Heather’s comment on her blog about politicians struck a chord. A few years ago in a close presidential election year I made the mistake of contributing some sheckles to one of the candidates (it doesn’t really matter who since in this regard they are all the same). For the next several months that candidate spent more money soliciting ME for money than I had contributed. I wanted the money to be spent on the campaign … maybe a few posters or a couple of seconds of a TV spot or the like … not on trying to get more money from me. I was planning to make several more contributions … and would have if they had just gone about the process of campaigning for office. As it was, their actions put my money back into my pocket.

I’ve mentioned this to other people and have gotten the same reaction from people who contributed once to a specific candidate and then received the full-court press to pony up even more money. Like me, they also will never make such a contribution again. Want to drive a Republican crazy? Make a small contribution to a Democrat in the Republican’s name … for the next four years their mailbox and email inbox will be stuffed with solicitations for money…!! So much so that the Republican will probably have to learn to recycle (very big grin).

The subject came up again last night when we were in Soda Springs visiting mother and dad. They had made a $50 contribution to one of the current presidential candidate campaigns and were now being flooded with solicitations for more money from that campaign. Dad was lamenting how badly his money (and in his opinion, $50 was a whole bunch of money) was being spent.

Heather, you’ve got it right on who should get the money!

The same applies to the so-called social agencies. We are constantly being solicited (by phone) by the police, firemen, disabled veterans, and similar agencies who are exempted from the Do-Not-Call regulations. These are paid solicitors who are the most rude people on the face of the earth (and unfortunately the disabled veterans are the worst of the lot). We won’t even speak with them anymore. As soon as the voice on the phone asks for “Rowwwland Smith” or for “Nighna Smith” we hang up. I’m not enough of a masochist to stay on the line and be called “cheap” or “unpatriotic” and sometimes worse. They aren’t getting any more of my money, either! There aren’t any “deep pockets” in this household.