At the time, I didn't realize I was in the grift process. It took several years after I left politics that I got the grant because of my connections, not the skill of the specialist. He was only a conduit to marshall government funds to party workers.

And it's also amazing that many party workers do get a little something--and some get a lot more.

And the party needs to be seen (by the workers/doners) to be grifting. Otherwise the $$$ and volunteers are a little harder to come by.

And the party has to be careful not to make the grift look like an outright bribe.

It's time for a new way.