Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumWarren, Biden Campaigns Appear to Find Loophole Around Paid Internships
The difference between a fellowship and an internship in the Warren and Biden campaigns appears to be pay.
Hanna Trudo
Updated 07.12.19 7:30AM ET Published 07.12.19 5:19AM ET
Unpaid interns are practically non-existent among Democratic presidential campaigns in 2019. But some top-tier candidates appear to be finding a creative way to tap unpaid talent: offering vague fellowship opportunities as volunteer positions.
Theres no singular definition for a fellow among 2020 candidates and most this cycle dont offer the option. But two leading contenders, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), give applicants who are selected a chance to participate in the campaign as volunteer fellows, without requiring compensation or academic credit.
Volunteers are asked to do something, workers are told, Renée Hagerty, an executive council member for the Campaign Workers Guild, said. Everyone whos performing work on a campaign should be paid.
For Bidens campaign, the Team Joe Organizing Fellowship consists of an eight-week program that includes weekly online trainings in grassroots and digital organizing, according to the listing, which closed this week. Unlike the internship program, which is paid $15 per hour, the fellowship program makes no mention of wages, academic credit, or time commitments.
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https://www.thedailybeast.com/elizabeth-warrens-and-joe-bidens-presidential-campaigns-appear-to-find-loophole-around-paid-internships?ref=home
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)Then I don't have a problem with it.
If it's simply an unpaid internship under another name that's something else.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Princetonian
(1,501 posts)I would have taken a Biden Fellowship invitation had I not a child to raise. This reporter is trying to stir up trouble by misrepresenting something quite necessary when you are working on a campaign.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MineralMan
(146,350 posts)That was my choice. It began when I was just 15 years old in 1960. I showed up at a local organization that was campaigning for JFK and asked, "What can I do?" Well, what I did was set up chairs, put them away, sweep the floor and stuff envelopes. I thought it was well worth my time, and never even thought of being paid.
Since then, I have been a volunteer for many people's campaigns and for the local Democratic Party organization. As I gained useful skills, I was able to contribute those skills, and did a lot less grunt work. I've still never been paid, even when doing the same things I do for a living to help the campaign.
Most campaigns have a paid staff as well as volunteers. Sometimes, volunteer workers provide highly skilled services to the campaign without being paid. Other times, volunteer learn new skills while helping on campaigns. There's room for both types of people in campaigns. Not everyone seeks to be paid. Not everyone expects to be paid. Many people want to help elect someone whose positions they support.
We should not insist that everyone who works on a campaign be paid. Many do not do what they do for money, but are dedicated to helping a candidate win an election.
Both paid workers and volunteer workers are very valuable.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
brooklynite
(94,950 posts)This is beyond idiotic. It would massively increase the cost of campaigns as well as saddle them with documentary paperwork.
Campaigns are largely volunteer, we won't be changing that anytime soon.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden