WHY NOT HOLD THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN MILWAUKEE?

Epoch Times contributor Roger Simon is not happy with Nashville's city fathers suggesting the Republicans take their nominating convention elsewhere, either because Republican politics aren't those of Nashville's urban politicians, or because the security theater would get in the way of the casual tourists who go there for country music and other social phenomena: whose politics might not be those of Nashville's urban politicians either.

Milwaukee is very much in the lead. . . . I have reason to believe that Nashville’s behavior may well not have been “forthright and professional,” but this’s still a huge mistake.

One of the major reasons for national political conventions is publicity for the party and its candidate by making people want to attend in person or to watch on television. Indeed, this is likely the most important reason.

No city in the United States is more prepared for this than Nashville, other than Las Vegas. Indeed, downtown Nashville has been nicknamed NashVegas for a reason. People from all over the world want to come here for the music and excitement.

And, boy, do they! Hotels are springing up faster than weeds in most people’s backyards, but these weeds are high-rises with swanky cocktail lounges on the roof and a couple of restaurants off the lobbies featuring James Beard prize chefs. Also, most of the attractions, like my favorites the Johnny Cash Museum and the Country Music Hall of Fame, are within walking distance, as are the natural convention venues the Bridgestone Arena and the Music City Center. The place is just fun. I felt that way when I moved here four years ago and still do.

As for Milwaukee, from what I understand, visitors, and perhaps the press, will have to stay an unappealing hour from the venue, making it extraordinarily inconvenient for most anyone but the VIPs. I have no comment on Milwaukee’s actual fun quotient, since I have never been there.

Are any of the arenas in Nashville as rich with symbolism as Fiserv Forum?

That was in anticipation of the Democrats bringing their show to Milwaukee: that was overtaken by an excess of fauciism.  Some of what accompanied that post is now overtaken by events; some remains valid.

The arena is now in place, naming rights sold, and it's been short-listed as a future site for professional basketball's All-Star game, but that will be 2025 or later, by which time the Trump presidency will belong to the ages.  The point of building the arena was to be in compliance with pro basketball's requirements for total seating and a few other amenities.  It became part of the city's package of amenities to host the Democrats' nominating convention, which will take place in mid-July, fortunately before German Fest launches the Oktoberfest season.

Because there aren't enough hotel rooms in the Milwaukee area, a number of delegations are planning to engage space in the Greater Chicago area, and brave road congestion to get to and from the proceedings.  Let the record show that the Milwaukee-area expressways have been under construction for much longer than the interval from ground-breaking to first center jump with the widening of Interstate 94 still in progress, showing the Party of Infrastructure exactly what government failure looks like.  None of which will stop the highway lobby from making the case that a third lane on Interstate 43 from Silver Spring Road north to the Grafton area or to Saukville will be just the fix for the congestion there.

Republican conventions tend to have fewer delegates required to nominate a candidate, meaning more participants might be able to stay in Waukesha or near the airport, and that's not an hour commute unless things have gone really wrong.  In addition, the Hiawatha service is faster than driving from a Chicago or northern Illinois hotel to Milwaukee.

It's bad enough when coastal elites write off Milwaukee and Wisconsin, must Pajamas Media adjacent populists do so as well?  In 2020, CNN cancelled its charter of the Turnverein not far from Fiserv Forum.

In addition, there's a lakefront, and there might be good baseball in town, depending on the schedule and the Brewers staying healthy.

The convention planners might work around Summerfest and the various lakefront ethnic festivals, although those might offer a diversion from what goes on at the convention, as well as some variety in the musical programming.  (Sorry, the distinctions among various types of "country" escape me.  Whanging guitars and twanging voices.  Change my mind.)  In addition, the choice of beer is likely to be something other than three kinds of light and two kinds of IPA.

Usually the party not holding the presidency holds its nominating convention first, which might mean the Republican festivities will be done before Oktoberfest season commences.  Too bad, they might be missing some good eats to go with the real beer and the spinning.

Or, who knows, the strong beer might be just the thing to deal with the long sessions of talking points, spin, and deflection.

If Nashville takes a pass, there might be some opportunities for Milwaukee to show its stuff, such as it is.  (And note: I only alluded to the Brewers, Bucks, and Packers.)