-time student. Students who respond for more details are sent an informational packet to register and can start participating once accepted into the program.

Romney has already demonstrated success in fundraising. On the day he announced he was forming an exploratory committee in January, he launched a marathon fundraising effort that raised $6.5 million in 24 hours.

Last week, Romney said he's been very pleased with the fundraising pace since then. His campaign raised about $1.4 million over the Internet in its first month, and he has had about 20 fundraising events scheduled in the month of March.

Romney is running a distant third in the GOP nominating race, but keeping his name on people's lips. That puts him in the top tier with candidates John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.

First quarter fundraising figures for all the presidential candidates are due on March 31.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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1 posted on 03/22/2007 10:26:12 AM PDT by areafiftyone
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To: areafiftyone

"Legal has vetted this"

Which means, it will either be copied by everyone, or outlawed.


2 posted on 03/22/2007 10:30:26 AM PDT by Sax
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To: areafiftyone

It's a pretty cool idea, I think.


3 posted on 03/22/2007 10:32:41 AM PDT by NeoCaveman (the earth has a fever, I'm totally cereal - Al "Manbearpig" Gore Jr.)
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To: areafiftyone
Hmmmm..

Interesting take. So essentially, it's a contract to hire fund-raisers at indeterminate salaries?

Clever, if indeed legal.
4 posted on 03/22/2007 10:33:41 AM PDT by TitansAFC ("My 80% enemy is not my 20% friend" -- Common Sense)
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To: areafiftyone

I guess all those people who worked for ACORN and got busted for forging voter enrollments are really depressed now...


5 posted on 03/22/2007 10:33:48 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly catching hell for posting without reading the article since 2004)
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To: TitansAFC

So far Romney is leading in fundraising! He's doing really well and no wonder - with ideas like this! Good for him!


6 posted on 03/22/2007 10:34:50 AM PDT by areafiftyone (RUDY GIULIANI 2008 - STRENGTH AND LEADERSHIP)
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To: areafiftyone

One step away from Amway.


7 posted on 03/22/2007 10:36:09 AM PDT by JohnnyZ ("I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose" -- Mitt Romney, April 2002)
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To: AmericanMade1776; bcbuster; Bluestateredman; CaptainK; cgk; Choose Ye This Day; circumbendibus; ...
Update for an earlier ping: More information about this first ever innovation in campaign fundraising by Mitt Romney team.

((( MITT ROMNEY PING )))

• Send FReep Mail to Unmarked Package to get [ ON ] or [ OFF ] the Mitt Romney Ping List

8 posted on 03/22/2007 10:38:39 AM PDT by Unmarked Package (<<<< Click to learn more about the conservative record of Governor Mitt Romney)
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To: JohnnyZ
One step away from Amway.

Dumb remark. This is no different than commissioned sales people getting a percentage based on what they sell. Happens in every furniture store that I know of.

9 posted on 03/22/2007 10:46:05 AM PDT by scooter2 (The greatest threat to the security of the United States is the Democratic Party.)
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To: areafiftyone

This is just another example why Romney is top-tier material and is not going to go away anytime soon.

However, Romney is still going to get killed in the media because he does not have any natural allies in the liberal media establishment or in the moderate Republican establishment (because of his faith). He is going to need a lot help from non-traditional media and grassroots to survive the nearly daily agenda based onslaught.


10 posted on 03/22/2007 10:46:24 AM PDT by nowandlater
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To: scooter2
This is no different than commissioned sales people getting a percentage based on what they sell.

Okay, zero steps away from a used car dealership.

11 posted on 03/22/2007 10:48:54 AM PDT by JohnnyZ ("I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose" -- Mitt Romney, April 2002)
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To: JohnnyZ
Yep, sounds like a pyramid scheme to me too.

I know that fund-raising is the lifeblood of a campaign, but how much unintended backlash is this going to cost Romney? I can imagine some overly creative students using unethical if not illegal methods to boost their "sales" goals. Especially late in the Summer when they realize that they are not going to meet their own personal financial goals.

We're going to see a flurry of phone and Internet solicitations that make the 2000 and 2004 campaigns look tame.
12 posted on 03/22/2007 10:49:32 AM PDT by anymouse
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To: anymouse

While all may not like the idea, you gotta give him/his campaign credit for original thought/ideas. Such creativity and "out of the box thinking" is what might carry him far. If not as the Repub. nominee, then as Veep for Rudy (?) or maybe a cabinet post. Who knows, but such creativity is a good thing to have as President, IMO.


13 posted on 03/22/2007 11:04:51 AM PDT by jmboyer1
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To: anymouse
Yep, sounds like a pyramid scheme to me too.

No, a pyramid scheme is like Social Security. Those who collect early before the thing collapses make money; everyone else is left holding the bag. This is more like multi-level marketing, which has made more than a few companies wildly successful.

I've often thought the entire social security problem could be solved in a generation or two if it was based, at least in large part, on what your kids contributed in taxes.

14 posted on 03/22/2007 11:10:11 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: jmboyer1
Such creativity and "out of the box thinking" is what might carry him far.

Hmmm . . . maybe we could start paying bounty for every scalp of a Talibunny or Al-Qaida fighter turned in.

15 posted on 03/22/2007 11:13:20 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Vigilanteman
I thought mid-level marketing was more where you are paid a commission based upon on the sales of other people that you bring in as additional salesmen.That's why they often seem put more effort at recruiting you to join the party rather than actually selling you the product.

At least the ones I've been invited to join are like that.

This sounds more like a straight commission type thing, like a parts saleman might be offered.

16 posted on 03/22/2007 11:30:46 AM PDT by Red Boots
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To: areafiftyone

I wonder what effect this will have on 'matching-funds'?


17 posted on 03/22/2007 11:34:50 AM PDT by blam
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To: blam

You think McCain is going to scream bloody murder? I bet you he is. LOL!


18 posted on 03/22/2007 11:42:41 AM PDT by areafiftyone (RUDY GIULIANI 2008 - STRENGTH AND LEADERSHIP)
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To: jmboyer1

He pays people to post on websites and plant articles as well! Then he also paid student's transportation to CPAC as well as they entry fees so he could win a poll.

That does not transfer into votes and won't. When you have to go to the length he is going to with planted stories and paying people, you are in trouble IMHO.

He is also losing regular fundraisers to other candidates. If some college kid calls me looking for a donation, he will get told the same thing the Istook kids did -- NO! It didn't work here in OK among Republican activists when called by college kids looking for money for our Governor's candidate in 2006 and it won't work well now. Lot of problems came out of it here.


19 posted on 03/22/2007 12:21:35 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Broken Glass Republican -- RudyforPresident2008@yahoogroups.com or http://www.rudygforamerica.com)
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To: PhiKapMom

So you didn't support Istook? You supported Henry? Huh? Sounds like you made the wrong choice, not Istook. You must be a closet liberal.


20 posted on 03/22/2007 12:28:41 PM PDT by nowandlater
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