One of the things I learned early in running elections is to work closely with your fundraisers. Money is not always the solution but it sure helps. I should not have to admit it but liberals, who are tired of all the pleas for money in their computer in-basket every day, can blame me if they like. It was about 60 years ago that I told the Ontario executive of the liberal party that the then 75,000 dues-paying members of the party in Ontario might like to contribute a few bucks to help win a bye-election that had been called.
Since computer-to-computer communications was in its infancy at the time, I was asking the board for the postage. All I can say about that first effort was that we did not have to hire extra help to open all the return envelopes.
You can imagine today why I have more than one e-mail address. It means I can get to the important messages faster and sweep the stoop at my convenience.
And I am not the only liberal who has grown tired of the continual pestering by the party. I had a call yesterday from a very generous friend who has already given to the party this year. He is an enthusiastic supporter of Bonnie Crombie and sent the Ontario party $500 from himself and another $500 from his wife. He did not worry about any immediate acknowledgement but he did object to the continued e-mail requests for funds. He says it is reaching the point of harassment.
What it says to me is that the computer experts working for the liberal party are not doing their job. Membership records require constant up-dating. Why would you send a member who gave you more than $100 a request for less? Why would you continue to send lower-valued requests to a generous donor? And why would you send a person, who is a tireless worker for the party in his community, endless requests for money?
In this time of serious inflation there are those who would like to contribute but cannot. They have to put their families first. The party is embarrassing them.
I spent more than 35 years working with companies that made or used computers. None of those machines was stupid but I saw many companies and organizations that failed to use those computers properly.
-30-
Copyright 2024 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to: