I’ve received a couple of angry and/or confused emails recently about the advertising on HA, and have heard tell of a couple more angry emails that haven’t come directly my way. Folks want to know why the hell I’m accepting advertising from Republicans… and why the hell somebody doesn’t “cut me off at the knees” for doing it?
As to the first question, the answer is simple: I need the money, and so far most Democrats haven’t been smart enough to lock up my prime advertising space for themselves. For example, the premium ad space recently bought up by Toby Nixon (who cleverly doesn’t mention the fact that he’s a Republican)…? That sat vacant for a week, heading into the obvious bump in traffic I would get during the Democratic convention. I suppose I could have rejected Toby’s ad out of deference to Rep. Roger Goodman, whom I support in that race, but really, what does that buy me except the expectation that Dems don’t have to buy ads on HA because I’d never sell space to their opponents?
And as to the bizarre suggestion that somebody should “cut me off at the knees” for daring to make a little money on the side… um… cut me off from what? And, um… how?
You gonna fire me from a job I don’t have? Cut off money I’m not getting? Refuse to give me tidbits the dailies refuse to publish? Who exactly do you think has the power or authority to rein me in?
What is it about Democrats, and progressives in general, that make you think that passionate advocates like me should have to work for free, and be responsive to your petty insecurities? You want a tiny bit of control over me? Fund me, goddamn it. You want me to stop taking ads from Republicans? You could start by buying some ads yourself.
But if you think that I can continue making the contribution I make, without the prospect of earning myself a decent white collar wage, you’re out of your minds. I’ve got a November 2008 timeline, after which I need to step back and take stock of where I am and where I am going. So if local Dems care enough about HA to get angry when I take ad money from Republicans, I hope they care enough to help me make this a going concern.
I have nothing against Republicans financially supporting Goldy and HA. In fact, I’m all for it! The more Republican advertising on this blog, the better! Every time you click on Ann Coulter’s ad, Goldy earns another nickel.
AMEN!
I have a similar problem working as a development consultant with non-profit organizations. After giving away hundreds of hours of free consulting time to organizations, “because it’s a good cause”, then being passed over by the same organizations for paid gigs, I’m also getting pretty fed up.
Where the hell do liberals and progressives get the idea that, just because they’re nice people who support nice things, they should get what they want for free? After getting burned several times, my response now is, “my mortgage is a good cause too”. I never expected to get rich doing this work, but I don’t plan to lose my house and my tenuous stake in the middle class along with it.
Stick to your guns, Goldy. If it takes Republicans to fund progressive blogging in the NW, so be it. If the Democrats don’t like it, then they can ante up. Otherwise, shut your pieholes, you whiny bitches.
Sarah Palin, Secessionist
“I’m an Alaskan, not an American. I’ve got no use for America or her damned institutions.”
That statement was made by Joe Vogler, founder of the Alaskan Independence Party, and remains one of the AIP’s guiding principles, quoted by the party itself.
Sarah Palin joined the AIP in 1994, a year after Vogler was murdered. She knew exactly what she was joining, and knew exactly what the group stood for.
Although Palin registered as a Republican in 1996, the first year in which she ran for a public office, out of obvious political expediency, she remains on good terms with the AIP and even gave a welcoming speech at the AIP’s 2008 convention.
Palin is a book-burner; as mayor of Wasilla, she tried to fire the town librarian for not cooperating with her desire to ban certain books from the public library.
Palin has close ties to indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. She was a director of Stevens’ 527 organization, and hired his former chief of staff as a lobbyist for Wasilla.
What does a town of 8,000 people need a lobbyist for? (Wasilla was one of only 6 of Alaska’s 149 incorporated municipalities that had a paid lobbyist.)
Sure, Palin is popular in Alaska, and maybe a lot of Alaskans would like to secede from the United States. But that might not play so well in the rest of the U.S. when American voters find out she’s a secessionist.
And why would she want to be Vice President of a country she doesn’t want her own state to be a part of? It doesn’t make any sense.
I think Democrats should use video of Palin’s speech to the 2008 convention of Alaska’s secessionist party in their campaign ads.
Way to go Goldy! I think you are perfectly correct to sell ads to all who pony up. It’s actually clever for some candidates to advertise on a site with a different viewpoint. It may mean the difference in a close election to pick up some of the undecided people in between who are bouncing around looking for more information. I would certainly hope the Democrats would be smart enough to figure that out and spread their ads out all over. Preaching to the choir doesn’t gain you any new votes.
@5 Toby Nixon might get our resident paid troll’s vote. (There’s only 1 using 30 different screen names.)
I love the Republican’s ads on HA are fantastic. I love to click them and check out the nonsense they’re spewing.
6/7 Actually, Toby’s stuff doesn’t seem particularly nonsensical, except I’m having a little trouble understanding how he figures the state can do all the additional stuff he advocates, while at the same time “reducing taxes for everyone“.
3 Roger, there’s an article out (I think I read it in the LA Times) enumerating all the earmarked Federal funds the little burg of Wasilla has received in recent years, including $15 million to provide railroad service between there and another tiny hamlet where Ted Stevens happens to own a house.
Wasilla’s about the same population as Port Townsend. Betcha the folks there would have rather seen that amount of money go towards maintaining the ferry run to Whidbey Island.
Roger – to the idiot class that is the base of the Republican Party it doesn’t matter how much of a kook Sarah Palin is – she’s THEIR kook.
Heaven help us if this country is as insane as I believe it to be at times.
I have no issue with the ads, none whatsoever.
Money John McCain spends for Google advertising on HA is money McCain can’t spend advertising on blogs that don’t attack and parody him.
Back on topic (away from kook Palin hate..)This is what happens when capatilism meets progressive ideology…..
“But if you think that I can continue making the contribution I make, without the prospect of earning myself a decent white collar wage, you’re out of your minds”
Bully! Capital!! Spoken like a true capitalist…
“What is it about Democrats, and progressives in general, that make you think that passionate advocates like me should have to work for free, and be responsive to your petty insecurities? You want a tiny bit of control over me?”
Goldy, it’s simple. Becuase Democrats want to pay for everything with other peoples blood sweat and money….. INCOME (Mindshare) REDISTRIBUTION.
It’s called Profit….it’s not evil, it’s good.
If you wand more of the same old Democrat take from the producers and give to the party elite….Vote Obama/Biden.
If you want government to get out of the way of realizing the American Dream…Vote McCain/Palin.
Roger Rabbit @ 3
What does a town of 8,000 people need a lobbyist for? (Wasilla was one of only 6 of Alaska’s 149 incorporated municipalities that had a paid lobbyist.)
In all fairness, Wasilla is one of the largest municipalities in Alaska, population wise. Wikipedia lists Wasilla as Alaska’s fourth largest city, behind Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.
Sure, Palin is popular in Alaska, and maybe a lot of Alaskans would like to secede from the United States. But that might not play so well in the rest of the U.S. when American voters find out she’s a secessionist.
I wonder if Russia would be willing to send troops to support the Alaskan secessionists, as it has done for Abkhazia and South Ossetia. After all, Alaska was also part of Russia historically.
14 “I wonder if Russia would be willing to send troops to support the Alaskan secessionists, as it has done for Abkhazia and South Ossetia. After all, Alaska was also part of Russia historically.”
It also has a pipeline…
Folks, keep in mind that Goldy’s done this blog for years without much of any income. And I’m sure he’s put in all kinds of behind the scenes work you’ll never know about.
Unfortunately, I just can’t click on a Republican link but I applaud all those who have the stomach for it.
And the trolls? Click away!
14 – Hey! That’s a great point Richard.
That has the potential to really put Palin and Grampy McSame on the spot!
Speaking of Grampy McSame, he said
“She’s been in elected office longer than Sen. Obama.”
Here’s a picture of her elected office in Wasilla.
http://i166.photobucket.com/al.....99541f.jpg
Newspapers take ads from all comers, HA shouldn’t be any different.
Money before principles.
How republican of goldy.
Maybe the democrats could get a government program to fund some ads for this here blog. We all know democrats only spend money when it belongs to someone else.
And what’s up with the ha hooligans not donating to help goldy out. What a bunch of cheapskates.
Don’t worry, the country isn’t as insane as you believe. Obama won’t be elected.
Anybody with two brain cells to rub together blocks all ads on their browsers to begin with.
Anybody too dumb to do that has no right to complain about it. It just shows how dumb they are.
So why does Sarah Palin want to lead a country, that she doesn’t believe in being part of? I have a bigger problem with Palin’s secessionist beliefs, than practically anything else that she stands for.
How does Toby Nixon stand on Alaskan secession? Someone could trick Toby up on that question, given his longstanding belief in libertarianism.
Why did I buy an ad on HA? Because a lot of people see it, across the political spectrum. Plain and simple. I wasn’t sure Goldy would accept it, but I’m glad he did.
Besides that, the fact is I’ve received useful information and entertainment from HA over the years, and I thought it was time I stepped up and made a donation. I could either (a) donate personal funds quietly directly to Goldy, or (b) use campaign funds (not out of my own pocket) and get a highly visible ad at the same time. I didn’t have to think very hard about that. :-)
I did the same thing on Sound Politics for exactly the same reasons. But I bought space on SP for longer, because Stefan charges less!
— Toby
Palin’s palatial Mayoral suite of the 4th largest “city” in Alaska kind of reminds me of the typical adult video rental store.
On the other hand, the John McCain campaign has come up with apparent copies of voter registration records, which indicate that Sarah Palin has been a registered Republican since August 1990. It looks like she registered with the Republicans on the day of the primary election in 1990:
http://www.johnmccain.com/imag.....cument.pdf
I don’t know whether Alaska even had party registration prior to August 1990. It may be significant that Palin chose the Republicans in 1990, since that was the year that the Alaskan secessionists actually elected a governor (defeating both the Republican and Democratic nominees).
But why does the Alaskan Independence Party claim that Palin was a member? Did she adhere to the secessionists after they were successful in capturing the governor’s office? Were the secessionists particularly strong in the Wasilla area?
And why did Palin send videotaped greetings to the secessionists’ 2008 state convention? Does she send greetings to other Alaskan political parties, such as the Greens, Libertarians or Democrats?
On the other hand, the John McCain campaign has come up with apparent copies of voter registration records, which indicate that Sarah Palin has been a registered Republican since August 1990. It looks like she registered with the Republicans on the day of the primary election in 1990:
I don’t know whether Alaska even had party registration prior to August 1990. It may be significant that Palin chose the Republicans in 1990, since that was the year that the Alaskan secessionists actually elected a governor (defeating both the Republican and Democratic nominees).
But why does the Alaskan Independence Party claim that Palin was a member? Did she adhere to the secessionists after they were successful in capturing the governor’s office? Were the secessionists particularly strong in the Wasilla area?
And why did Palin send videotaped greetings to the secessionists’ 2008 state convention? Does she send greetings to other Alaskan political parties, such as the Greens, Libertarians or Democrats?
Spam filter just ate my comment twice in a row!
On the other hand, the John McCain campaign has come up with apparent copies of voter registration records, which indicate that Sarah Palin has been a registered Republican since August 1990. It looks like she registered with the Republicans on the day of the primary election in 1990.
Okay, I will be more patient with the spam filter in the future! But it ate 27, 28 and 30. What was possibly wrong with 30?
Just because Goldy is a Capitalist Swine doesn’t mean he’s any good at it. Even Toby Nixon said Stefan charges less.
What a chump
Hey, Goldy, collect site revenue wherever you can find it. I always look for the Republican “pay per click” ads, and click on them whenever I find them. Gives you a few cents, and costs the Republicans even more.
A sellout is not taking ads. A sell out would be selling Horses Ass blog to someone like Rossi. Ted Turner’s huge mistake, self-knowledged was selling CNN to Murdock. Turner could be a HA, but he was a liberal HA, now CNN is f**king Republican (‘cept yesterday)
Rob
Hey Goldy, I swing from your nuts like a jock strap and am nourished by my own sense of self satisfaction, which also fuels my car. I don’t give you money, I just click on the ad and drain 2 nickels from Republicans campaign funds. Please acknowledge me, please. It is desperately lonely in my mother’s basement.
Goldy,
Any chance you could send me (to my email address, of course) your advertising rates? And, Toby Nixon, good on ya, man. There ain’t many good Republicans left anymore, but you’re one of them.
35 reminds of that old hateful name morphing troll who spewed the following:
What did you call Bristol Palin HNMT?
http://www.horsesass.org/?p=6362#comment-853868
34 – Turner sold CNN to Time-Warner. Murdoch doesn’t own them – yet.
There, I just kicked in a little through Paypal, not that I trust the darned thing. I’ll just cross my fingers and hope it gets to you. Good work, Goldy. Keep it going.
The funny thing is, I never noticed the ads. The only ones I ever notice are the ones that royally piss me off (have weird pop ups over the text I’m trying to read, or epileptic-seizure-inducing flashing or they pretend to be XP warning boxes that want me to download security software: ironic, as I am a mac user), so I’m not likely to buy their product anyways.
I suppose it wouldn’t matter to me if Darcy Burner or Dino Rossi were advertising on your site: I’d tune out both equally.
Goldy – I think you want something from lots and lots of us that we’re not ready to give. Money. I know that you do get quite a few donations. You’ve certainly be impressive in your capacity to raise money for Darcy Burner. But I’m not sure the netroots is ready and willing to support professional bloggers full time. You’re in a tough spot and it sucks. But if you’re going to be a professional blogger, as a reader I want you to keep it professional. No whining about the crackpots that write you.
Goldy, do these kinds of posts generate the additional ad sales you need? That’s an honest question rather than a disguised comment. If they do, by all means keep at it. However, my experience in the print realm is that there is no substitute for ad salespeople. One-on-one solicitations are far more effective than generic pitches in the actual publication. Most importantly, the best pitches focus on meeting the needs of the advertiser. I’ve found that guilt-based pitches have limited success.
Of course, it takes money to make money. That’s the basic problem with small-scale publishing. My hope would be that somewhere in the lefty foundation world you could find what effectively amounts to seed money to jump start your ad sales. Hopefully you can build them to a level where they become self sustaining from a staffing standpoint.
I drop in irregularly so the following may be dumb questions:
1) Have you done a business plan? If not, that should be at the top of your to-do list.
2) Do you have ties to any professional fundraisers/grantwriters who might at least advise how to build a stronger donor base and cultivate foundations?
As a former grants manager for a “public” foundation that will remain nameless, I’ve found that the groups which are most successful at fundraising do more than beg — they provide documentation (e.g., through a fundraising plan) that they have a fighting chance to be a sustainable organization.
If you do have a decent plan, then this should be discussed as part of your pitch. Always. If you don’t have a plan you need to get one done — and really put some careful thought into it.
If you don’t have the energy and/or interest to go in this direction then you either need to find someone who will or accept that you won’t make a living at this. Unfortunately, many noble journalistic efforts have fallen by the wayside because of inadequate business management.
Green Thumb asked:
2) Do you have ties to any professional fundraisers
I think Goldy’s pretty close to Darcy Burner.
I just checked out the pricing for the ad space here and it’s crazy reasonable. You’re absolutely right to pursue folks who are willing to cough up some dough for an ad. Keep on keepin’ on, G!
Oh come on. You can’t see the political parallel? Getting something for nothing?
Goldy sounds awfully capitalistic. Which is fine by me. but really, I agree with the guy. Why SHOULD he work for free, unless he wants to. Goldy, take whatever ads you like. I certainly don’t care when SP takes liberal ads. It just means that’s money being spent reaching an audience that doesn’t care about the leftwing. They may as well give it to us. I don’t get why your readers aren’t seeing the same point here. Take whatever ads you want, Gold one. ciao
PS–what about the Mary Fairhurst ad? She’s liberal….