PsychoSword
Moderator
http://www.lp.org/press/archive.php?function=view&record=671
September 1, 2004
Republicans should reimburse taxpayers for convention costs
WASHINGTON -- If George Bush is really a compassionate conservative, as the Republican Party claimed again on Tuesday night, he should prove it by reimbursing taxpayers for the $40 million cost of the New York convention, the Libertarian Party says.
"Shame on President Bush for forcing ordinary Americans to pay for this weeklong infomercial masquerading as a political convention," said Michael Dixon, national chair of the Libertarian Party. "We're challenging the Bush-Cheney ticket to get off the welfare wagon, and give the money back."
The organizers of the Republican National Convention received a $14.5 million check earlier this year from the Federal Election Commission to finance the New York event. That subsidy, combined with an estimated $25 million in security costs, means that taxpayers will foot the bill for nearly $40 million.
The Libertarian convention, held over Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, was financed entirely with private funds.
"The Republicans and Democrats have every right to hold these non-conventions for which the nominees are chosen in advance, but they don't have the right to send taxpayers the bill," said Dixon, adding that the Libertarians asked the Democratic Party in July to refund the subsidy from its Boston convention.
Dixon cited a July 25 Rasmussen poll indicating that a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer-financed conventions.
The survey of 1,000 adults, commissioned by the Michael Badnarik for President campaign, asked: "Should tax money be spent to stage the Democrat and Republican national presidential nominating conventions?" A majority of 62 percent said no, 24 percent said yes and 14 percent weren't sure.
Dixon suggested two common-sense alternatives to taxpayer-financed conventions.
One: let corporate sponsors and other donors, who already gave a record $103.5 million to the two major parties' host committees, pay the entire tab.
"Unfortunately, the lobbyists and special interests have the most to gain from these weeklong bribe-a-thons, so why shouldn't they pay for them?" he asked.
Two: Let the Republican National Committee, and even some of the wealthy politicians themselves, help pay for the event.
"Vice President Dick Cheney and dozens of Senators and Representatives are millionaires many times over, thanks in part to their years of government 'service,' " Dixon said. "It's both outrageous and arrogant for these rich politicians to demand that ordinary Americans pay for a convention whose only purpose is to get the Republican president re-elected.
"The truth is that George Bush isn't really a compassionate conservative; he just plays one on TV. In real life he's a political welfare queen who's just shaken down taxpayers for $40 million."
September 1, 2004
Republicans should reimburse taxpayers for convention costs
WASHINGTON -- If George Bush is really a compassionate conservative, as the Republican Party claimed again on Tuesday night, he should prove it by reimbursing taxpayers for the $40 million cost of the New York convention, the Libertarian Party says.
"Shame on President Bush for forcing ordinary Americans to pay for this weeklong infomercial masquerading as a political convention," said Michael Dixon, national chair of the Libertarian Party. "We're challenging the Bush-Cheney ticket to get off the welfare wagon, and give the money back."
The organizers of the Republican National Convention received a $14.5 million check earlier this year from the Federal Election Commission to finance the New York event. That subsidy, combined with an estimated $25 million in security costs, means that taxpayers will foot the bill for nearly $40 million.
The Libertarian convention, held over Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, was financed entirely with private funds.
"The Republicans and Democrats have every right to hold these non-conventions for which the nominees are chosen in advance, but they don't have the right to send taxpayers the bill," said Dixon, adding that the Libertarians asked the Democratic Party in July to refund the subsidy from its Boston convention.
Dixon cited a July 25 Rasmussen poll indicating that a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer-financed conventions.
The survey of 1,000 adults, commissioned by the Michael Badnarik for President campaign, asked: "Should tax money be spent to stage the Democrat and Republican national presidential nominating conventions?" A majority of 62 percent said no, 24 percent said yes and 14 percent weren't sure.
Dixon suggested two common-sense alternatives to taxpayer-financed conventions.
One: let corporate sponsors and other donors, who already gave a record $103.5 million to the two major parties' host committees, pay the entire tab.
"Unfortunately, the lobbyists and special interests have the most to gain from these weeklong bribe-a-thons, so why shouldn't they pay for them?" he asked.
Two: Let the Republican National Committee, and even some of the wealthy politicians themselves, help pay for the event.
"Vice President Dick Cheney and dozens of Senators and Representatives are millionaires many times over, thanks in part to their years of government 'service,' " Dixon said. "It's both outrageous and arrogant for these rich politicians to demand that ordinary Americans pay for a convention whose only purpose is to get the Republican president re-elected.
"The truth is that George Bush isn't really a compassionate conservative; he just plays one on TV. In real life he's a political welfare queen who's just shaken down taxpayers for $40 million."
