We learned in September that Republican/evangelical activist Ralph Reed, having completed the transition from disgraced lobbyist to GOP insider, was preparing a sophisticated, microtargeted get-out-the-evangelical-vote operation," backed up by at least $10 million in contributions from Republican donors. Unfortunately, he neglected to buy an English-to-Spanish dictionary.
As part of Reed's standard m.o., he creates voter guides that, he hopes, can plausibly be described as non-partisan. He'll pick a series of issues, frame them in a Republican-friendly way, and then list candidates' positions. Because the guides don't explicitly tell people how to vote, Reed asks that the materials be legally distributed by tax-exempt institutions, including churches.
But it doesn't work if Reed gets the positions wrong (thanks to reader R.B. for the tip).
In this case, Reed's organization, the Faith & Freedom Coalition, put together a Spanish-language voter guide in Florida, featuring fairly predictable elements. Floridians are told President Obama, unlike Mitt Romney, believes in "spending money the government does not have" and "abortion on demand."
But as I've circled in the image above, Reed's group also managed to tell Spanish-speaking voters that Romney opposes "traditional marriage," while Obama supports it.
In case there's any confusion, the president supports marriage equality, while Romney supports a constitutional amendment that would prevent same-sex couples from having equal rights.
Maybe the "sophisticated get-out-the-evangelical-vote operation" isn't quite sophisticated enough?
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You shouldn't have brought it to their attention, but I assume someone else may have done that. At least they're out the money they spent making the flyer. And it isn't just "in translation" that they're lost in. They're lost in lots of other ways as well.
I was interested in the second statement about dropping taxes 20%. Since very few Spanish speakers are making the huge bucks (how well does mopping the floor and waiting tables, even teaching school pay?), the amount that they would save in taxes wouldn't be bus fare. They can figure it out by themselves and then put it together with the third item on the list to figure out that lots of the services that make life somewhat easier would be dropped.
Soporto los matrimonios del mismo sexo. I used google translate to get this. This shows how dumb Romney and his possy are.
Well, Ralphie had to cut corners somewhere to insure his 80% profit margin, didn't he?
"In a battle of wits, it is poor sport to fight an unarmed man"
Mark Twain
Must've started putting real tequilla in their margaritas ...
Why did you say margaritas.......now I have to have one. Power of suggestion.
Dang, I read this too late -- would've toasted to you!
I believe that Benen (and most progressive media) never emphasize enough is that Ralphie Reed is more about making money for Ralphie Reed than in 'the cause'. Reed has a money making niche where he combines a combination of 'sharing the wealth' with some evangelicals and continuing to fool a whole bunch of evangelicals on the say of the tv preachers he has bought.
making money more than "the cause"
faux news
Sarah Palin
Rush Limbaugh
Glen Beck
who believes they believe what they say? it's all about the money... show me the money and I'll ...
Robert Colbert, told donald to put his money where his mouth is, and not in a nice way. He trumped the trump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlvQW7tI4aE
coded undertones of polygamy?
Ralph Reed is nothing but a shyster hiding behind a cross.
ahahahahaha
That's the chuckle of the day.
Thanks Steve!
Is someone talking about Ralph Greed?
I always think of Fiore's character "Right-wing Ralphie"..
Having watched this wretch for a while it doesn't surprise me that he can't shoot straight in any language.
Rachel, PLEASE...PLEASE take on Erin Burnett! Please put her to shame, take her to task! Please give her a verbal tongue lashing, I hope she lands her a covenant position at Fox! She represents them so well! Good job on Wendy Williams show today!
Sr. Reed es un hijo de puta. He's a first-class hate group. Not being a Christian but knowing some real Christians, I cannot understand how Christians who hate their fellow human being can integrate the command to love our neighbors as ourselves with his hatred and fear of people who are different than he.
It is unfortunate, indeed, that his parents never married and that he knows not what Jesus told Christians to do. BTW, all Jesus was doing was quoting Lev. 19:18.
I've never taken a day of Spanish in my life and even I can interpret that phrase! Forget English to Spanish translation - it simply wasn't proofread at all.
El problema con estos lunáticos es que piensan que nosotros los latinos somos estúpidos.
Well, I think we can all agree that Romney's grandfather *did* oppose traditional marriage, and that belief is what led him to being run out of the United States. Immigrant success story my foot.
repeat
Romney is the worst, mos corrupt person to run for president in my life time
and in that I include Nixon. Cheney is close but he was VP. SCUM