There’s a lot of excitement for Hawaii Democrats selected to attend the national Democratic Convention in Philadelphia as part of the island delegation. But there’s also been a bit of sticker shock.
Last week, Bart Dame, who has been at the center of the local Bernie Sanders campaign, took to the crowd funding site gofundme.com to raise money for his travel costs.
The combined costs of our hotel rooms, transportation costs and airfare have been conservatively estimated at $2500 apiece.
Then, in the last couple of days, he added this update.
I have been advised by the national campaign that my estimate of the costs of attending the convention are too low. Other Hawaii Bernie delegate GoFundMe campaigns trusted my $2500 estimate and now need to raise the goal to $4000!
So I am sheepishly doing the same. Ulp.
As of this morning, Bart had raised $748 of his $4,000 goal.
Bobbi Halpin, another Sanders supporter, will be a nonvoting delegate and a member of the convention’s Credentials Committee.
So far, she’s raised just $267 of her $3,500 target.
Big Island resident Raina Whiting, a teacher, full-time graduate student, and a pledged Bernie delegate, has raised $572 of her $2,500 goal.
Josh Frost has raised $533 of his $3,000 goal.
Chelsea Lyons Kent is credited with organizing the first Bernie Sanders grassroots campaign meeting on Oahu, stayed with the campaign throughout, and is now heading for Philadelphia. So far, she’s raised $702 of a $4,000 goal.
There may be others out there raising money to make the trip to the Philadelphia convention. But here are links to the GoFundMe campaigns that I’ve found so far. If you are in a position to contribute, hopefully these links will work. And if you know of others also seeking to raise funds to get to the convention, let me know and I’ll add them to this list.
Bart Dame
Josh Frost
Bobbi Halpin
Chelsea Lyons Kent
Raina Whiting
Here are several more Sanders delegates with links.
Kehau Cortez-Camero
Ken Farm
Netra Halperin
Christina Kaleiwahea
Asami Kobayashi
John Miller
If anyone has a list of the Clinton delegates seeking funding, I would be glad to list them here as well.
I’ve heard some of the Hawaii delegates will be staying out in Valley Forge, apparently a 40 minute drive from Philadelphia, maybe more to the convention site. Other delegates may face extra costs to stay closer to the convention.
The convention is scheduled for July 25-28. Average daily high temperature in Philadelphia at that time of year is about 88 degrees, with humidity providing a “real feel” of 93. A hot time is expected, in many ways.
Discover more from i L i n d
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
So sorry to hear that these folks have fallen on hard times and must now resort to begging. I have heard that high school marching bands and cheerleading squads do car-washes and bake sales to raise money for their very important trips to mainland cultural events. I note that some convention goers are planning to stay in Valley Forge. Too bad George Washington did not have access to GoFundMe back in 1777-78.
Aloha Ken! Unfortunately, each delegate has to raise funds individually, or risk incurring the wrath of the FEC. So big fundraisers are difficult. Most of the delegates did not know they would be going until they got elected at the State Convention the last weekend of May. So the time from election to Convention is pretty short.
Many of the most dedicated activists are young people with poor paying jobs, and students with part-time employment. They don’t want something for nothing–they’ve worked really hard! I know these people–if they lived on the mainland they’d be happily hitchhiking to Convention and sleeping at Hostels. But they can’t. No hitchhiking to the mainland. And the delegates must all stay in the same hotel, so no YMCA.
The trip is expensive, yes. They can’t afford to go, no. Not without our help. Shouldn’t we support their efforts, and show them that political participation is not limited to those who can pay?
Bobbi — Thanks for your explanation. I’m glad to see that Sanders delegates, and your explanation, fit right in with Sanders’ socialist ideology. Get other people to pay for whatever stuff you want. Cry tears that it’s important but you can’t afford it; then hold out your hand and expect the largesse to flow. Those rich donors can easily afford to give it to you. Besides, you’ve made them feel guilty for having excess cash. They really owe it to you; it’s a matter of “social justice.”
it’s a matter of sharing. It’s a concept.
LMFAO
Yes. It’s called sharing. The concept is collectivism, one of the core values of socialists. And yet I note that these delegates each has a separate, individual GoFundMe campaign, pitting them in competition against each other for donations. Individualism and competition are capitalist concepts, quite contrary to socialist ideals. So why did these delegates not create a single GoFundMe account to benefit them all, and then divide the proceeds equally? Or perhaps divide the money according to who needs it most? You know, from each according to his ability, to each according to his need. They could also have booked a block of plane seats and a block of hotel rooms, probably at a discount. But I suppose if someone wants a first-class airplane seat, or upgraded hotel room, that would be a reason for not participating in the collectivist block booking.
No, Ken. Sharing does not equal “collectivism. You obviously know that and are just stretching to try to make a point.
Ken, doesn’t relentless sour ideology get old after a while? You should consider idealism as an uplifting alternative.
Berners are the ONLY ones willing to fund their non-corporatist candidate to the 98% small donation level. The other candidates; one is 80%+ corporate funded and the other a mostly self financed oligarch. So what is cheap or begging about Bernie people? Pretty put their money where their values are. Boom.
What a weird concept! People involved in politics asking others for money to support their efforts? Who would have thunk it? Really, we should just leave political activity to the rich who can afford the time and expense, right? Those who can’t afford it should just thank their good fate that they are still able to TROLL on the Internet? I’m kidding, of course.
LMFAO
Just curious. Are all the delegates having to pay for their expenses to attend the convention? Or do the super delegates get their tab paid for? Are there any pledged delegates getting special treatment in this regard. Just wondering if the Dem establishment has rigged the process in making it harder for certain delegates (particularly Sanders supporters) to make it to Philly.
I don’t know about the Superdelegates, but all of the pledged delegates and standing committee members have to pay all their own expenses. Again, I can’t speak to what is happening in the Hillary camp, but nobody is showering the Sanders delegates with money or favors, I can tell you that.
<3 Aloha!
Dedicated Hawai`i #Bernie Delegates have to travel further and at a much greater cost than most all other delegates headed to the #DemocraticNationalConvention in #Philly.
Please chip in a few bucks to help get them there to vote on the important issues we've been fighting for – for so long!
~ Mahalo!
Complete list, so far… PLUS list to send out to your Email contacts:
https://www.facebook.com/Hawaii-Bernie-Delegate-Fund-935521873236745/
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a hero to liberal progressives ideologically aligned with Bernie Sanders’ anti-Wall Street rhetoric, endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Thursday night on MSNBC’s the Rachel Maddow Show.
“I’m ready. I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States — and to make sure that Donald Trump never gets anyplace close to the White House,” Warren said.
Warren, who has made banking reform the centerpiece of her political career and has been mentioned as a potential running mate, said she has not talked to Clinton about her vice presidential choice.
Warren’s announcement comes the same day President Barack Obama formally backed Clinton in a video lauding her qualifications for the job.
Both lawmakers had remained neutral throughout the sometimes bitter primary race between Sanders and Clinton, although the president was long thought to favor his former secretary of state. But Warren, who has made banking reform the centerpiece of her political career, was actively recruited as a potential Democratic primary challenger to Clinton.
I voted for Sanders and I know and like some of his delegates, but I am reluctant to donate any money toward his cause until I am sure that he is not going to create a divisive convention atmosphere that harms the nominee’s chances in November.
One of these folks is an elitist snob,
One of these folks just doesn’t belong,
Can you tell which person is a snob,
By the time I finish my song?
(With apologies to Sesame Street.)
The Clinton team has had a stellar two days:
1. Sanders speech
2. Obama endorsement
3. Sen. Warren attack
4. The “Delete Your Account” burn on Twitter to Trump
Strong beginning to what is hopefully a winning campaign.
Bobbi’s page mentions an overall contribution limit. It doesn’t look like it will be an issue based on this article below, but it made me wonder how person-to-person donations like this would be counted in campaign finance terms.
https://www.mcguirewoods.com/Client-Resources/Alerts/2014/4/Supreme-Court-Strikes-Down-Biennial-Aggregate-Contribution-Limits-for-Individuals.aspx
Good job, John Miller for providing the rules to go by!
Notice: Donations must be made by individuals to State and National Delegates. The following organizations are not allowed to make contributions to individual delegates:
• Corporations or Non-Profits;
• Labor Organizations;
• Foreign nationals (except “green card” holders—those admitted to the United States for permanent residence);
• National Banks;
• Federal Government Contractors (Holding government contracts as individuals, partnerships, or corporations)
The begging for money thing is just weird.