tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320499219200491287.post976741133003942417..comments2023-10-09T15:36:21.464-04:00Comments on Fairer Globalization: Political Conventions are a WastePolicy Innovationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16579852959458521021noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320499219200491287.post-44198279280434188032008-09-12T15:39:00.000-04:002008-09-12T15:39:00.000-04:00Matthew, I appreciate your concern over the green ...Matthew, I appreciate your concern over the green cost, especially in terms of air pollution, but this seems to be a wee bit on the harsh side. Per the Denver Business Journal, the DNC brought in $150mn to $200mn to the local economy (http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/09/01/story1.html?b=1220241600%5E1691930) which strikes me as better then just dgging a hole.<BR/><BR/>What's more, as someone just back from the DNC press team, I can tell you that we generated 40% less paper over the course of the Convention then was the case in Boston in '04. <BR/><BR/>As for it's political value, I reckon we gained 4% to our popular vote as a result and that is priceless electorally.<BR/><BR/>Was the Convention as Green as was possible? No. Was it the greenest Convention yet? Yes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320499219200491287.post-7166014980644366862008-09-11T02:48:00.000-04:002008-09-11T02:48:00.000-04:00At the DNC alone they used 50 million simply for "...At the DNC alone they used 50 million simply for "security." And the RNC, which its violence against protesters and journalists, pre-emptive arrests, putting independant news sources under house arrest, and torturing activists in prison I'm sure had an even larger budget.Kendlinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16761652193292800220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320499219200491287.post-44292853283826862152008-09-09T12:45:00.000-04:002008-09-09T12:45:00.000-04:00Devin, Thanks for bringing up some important point...Devin, <BR/><BR/>Thanks for bringing up some important points. <BR/><BR/>I emphatically <I>do</I> think that political conventions are more of a waste than stimulating a local economy in the manner described. <BR/><BR/>If the primary function of a make-work job is to keep someone from starving, or to keep a local community alive until new industries take root, then it is hard to see that as a real waste in any moral sense. <BR/><BR/>The primary function of a political convention, by contrast, is to launch an individual candidacy - at best a succesful product demo, at worst a selfish delusion. <BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that conventions don't offer something of value to the world, or the local communities where they take place. I'm just saying that there is perhaps a less wasteful, less indulgent way of going about it. One that employs technology, ingenuity and political courage in equal measures. <BR/><BR/>On your second point, I think we can agree that there should be a mechanism for "pricing in" the externalities generated by rock concerts, sporting events and other large-venue events. These externalities are quite similar to those generated by political conventions. They include carbon emissions, trash, noise &c. <BR/><BR/>Political conventions, however, are notable for their length (3-4 days), and the great distances travelled to and from the event by the delegates. The pricing of those externalities should therefore be an order of magnitude greater, yet we don't see this. <BR/><BR/>On your last point, of course there are many bothersome practices in the world - some vulnerable to moral suasion, some that must simply be tolerated amiably. In this instance, however, I <I>am</I> appealing to a moral argument in that I am basing my desire to end these conventions on logic (and an economic logic at that). <BR/><BR/>They are wasteful precisely because they are costly - and the costs are not born by the consumers (the political parties, the candidates, the conventioneers). They are instead born by all of us whether we support the candidate or not, whether we support conventions or not. <BR/><BR/>And all that is guaranteed is that one party will lose it all.Matthew Hennesseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03181183042295264271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320499219200491287.post-3766879279201687152008-09-08T18:15:00.000-04:002008-09-08T18:15:00.000-04:00Matthew, some quick comments:1. Is doing a convent...Matthew, some quick comments:<BR/><BR/>1. Is doing a convention more of a waste than "digging a hole and filling it up" to stimulate the local economy?<BR/>2. How is it more of a waste than other events that occur in large venues, like rock concerts?<BR/>3. Your business analogy (remote meetings) sounds like many practices that should go away but will take universal practice, like the use of hormones in cattle. Perhaps we can try to change the way people think about remote meetings morally.Devin Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08510505316223549589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320499219200491287.post-42466977968645755132008-09-08T17:47:00.000-04:002008-09-08T17:47:00.000-04:00I totally agree!!!That's why I created my blog...I totally agree!!!<BR/>That's why I created my blog!<BR/><BR/>Feel free to visit me, life is so much better at the other side of the bridge...leave a comment or two. so i'd know u have arrived to my side of the 'bridge'...heehee!<BR/><BR/>Take care & hope to hear fm u<BR/>~Lenore*LenoreNeverM♡rehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08964343661261469513noreply@blogger.com