Forbes.com, the online arm of the right-wing business magazine, is offering to pay blogs to run a political ad supporting a ban on gay marriage. The price: $2.85 per thousand pageviews. The ad advocates the passage of Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative. The blogs in question are part of Forbes’s Business and Financial Blog Network, an online-ad network which places ads sold by Forbes salespeople on independent sites. The network itself is run by Adify, an ad-technology company now owned by Cox, the media-and-cable-TV conglomerate. The ad won’t run automatically, according to an email from Sharon Gitelle, who’s listed on Forbes.com as a “membership” contact; bloggers must specifically choose it. Politics aside, a $2.85 CPM, or cost per thousand pageviews, is nothing to sneeze at in these tough economic times. Reached on the phone, Gitelle said, “I’m not talking to Valleywag.” So we know this much: She’s no dummy! Here’s the email she sent…
Voting to amend the California Constitution will extend this legacy. It signifies a concession to flat earth politics, a betrayal of civil rights principles and a hypocritical denial of some of the real crises that imperil black families. As straights we live in communities that are devastated by the large number of black children in foster care due to parents who are either unwilling or unable to take care of them. As straights we lament the absence of affirming role models for children in a racist hyperviolent culture that devalues black lives, yet fail to connect this to a cult of masculinity that demeans women and gays and lesbians. As straights we engage in the schizoid rhetoric of championing black self-determination yet vilify full citizenship for gays and lesbians as a “European” thing. As straights we cherry pick who is “rightfully” part of the community based upon heterosexual privilege while disrespecting the valiant heritage of black liberation struggle exemplified by gay freedom fighters such as Audre Lorde and Bayard Rustin. …
More at the link, and well worth the full read — despite the first two stubbornly homophobic comments.
Temple Terrace, Florida - The long lines of early voters at the Temple Terrace Library have caused concern for the Republican Headquarters a block away. It has also caused a major storm in local politics.
The head of the Hillsborough GOP, David Storck, distributed an email from a Republican Party volunteer saying the voters are a threat.
That’s because, as the volunteer says in the email, he sees “car loads of black Obama supporters coming from the inner city to cast their votes for Obama.”
It goes on to say, “This is their chance to get a black president and they seem to care little the he is at minimum a socialist and probably Marxist in his core beliefs.” The Republican volunteer says that is because, “After all he is black- no experience or accomplishments but he is black.” …
Storck says he didn’t pay enough attention to the email before he sent it out. “Now I know that was a mistake. I never should have done it. I do not agree with the statement or anything else. That’s not what we’re all about.”
How can you not “pay enough attention” to an email ALL IN CAPS, that starts with a super-extra-big “THE THREAT“?
Somehow, I don’t think I’d overlook that — and I sure as hell wouldn’t forward anything under my name without reading every last word of it.
More at the link — and here’s the text of the email in full (hysterical capitalization and other formatting, and atrocious grammar, intact):
—– Original Message —– From: Chairman David Storck To: ‘Storck David’ Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:09 AM Subject: VOTE This e-mail was sent to me from one of our Volunteers in the Temple Terrace office. If you think it can help us win this election please pass it on. This election is now in our hands everyone can make a difference. Thanks Dave
THE THREAT: HERE IN TEMPLE TERRACE, FL OUR REPUBLICAN HQ IS ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM OUR LIBRARY, WHICH IS AN EARLY VOTING SITE.
I SEE CARLOADS OF BLACK OBAMA SUPPORTERS COMING FROM THE INNER CITY TO CAST THEIR VOTES FOR OBAMA. THIS IS THEIR CHANCE TO GET A BLACK PRESIDENT AND THEY SEEM TO CARE LITTLE THAT HE IS AT MINIMUM, SOCIALIST, AND PROBABLY MARXIST IN HIS CORE BELIEFS. AFTER ALL, HE IS BLACK–NO EXPERIENCE OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS–BUT HE IS BLACK. I ALSO SEE YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR PROFESSORS FROM USF PARKING THEIR CARS WITH THE PROMINENT ‘OBAMA’ BUMPER STICKERS. THE STUDENTS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC TO BE VOTING IN A HISTORIC ELECTION WHERE THERE MAY BE THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.
THE COLLEGE PROFESSORS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, FOR THE MOST PART HAVE LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE IN THE WORK-A-DAY WORLD. THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN MOSTLY ACADEMIC UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF LIBERAL COLLEGE PROFESSORS. FOR THEM, A LITTLE SOCIALISM AND ANTIAMERICANISM IS A GOOD THING. AFTER ALL, IF TERRORISTS ATTACK US, WE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO PROVOKE THEM.
YOU AND I UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS THE POTENTIAL OBAMA PRESIDENCY PRESENTS TO OUR WAY OF LIFE. THE SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH, INTRODUCING UNION INTIMIDATION IN THE WORKPLACE, INCREASED DANGERS TO OUR NATION BY TERRORISTS, CUTTING OUR DEFENSE BUDGET BY 25%, TURNING OUR TAX SYSTEM INTO A NATIONAL WELFARE SYSTEM AND ECONOMIC POLICIES THAT COULD DRIVE US INTO A DEPRESSION.
THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO STOP OBAMA: VOTE !!!——- (AND GET EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO VOTE) ONLY YOU AND I CAN STOP OBAMA NOW ! ! SEVEN DAYS TO GO AND WE MUST ACT IMMEDIATELY..
A PLAN OF ACTION FOR YOU AND I: • VOTE. OBAMA IS ADVERTISING ON TV ASKING ALL HIS SUPPORTERS TO TAKE A DAY OFF WORK OR CLASS TO VOTE. • CONTACT PERSONALLY EVERYONE YOU KNOW REMINDING THEM TO VOTE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. PARENTS, VOTING-AGE CHILDREN, IN-LAWS, CO-WORKERS, CHURCH CONTACTS, SCHOOL CONTACTS, BUSINESS CONTACTS. MAKE A LIST AND CONTACT THEM. • SEND THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST THAT WANTS TO DEFEAT OBAMA.
YOUR EMAIL IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IF YOU USE IT WISELY AND PROMPTLY. YOU CAN REACH 10,000,000 PEOPLE IN THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS IF AS FEW AS TEN PEOPLE ON YOUR LIST TAKE PROMPT ACTION AND TEN PEOPLE ON THEIR LIST AND TEN PEOPLE ON THEIR LIST…YOU GET THE IDEA.
LET’S ALL PRAY AND WORK AND WE WILL SURELY CELEBRATE OUR VICTORY ON 11/5/08.
David A. Storck Chairman Hillsborough County Republican Party chairmanstorck@earthlink.net
Visit Our Website Paid for by the Hillsborough County Republican Party. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. www.HCRP.org
Yes indeedy, your email is an effective tool if you use it wisely — and if you don’t, it’s an effective tool for exposing you as a racist moron who hasn’t the first clue as to what socialism is about.
How stupid does Storck think people are? Not racist morons, but people?
LOS ANGELES — October 31 — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today condemned the Pacific Justice Institute for invoking Hitler and Nazi Germany in their campaign for California’s Proposition 8, which seeks to overturn a state court ruling recognizing same-sex marriage in California.
ADL issued the following statement:
“We are outraged and deeply offended that a spokesman for the Pacific Justice Institute has chosen to invoke images of Hitler and Nazi Germany as part of that organization’s campaign on behalf of Proposition 8.
“ADL opposes the Proposition, but in our view, no matter what position one takes on this controversial contemporary moral and political issue, this analogy is hurtful and inappropriate.
“We should not lose sight of the fact that six million Jews perished in the Holocaust. Unfortunately, it has become all too easy for some advocates of various political positions to suggest that their opponents are like the Nazis. Such comparisons are profoundly hurtful and should be off limits.”
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
President Bill Clinton Asks California Voters To Vote NO on Proposition 8
Tells Voters Prop 8: “Not What America is About”
SACRAMENTO — October 31 — In a telephone call to California voters, President Clinton delivers the following message regarding the unfairness of Proposition 8:
“This is Bill Clinton calling to ask you to vote NO on Proposition 8 on Tuesday, November 4th. Proposition 8 would use state law to single out one group of Californians to be treated differently — discriminating against members of our family, our friends and our co-workers.
“If I know one thing about California, I know that is not what you’re about. That is not what America is about. Please vote NO on 8. It’s unfair and it’s wrong. Thank you.”
The calls from President Clinton went to millions of registered California voters overnight.
Intrade is an exchange that facilitates the matching of orders from its customers. Intrade ensures that trading profits and losses are transferred between customers in a timely manner and allows customers to close out positions by trading with any other customer. Intrade does not enter into trades on the exchange. …
Are Intrade Predictions better than Polls?
Whether prediction markets like Intrade can predict more accurately than opinion polls has been studied. Based on past performance prediction markets seem to be more accurate. Does that mean prediction markets like Intrade will be in every instance? No. But we believe that the market mechanism is superior to a polling mechanism. Also, the Intrade prediction market will aggregate information from the polls (and perhaps poll participants will also be influenced by the predictions from the markets).
How can Intrade’s Predictions be So Wrong?
The predictions or prices on intrade are predictions, they are not guarantees or certainties. A market that is trading at 90, means that there is a 90% chance of the event happening. 90% means the event it is highly likely to occur, but not guaranteed. Intrade’s predictions have been wrong in the past, and will be again in the future. However, the Intrade market mechanism of aggregating opinions to give the an estimate of likelihood of an uncertain future event occurring is the best one we know.
As of October 31, 2008, 3:47 p.m. PDT:
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CAL.GAY.MARRIAGE.BAN California to pass Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage
It’s not a joke. It’s not a rumor. It’s not a hoax.
Cain Hamm (great alias, by the way, for those who get the Mormon connection) started me on the story that the Yes on 8 bigots plan to hand out anti-equality fliers to Trick-or-Treaters tonight.
Our adversaries at Yes on 8 have issued a game plan for the final week that includes a reminder to pass around fliers on Halloween entitled “Don’t be Tricked!” They are also advising supporters to call people, volunteer, and bring wedding cake to church this Sunday to drive home the message that traditional marriage rules.
Lest you still think it’s just a rumor, or a hoax, here’s the evidence:
From one of those revolting, all-anti-gay-all-the-time “Mormon family blogs,” “The Hansen Home“:
Thursday, October 30, 2008
8 Days for Proposition 8: Day 3
On Day 3 of the 8 Days for Proposition 8 campaign, we encourage you to print the “Don’t be Tricked” postcards on your home printer and then hand them out to trick-or-treaters’ voting parents that visit your house tomorrow. Whether you participate in Halloween festivities or not, this is an excellent opportunity to share with your neighbors the impact same-sex marriage will have on their families.
The “Don’t be Tricked” postcards print four to a page and can be easily printed and cut to hand out to voting neighbors. Please print several copies and distribute them as trick-or-treaters visit your home. This activity is minimal effort for maximum impact in reaching out to fellow voters.
Friday, October 31, 2008
8 Days for Proposition 8: Day 4
Today is Halloween and this evening your home will be visited by many neighborhood children in search of treats. This is the perfect opportunity to share with your neighbors the importance of passing Proposition 8.
As the kids and their parents knock on your door, hand them one of the “Don’t be Tricked” postcards and remind them to vote for Proposition 8. Your neighbors are coming to your front door so take advantage of the chance to talk with them about Proposition 8.
If you haven’t printed the postcards already, there are four to a page and can be easily printed and cut. Please print several copies and distribute them as trick-or-treaters visit your home.
The blog links to a PDF file on yesonproposition8.com with a four-up “postcard” page to be printed, cut apart, and distributed (the image at the top of this post).
What’s more, the link to the “postcard” is listed under “church resources” on the yesonproposition8.com site:
And who’s behind this latest low in child exploitation for political gain?
yesonproposition8.com
Registrant: Capitol Resource Institute 660 J Street Suite 250 Sacramento, California 95814 United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com) Domain Name: YESONPROPOSITION8.COM Created on: 27-Jun-08 Expires on: 27-Jun-09 Last Updated on: 04-Aug-08
Administrative Contact: England, Karen kengland@capitolresource.org Capitol Resource Institute 660 J Street Suite 250 Sacramento, California 95814 United States (916) 498-1940 Fax –
Technical Contact: England, Karen kengland@capitolresource.org Capitol Resource Institute 660 J Street Suite 250 Sacramento, California 95814 United States (916) 498-1940 Fax –
Domain servers in listed order: NS1.JC-EVANS.COM NS2.JC-EVANS.COM
And who’s Karen England? A rabidly anti-gay wingnut who’s very cozy with rabidly anti-gay wingnut Tom Clintock. But… oh, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
… Another $6,000 was “donated” by Tom McClintock to the Capitol Resource Institute, an “issues advocacy group” (lobbyists), directed by Karen England.
Surprise! Capitol Resource Institute board of directors includes John Doolittle and Tom McClintock. …
Ted Gaines made a donation to the Capitol Resource Institute (run by John Doolittle, Tom McClintock, Aanestad, Campbell and England). Gaines has also given $5000 to the “National Tax Limititation Foundation” (Lew Uhler, President).
Uhler is also a member of MOVE AMERICA FORWARD, which is currently doing the Swiftboating / hanging effigy ad targeting Charlie Brown. Follow the money.
In other words, Ted Gaines and John Doolittle are helping to pay for Tom McClintock’s campaign via donations to charities, religious organizations, Minutemen and others by using his state account. Then McClintock donates the donated money to organizations that are supporting his campaign by donating money back to him. Some of these are tax exempt “religious charities”. Still following the money? Good. …
… Gaines has also made many donations to “Save Our Kids,” which funded the initiative for Prop. 8, which brings us back to Pastor John Stoos.
Stoos started out as a aide to retired State Senator H.L. (Bill) Richardson, himself a former John Birch Society field organizer (and a radical religious right fruitcake before there was a radical religious right). Stoos also heads up the California chapter of Newt Gingrich’s Conservative Opportunity Society, which this year raised nearly $300,000 to help California elect social conservatives to the California legislature. Most recently, Pastor Stoos got himself into the tax-exempt religion business by having himself declared a pastor and the head of his own church, The Church of the King Sacramento.
Stoos is the former head of the California Gun Owners Lobby, and he frequently fills in for Sara DiVito Hardman, executive director of the California Christian Coalition. Stoos lost his position with the California Gun Owners Lobby a few years ago because of his viciously antisemitic attacks. But Stoos still is a radical Christian Reconstructionist and one of the most astute Republican political strategists in California. His credentials and connections read like a who’s who of the radical religious far right and extremist right-wing politics. Pastor Stoos is also the current vice president of the California Republican Assembly, the largest Republican volunteer organization in the state, with affiliates in 31 states.
Stoos’ position on religious minorities in the American theocracy he envisions is based on the beliefs of Christian Reconstructionism, which will reconstruct American government from a democratic republic, which Stoos’ mentor R. L. Rushdoony refers to as a “heresy,” into a biblical-style theocracy ruled by biblical laws. Only “godly” families would be permitted to continue to live in his American Christian society. All others would fall into one of the 18 categories of capital crimes, which would be dealt with by being stoned to death. In an article he wrote for the Chalcedon Report, a journal of the radical Christian Reconstructionist movement, Stoos actually called Reconstructionist Christian politicians “God’s Vice-Regents, those who believe in the Lordship of Christ and the Dominion Mandate…”
Both Ken Campbell and Stoos have been regularly blogging for McClintock. England has also routinely put out PR for McClintock. Both “charities” are pushing wedge issue propositions, like Prop. 8, in this election, even though Federal Law prohibits state campaign accounts from being used for federal elections. That’s why wedge issues involving sex are always dragged into the political arena; they allow tax exempt “non profit” political-religious organizations to collect and move money around while coercing as many voters of faith to the polls as possible for “their” politician or cause.
…
Ted Gaines has made lots of donations to groups that are supporting McClintock via the Mormon Church and Prop 8. This is why they keep talking about the “gay marriage” and “teaching gay sex to kids” boogy-man. It’s a frightening distraction for which they accept large donations, launder money, lie, break the rules, misuse religion and flaunt their so-called family values to true people of faith.
LDS Church members in Utah and Arizona are giving millions of dollars to pass prop 8 in California. McClintock’ and Gaines realize this is a potential PR disaster for the LDS; a Utah-based church advocating taking away an existing civil right for minority citizens of California. It would be like the Pope funding a constitutional amendment to make birth control illegal in California. If you like gays or not, not every person of faith in California wants the Mormon Council of Elders in Salt Lake City telling Californians who they can marry. But McClintock and Gaines don’t seem to really care as long as the money keeps rolling in.
It all keeps coming back to the Mormons, over and over and over again. (And the Mormons keep whining about being “targeted” and “singled out”? Pfffffffffffffffft! Cry me a river.)
Well, friends, what say you? I’ve just about run out of creative ways to describe the players in this massive, incestuous web of money-and-power connections… Maybe you can come up with a new way to say what I’m thinking.
One thing, ‘though: Isn’t it fascinating how all these Radical Religious Righties gnash their teeth and rend their garments over the satanic influence of the pagan Halloween?
And then turn right around and use it to their advantage.
We knew we needed something more. Something big. Something to remind California voters that there were times in our history when we did not stand up against discrimination, and these are times we now regret.
So our new ad — which we call “History” — focuses on the central fact of this campaign: it is wrong to discriminate and wrong to treat people differently under the law.
Now it’s our turn. It’s our turn to make sure we do everything we can do so the next generation grows up in a more decent society — a society where discrimination against LGBT Americans remains part of that sorry past rather than enshrined in our Constitution.
