JENNA and ME

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Last night lovely! Jenna and I enjoyed dinner together. At Azur. We celebrated my birthday. I was Jenna’s guest.

Jenna and I have been friends eight years. When she first came to Key West. Green. Wet behind the ears. No more. An experienced woman in her field. Television, advertising, modeling. She is at her best when hosting and interviewing on a TV show.

Beautiful! A knockout!

We enjoy each other’s company though 51 years separate us.

Jenna is razor then. Runs 5-7 miles a day. A cheap date. She eats nothing. Orders an appetizer. Finishes only half. Takes the other half home. Her body slim.

She has taken up racing. Recently won her first race. A 5K.

Walked yesterday. Working at good health! Read and napped during the afternoon.

Hemingway Days around the corner. July 22-26.

One of the events scheduled is a poetry reading. Sponsored by the Key West Poetry Guild. Hemingway wrote poetry in his early days. His poems will be read. Blue Heaven. Tuesday July 22 at 5.

Hemingway was familiar with Blue Heaven. A regular of sorts. He refereed local boxing matches there.

No question, I am hooked on William Hackley. His 1855 diary being run on a daily basis by the Key West Citizen.

He and his wife Kate have a new born. Kate not making enough milk. William brought in a goat from Havana. The goat not doing the job. The baby is literally starving.

Kate tried breast fed twice during the night. Not enough. The baby is in trouble.

The British Open got to me right away. The first day Scottish time was 1:30 in the morning our time thursday. I watched the whole thing. Got about two hours sleep.

I did not watch last night. Slept.

Phil Mickelson doing well. Time is passing him by. He is 46. I would like to see him win this big one.

Three years ago, I wrote a KONK Life column on the medical care jailed inmates receive. The best! Better than you and I. And we pay for it. They do not.

The issue of special food has once again arisen. Certain Jewish inmates want kosher foods. Muslims and Seventh Day Adventists whatever their religions permit.

Special dishes cost extra money. Florida, $12.3 million a year. Florida wanted to say no more. everyone eats the same. An intermediate federal court said this week that jails must provide special meals for inmates who claim the same on religious grounds. The court also went on to say that the argument it costs too much money does not fly. Find it! Such was the court order to Florida.

Special religious meals are provided in 35 state jails and throughout the entire federal system.

This week’s KONK Life column The New Prostitution was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. It also appeared on E-Blast.

What happened in Nice horrible! Eighty plus lives. A terrorist attack by one man.

I fear the attack may decide our Presidential election. Trump claims he is going to protect us. Shouts it loudly and clearly.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

THE NEW PROSTITUTION

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Bernie Sanders argued for a free college education in the recent primaries. College is expensive. Tuition a back breaker. Rent a killer. Borrowing resulting in long term debt.

There is a new phenomenon in the country. It has become increasingly popular in recent years. Considered trendy.

It is referred to as the girlfriend experience. Ladies selling their bodies for a fee. The ladies generally college girls or in their 20s. The men rich.

No pimps or street corners involved. The ladies use the internet to make contact.

The ladies sell their bodies in order to pay tuition, student loans, rent and some to afford designer labels.

The girlfriend experience is the new prostitution economy.

The experience is not a meet, quick bang and thank you m’am. More is involved. The men want the perfect short term girl friend. Well groomed, cultured, classy, able to converse about anything. A lady that never brings her personal problems to the relationship.

The time involved may be an evening, a day, a weekend, a trip.

The men are older. Decidedly so. Generally 40 to 60 years. Affluent. Money no object to them.

The wages of sin are pretty good. All over the place. The price generally set forth in the site ad. Anywhere from $400 an hour to $2,000-$5,000 an evening. Some higher.

One young lady in South Africa offers herself for $42,000 an evening. She will travel anywhere. I cannot conceive what she can do for that kind of money.

The lady friend of today is the sugar baby of yesterday. The men, the sugar daddies of yesterday. Interestingly, both labels still apply.

Most arrangements last 1-3 years. A weekly meeting. A set figure in advance. Many contract for $5,000 a month. That is $60,000 a year. One hundred eighty thousand dollars over three years.

The ladies generally have 2-3 sugar daddies they provide service for during the course of a week.

The money earned astronomical. Described as an allowance.

The men seek a cultured sexual relationship with a much younger lady. The ladies view the relationship as a job. They do it for the money. No emotional entanglement involved.

The men view the women as sex objects. Whores. Beneath them. Though the ladies are treated with respect at all times.

Most of the men involved are married. They receive from the younger ladies that which their wives fail to provide.

In addition to the agreed remuneration, there are perks/incidental gifts. Extra cash, shopping sprees, jewelry, travel. Benefits of a high end easy life.

The ladies kiss. A no no in the prostitution trade. Men do not kiss the ladies and the ladies not the men. The relationship of sugar daddy/sugar baby is closer and different. The relationship more than that found in other prostitution situations. Kissing is expected and welcomed.

 

The parties meet via the internet. The leading site is SeekingArrangement.com. More female subscribers than men by a 10-1 ratio. The ladies in their ads set forth their asking price. Men, their net worth.

The ladies are listed free. The men pay $44.95 per month. For an additional $1,200 paid by the man, Seeking Arrangement offers a Diamond Club. The Diamond Club verifies incomes and net worth for the ladies.

Other oft mentioned internet sites are SeekingMillionaire.com and SeekingBillionaire.com.

The feminist movement has mixed feelings. To some, it is empowering. The ladies are entering the work force. The sex industry. Others consider it slutty.

Some maintain the ladies involved are oppressed. Many of the sugar babies have a contrary opinion. They believe those working for $7 an hour are the oppressed ones.

The business world has found a new way of not paying new or entry level employees. They call them interns and make them work for nothing. A sugar baby does not have to tolerate such an experience.

2014 found a large spike as regards the ladies. Especially in southern states. The University of Austin had the greatest growth. Two hundred twenty seven percent.

The top four universities in every area reported were Georgia State University, Kent State University, Arizona State University, and New York University. Number one was New York University.

A top ten listing of cities with the highest density of daddies

showed  Atlanta #1 and Austin #10.

The ladies are sometimes referred to as hidden hos. Websites such as Seeking Arrangement as convenience stores for adulterers. More dignified, a virtual brothel.

I wish to venture a personal opinion.

Prostitution is illegal in the United States, except for Nevada. Whether sexual activity constitutes a crime is dependent on the services provided. If something more than sex is provided, the acts are not viewed as prostitution. The something more such things as house cleaning or companionship. All difficult of proof.

More than 15 nations world wide have legalized prostitution. Included are New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Columbia, Denmark, Ecuador, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Sometime in the early 2000s, Germany legalized prostitution. The reason/excuse was to give dignity to the women. Also provide a means by which the ladies had rights, pension plans, and hospitalization coverage.

The real reason was Germany wanted to tax prostitution. They taxed it at every level of government and form of participation. Germany has made a ton of money and continues to do so.

The ladies have not benefited as anticipated. The reason being the influx of immigrants from Europe’s eastern block and North Africa. Too many new prostitutes. Prices for services rendered dropped dramatically. The old story of supply and demand.

The United States has moved swiftly in the past ten years in certain areas. Same sex marriage, transgendered  accepted in the military, marijuana legalized.

Marijuana is not yet legal in every state nor via federal law. It will be in the next 5-10 years.

I see prostitution on the same path as same sex marriage and marijuana approval. Legalization. The government will approve legalization because of the large tax dollars prostitution brings.

Legalization is coming. You can bet on it. In 10 years or less.

FREEDOM AT LAST

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Early wednesday morning, six Cuban immigrants safely landed in Key West. At the Southernmost Point.The end of South Street. The place where tourists wait in line to have their picture taken.

The dive boat that took them to safety could be seen behind the Southernmost Point. A warm sight knowing the circumstances. The six could not have landed at a better place.

Now that we have some sort of relationship with Cuba, I no longer can accept returning Cuban refugees who did not land with their feet on American soil. A concept that has outlived its time.

I saw on TV this morning, a Cuban who had just arrived and his father that had been in the U.S. 36 years. Embracing. Crying. The first time in 36 years father and son saw or touched each other.

Yesterday began normally. The anti-gravity treadmill first. I have exceeded my original top speed. Now 4.0 as opposed to 3.5. Miles per hour. Time equal to back when. Gravity still at 50 percent. I need it there or a while yet.

David Wolkowsky has been absent recently. He went to New York City. Ninety six years old and takes a few days off to visit the Big Apple. What a guy!

Followed it up with Ruby at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Ruby is terrific! She remembers your order and name. Similar to a bartender knowing your drink. All the time smiling.

A stop at Walgreens to pick up another prescription. I have 11 prescriptions requiring 13 pills a day to be taken. All doctor prescribed. My heart doctor says it is what is keeping my heart and blood pressure ok. I am “pill controlled” as he puts it.

I could sense it was going to rain last night at dinner time. Decided to stay close to home. Drove over to Hogfish. Sat at the bar. Knew we were going to get hit with a heavy rain. Monsoon type. You could small, taste and feel it coming.

It did. Fortunately, the bar area protected me from getting wet.

My happy birthday with Jenna this evening. My birthday. The last day of celebration. It is dinner at Azur. I am looking forward to Jenna and Azur. Both top of the line.

I am beginning to worry about William Hackley’s baby. He, a fried and what I assume was a nun stayed up all evening with the baby. Baby appeared better at 10 in the morning.

The thought occurs…..The Republican Party holds itself out as the party of family values. So they run a Presidential candidate who has had three wives. If Newt Gingrich is the VP choice, the heads of the Republican ticket will have had six wives.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..” The opening phrase in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. “Let them eat cake.” Attributed to Marie Antoinette. Questioned by some whether she was the one who actually uttered the words.

They come to mind because it was on this date in 1789 that French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille. The beginning of the French revolution.

Pouring like hell at the moment. I suspect we may have slipped into the rainy season.

Enjoy your day!

 

PETS FOR DINNER

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When I started this blog oh so many years ago, the purpose was merely to share with the world what I had done the day before. My Key West life. As time progressed, I found I enjoyed pontificating. So I added some political/social commentary.

Understand, some days I do nothing. If so, there is nothing to report the next day. No one can go full blast every day.

Yesterday was a slow one for me. Hard working. However not in the bars and grills of Key West.

I started the day with an early morning walk at Home Depot. I continue to be a good boy. Walking and watching my food.

Returning home, I began fine tuning last night’s podcast. My blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I found I had accumulated too much data. Too many topics. A busy week world wide. Needed to cut back the volume, organize the progression, and fine tune  the show.

Took longer than normal. A lot more. Maybe I was slow.

As reflected, a busy week. Much happened. Most of which was worthy of discussion. Only so much can be fit in a half hour show however.

One of the items I did comment upon involved Venezuela. I have been following, writing, and talking about Venezuela since the country ran out of toilet paper four years ago. They are still experiencing a toilet paper shortage.

A food shortage as well. Worse in its impact than the toilet paper shortage.

There is no food available for purchase. Assuming there was money to pay for the food.

The farmers stopped growing long ago since it cost more to raise the crops than they could get selling them. Store shelves are empty. Few working. Electricity scarce. Most businesses permitted to operate only one day a week because of the power scarcity.

It has come down to the following. Families are killing and eating their pets. Dogs and cats. Others are abandoning their pets along highways because they cannot afford to feed them. Hunters are going out and shooting the abandoned pets. Then returning home and using them for food.

There is another world out there. One not involving immigrants, ISIS, Trump or Clinton.

Thank God it is not our world. May it never be.

Trump’s numbers are up this week. Concerns me. I fear he may win. It would be destructive for America.

I feel Trump would drag us into a dark place. One none of us want. His moment in history comparable to Hitler’s in the 1930s.

Wednesday is hump day. For me, it is screw off day. I have nothing to do.

This week’s KONK Life column The New Prostitution hits the stands at 5 this afternoon. Read it. Surprising material..

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BABY MILK 1855

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When first the Key West Citizen decided to run an 1855 diary by Key West resident William Hackley, I was excited. After a few readings, disappointed. I was learning nothing. Then I started getting glimpses of Hackley’s life. Today, I am in with both feet. Love Hackley’s diary!

Hackley’s wife had a baby. Home born. Mother breast feeding. Mother’s milk supply not sufficient. Hackley ordered a goat from Havana. The goat finally arrived. The goat had recently born a kid. The goat’s milk was not right. Not in its prime.

Baby not doing well.

I anxiously await further readings to see how the milk problem was resolved.

Think my friends how lucky we are today. New mothers can breast feed or open a can and pour the milk into a bottle. Babies never in danger.

Yesterday morning, the anti-gravity treadmill. I am pushing myself. I am finally into a good health kick.

My time, 30 minutes. What I usually did. Took me a couple of of months to get back to that number. Speed back to normal also. Gravity the item to be corrected. I am moving at 50 percent of the gravity level I was accustomed to. I am reluctant to push higher at this time.

Jenny is taking good care of me. She is watching every part of my work out. Pushing me in her soft quiet manner.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for Cuban toast and cold Cuban coffee. Sat quietly and read the newspapers.

The Cuban Coffee Queen prides itself on its ice cubes being frozen Cuban coffee. I noticed yesterday that my drink had half coffee cubes and half regular cubes.

It was too busy to ask the staff why. Next time, I will ask Ruby if the Queen is cutting back or merely running out.

Publix does not have everything. I stopped at GFS/Gordon’s for a couple of items. The place being remodeled. Big time. Nothing where it was. Staff told me products will be displayed in different spots when remodeling complete.

I hate that.

I ran into Tonya Colston while in GFS/Gordon’s. Never met her before. Have seen her around town. She has a distinctive hair do. Punk style. Natural color. Actually, looks good on her.

I told her I had recently seen her picture with her wife in KONK E-Blast. She was surprised. She had not seen it. A nice lady. We will remember each other when next we meet. She, easy to recall. Me, maybe not. I have no hair.

This good health kick includes eating. I am trying to cut my food consumption by 50 percent. Means the refrigerator is empty. Extremely little. I had to stop at Publix for a few things. Very few.

Spent the afternoon researching for my blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Love doing this podcast. One half hour beginning at 9. Fast moving opinionated talk by me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include Congress going on a seven week vacation without appropriating any money for Zika, Venezuelian people down to eating their pets, 3,500 young people demonstrating in Berlin over the weekend, German people upset with rapes and sexual abuses by immigrants, New York Times reporting this morning that there is no racial bias in police reported shootings, an overview of this week’s KONK Life column The New Prostitution, and more.

Roostica for dinner. Limoncello wings. Different! Delicious!

Tiny Key West can make claim to many firsts. One is desalinization. Turning sea water into drinking water.

The first desalinization plant in the United States was constructed in Key West in the 1840s. To provide water for troops stationed at Fort Zachary Taylor.

Today, modernized plants. Desalinization plants on Stock Island and Marathon. A back up water supply. Three million gallons a day.

I was born and raised Catholic. Went to a Catholic high school. A massive Church part of the high school complex. St. John’s.

Occasionally, I would hear from my non Catholic friends that Catholics were storing guns in the basement of St. John’s Church. For the coming fight with Protestants. Did not make sense to me. Never heard a priest or nun speak adversely of Protestants. Never had been in the basement of the Church. It was off limits. Locked.

On this day in 1871, a major riot occurred during a parade in New York City between Protestants and Catholics. The Protestants known as Orangemen. The Catholics, Irish Catholics. Trouble was expected. Fifteen hundred police officers and five regiments of the national guard called to keep the peace.

There was no peace. Sixty died. Mostly Irish laborers. Injureds in the hundreds.

There were other riots/fights in 1870 and 1871.

The Protestants hated the Catholics. The Catholics, the Protestants.

The Catholics were primarily immigrants. Irish. The Irish hated the Protestants because they were constantly abused by them. The Protestants disliked the Catholics who were immigrants with strange ways unfamiliar to the Protestants.

Enjoy your day!

 

CAN’T WIN

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I can’t win!

I continue abusing my body.

Broke a little toe again. Last night. This time on a foot of the bed.

Spent most of yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column: The New Prostitution. Popularly referred to as the girlfriend experience. Young ladies. Older affluent men. Most college girls. Looking to pay tuition, college debt, rent. Some to buy designer clothes. Some just for fun.

The dollars big.

It is the new way regarding sex solicitation and activity. No pimps, no walking the streets, no standing on street corners, no brothels. All done one on one via the internet.

The article interesting and revealing.

I wanted to get out after I finished the column. Opted for Louie’s Backyard. Sat at the deck bar in the shade. Enjoyed a couple of drinks while looking out over the ocean.

The war continues between the Key West community and the hospital. The Lower Keys Medical Center. The hospital is owned by Community Health Systems. A major national health conglomerate.

The conflict proper. The hospital is taking advantage of its patients/customers.

A David and Goliath battle. A small community taking on a major medical corporation.

Immigrants in the news daily. A problem for most countries. Big time.

All cannot be labeled as bad. The proof is in the pudding.

Alexander Hamilton was an immigrant. A poor immigrant. He came to the colonies looking for a better life. He came from the Caribbean island of Nevis in 1773. His age young. Either 16 or 18.

Three years later, he was fighting in the Revolution. George Washington took a liking to him. Considered the young Hamilton an economic genius. Washington was correct. Hamilton was a key figure at the Constitutional Convention. He also guided the new nation for many years economically.

Disturbances have been occurring in France. Increasing in intensity. The basis for the conflicts are immigrants and terrorism.

The head of France’s Security Services recently advised that if the problem persisted, it could lead to a civil war. Lead by France’s far right.

I worry about something happening in the U.S. Not from the immigration/terrorist problem. From the black/police problem. The past week evidence. Dallas could have turned into a major eruption. The weekend protests likewise. The wood is dry. Only a spark required to create a conflagration.

Enjoy your day!

 

EQUESTRIANS

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Last night was supposed to have been dinner with Jenna at Azur. Jenna taking me out for my birthday. She telephoned in the morning. The flu. We are rescheduled for Thursday night.

My rescheduled evening began at Don’s Place. Chatted with Don, David, Boomer, Jimmy, Stan and Clare. Don, David and I decided to go to dinner. No one  wanted to join us. We decided on the outdoor bar at La Te Da.

Don and David became engrossed with two ladies to their left. I with a couple to my right. Alexandra and James, aka Alex and Jim.

I forgot to mention to Alex that I have an 11 year old granddaughter living here in Key West with a similar first name. Alexandra. We call her Ally.

Alex and Jim interesting folks. Down from Wellington, Florida. Wellington is located in Palm Beach County near Boca Raton.

I constantly learn. Wellington is the equestrian capital of the world. Horse activity at the highest level. Show jumping and polo, for example.

Alex and James are involved. Both are equestrian judges. Jim a trainer, also.

They are involved with training the equestrian Olympic team that will be competing this winter. They also are involved with polo events at the highest levels of competition.

Alex is originally from Maryland. Jim almost a neighbor of mine. From Avon, New York. Just outside Rochester.

Too bad they are leaving this morning. I enjoyed their company and would have liked to spend more time with them.

My afternoon yesterday was spent researching this week’s KONK Life column. I will write it this afternoon.

The topic a current one. The girlfriend experience. Sugar babies and sugar daddies. Older men and younger women. Generally, college age.

I am sure such has existed over the ages. However, in the past several years it has kicked into high gear. It is a phenomenon sweeping the United States. A new type prostitution economy.

The young ladies enter into long term relationships with benefactors. The money received helps to pay student loans, rent and provide the ability to afford designer labels.

The dollars big.

The Underwater Music Festival was held yesterday at Looe Key. Hundreds attended. Party time. Involved the Reef.

Two years ago, I wrote a column about the Scopes Trial. Also known as the Monkey Trial. It began this day in 1925. Referred to at the time as the trial of the century.

William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow opposing each other. Scopes the young teacher on trial.

My column laid out how the whole scenario was a fraud. From the very beginning. The only ones not in on the fraud were Bryan and Darrow.

Dayton was a small community in Tennessee. The City fathers thought their businesses needed a boost. They wanted national attention so people would visit Dayton.

They fabricated the facts leading to the trial. Pure and simple. It did succeed in getting national attention. It failed to achieve its primary purpose. People did not flock to Dayton afterwards.

Enjoy your Sunday!

BOBBY NESBITT BACK

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It was back to the anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Pushed myself. Got my time to within five minutes of what I used to do. Gravity level still at 50 percent though.

Spent the afternoon thinking and searching re this week’s KONK column. As usual, I came up with nothing. By 2 this afternoon, I must. Must complete research this afternoon preparatory to writing the column tomorrow.

Bobby Nesbitt has been away for a few weeks. He’s back. Knew he was going to be at Tavern ‘n Town last night. Planned on going.

Dee called me around 3. What are you doing tonight? I told her. She asked if she could join me. Of course.

Dee and I enjoyed dinner together while listening to Bobby Nesbitt last night.

I have been celebrating my birthday off and on all week. Tonight the last celebration! Jenna is taking me to dinner at Azur for my birthday. A double winner for me. Love Jenna. Always glad to be with her. Azur a fine restaurant. For some reason, I rarely go however.

The Wall Street Journal ran an article this week that indicated the price of gasoline had dropped dramatically in the last 20 days. There is a glut of gasoline.

No dramatic drop in Key West! Three cents. From $2.66 a gallon to $2.63.

The Journal article said gasoline dropped to $2.26 a gallon. Again, not in Key West!

Even better, the article stated more than 20,000 gas stations around the country are selling gasoline for less than $2 a gallon. Not in Key West!

Hemingway Days around the corner. July 19-24. Hemingway look alikes, the running of the bulls. Love it!

Mangoes. Key West not Key West without Mangoes. The restaurant is presently closed. Changed hands. Remodeling going on. I do not know the reopening date.

Everyone has had something happen to them at Mangoes. Sixteen years ago, I met Howard Livingston at the bar. We became instantaneous friends. Not today’s Howard Livingston. He was the Chicago CEO at the time.

The Beatles are coming to Key west. July 11 at 8 pm. The Key West Theater.

A group known as The Return performs a Beatles look alike, sing alike. Sounds interesting. A return to great music of yesteryear.

Enjoy your day!

 

VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE

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Dallas last night. St. Anthony and Baton Rouge a few days earlier. Multiple black killings by police officers the past several years.

You know the facts. I want to share a few sayings that from my perspective apply to the Dallas killings: Violence begets violence. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You hit me, I’m going to hit you back harder. What goes around, comes around.

The problem is now totally out of hand.

One positive: Cell phone cameras.

A couple of items involving Key West notables.

Ernest Hemingway. Beloved Key West resident for ten years. Hemingway was wounded this day in 1918. Severely wounded. He was 18 years old. An ambulance driver with the Red Cross. Stationed on the Italian-Austrian front.

A mortar shell landed nearby. Some were killed, others wounded. Though severely wounded, Hemingway carried one of the other wounded out of danger. Hemingway had no recollection of the event afterwards. The Italian government awarded him a medal for valor.

John Spottswood. A Key West icon. His name will be remembered for all time as one of those who made Key West great.

Spottswood was a four term sheriff and a four term state senator. Also, a big Democrat. He owned at one time the Casa Marina and La Concha hotels.

He fathered four sons. All successful business persons today. All contributors to the Key West scene.

I only know one. Robert Spottswood. And, his wife Elena. Two better people do not exist. First class in every respect.

Interestingly, the Spotswoods today own the Marriott Beachside. One of Key West’s finest hotels. Robert is responsible for the management of the Marriott Beachside.

PT-109 was being filmed in 1962. The story of John Kennedy during World War II. The movie was filmed on Munson Island. Today known as Little Palm Island.

John Spottswood owned Munson Island at the time.

As a side note, Cliff Robertson played Kennedy. Many years later, I was privileged to meet Robertson. He was ancient in appearance. Clear in mind. Dapperly dressed.

He was in Key West to head up an international fund raiser for the Mel Fisher Museum. He was Honorary Chairman.

Oxitec. The British company that wants to test their genetically modified mosquitoes in Key Haven. They found another guinea pig. The Cayman Islands. The testing begins next week.

This does not mean the Key Haven test is dead. Don’t know.

Yesterday morning, it was a haircut with Lori. Her husband’s name is Jamie.

Then a walk. I did it in Home Depot. Air conditioned. The humidity outside too heavy.

My column in KONK Life this week is Who Pays for Booze and Balloons? The financing of national political conventions. It is estimated each convention will cost $100 million this year.

The column hit the stands yesterday. It was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. www.keywestlou.com. It also was run in this morning’s KONK E-Blast.

Enjoy your day!

WHO PAYS FOR THE BOOZE AND BALLOONS?

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In several days, the Republican National convention to nominate its candidate for President will begin. Soon thereafter, the Democratic Convention will be held.

The two events costly. Multi millions of dollars. All those balloons that come down upon the Presidential nominee and delegates cost money.

The national conventions have been referred to as summertime parties. And parties they are. Think back at the happy faces you have seen on television over the years.

The Nixon era focused on corruption in government. Political corruption. The evil of monies from major corporations and the wealthy.

At that time, the conventions cost reach party roughly $2 million. Congress came up with a scheme whereby taxpayer monies could be used to pay the cost of the conventions.

Taxpayers themselves would decide if they wanted their tax dollars used. The annual taxpayer form was amended to add a box. If a taxpayer wanted $3 of his tax dollars to go to pay for national political conventions, the box had to be checked.

The first year for those tax dollars to be used for the conventions was 1976. Each party received a little more than $2 million. Since that time the fund has grown.

Through the 2012 nominating conventions, the number contributing $3 grew to 33 million. The amount to each political party rose similarly.

The 1976 $2 million became $18,248,300 to each political party. A total of $36.5 million.

On top of which (there is always more), each party received directly from the federal government $50 million for security. Generally, for the streets outside the convention halls.

This brings the total the parties received in 2012 for convention purposes to $136 million.

The desire for a corruption free process to nominate Presidential candidates eroded over the years. In 1976 and the early years thereafter, convention costs were able to be paid out of taxpayer monies.

Then came a politically free spending Congress and a Supreme Court that held corporations are people. As such, they could contribute as much as they wanted. Even in the billions. Called free speech. Likewise, the very rich. Through PACs and corporations set up for that purpose.

In 2012, the Republican convention cost $74 million. The Democratic one $66 million. Note again only $18.2 million of taxpayer monies was available to each party. The almost 100 percent percent public funding of the conventions in 1976 became significantly lower in 2012. The 2012 tax dollars paid for 25 percent of the Republican convention and 28 percent of the Democratic convention.

The balance of monies needed came from big corporations and the very wealthy.

Prior to 2012, a simple rule was invoked as to how the taxpayer dollars were to be used. Generally, the dollars could be spent for anything inside the convention hall. Outside was the headache of others. The delegates, corporations and the wealthy.

Examples of the inside convention hall expenses included payroll for staff (in the millions), lodging (close to the million mark), catering, airfare, film production, banners, promotional items, photography services, floral arrangements, communication consultants, political consulting fees, music, production podium, gifts/trinkets, make up consultants, and entertainment.

The booze and balloons part of the above.

Now came 2014. Not a Presidential election year. Obama recognized that the conventions really did not need the taxpayer dollars any longer. Corporate and wealthy donors were more than sufficient to pay all convention costs.

Congress agreed with him. A bipartisan law resulted.

Obama signed a bill doing away with taxpayer monies coming out of the fund to pay the costs of national political conventions. The monies hence forth would be earmarked for pediatric research: Cancer, autism, fragile X syndrome, and other childhood diseases.

A noble effort on the surface.

Congressional Republicans said they wanted to ditch the political money and put children first. A joke. It would have been one of the first times in recent years if it were true. Think how many child programs were cut or eliminated by Republican majorities in recent years.

The monies were to go to the National Institutes of Health to distribute and oversee. The problem was Congress never authorized the money. Remember, the taxpayer dollars used for the conventions came from the $3 check off box. Pediatric research required direct Congressional appropriation.

Thus to this day, no monies, not one penny, have gone to pediatric research. Cause there ain’t no monies! None ever legislatively appropriated.

To answer the question raised in the title as to who would be paying for the booze and balloons this year, Corporate America and the very rich. Those that can afford it.

By so doing, the big corporations and very rich acquire additional influence over members of our government. Whether Republican or Democratic.