DANGER! Yes on 8 funded by out of state money (Sacramento: house, school)

[Mike from back east]

Article in the Colorado Springs Gazette highlights the out of state money that is being funneled into CA to pass Proposition 8. Here's the link: http://www.gazette.com/articles/cali...e=1#slComments

Exceprts:

Focus on the Family is a top donor to backers of a California ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage, according to California Secretary of State's Office records.
...
Between Dec. 2007 and July, Focus donated $448,406 to support Prop 8, with most money going to ProtectMarriage.com, a California-based coalition. Its largest donation, $250,000, came in June, one month after the court ruling.

Focus is the seventh biggest donor among Prop 8 supporters, according to the California Secretary of State's Office.

Other major donors are:
- Elsa Prince, a Focus board member ($450,000);
- American Family Association ($500,000);
- Fieldstead & Co. ($600,000);
- John Templeton Foundation ($900,000);
- National Organization for Marriage ($941,134.80).

The top donor is Knights of Columbus, in New Haven, Conn., a political arm of the Catholic Church. The group has given $1.275 million in support of Proposition 8, the secretary of state's records show.

Nonprofit groups like Focus and the American Family Association, both 501(c)3s, are legally able to donate up to 15 percent of their annual budget to lobbying efforts.

-----------------

It bothers me greatly that the American Taliban (Dobson, Robertson, Hagee, Parsley, Falwell[d], Phelps and others keep trying to push THEIR version of a fundie theocracy down the throat of our nation; and it bothers me that they are spending so much to force their views on YOUR state. The idiot in the White House let them go way too far. Now, it's time for California to vote NO on Prop 8 and put these fundie whack jobs (and the GOP) in their place (i.e., the dustbin of history). The church and the government need to keep their nose out of people's private lives. Same-sex marriage or civil unions are part of the constitutional bedrock of equal treatment.

I'm a standard male heterosexual married for 34 years, it's time that all of us had the same right to marriage / civil unions.

The arguments of con artists in the American Taliban that gay marriage will "destroy" the institution of marriage are laughable. It's the "big lie" theory of repeating something over and over until people believe it, though none of their contentions can be proved. Hetero marriage already has a divorce rate of 50% or higher, seems we hetero's have pretty well destroyed marriage without any outside help.

Idiots like Dobson, et al, should spend their millions to figure out why the divorce rate is 50% plus, then fix it. Instead, like dictators everywhere, they focus lies and hatred on external scapegoats; they push fear tactics on gullible followers who turn around and shower them with donations to "fight the good fight" for all that's holy and sacred. Gimme a f-ing break. It's amazing that people still send money to those phony bozo's but they do.

California! Stand up the dignity of your fellow man! Vote NO on Prop 8!

VOTE NO ON 8.

[bhcompy]

FYI, the voters put this on the ballot, not any specific legislator or funder.

Also, since you posted one sided numbers:

According to the AP, more than 9,500 people from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have contributed nearly $22 million to support or oppose the measure, while institutions have kicked in another $7.8 million.

LA Times lists nearly $30million, with a near 50/50 ratio of donors

It works both ways.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

FYI, the voters put this on the ballot, not any specific legislator or funder.

That is not true, like with most ballot initiatives in CA it was funded and put on the ballot by special interests. A special interest groups hires firms that pay people to go out and collect signatures. This was not some "grassroots" voter movement. Those people you see collecting signatures to put something on the ballot are getting paid to do it.

[mrkool]

Oh no, not another gay crying and stamping his feet because folks with morals want to stand up to immorality. How dare they!?
And you are from back east, are you? Well I am a native Californian, with virtually all family still back there. That state has enough problems without pandering to the noisy gay lobby any more than they already do.
My only regret is that I can't be back there to vote YES on 8.
Bet you wouldn't be crying if "out of state money" was being funneled to a pro-gay proposition, would you?

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Article in the Colorado Springs Gazette highlights the out of state money that is being funneled into CA to pass Proposition 8. Here's the link: Top Stories: Focus pours cash on initiative | california, focus, marriage : Gazette.com

Exceprts:

Focus on the Family is a top donor to backers of a California ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage, according to California Secretary of State's Office records.
...
Between Dec. 2007 and July, Focus donated $448,406 to support Prop 8, with most money going to ProtectMarriage.com, a California-based coalition. Its largest donation, $250,000, came in June, one month after the court ruling.

Focus is the seventh biggest donor among Prop 8 supporters, according to the California Secretary of State's Office.

Other major donors are:
- Elsa Prince, a Focus board member ($450,000);
- American Family Association ($500,000);
- Fieldstead & Co. ($600,000);
- John Templeton Foundation ($900,000);
- National Organization for Marriage ($941,134.80).

The top donor is Knights of Columbus, in New Haven, Conn., a political arm of the Catholic Church. The group has given $1.275 million in support of Proposition 8, the secretary of state's records show.

Nonprofit groups like Focus and the American Family Association, both 501(c)3s, are legally able to donate up to 15 percent of their annual budget to lobbying efforts.

-----------------

It bothers me greatly that the American Taliban (Dobson, Robertson, Hagee, Parsley, Falwell[d], Phelps and others keep trying to push THEIR version of a fundie theocracy down the throat of our nation; and it bothers me that they are spending so much to force their views on YOUR state. The idiot in the White House let them go way too far. Now, it's time for California to vote NO on Prop 8 and put these fundie whack jobs (and the GOP) in their place (i.e., the dustbin of history). The church and the government need to keep their nose out of people's private lives. Same-sex marriage or civil unions are part of the constitutional bedrock of equal treatment.

I'm a standard male heterosexual married for 34 years, it's time that all of us had the same right to marriage / civil unions.

The arguments of con artists in the American Taliban that gay marriage will "destroy" the institution of marriage are laughable. It's the "big lie" theory of repeating something over and over until people believe it, though none of their contentions can be proved. Hetero marriage already has a divorce rate of 50% or higher, seems we hetero's have pretty well destroyed marriage without any outside help.

Idiots like Dobson, et al, should spend their millions to figure out why the divorce rate is 50% plus, then fix it. Instead, like dictators everywhere, they focus lies and hatred on external scapegoats; they push fear tactics on gullible followers who turn around and shower them with donations to "fight the good fight" for all that's holy and sacred. Gimme a f-ing break. It's amazing that people still send money to those phony bozo's but they do.

California! Stand up the dignity of your fellow man! Vote NO on Prop 8!

VOTE NO ON 8.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by sav858

That is not true, like with most ballot initiatives in CA it was funded and put on the ballot by special interests. A special interest groups hires firms that pay people to go out and collect signatures. This was not some "grassroots" voter movement. Those people you see collecting signatures to put something on the ballot are getting paid to do it.

Key part is collecting signatures. People still have their own choice to sign the petition. You need a certain percentage of voters to sign the petition before the measure is put on the ballot, and it's a lot of people. That does take funding, but it was put on the ballot by the people by the rules that govern how our system works. It's the same way our much ballyhoo'd Prop 13 was put on the ballot

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by sav858

That is not true, like with most ballot initiatives in CA it was funded and put on the ballot by special interests. A special interest groups hires firms that pay people to go out and collect signatures. This was not some "grassroots" voter movement. Those people you see collecting signatures to put something on the ballot are getting paid to do it.

Aren't all Initiatives funded by Special Interest Groups?

Our local school PTA formed a special interest group and paid a marketing firm to collect signatures and prepare campaign materials to save after school sports programs.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Aren't all Initiatives funded by Special Interest Groups?

Our local school PTA formed a special interest group and paid a marketing firm to collect signatures and prepare campaign materials to save after school sports programs.

pretty much, that is why I said "like with most ballot initiatives". There might be some legitimate, grassroots initiatives put on the ballot from time to time but most, if not all, that I've seen are funded by special interests. I heard something that as long as you have at least $1 million you can pretty much get anything put on the ballot.

[happ]

I post this article from the Sacramento Bee that suggests the "Bradley effect" of some citizens embarrassed to admit they plan to vote against gay marriage.
Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

[the point]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Article in the Colorado Springs Gazette highlights the out of state money that is being funneled into CA to pass Proposition 8. Here's the link: Top Stories: Focus pours cash on initiative | california, focus, marriage : Gazette.com

Exceprts:

Focus on the Family is a top donor to backers of a California ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage, according to California Secretary of State's Office records.
...
Between Dec. 2007 and July, Focus donated $448,406 to support Prop 8, with most money going to ProtectMarriage.com, a California-based coalition. Its largest donation, $250,000, came in June, one month after the court ruling.

Focus is the seventh biggest donor among Prop 8 supporters, according to the California Secretary of State's Office.

Other major donors are:
- Elsa Prince, a Focus board member ($450,000);
- American Family Association ($500,000);
- Fieldstead & Co. ($600,000);
- John Templeton Foundation ($900,000);
- National Organization for Marriage ($941,134.80).

The top donor is Knights of Columbus, in New Haven, Conn., a political arm of the Catholic Church. The group has given $1.275 million in support of Proposition 8, the secretary of state's records show.

Nonprofit groups like Focus and the American Family Association, both 501(c)3s, are legally able to donate up to 15 percent of their annual budget to lobbying efforts.

-----------------

It bothers me greatly that the American Taliban (Dobson, Robertson, Hagee, Parsley, Falwell[d], Phelps and others keep trying to push THEIR version of a fundie theocracy down the throat of our nation; and it bothers me that they are spending so much to force their views on YOUR state. The idiot in the White House let them go way too far. Now, it's time for California to vote NO on Prop 8 and put these fundie whack jobs (and the GOP) in their place (i.e., the dustbin of history). The church and the government need to keep their nose out of people's private lives. Same-sex marriage or civil unions are part of the constitutional bedrock of equal treatment.

I'm a standard male heterosexual married for 34 years, it's time that all of us had the same right to marriage / civil unions.

The arguments of con artists in the American Taliban that gay marriage will "destroy" the institution of marriage are laughable. It's the "big lie" theory of repeating something over and over until people believe it, though none of their contentions can be proved. Hetero marriage already has a divorce rate of 50% or higher, seems we hetero's have pretty well destroyed marriage without any outside help.

Idiots like Dobson, et al, should spend their millions to figure out why the divorce rate is 50% plus, then fix it. Instead, like dictators everywhere, they focus lies and hatred on external scapegoats; they push fear tactics on gullible followers who turn around and shower them with donations to "fight the good fight" for all that's holy and sacred. Gimme a f-ing break. It's amazing that people still send money to those phony bozo's but they do.

California! Stand up the dignity of your fellow man! Vote NO on Prop 8!

VOTE NO ON 8.

I will be donating from out of state.

[caldje]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

Key part is collecting signatures. People still have their own choice to sign the petition. You need a certain percentage of voters to sign the petition before the measure is put on the ballot, and it's a lot of people. That does take funding, but it was put on the ballot by the people by the rules that govern how our system works. It's the same way our much ballyhoo'd Prop 13 was put on the ballot

This is true. The people signed.

However, it is a documented fact that the arguments used to GET people to sign were lies. A Sacramento judge ordered that the ballot arguments be changed because of this.

There was no oversite of the petition signing though. In fact, many times people were asked to "sign what they already voted for in 2000" whether they actually did vote for it or not.

It would be easy to get people to sign a petition when you are feeding them lies and scaring them into doing it. Just like the way this proposition may win. Tricked into signing and scared into voting for it.

Too many Californians care about their neighbors though. Although proposition 8 supports are not all intolerant, those who hate gays and lesbians are MUCH MORE than a fringe element of their campaign.

I have made the plea many times before and I'll make it again.

I sincerely respect your religion and beliefs. Your vote counts every bit as much as mine does. I just ask that you not make November 4th, 2008 the saddest day of my life. I dont want to see my marriage, founded in love, taken away in the name of hate. Please vote no on 8.

Sincerely.