

Rick Santorum's Anal Sex Problem - Flemlord
http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/08/rick-santorum-google-problem-dan-savage

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abraham
Wouldn't it be pretty easy to buy a bunch of paid links and setup a bunch of
known spam tactics for <http://www.spreadingsantorum.com/> then just wait for
Google to remove the "spammy" site?

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slavat
This campaign struck me from the very beginning as mean-spirited and
misguided, as it adversely affects _everyone_ with that surname, not just a
particular politician.

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gaius
It's interesting to note that Google _will_ intervene in their index if they
agree politically (e.g. the Obama monkey cartoons, yet they never had a
problem with anyone calling Bush a chimp).

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jat850
Was that intervention a political one or a racial one? (Not disagreeing, just
asking. I don't remember the issue or its resolution.)

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astine
It was Google caving into the black lobby. Santorum does not have that kind of
power.

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gaius
Google's stance on gay rights is well known.

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xenophanes
all it takes is 5 million? doesn't sound like that big a problem, considering
all the obstacles one must surpass to become president.

like if someone would be president, if and only if he could find 5 million,
there are people who would give it to him. it wouldn't be a show stopper.

maybe the problem with the donation is he thinks not being homophobic would
lose him too many votes..?

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philwelch
You can't support gay marriage and be elected President, not even as a
Democrat (maybe in 2016). As a Republican? Forget it.

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xenophanes
That's dumb.

Why not, exactly? Some significant proportion of all voters hate it. But
that's true for abortion too. And you can favor abortion and become president.
(or can't you?)

also i take it there's a lot more voters who hate gay marriage than who hate
homophobes? otherwise potential presidents would lose lots of votes either way
and could go either path. wtf...

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yummyfajitas
While a vocal minority on the left supports gay marriage, they will vote dem
regardless of the dem candidate's position on this issue. After all,
republicans are a bunch of stupid racist religious types who kill their own
meat rather than buying it from the store like civilized people.

A large group of people on both sides of the political aisle oppose gay
marriage. They are not strongly motivated to vote - if you don't piss them
off, many will stay home. If you piss them off, the ones on your side will
stay home and the other guy's will vote against you.

It's simple calculus.

(Abortion is much the same. The fanatical anti-abortion types will always vote
against the godless muslim babykillers who have sex outside of marriage, even
if the candidates on their team do absolutely nothing to prevent abortion.)

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konad
Eating meat is barbaric, not civilised.

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dstein
Why is this on HN?

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btilly
I voted for it because I find this kind of real world impact of SEO to be
interesting.

Admittedly I also dislike Rick Santorum.

