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Political Conventions
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In his weekly op-ed column, Dr. Bode argues that political conventions -- once fraught with drama, controversy and news -- have become pre-scripted bores. "There will be no serious platform challenges at either convention this year. In fact, it is a safe bet there will not be a single minority report in Boston or New York, none that you will see on television. Once there were even floor fights and second ballots over the vice presidency. Now, of course, the tradition is to get that mystery out of the way early. It all began to change when the Democrats abandoned their rule requiring a two-thirds majority for the nomination.
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During the fall semester, the University, in conjunction with the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, chose four students, from a large pool of applicants, to attend the political conventions that will occur this summer. Sheila Moynihan ’05 and Christina Adinolfi ’05 will attend the Republican convention in New York; John Sullivan ‘06 and Jeanne Hoffman ‘04 will attend the Democratic convention in Boston, Mass.
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Designated demonstration sites have become standard at political conventions as a way to protect First Amendment rights to free speech without allowing activists to run rampant. The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was marred by clashes between anti-war protesters and police.
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"If a city does in fact do well with a political convention, it's just dumb luck," said University of Chicago economist Allen Sanderson, who studies large-scale events. "They rolled the dice. It wasn't careful planning."
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Additionally, the Times notes that political conventions entail a great amount of risk. They are ripe terrorist targets, require intrusive and obstructive security measures, and generate large protests. The negative effects can be long term. Court cases related to conventions can last for years after the event itself.
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National political conventions aren't always the economic boons local officials anticipate, economists said. For one thing, higher security costs in the post-9/11 era detract from bottom-line benefits. Also, increased traffic congestion, protests and other disruptions often lead local residents to avoid businesses near convention sites, offsetting some profits.
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