++++ The Giss++++

[beans and weenies]

 USTA required the change, I'm not happy about it and view it as a over-reaction knee jerk decision to please a few while not pleasing the rest.   Geez.    Aren't there better more important things to deal with?

No crap! 

[Wilderness]

Aren't there better more important things to deal with?

Not when your the new boss attempting to please the folks that hired you, or, the one of the employee's under the new boss trying to justify yourself.

[pezz97]

I say we find out what Miss Media and their friend does for a living, and then call their bosses and tell them what they are doing during the day instead of working!!!!


Seriously, WTF is wrong with people?? You seriously have nothing better to do with yourself??? GET A LIFE!!!

And Beans, you are right, the USTA becomes a bigger joke by the day

[MichiganDale]

I've not been a big critic of the USTA as I think a lot of things they do, they do quite well.   They are antiquated though in some of their thinking.   They avoid political involvement like its a plague, they claim its not in their Charter or not their role.  I respectfully and strongly disagree.   "If Racing is your profession, Politics must be your busines."   USTA leaves it up to others.   They are a National Trade Association that does not invovle itself nationally in the political arena.   This, I find to be quite wrong.   The ASAE, American Society of Association Executives, will validate my statement and the need for a strong political presence.   They need to change their ways and create a national PAC (Political Action Committee) to lobby official positions and to help quality candidates that are industry friendly get elected.  Its baloney to say this can't be done - it CAN be done, as it should be.  There are States like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois that could use the assistance, the help and they're not getting it.

This Smokin With The Giss thing is both laughable and pathetic at the same time......

[careless hal]

Right you are Dale.  It should have a PAC fighting for harmess racxing.  I bet the casinos have plenty of PACs.

[MichiganDale]

Right you are Dale.  It should have a PAC fighting for harmess racxing.  I bet the casinos have plenty of PACs.

  Hal, the Casino's are LOADED up with lobbyists.  Yes they have pacs and political involvement up the provebial ying-ying.   In Michigan for example, their influence is HUGE!

[The Giss]

I've not been a big critic of the USTA as I think a lot of things they do, they do quite well.   They are antiquated though in some of their thinking.   They avoid political involvement like its a plague, they claim its not in their Charter or not their role.  I respectfully and strongly disagree.   "If Racing is your profession, Politics must be your busines."   USTA leaves it up to others.   They are a National Trade Association that does not invovle itself nationally in the political arena.   This, I find to be quite wrong.   The ASAE, American Society of Association Executives, will validate my statement and the need for a strong political presence.   They need to change their ways and create a national PAC (Political Action Committee) to lobby official positions and to help quality candidates that are industry friendly get elected.  Its baloney to say this can't be done - it CAN be done, as it should be.  There are States like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois that could use the assistance, the help and they're not getting it.

This Smokin With The Giss thing is both laughable and pathetic at the same time......

Agree, except with being called laughable and pathetic at the same time

[Wilderness]

It should have a PAC fighting for harmess racxing.

And where would the money come from to pay these lobbyists?

 Perhaps reduce the general purse fund ;-))
 Or increase USTA Fees?

[MichiganDale]

And where would the money come from to pay these lobbyists?

 Perhaps reduce the general purse fund ;-))
 Or increase USTA Fees?

  Lobbyist's get paid from dues or fees dollars or other sources of "non-dues revenue" which Associations are all too aware of (or should be).    Money for candidates that comes from the PAC's comes from solicited funds and must be voluntary but I can tell you first hand, over time, the war chest gets quite large....does not matter what sort of association - it all works pretty much the same.   

[careless hal]

Organizations that I belonged to hada $5 PAC fee added to dues.  You could opt out of the PAC if you wanted to do that.  But, it took action on your part.  Most never did. 

[Wilderness]

The Mi-HHA had a lobbyist for quite a while that was paid big bucks.

[AmyHollar]

Agree, except with being called laughable and pathetic at the same time

I was going to defend you but why add to the laughter and patheticness? 

[Just Saying]

The Mi-HHA had a lobbyist for quite a while that was paid big bucks.

The IHHA had a lobbyist who they paid a lot of money. He left to take the same position for the Johnstons.(Blmpk-May) He left with all our 'inside info' which he could share with his new employers.
 

[GalloBlueChip]

GAMBLING has been mentioned in the thread....YES, it is inherently better to gamble away all you have and destroy your family than to smoke....no question.

Oh wait, the USTA does not promote Gambling?

Just ridiculous.......there is nothing else to say about it......

[The Giss]

I was going to defend you but why add to the laughter and patheticness? 

How do I even respond to this?