Does the RNC just not get it?

An election year means all bets are off when it comes to political campaigns. I'd seen a lot even at the local level in my good old days as a reporter. But this one takes the cake.

Let me preface this story by stating I'm a loyal independent who typically errs in the voting booth on the side of helping people.

Now, imagine you get a certified letter in the mail. Your response? Make time, drive to the post office and pick it up.

Now imagine it's a request for money - and it's not a collection notice. Instead, it's a campaign solicitation!

Indianapolis Star political columnist Matthew Tully wrote in Sunday's paper:

To [Lizbeth Maher's] surprise, the letter in question was nothing more than a plea for cash from the Republican National Committee -- a form letter, no less, seeking a few bucks so Republicans could fight against what the letter breathlessly called "the national Democrats and their ultra-liberal allies (who) are raising money at a frantic pace."

Sounding a dire warning, the pitch included what many such letters do: An artificial
deadline. "I must ask you to please use the Emergency Return Envelope and rush
an immediate contribution of $360 today," it said.

Now imagine you are Maher and you're standing there at the Carmel Post Office, having just rushed over to pick up a certified letter that turned out to be a cheesy campaign contribution scheme. And you're not alone. Several other people at the post office received the same letter.

"Everyone was standing there with their mouths open," she said. "They were not happy."Neither was Maher. She called the letter an embarrassment and a waste of $3.02 in postage. Not to mention a thoughtless swipe at people who have supported the party and its candidates.

So here's my question: Is the RNC just out of touch? Had it not realized that people are paying $4.15 a gallon for gas (OK, $3.79 or so when it was likely mailed), and they have to invest time and hard-earned gasoline money to get to the post office? Not to mention when we're debating the dwindling resources for gasoline in this nation?

Back to school! Our weekly writer wrapup

It's back to school time, and time to learn a few tips on how to make your life a little bit greener. Here's a sampling of what's out there in the blogosphere.




Home ec:

• Going Local shares a "local" 1877-era beverage called shrubs.
• Green Parent Chicago discusses meatless meals for kids.
• Chile explains how to can and shares some quick meal tips.

Art:

• Green Baby Guide writes about carbon-free entertainment ideas for your toddlers or older children. Looks like I'll be coming back on a rainy afternoon.

Political science:

• Surely You Nest blogs about Bush's attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act.
• Onearth.org writes about how political conventions are going red, white, blue and green.

Economics:

• UK's The Green Parent reports on how the credit crunch is impacting organic dairy farms.

Critical thinking:

• Green Sheeep posts a great essay on her evolution toward sustainability.
• Crunchy Chicken weighs in on whether there are benefits to rising food prices.
• Ecoburban banters about the battle over toilet paper and whether cutting off is in order.

P.E.:

• Parenting Examiner writes about the need for unstructured play outdoors.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday morning updates

A couple of updates on this blustery Tuesday morning:

• Political paper count: So far, I've gotten two direct mail pieces from each campaign/campaign symapthizers. Frankly, I'm surprised that it's so low, but we do have another week until the Indiana primaries.
• Buy nothing challenge: Not so good. There's buying stuff to buy stuff, and there's buying stuff to replace stuff. And, honestly, as a new mom, I still have to fit into clothes for work (and things have shifted).
• CSAs: I'm counting the days until our CSA kicks off. I also learned that Mallow Run Winery on the south side of Indianapolis (Center Grove area) is starting a CSA this year. It appears to have more than produce and will include occasional meats, eggs, baked goods and more.

Political primary rubbish

Indiana finally matters. After years of "So what?" primaries in May, this year, our vote truly counts and can make a difference in the presidential candidates.

There's a cost to the primary season dragging out, and it's not just bad blood among Democrats. There's more traveling and canvassing across the states as candidates try to make their case. And there's definitely a lot of resources being spent for advertising, whether through traditional media or direct mail.

Less than 24 hours after the Pennsylvania primary, direct mail pieces against each candidate showed up in my mailbox at home. It'll be interesting to see just how many pieces are collected between now and May 6, and I'll post an update on the offenders here.

Perhaps as the campaigns progress, candidates can look into using renewal resources, such as recycled paper, in their campaign materials. Working in marketing, I know that recycled paper can be as cost-effective yet still be as quality as "regular" paper. If only the candidates can catch on.

In the meantime, I urge everyone to recycle these pieces once you've reviewed them.