Tonight, On Ridiculous Franking Privileges Playhouse

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I got this in the mail today from my Blue Dog congressman (who's perfectly willing to ignore me, but I'm supposed to listen to him apparently). I don't really have anyone else to share it with (since my other political hangout, SSP, is extremely partisan, although they have been getting a number of Republicans in lately). I tend not to frequent this board, but this seems to be the most appropriate place to post it.




At first I thought Nye had started sending out campaign mailers. Of course, it would seem a little early for that, so once I noticed it came from *Congressman* Nye, I realized this thinly-disguised campaign ad was being paid for with good ol' John Q. Taxpayer's money. Anyway, it's a reminder that incumbents have advantages that aren't normally discussed by political commentators, amateur or professional.

[Torie]

Taxpayers have spent 20 million so far (will it be 100 million before we are done?) on orders of the Obama administration, to put signs advertising the stimulus money on every road its money has touched, and every cop car and fire engine the money helped purchase. In a couple of years they will all be put in the dumpster.

Does the government spending your money advertising itself bother you as much as it bothers me?

[Sam Spade]

So long as I won't get banned and the partisans on both sides aren't too stupid, I'll be happy to play around in SSP if asked.

This site bores me from time to time (now being one of those times).

[The Vorlon]

Congressmen abusing their franking privileges for partisan political advantage?

The party in power using taxpayer money to promote the party in power?

"I'm shocked, shocked  I say to to discover gambling in this establishment!!"

"Your winnings sir...."

[Marokai Backbeat]

Taxpayers have spent 20 million so far (will it be 100 million before we are done?) on orders of the Obama administration, to put signs advertising the stimulus money on every road its money has touched, and every cop car and fire engine the money helped purchase. In a couple of years they will all be put in the dumpster.

Does the government spending your money advertising itself bother you as much as it bothers me?

I don't really see how that's such a scary thing. May as well show the ignorant masses they're getting something.

[opebo]

What is SSP?

[Alcon]

I don't really see how that's such a scary thing. May as well show the ignorant masses they're getting something.

Why not spend this same money on something like a performance audit, then?  That way, the "ignorant masses" get a sense of what they're actually getting, not glossy mailers.  You can't possibly defend this as being the most efficient form of public education -- it's done not because it's educational but because it's effective advertising.  If the intent were actually to educate, they would have chose the most effective means of education.

This is a tough call, because at some level publicly-funded organizations should get to make their arguments, and probably should be able to use some publicly-funded time/resources to do that.  However, this case is just obviously slimy IMO.

[minionofmidas]

I don't really see how that's such a scary thing. May as well show the ignorant masses they're getting something.

Why not spend this same money on something like a performance audit, then?  That way, the "ignorant masses" get a sense of what they're actually getting, not glossy mailers.  You can't possibly defend this as being the most efficient form of public education -- it's done not because it's educational but because it's effective advertising.  If the intent were actually to educate, they would have chose the most effective means of education.

This is a tough call, because at some level publicly-funded organizations should get to make their arguments, and probably should be able to use some publicly-funded time/resources to do that.  However, this case is just obviously slimy IMO.

Look at what post Maro was quoting.

Yeah, this particular flyer is disgusting. This is obviously a personal ad, and if it was paid for with government money then it's exactly what it says on the tin: Fraud.

[Dgov]

What is SSP?

Swing State Project, I think.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Er... wow. Are there not strict restrictions on what a Congresscritter can put out with public funding?

[Lunar]

Er... wow. Are there not strict restrictions on what a Congresscritter can put out with public funding?

There's some fund they can use to communicate with their constituents. 

Great find Johnny.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There's some fund they can use to communicate with their constituents.

Well, obviously. But are there not strict restrictions in what they can put on literature produced and distributed using those funds?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

There's some fund they can use to communicate with their constituents.

Well, obviously. But are there not strict restrictions in what they can put on literature produced and distributed using those funds?

It's pretty broad, considering that most contact with citizens is inherently self promoting. This mailer REALLY pushes the envelope, though. It's probably legal within the letter of the law, but it definitely spits in the face of the spirit of it.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Er... wow. Are there not strict restrictions on what a Congresscritter can put out with public funding?

They're not supposed to do campaign mailers - but this "cleverly" avoids that by not actually campaigning at all, although it's quite clear what the true intent of the mailer is.

[bgwah]

Dave Reichert is well known for doing this.

[jimrtex]

There's some fund they can use to communicate with their constituents.

Well, obviously. But are there not strict restrictions in what they can put on literature produced and distributed using those funds?

For House members they come out of the office allotment.  The House also doesn't permit massing mailings within 90 days of a primary or general election in which a member is a candidate.  Virginia had a June 8 primary, so this would black out March 10 to June 8 and August 4 to November 2.

So it is obvious this had nothing to do with the election, and was just a congressman communicating with his constituents.  Unfortunately, the draconian restrictions forced him to communicate with a large number of constituents in a short period of time so as to give it the appearance of a mass mailing.

Many taxpayers might not know what they could do about government waste, and this may help them out.