Liberty Forum Keynote Speaker

[Braddogg]

Just a little disappointed .... It is not my money .... nor will it be, so .....
If the FSP ends up all square, I look at that as a potential 10grand that could have been donated to the FSP. We all just look at it differently.

FSP donating to the FSP?

Splitting hairs.  If the Liberty Forum raises $10,000, and that money is used to pay Stosell instead of doing something else, then that's $10,000 in donations (the Liberty Forum ticket money) that is, in Russell's opinion, pissed away.

[JonM]

If they make back the $35,000 in ticket sales plus advertise the FSP, I don't have much to complain about.

TRacy

I think Jon said the cost was $10,000.  Stossel's normal fee is $35,000, and he's giving us a huge discount.

$10k is what the Liberty Forum needed added to its budget, which had previously been set at $2k.  The hotel needs money up front, the speaker needs money up front, other things may require money up front.  As I said, his fee is much higher than $10k, but he did give us a discount off the $35k.

Now, as far as having Stossel, I can guarantee having him as our keynote speaker will get us other speakers.  I can say that, because it did get us one so far, who was "yeah, I think we can come" until Stossel was mentioned and it changed to "I will BE THERE."

[Braddogg]

I think Jon said the cost was $10,000.  Stossel's normal fee is $35,000, and he's giving us a huge discount.

$10k is what the Liberty Forum needed added to its budget, which had previously been set at $2k.  The hotel needs money up front, the speaker needs money up front, other things may require money up front.  As I said, his fee is much higher than $10k, but he did give us a discount off the $35k.

Oh.  Okay.

[FTL_Ian]

There seems to be some conflicting information about Stossel's fee.  Varrin said today at the Monadnock Porcs Meet N Greet that his fee was $10,000 plus travel, hotel, and other minor expenses.

Jon, when you say his fee is "much higher", what does that mean?  Is Varrin accurate or misinformed?  I have no reason to disbelieve him.  So far he's been the only person to actually come out with a rate.

[Kat Kanning]

I had the impression that the FSP had to pay the $10,000 and the Liberty Forum had to come up with the rest of his "much higher" fee.

[JonM]

Kat's impression is right on.  The FSP gave the NHLF $10k extra on its budget in case they could not raise enough via ticket sales and other donations to cover his fee.  Plus you tend to need some money up front for these sorts of things.  Having him there should provide draw for other speakers we might not otherwise get, which might draw more people to attend, etc.

[FTL_Ian]

What is his actual fee?

[AlanM]

I will never understand the obsession to pay top dollar to see so-called stars, or famous people. I am not about to put out my hard earned money to see someone who is 'famous', and wealthy already. I know, it's just me.

[error]

I will never understand the obsession to pay top dollar to see so-called stars, or famous people. I am not about to put out my hard earned money to see someone who is 'famous', and wealthy already. I know, it's just me.

Sounds like simple economics to me. John Stossel is primarily charging for his time, and since he only has so much of it, the price has to be high enough or he'll completely run out of time, but not so high that nobody wants his time. Finding the right number, for a public speaker, isn't always easy.

[Fluff and Stuff]

I will never understand the obsession to pay top dollar to see so-called stars, or famous people. I am not about to put out my hard earned money to see someone who is 'famous', and wealthy already. I know, it's just me.

John is not making any money.  From what I understand, he gives his speaker fee to help good causes.  So, we are getting to see John and give to a good cause.

[KBCraig]

I will never understand the obsession to pay top dollar to see so-called stars, or famous people. I am not about to put out my hard earned money to see someone who is 'famous', and wealthy already. I know, it's just me.

John is not making any money.  From what I understand, he gives his speaker fee to help good causes.  So, we are getting to see John and give to a good cause.

He should donate it to the LSF. 

[Tyler Stearns]

Sounds like simple economics to me. John Stossel is primarily charging for his time, and since he only has so much of it, the price has to be high enough or he'll completely run out of time, but not so high that nobody wants his time. Finding the right number, for a public speaker, isn't always easy.

John is not making any money.  From what I understand, he gives his speaker fee to help good causes.  So, we are getting to see John and give to a good cause.

Agreed on the first point.  On the second, I don't care where all the money goes.  I think getting someone like John Stossel as a speaker is invaluable.  I think it will get other speakers to come AND also get people that aren't that involved in the cause for liberty to come.  If he does give it all to charity then its a win/win situation.

[Fluff and Stuff]

I will never understand the obsession to pay top dollar to see so-called stars, or famous people. I am not about to put out my hard earned money to see someone who is 'famous', and wealthy already. I know, it's just me.

John is not making any money.  From what I understand, he gives his speaker fee to help good causes.  So, we are getting to see John and give to a good cause.

He should donate it to the LSF. 

It would not be tax deductable.  I would never expect anyone to give a large sum of money if a non-profit that is not tax deductable.  With taxes at the rates they are, it just doesn't make economic sense.  You should email him about that, though

[cathleeninnh]

Economic sense if the charity's primary puorpose is to provide donors with a write-off. We decided it wasn't. Our policies are not for the government to decide. That is between the donors and the org. Defining our own recipient selection criteria was important enough to forego deductability.

Cathleen

 

[Fluff and Stuff]

Cathleen,

I did not mean to say anything bad about your charity.  I have given to it more than once and will continue to give to it in the future.