Comments for

Comment on An NAR Midyear Meeting Report by Jim Lee

Jim Lee — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:27:15 +0000

Thanks for the update John. The MID information would be something good to disseminate to the membership.

Comment on An NAR Midyear Meeting Report by Ray Tweedie

Ray Tweedie — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:40:50 +0000

Great stuff, John. Thank you for sharing your discoveries with us.

Comment on An NAR Midyear Meeting Report by Monika McGillicuddy

Monika McGillicuddy — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:34:12 +0000

Great snapshot John, much appreciated.

Comment on An NAR Midyear Meeting Report by Monika McGillicuddy

Monika McGillicuddy — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:22:32 +0000

Excellent recap John!

Comment on REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative by Paul Mayer

Paul Mayer — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:02:35 +0000

I am opposed to the dues collection program and would recommend that the NH delegation vote against any soft money initiatives put forward.

Our strength in the past has been the direct contributions and face to face access, to State & Federal candidates that support REALTOR issues. This program collects funds that can not be given to candidates in anyway and can only be used to buy direct mail or media advertising. Soft money laws, specifically bans communication or coordination between the contributors and the candidates.

Our current hard money system allows us to influence the political process without publicizing our position on issues. Soft money can only be used for public issue advertising. The danger with that form of political speech is that unlike a corporation or a labor union, our membership is a diversified group. We will surely risk alienating “half” of our Realtor family on any given issue we start running ads on, not to mention the potential backlash from the public toward the Realtor image, if we are seen as trying to change legislation for our memberships’ financial gain.

Our ability to collect hard money to support the R-PAC direct contributions to candidates will be reduced by 40 – 50% in the first year after this initiative goes into effect, based on comments by NAR staff. This will gut years of relationships that we have developed.

Our National Association is not currently restricted from doing any soft money political campaigns it feels are necessary. It currently, has access to over $100M for this type of political speech without increasing dues or re-directing funds from other successful programs.

I know some people will say that the program has been vetted, and other people know better what is right for the Realtor association. We should just go along with what NAR wants. But, remember the managers at Enron, Leman Brothers, AIG and a hundred other companies and groups over the last 10 years thought they were right too.

Comment on REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative by Steve Colby

Steve Colby — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:18:56 +0000

Absolutely not! We are paying enough dues already. Remember there’s a recession on..high gas and food prices. No way.

Comment on REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative by Tom Heany

Tom Heany — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:42:02 +0000

I feel like the reason for the creation of this initiative is lost among the rhetoric that I am reading here. The need is to ensure our political survival in an environment that has been radically changed by the recent Supreme Court Decision.

Soft money will be raised, contributed and accepted by our nation’s leaders. That soft money will give the contributors the ear of our nation’s politicians. This initiative allows our voice to be heard at the table.

When the meeting gets held to discuss whether banks should be allowed to get into the business of real estate brokerage, I want our interests represented at that table. In an era of extreme budget cuts, when the decision to discontinue the home mortgage deduction is made, I want our voices to be heard at that meeting too. This initiative gives us the clout to ensure that our interests are represented too.

This initiative is not about NAR’s arrogance, nor a forced political contribution to support candidates that I didn’t vote for, nor is it about my philosophical stance on the validity of PACs. It is about ensuring the survival of our business as we know it. In a rush to complain about a $40 annual increase, I do not want to be “pennywise and pound foolish” by saving myself some small change and losing my ability to continue to conduct my business as I have for the past 26 years.

The Supreme Court has rendered its ruling, the rules of the game have changed, but I’m committed to keep playing on. And if I’m going to play I want to win. I don’t want to be the guy who says “remember when we could have saved our livelihood, but we didn’t because it cost 40 bucks?” That’s why I’m in full support of our NAR leadership and this initiative.

Comment on REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative by Monika McGillicuddy

Monika McGillicuddy — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:44:53 +0000

Please attend the Town Hall meeting that NHAR is Hosting to Discuss
REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative. It’s being held Thursday, April 21, from 2-4 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center, 70 Constitution Ave. Concord.
This is your opportunity to learn the facts about the RPPSI, to
hear about recent changes to the initiative and to ask questions of the panelists.
Please RSVP by e-mailing rsvp@nhar.org

Comment on REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative by Lauri Bessey

Lauri Bessey — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:43:44 +0000

Although I do appreciate all of the advocacy NAR does for us, I do not think adding $40 to membership dues is the way to fund this. There must be other places in the budget for NAR to get this funding. I think the optional RPAC donation will decrease significantly if a $40 mandatory increase is added to dues. If I were voting, it would be no. Good luck Monika, this is a tough one.

Comment on REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative by Bill Barry

Bill Barry — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:05:05 +0000

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Monica vote NO!!! All PAC’s in this country should be banned – Archer Daniel Midland, Cargill, AMA, the Insurance Industry and………Realtors. I absolutely refuse to pay a mandatory “political contribution”.