Attention Holiday Shoppers! Get your gear for less!
This is the second round of e-mails I have received from the Obama campaign advertising their line of Obama-related t-shirts, hats, and stickers. But this, obviously, is the first holiday-themed e-mail. Look at those cute snowflakes! Gets me all cuddly inside, makes me crave some hot cocoa and a nice Hope t-shirt!
Yeah, right. I want a bourbon hot toddie and my old wool sweater. But luckily for Team Obama, there are millions of people out there who are suckers for glossy ad campaigns. Why wait for the Sunday paper supplementals when your e-mail inbox delivers for you on a Wednesday morning?
This idea of a political campaign product advertising gives me mixed emotions. On the one hand, it disgusts me. It furthers the trend of over-consumption in our society, and plays us for patsies who can be swayed by pretty colors and minor discounts. Can you imagine someone who Barack's policies are ostensibly trying to help, a young women just out of college with very little income and high debts, putting a t-shirt purchase on her 25% interest credit card because she doesn't get paid for another week and a half? And what if someone has already maxed out on donations at $2,300 and then buys $200 worth of Obama beanies for all of his grandchildren at Xmas? Does that create a legal problem for the campaign?
On the other hand, I have to give it to them because it is a pretty brilliant idea. Where a lot of people would recoil at giving their hard-earned money to a political campaign, even one that they believe in, spending 20 bucks on a t-shirt is normal. Inserting colorfully logoed products helps to bridge the gap between today's consumer society and political activism which, these days, relies almost entirely on how much money you can give to the campaign coffers.
Most important of all, everything's on sale! So not only are you helping to change the political direction of our great nation, you're also getting more for your money. Now don't forget about that summer clearance! And don't get me started on the fact that they have seasonal clothing lines.
Final Prediction, circa 2016:
RNC and DNC Credit Cards. 1% of every purchase goes to the political party you support the most. Get cash back on all purchases from party-endorsed corporations! Save 5% on party donations when you use the card! Your choice of three great designs!
The RNC and DNC Credit Card: Purchase Power to the People
1 comment:
Your point about how this type of sale affects campaign donation limits is very interesting. I would love to know how much it can be used as a loophole to the $2300 limit.
Man, I hate crass consumerism.
Also, it's spelt "hot toddy." I've got one right here, matter of fact.
And I don't approve of your use of the word "patsy" as a slur.
-Matthew Patsy Nettleton
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