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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHillary Clinton's unpaid intern limbo: a grassroots campaign of 'free help'
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/13/hillary-clinton-unpaid-summer-intern-campaignIf Secretary Clinton wants to show shes serious about economic opportunity for young people, that has to start with her campaign, said Mikey Franklin of the Fair Pay Campaign.
Its wrong that they are not paid because they are giving their labor and labor should be compensated, he said.
Franklin said the entire concept of an unpaid campaign fellowship program had raised wage issues dating back to the Obama campaign. Now, however, with fellows doing work of value to the Clinton campaign which would otherwise be done by paid staff and with set hours, set responsibilities and a clear chain of command, her operation had effectively blurred the lines between the privileged and the politically hopeful.
If you need to work for free to get your foot in the door with the Clintons, you have be from a wealthy family, said Franklin.
For all the distaste of experience people working for free, the 2016 presidential race may ultimately prove to represent a new market demand for political campaign jobs: veteran staffers said they saw more long-term career prospects after interning for Hillary Clinton than working as paid staffers for upstart candidates like Senator Bernie Sanders or former governor Martin OMalley.
In the meantime, theyll just have to figure out how to pay rent in Des Moines, Iowa.
DURHAM D
(32,610 posts)an agenda in search of a Clinton scandal.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Interpretation on DU: "She'll do anything to avoid paying taxes!"
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)"Now, however, with fellows doing work of value to the Clinton campaign which would otherwise be done by paid staff and with set hours, set responsibilities and a clear chain of command, her operation had effectively blurred the lines between the privileged and the politically hopeful. "
In other words, this makes sure the dregs cannot afford to work with her and feed themselves.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)1960. I've never been paid a penny for any of that work. It stands in for monetary contributions I can't afford to make. Nobody every called me an intern. I was a volunteer. Was I doing work someone might have been paid for? Sure. People were being paid to work for those campaigns, too. But I was a volunteer.
I've done all kinds of work for free for candidates, from toting campaign yard signs and installing them in supporters' yards to writing campaign website content. I've even done some speechwriting. All for no pay.
Why? Because I supported those candidates and wanted them to win their elections. Money they might have paid me went to things like advertising, travel expenses and other areas of the campaign. I was a volunteer.
dsc
(52,162 posts)It is a very, very, common practice that has gone on since the beginning of campaigns.
HomerRamone
(1,112 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)Hopefully it isn't going on with some very talented and non wealthy Bernie workers but I don't have that info .