Trial by Fundraising

Dear Candidates,

If you do not have at least 250K at your disposal, please kindly go to the back of the line until you can find enough people to give you a lot of money.  Sadly, we (people in the know) all admit it privately- this is the yardstick as to how we measure viability as a "horse in this race".  We like to start out fundraising letters to prospective donors with comparisons of how much money we've gotten from voters or corporations compared to our clearly- well you know…

Money begets money which begets endorsements… which begets more money… and this is a GOOD THING.

Never mind if you don't want it- or that it makes your stomach turn to think what candidates do with these millions of dollars during election time.  Wait- it's for those tacky postcards that attack your fellow candidates and inane "paid for" "approved by me" commercials on television that everyone now records and skips with their DVR? The ones that if they happen to accidentally see it, they want to poke their eyes out, or break out into a cold sweet when they can't find the remote to turn it off?

But you see, clearly slow- to- understand candidate, this is what works.  Every time.  So we keep doing it this way.

And when it is all over, what do we have to show for it?  How much have we collectively spent- on what exactly?  It certainly doesn't go to those who need it.  In fact, it goes to funding things that voters clearly despise.

p.s.  I still can't find an actual job description of a Congressperson.  But I'm told it now has a to do with fundraising.  So perhaps this makes sense…trial by fundraising.  Forget the national debt, and other pressing issues.  Fundraise and support your funders to keep your job so you can do the same thing again in two years.

**Yes there is the constitutional description (General and Enumerated Powers) but I'm talking about the day to day description of how these things are done, and where fundraising fits into all of this.  From my view, it seems to be a conflict of interest. 

You can follow Kristie at @DrKristie or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KristieforCongress

Thank you to UN Women, Knowledge Gateway for giving me the opportunity to speak at today's event "Information and Communication Technologies for Women's Empowerment and Poverty Reduction". Liz Ford from the Guardian did an amazing job as moderator.

I was fortunate to be able to spend time with Doris Schapira, to learn more about Campaign Finance Reform and Jill Sen who is working with an inspiring MDG focused clinic in Uganda.

Why doesn't one of us run for Congress? It may be another 40 Years!

My adventure is only weeks old. While wandering around in "the District" over the past couple of days gathering signatures, residents and new friends asked me to blog about my experiences so far as they have not only been humorous, but head scratching... and at times, alarming.

I can't be frustrated with others for not caring a whit about politics. The stats create their own story with approval ratings and perceptions of corruption or a rigged system of elections.

I've been teaching in front of a classroom for a while now, and have realized that the best way to engage anyone on the issue is to have a story to tell. I plan to tell my story in an unfiltered way as well as on the move so I welcome typo alerts or corrections if I get something wrong. If I haven't named you and would like me to state your name, let me know. I don't want to imply that anyone endorses me when they really don't. I also apologize if I offend anyone by simply not getting "how it works". This blog is from my own (outside) view and likely in constant flux.

How Much Does it Really Cost to Begin the Process to Run for Office?

If I want to even consider "really" doing this, I have to pay the $1740 filing fee. I worried on this for several days and changed my mind no less than 3 or 4 times. Finally, two men encouraged me to just do this- there was really nothing to lose. Truly, it would be a growing experience. I wrote the check and was told that it was NOT refundable. I put it in my mind as a professional conference fee- surely I will learn as much as I do from attending conferences?

I decide to head to City Hall to do whatever I need to do to file. I make a few phone calls, the website information is confusing. It seems that I have to go all the way to Norwalk. With traffic it took me an hour and a half or so to get there. I wasn't there all that long but it felt like forever. Perhaps it was another unexpected $$$ticker (Sticker) shock plus the requirement for signatures that I didn't know about. 40-60 in the district doesn't sound that bad- but to make sure they are actually registered in the district is not an easy or error free task. You'll find most people are clueless about where they lived the last time they registered. If I understood this part, it is likely I would have not paid the filing fee as these were due at 5pm today. In addition, this district has so many visitors to the area (including tourists and other Southern Californians) 2 out of three that I spoke with were friendly and helpful but from somewhere that wouldn't count.

Norwalk is not the district I needed to be gathering signatures in, so this was clearly a disadvantage with the non- refundable filing fee. I waited for quite a while for them to research my party history (which was pretty close to what I had said above) and researched deadlines for filing on my phone. I saw that if the incumbent doesn't file, you get an additional 5 days, which certianly seems more reasonable.

Meanwhile someone else's campaign guy is cursing out the poor elections clerk about deadlines as loudly as possible. The clerk helping me cringes and thanks me for being nice. She offers up advice for signature gathering- go upstairs and get some voter registration cards so that people can register to sign. I asked her about the 5 day window- which she had forgotten about. Since I am heading to the Commission status on Women on Monday, I need a special form for someone else to drop them off. What if I didn't know to ask these things?

So here is the real kicker in all of this for me. The clerk slides over a final form over to me. I clearly have NO IDEA what this is or what these prices are.

Do you know that little blurb in the sample ballots about candidates that you (hopefully) read before voting to remind you who is who and what they stand for costs $8,600.00 for 250 words maximum, and if you want it in Spanish as well, it is $17,200.00. If you'd like further translation, you get the idea.

And this is all due at the same time. So really, getting your "name on the ballot" for $1740.00 really is not $1740. It is true in a literal sense. $1740 gets your name there (plus the pounding the pavement for a couple of days for signatures that you hope and pray pass muster). But there is no blurb about you in the booklet.

For your name on the ballot with the 250 word blurb in English and Spanish you need to fork over $18,940.

"Article I, § 2, cl. 2, provides that a person may qualify as a Representative if she is at least 25 years old, has been a United States citizen for at least 7 years, and is an inhabitant, at the time of the election, of the State in which she is chosen. The qualifications established for Senators, Article I, § 3, cl. 3, are an age of 30 years, nine years’ citizenship, and being an inhabitant of the State at the time of election." (US Constitution).

A Question of Access Somehow this doesn't seem fair for people who don't happen to have this money on hand, especially on short notice. This seat only came up a few weeks ago. It actually seems to be a locked door for anyone without "means to pay their way". Especially for a seat that came available suddenly after 40 years. Essentially it seems you have to be a well established politician with fundraising mechanisms in place or at the very least an individual with plenty of money on hand.

As a final point for this post, you can jump through all of these hoops, and if you don't meet the signature requirement because the well meaning people who signed for you wrote the wrong address or are a block from the district (many don't know the lines) you are out the money AND the running.  I made sure to get 60 (all lines provided by the clerk) and you have to hope that 40 pass.

You can follow Kristie at @DrKristie or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KristieforCongress

Voting Done Before the Candidate Speeches?

No one really wants to show up at a Pre- Endorsement Conference, whatever that is. My great field trip idea seems to have fallen flat and I'm disappointed. A few are interested but it is too last minute. Anxiety grew as I tried to decide if I should just show up or not, and at least learn about it. How can we teach something and preach something when we have no idea how it works, and I've just finished the first season of House of Cards? Clearly that isn't the only way things are done. Apparently the "rules" for running are only that you have to be an American Citizen for a certain number of years and be at least 25 years old.

So I go. I am very familiar with Hollywood and seeing people from small and big screen when out and about, but politically- it's like I don't have access to media. I don't know who anyone is. Not completely true- I knew that Garcetti was the mayor, and had been to city council meetings but probably couldn't name anyone that is currently on it. Thank God for my smartphone. I sat outside the event and Googled who was running so far. Not to fear, Ted Lieu and Wendy Greul were stationed outside the event with pizza and water. I had just read that Ted Lieu was instrumental in the reparative therapy law, so I thanked him for his work on it.

Clueless, I went in and spoke with the "convener" of the event, who was kind. A few pages of forms, and I was in. Not really. I couldn't fill most of it out and I wasn't sure what I had registered at over my lifetime of voting. One thing I was sure of- I was adamant about voting (especially in the "big" elections") but I was the college student who would sign up with whatever table was on campus and tended to bounce around on the ballot without much regard for party designation. Political mailers haven't made it inside our house in more years than I can count. It always felt creepy to read the nasty, accusing messages in bright colors and obnoxious fonts, so those just go to the recycle bin next to the mailbox without being read.

I'd assumed that I had registered the last few rounds with independent or no party designation as it seemed to be the best idea being in a teaching position and it's best practice to provide balanced views and at least introduce the "other" side of whatever personal views may be held. Being a social worker, it's part of our training to understand and empathize with the position of all.

Last night I pulled up the platforms for the Republican and Democratic parties, which in truth I don't think I have looked at since I turned 18- at least not with personal interest (perhaps a class assignment). To be fair, I agreed and disagreed with statements from both. I decided that I couldn't designate myself as a Republican. It wouldn't be true. Most of my views align Democratic (after all, I'm a social worker). Continuing to state "independent" is largely symbolic here, and isn't terribly helpful unless you are famous in another way. I'm a fine print reader when I am focused on something so I prefer to read for myself, rather than answer questions or make statements based on something I saw posted online or God Forbid, one of the political shows where talking heads are yelling over each other.

Back to the form filling out time at the pre-endorsement conference. First$$$ticker shock. $350. Oh! What is that for? I don't recall exactly the answer but from what I understood, it gave you the opportunity to 1. stand up in front of everyone and give a two minute speech. Then 2. they vote on whom to endorse. This was turning into an expensive field trip. But I'm here I thought- and when will I ever do something as ridiculous as this again? So I wrote the check.

I went immediately to the back of the room and began observing. Most everyone knew each other it seemed, and I was offered many friendly smiles. Two kind men sitting next to me asked who I was and what I was doing there, and drew me out. I think I was suffering buyer’s remorse at the moment and wondering what I was thinking (this clearly wouldn't be the only time I'd have these thoughts). Someone clearly knowledgeable and known in the group introduced me around and given a pep talk. He told me to own "own it". I'd shown up. I appreciated his encouragement and coaching. I wanted to keep him. However, he sent me on my way to meet others and learn more about the process.

So the speeches began. I sat on a folding table in the back with Zein Obagi Junior and Barbara Mulvaney reminiscent of a high school gym auditorium setup. They too were running for the same position. Both are attorneys, as was Barbara's daughter who was also sitting with us. I liked them both and we had many ideas in common. So far I was impressed with who I'd met. After sitting in more too-long meetings over the years, the efficiency of the convener was breathtaking. Two minutes and that was it! Other positions were also being voted on. Sandra Fluke was there. A name I knew! Well not quite. She, along with many others showed more personality than we see in sound bites on the television that make politicians almost faceless. I will now always know that her last name rhymes with "hook" rather than the way everyone says her name if they say it. She's also an attorney and does much more than family planning activism. But I guess that is what happens when Rush Limbaugh gets a hold of you on one of his shows. Even I heard that the day it happened and was flummoxed. I'm going off topic.

Now this is when things start to get a bit strange. Speeches are happening but no one is voting. The ballots were paper (letter size) and every vote has the name of the voter attached to it. So and so voting for so and so (or no so and so- called NO ENDORSEMENT). "No endorsement" seemed to be a slap in the face but I could be missing something. Example, "Sally Smith, No endorsement" signaled to me that Sally doesn't like either of the candidates. Votes were tracked by large post it type papers held up on the wall by blue painters tape with candidate names in markers with old school slash slash cross counting system.

Zein Obagi was the one who spoke up from our group in the back andasked the convener why we were doing speeches if no one votes after them? Clearly the votes were done before the event began. And there were only two candidates involved in the voting, Ted and Wendy. The other three names, including mine were there but it was clearly symbolic as no votes were cast after all of us were done speaking. The already collected votes were the ones being counted. There seemed to be much drama in the counting for party endorsement. I'll speak for myself, only although I know others agreed including an LA Times reporter- what was the point of this? There was clearly one pick before anyone entered the room or met candidates from party that were not clearly "already in the system" or predesignated.

There were only a few days between Henry Waxman announcing his seat would be open and this event, so this was some fast movement in picking a new representative. There wasn't even a pause to see if there may be other candidates that may be better qualified (nothing at all against Ted Lieu, I'm only speaking to fairness). I could be wrong about this, but I had the distinct feeling that this was "normal" process and I doubt that the political party matters.

There was some victory noise- making and it was over. I spoke to many who were kind to me and thanked me for what I had to say. And my helpful coach from earlier paused on his way out to give me a few tips if I carried on with this adenvture, which I took to heart. Overall, it was a fun expereince and I was surprised how many people I was impressed with and truly liked.

A theme in conversation that day that surprised me- many want to get rid of the money in campaigns and have the belief that it is truly awful.

February 8th: It's all about bad math

Here's a link to my original tweet and post when the idea hit. The idea was to have students or other social work alumni excited about the opportunity to work for change in the way that we have all been trained to do. Sadly, there was an apathetic response to the idea. The math drove me to make the post.

In order for women to reach any type of parity in leadership, they have to run for Congressional seats when they open up. This one had been filled for 40 years by Henry Waxman.

90% of the time an incumbent gets reelected- and is almost always a male.