I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal

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Rock Defender [53]

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Re: I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal

Dec 5, 2018, 5:28 PM [ in reply to I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal ]

Yes, but you misunderstand the power that network brings, especially if you are on a staff that wins elections consistently.

I know several people who are very young and are pulling 6 figures. I chose to leave politics because I wanted a more secure future. The problem with politics is once you're in, you're in. You have to be a superstar to get income from things like speaking and book deals. Most staffers dont get there. They will make $250,000+ on a campaign or congressional staff, but thats your career. Wanna leave politics and get a civilian job? Good luck with that resume. Thats the other issue, once you're employed by a campaign and then want to leave to work int he real commercial world, your political affiliations work against you. First, employers see you have zero commercial experience (such as a product manager or production manager), then they'll see you worked for a partisan candidate and thats when they'll question your personal character.

I'll give you a great example from my personal experience.

In college I worked as an unpaid intern in Washington and in local campaigns. I got on board with Jeff Duncan and then some other candidates from SC that won elections. Got a job in Washington for $26k. Worked on a few projects, and within 3 months I was in a position earning $80k. Its all about winning campaigns, winning legislative, and networking at events with the "winning team". Jobs come quickly and pay well once you get recognition. The real key is making sure your campaign or legislative lobbying group wins. If you win, you get paid. I left because I didnt enjoy Washington and wanted a more stable career that didnt require me to sleep in my office every night.

My friend loves the political hustle. He is still in his early 20's, and is currently a director of legislative action for a high profile lobbying organization. He makes $380,000 per year from his job alone. That doesnt include the other $30k+ he earns writing editorials, books, and other contributions related to politics but are outside his job. He and I actually started as unpaid interns for Jeff Duncan, and bounced around as unpaid interns and volunteer campaign staff. I remember doorknocking with him in the summer in Spartanburg a few years ago.

But, my friend's problem is that he has no social life. He works 90+ hours a week. He doesnt get weekend time. Officially, he "earns" vacation, but he doesnt have time to use it. He has a nice apartment in Baltimore, but except for a mattress and a lawn chair, its unfurnished because he never gets enough free time to go home, shower, and change.

My friend also has ZERO experience working for a real company. No commercial sales experience, no manufacturing or technical skills. Now, I'm sure if he left his work and became a sales person somewhere, he would be great. But, he would be starting at the bottom, farming crappy clients making $35k per year for many years, hoping to make small spiffs and commissions.

To top it off, my friend is deeply tied to the Republican political network in Washington. So if he were to try and get a job at a normal company, they may look at his resume and say "Oh, you worked for a republican this or republican that. No thank you" as many companies would deem it risky to hire someone so deeply involved with a partisan political organization.

My friend is actually very moderate, even voted for Obama. He was a registered Democrat at one point, and doesnt profess to be a Republican. But, to keep his job and the money, he needed to pick the winners side. Currently, republicans are the winners.

But, its also nice being 23 years old making a $380,000 salary, another $30,000+ from freelance work, and probably more from endorsements and other ties in his network. And he is a "small fish" in his world. Even given what he does now, he is still considered "an expendable nobody" in his line of work. Now, not everyone earns $380K, but $100,000 is very common for young folks working in these arenas if they are hustlers, competent, and are good at networking and rubbing shoulders. Getting lucky by picking winning campaigns is also huge.

I would personally rather make a decent base salary, with bonus and commission, with health insurance, stock options, and free travel, along with free evenings and weekends to pursue other things like hobbies and side businesses. I'm starting a drop shipping business soon that I am hoping to bring in a few extra grand a month once I establish the model. I can do that, my friend cant.

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Where's the return? I mean I hear people all the time saying that salary sucks. Or that's too much work for too little pay, or whatever. Does anyone ever care to look at what they EARN the company at that wage or salary?

If you're running on a 15% profit margin and you suddenly have to pay the majority of your employees 30% more to flip a burger or whatever, then you either go bankrupt, or raise your price.

Like for a Congressional intern. They're getting an invaluable opportunity to network, see how campaigns and politicians offices function and serve constituents, and maybe give the President a blowie. But say you pay them $15 an hour. Where's your return on that investment? I mean they're free now and you're getting X out of them. Pay them $15 an hour and you're going to get X + what? What will happen is interns will become scarce if paid. You'll get someone in there to streamline interns since you have to pay them and you'll find you're getting stuff done with far less. Heck, it's really a public service, or it should be. For the intern AND the Congressperson.

No one runs for office for the money. They do it for the power. Get the power, and the money will follow. Trump would be the first to tell you, the power of controlling $4 trillion is FAR greater than the power to make $100 million.

Are unpaid interns "a disgrace"?

She's really messing with tradition.

A lot of them are, for sure

how about charge money to to the rich ones and

Many interns are already paying their way through "campaign

OC's gonna wind up in a ditch along a dark road

I think I saw where she is talking about 15 per hour

Well, interns might not

So they work 50-70 hours a week for 30K and this should

No, they're exempt from OT

Yes, basically

What's the endgame for interns? To run for office?

Re: I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal

Re: I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal

And yeah just saw your edit about optics and the budget.

Also just generally decreases the quality of candidates***

Why do full time staff need to be paid better?

As a business owner I always ask myself one thing

I think it's funny.

phiggy would be glad to tell us all about it...***

wood***

I'd make her sign a contract...

you could meetoo her since she's the one with power***

they're paid in valuable experience.

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