To: longnshort who wrote (113436 ) 9/21/2011 12:35:18 PM From: Paul V. Read Replies (3) | Respond to longnshort, The NEA, which has an annual budget of $371 million, spent more than $56.3 million in the 2007-2008 election cycle on state and federal campaigns, political parties, and ballot measures, $12.5 million ahead of the second-place group. And yet, NEA doesn’t think it should pay income tax and rarely does. . . The National Education Association , (NEA) , is a not-for-profit organization. I personally worked for the NEA during my earlier years as and executive director. The NEA does not make political contributions from its membership dues. However, they do provide the opportunity to contribute separately to its NEA Political Action Committee not from its membership dues. When I worked with the NEA each member (professors, teachers, custodians, cafeteria works, bus drivers) at the State level contributed $5.00 each for the State Political Action committee plus additional amounts going to the National organization. In addition to the 550 NEA employees that you stated, there are an additional 2,000 plus state organizers distributed across the nation plus interns and local leaders who have been trained in organizing (Saul Alinski's Institute) and political action. And, this list does not even include those of us retirees who have gone on to other vocations or retired. Therefore, the NEA has both the money, staff and local leaders to organize for political purposes at the National, State and Local levels, if they wish. Most individuals forget that even college and trade school employees can join the NEA.TEA Party types want to attack the NEA - they perceive the NEA as a tremendous threat along with the AARP and other groups with similar objectives. The NEA is the most democratic organization which I have been associated. Each NEA local is entitled to one delegate per 100 members with no less than 1 delegate per local association to attend the NEA Convention normally held in July. It is a huge convention with delegates from all over the country having different views. These delegates vote on all of the bylaws and resolutions which determine the direction of the NEA and the actions of its staff. Additionally, each State has a similar convention of delegates.
