Discussion today on politics in First and Second Life

Kei Moana of Clear Ink moderated a roundtable discussion today about presidential campaign politics in SL.  The event happened, appropriately enough, in the chambers of SL Capitol Hill (teleport SLURL) from 11am-noon PDT.  There was a spirited and respectful conversation among a small but diverse group of resident politicos about politicking in SL and their connections with real life presidential campaigns. 

Hopefully the beginning of a continuing dialogue.  A transcript of the event follows…

Introduction
Kei Moana: Welcome to the Political Hill roundtable.
Kei Moana: Rik, you can take a notecard with an agenda and a list of all of the presidential campaign HQ’s in SL.
Kei Moana: I’ve been thinking about having a rountable discussion for a while, but I wasn’t sure if I had the time to prep for an organized discussion.
Kei Moana: And, the Political Hill group doesn’t really have an identity, yet.
Kei Moana: Okay, it’s 11 o’clock, so we’ll get started with our first topic, Presidential campaigns in SL.
Kei Moana: Please take an agenda and a campaign HQ notecard.
Kei Moana: I’m going to start out by saying that I contacted each group leader…ah, welcome Marc!
LailaLei Mathilde: hi, marc
marcburmeister Bury: hello
Kei Moana: And, we’ll give each one 2 minutes at the top of our discussion to say something about their group’s purpose/goals in SL.
Kei Moana: Marc, go ahead and grab an agenda notecard and a campaign HQ notecard.

GovernorBillRichardson Bade’s Research Project
Kei Moana: GovBill, why don’t you start by describing what your group is doing in SL.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Sure
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I’d like to start by saying this is not an actual campaign, nor associated with the Bill Richardson campaign in any way
Kei Moana: Right.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I am a graduate student at UT Law
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: We are in a course on the Modern American Political Campaign
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Tought by Matthew Dowd and Paul Stekler
Kei Moana: Bill, what is the perception of SL as a venue for political discourse among your academic peers?
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: When I first started, the idea was to see if SL could be used for political efforts
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Kei, let me answer that in one minute
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: now that I know there are actual campaigns here, I have changed focus to see how they are using SL in presidential politics
Kei Moana: So, you’ll be tracking the activities of the campaign groups?
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Kei, to be honest, I’ve kept this project secret from my peers because we are in something of a competition
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: se
Kei Moana: hah!
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: yes
Kei Moana: Tom, welcome!
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: but tomorrow we will be having a class discussion on use of the interenet in campaigns
Kei Moana: Please take an agenda notecard and a campaign HQ notecard.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: and I’d be shocked if SL did not come up in some regard
Kei Moana: Will you disclose then that you have an avatar in SL, Bill?
Kei Moana: 🙂
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I may at that point, but it depends on the class discussion
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: if the other campaigns haven’t used SL yet
Kei Moana: Great, Marc — can you say a bit about your group for Ron Paul?
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: then I probably don’t want to tip my hat so to speak
Kei Moana: Sorry, Gov — were you finished?
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I am now – thanks Kei
LailaLei Mathilde: kei, will there be a q and a after?

Ron Paul for President
Kei Moana: Marc is the group leader for the Ron Paul for President.
Kei Moana: Yes, LailaLei.
marcburmeister Bury: Sure, of course I want to start out by saying my group is not affliated with the official Ron Paul campaign
Kei Moana: We’ll open it up after our campaign reps introduce themselves.
LailaLei Mathilde: ok
Kei Moana: Hi, Vyre. Please take the notecards on the counter next to me.
marcburmeister Bury: I heard about SL on techpresident.com and how Hillary, Obama, and Edwards had Hqs
Kei Moana: Alan, welcome.
Kei Moana: Please take the notecards on the counter next to me.
Alan Innis: Thank you. Glad I could find everyone.
Rik Riel: (is it me, or all the republicans sitting on the right side?)
Kei Moana: Marc, your candidate is the only Republican candidate in SL so far.
marcburmeister Bury: I decided to check SL out because I didn’t want my candidate to miss the boat on something big
marcburmeister Bury: I think there is a vast difference between repubs and dems on the web
marcburmeister Bury: even when looking at myspace friends
Kei Moana: Right, and do you see that reflected in SL, as well?
marcburmeister Bury: Yes
BC Nevadan: (I tried to find the Independent side here, Rik, but I didn’t want to sit on the floor 🙂
Reena Zenovka: lol
Kei Moana: Marc, what will be your general strategy then for campaigning for your candidate in SL?
marcburmeister Bury: I would like to build up my group first and go from there. I would like to build a HQ sometime in the next month as well
Kei Moana: Well, good luck — I think it’s so interesting that you and GovBill were the only ones who responded to my IM about this roundtable.
LailaLei Mathilde: (jose rote hasnt been in sl for a few weeks now)
Kei Moana: Given the relative exposure of the other groups to date.
Kei Moana: Ah, thanks, LailaLei.

Open Discussion
Kei Moana: Alright, let’s open up the discussion then.
marcburmeister Bury: Once I have a substantial amount of members in the group I would like to hold weekly meetings to discuss strategy in SL
LailaLei Mathilde raises her hand
Kei Moana: Does anyone know if the other groups are doing that, yet?
Kei Moana: Jump in, Lai.
LailaLei Mathilde: i have a question for gov bill:
Rik Riel raises his gloved hand
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: go aheas Lai
Kei Moana: Shoot, Rik.
LailaLei Mathilde: did not come across your group
LailaLei Mathilde: i search groups to find candidate representation in sl
LailaLei Mathilde: searched just now with no luck ;(
LailaLei Mathilde: is your group listed?
LailaLei Mathilde: or is search just wonky?
LailaLei Mathilde: (wonkier than usual)
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: well, first of all, since finding out there have been actual campaigns, I have kept a fairly low profile
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: but in terms of search
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: that really is a Linden question
Kei Moana: Gov, you don’t really represent a campaign effort.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I do not Kei
LailaLei Mathilde: i ask bc i track group representation in sl
BC Nevadan: I think search is hosed in SL
LailaLei Mathilde: i post the stats to my blog
Rik Riel: indeed
LailaLei Mathilde: and frankly i get irritated when i see a group ive missed
Reena Zenovka: I am wondering if anyone here thinks that the actual candidates will ever show up here in SL?
LailaLei Mathilde: so maybe i should send a nasty email to the lindens 😉
Rik Riel: Obama wil show up next week
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Lai, jsut to be clear, I do not represent the Gov Bill Richarcharson campaign
Rik Riel: in avatar form
Kei Moana: Reena, that’s a really good question.
LailaLei Mathilde: yes, i know
Reena Zenovka: And if they do,will it make a difference come election day?
Alan Innis: The real Obama, Rik?
LailaLei Mathilde: obala will show next week?
Rik Riel: Yes, his avatar wil lbe operated by someone else, but his voice will be his
LailaLei Mathilde: obama*
LailaLei Mathilde: at the rally?
Rik Riel: part of a national web cast event
LailaLei Mathilde: wait
Kei Moana: What do you guys think would be legit concerns from a rl candidate?
Alan Innis: Very cool. Nice score.
Rik Riel:
http://www.rikomatic.com/2007/03/obama_web_event.html
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: raises hands
Alan Innis: Being misrepresented. Not being able to control the technology.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: hand
Kei Moana: Great, Rik. Thanks for that.
LailaLei Mathilde: thanks rik
Kei Moana: Go, Gov…
Kei Moana: Yes, I think security is a big issue.
Rik Riel coughs and wonders if he ws next in the queue
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Kei in answer to your question I think RL campaigns need to be careful about a few things
Kei Moana: Rik, sorry.
Kei Moana: Jump in, then Gov.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: for one, the Edwards campaign located itself in a place which available land was right next to it
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: it would have been very easy for a saboteur to set up something next to him to grief the headquarters
Reena Zenovka: Well, a major concern is whether the people making campaign efforts here are conveying the right messages.
Kei Moana: I want to get back to that, Gov, but first Rik — did you want to say something else?
Reena Zenovka: Yes, the "John Edward" place next to it, can be frustrating.
Kei Moana: Jump in, guys.
Rik Riel: Thanks kei
LailaLei Mathilde: im confused here, rik
Rik Riel: Just wanted to note that there’s an inherent tension btwn the need for campaigns to ctrl messaging
LailaLei Mathilde: obama is not appearing in sl
LailaLei Mathilde: right?
Rik Riel: and the desire for grassroots gropus to organize things on the fly
Alan Innis: It’s hard to be on message if you are not officially plugged in to the real campaign.
Kei Moana: Right, good point, Rik.
Alan Innis: Because the message can change hour by hour.
Rik Riel: I.e. the Obama webcast event is not being done in affiliation with the SL obama group
Reena Zenovka: Yes, I think that will be a problem. Especially after the primaries.
Rik Riel: I think there is fear of looking silly in SL
Rik Riel: i.e. the Mark Warner effect
Alan Innis: Mark Warner effect?
Reena Zenovka: If the candidates want to be effective here there should be some "head" to the organization. Or you will get what is happening at the J.E. HQ.
Kei Moana: Right, so the question does come up then as to whether or not SL presence is helping or hindering the rl candidate.
Rik Riel: (Warner appeared in-world last year as an early bid on the presidency. And then soon backed out.)
BC Nevadan: Does Youtube presence help or hinder the candidate? It depends,right?
Reena Zenovka: At this point I don’t think it’s making much of a difference anywhere but here. Right now it’s just providing a forum for discussion.
Alan Innis: With meeting attendance so low here it hardly seems worth the effort… except as PR opportunity.
Kei Moana: Well, I think that actually helped Hillary, BC.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: well, I don’t think Dell computer is worried about whether SL will help or hinder it, but what is the most effective use of SL
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I think the same should be true for candidates
Rik Riel: Dell appearing in SL enhanced their brand. Candidates have as much to lose as to gain potentially.
Kei Moana: Alan, that depends on how well the event is organized.
Reena Zenovka: Well, the other day Dean Koontz (the author) hosted a reading of his new book. He had an avatar and everything. It drew such a crowd there were several overflow locations. If a candidate were to appear here it would create quite a buzz.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I agree with Reena
Reena Zenovka: But, it would need to be very organized.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade nods
Reena Zenovka: That’s not how things are now.
Kei Moana: yes, reena
Reena Zenovka: It would be national news if one showed up here.
Alan Innis: Organization in sl seems to be embryonic.
Rik Riel: (By crowd we mean about 200 avatars. i.e. peanuts.)
Reena Zenovka: Quite
Alan Innis: exactly
Reena Zenovka: Well, for SL 200 avatars is quite a crowd. And that would be just enough to draw media attention.
BC Nevadan: SL is more comparable to a town hall
BC Nevadan: retail politics
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Well, Rik, I think Reena hits it on the head, when she says that the buzz would be beyond SL and spill over into media
Reena Zenovka: That’s the goal. Media is media.
Kei Moana: Alan, the events that I have been part of that have been successful have received a lot of support from outside resoureces.
Kei Moana: resources.
Rik Riel: SL right now is a magnifier that can draw RW media attention, no doubt
Alan Innis: what kind of resources, Kei?
Reena Zenovka: If someone who didn’t see the evening news goes to a campaign event. It’s the same.
Kei Moana: Real companies with tech support.
Rik Riel: The Iraq protest inworld drew about 100 avatars, but the video I produced of the event had 50,000 views
Kei Moana: To get live streamed in events, for instance.
Alan Innis: or simulcasts in sl as Reena mentioned…
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: raises hand
Kei Moana: Rik, would you say that the organizers of that event considered it successful, then?
Reena Zenovka: Just someone being here is enough to get people to look.
Kei Moana: Yes, Gov…
Rik Riel: Kei, yes and no. We’re still at war.
LailaLei Mathilde: well, there have been massive rl protests that havent been effect
ive in ending the war
Alan Innis: sl generates about a dozen rl media stories daily by my reckoning. Pretty good for a "site" with only 25,000 visitors at a time.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: it’s also important to note that the people reached here are natural Navigotors who have a great deal of influence int their respective communities
Alan Innis: good point.
LailaLei Mathilde: the sl protest adds to those and sends the message that ppl are dissatisfied
Kei Moana: Right, Gov.
Reena Zenovka: Word of mouth is so important.
Kei Moana: I’d like to get back to this issue of communication between the rl campaigns and the groups here in SL.
Reena Zenovka: In order for them to be effective AT ALL, there has to be some connection.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade nods
Kei Moana: How much effort do we know of is going into establishing a real link between virtual and rl campaign efforts.
Reena Zenovka: Otherwise, it’ll be like an army of headless chickens.
Reena Zenovka: I don’t think there is much of one.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade laughs
LailaLei Mathilde: i think john edwards does a pretty good job of that
LailaLei Mathilde: the JE group i mean
Rik Riel: I know that the French are way ahead of the Americans on this
Reena Zenovka: Yes.
Kei Moana: There are 2 rl congressional staffers in SL that I know of.
LailaLei Mathilde: they have an advantage bc they have the rl blessing
Reena Zenovka: I have heard stories of French doings here.
Reena Zenovka: Good & bad.
LailaLei Mathilde: i think we can learn a lot of lessons from the french
Kei Moana: LailaLei, they do have the blessing from the rl Edwards folks?
Rik Riel: The french parties have clear connections btwn efforts in-world and party HQ
Kei Moana: Ah…
LailaLei Mathilde: they have the blessing and they dont have the blessing
Reena Zenovka: European Campaigning here is amazingly well organized.
Rik Riel: (or the curse in the Le Pen case)
Kei Moana: Why do you think that is, Reena?
Reena Zenovka: It’s much more heated.
Reena Zenovka: Well, for one thing Europe is a smaller community.
LailaLei Mathilde: if you go to the segolene or sarkozy HQs, they are very well organized with lots of avatars talking abt the issues
LailaLei Mathilde: those groups have way more members than the american groups
Rik Riel: (europe is a smaller community?)
Kei Moana: So, in-world presence is a big part of that.
Reena Zenovka: I have heard that Americans make up only 30% of SL residents.
LailaLei Mathilde: but the HQs havent been around that long
Kei Moana: There’s always someone at the HQ’s.
Alan Innis: It is also a more politically engaged community.
Reena Zenovka: It’s still pretty young.
Reena Zenovka: Alan, that is true.
Rik Riel: Alan I think has the point
Reena Zenovka: So many people in America are disinterested in our government.
Rik Riel: and they come to SL to escpe politics
Kei Moana: I think that ppl are afraid, actually, to voice a political opinion, Reena.
Reena Zenovka: They are uninformed. It really is true that a large group of people get their political news from Bill Maher, and Jon Stewart.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I’m not so certain that is true, American’s are very political, I think we’re a little behind on use of SL
Kei Moana: Absolutely.
Rik Riel: I gt a lot of push-back from SL residents for in-world political stuff I’m involved in
Alan Innis: Best place to get the news! 🙁 – how sad is that?
Rik Riel: "it’s just a game" etc
Reena Zenovka: Most people don’t think any of what is going on affects them. But, it does.
Vyre Cohen raises hand
Reena Zenovka: Most people don’t even vote!
Reena Zenovka: People should never be afraid to voice their political opinion.
BC Nevadan: I think SL will become more of a useful interface to get information – then talk about it
Kei Moana: Right, Rik. I think there is also a perception that SL is all casinos and brothels.
LailaLei Mathilde: well… isnt it?
BC Nevadan: I saw a pair of people at the sign outside looking up their congresspeople
BC Nevadan: then talking about it
Kei Moana: lol
Kei Moana: Lilith, welcome.
Rik Riel: me sighs
Reena Zenovka: Where I live, it’s not too popular to be a Republican. But, I don’t care. It’s my right to voice my opinion, so I do.
Kei Moana: Please take the notecards here on the counter.
Lilith Pronovost: / ao off
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: There is a large amount of that – casinos’ and brothels, but SL is big enough to handle politics as well
BC Nevadan: what sigh you, Rik?
LailaLei Mathilde: yes, i agree, but the problem is the perception
Rik Riel: (sad about the state of political dialogue in america)
Reena Zenovka: Rik, yes it is.
Kei Moana: Well, we’ll see how these in-world campaigns develop and/or grow in SL as the rl candidates heat up.
Kei Moana: Are you guys ready to move on to our second topic?
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Raises hand/
Rik Riel: What do people think about SL as a space for in-world political debate nd dialogue( across red-blue states, etC)
Kei Moana: Gove, go ahead.
BC Nevadan: I think its an experiment in what’s next – don’t look at this as an end-point
LailaLei Mathilde: its web 3.0
Reena Zenovka: Rik, I think it would be educational for most folks.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: does any campaign have a full time staffer yet
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: in SL whose job is to coordinate SL activities
Reena Zenovka: I spoke with someone at the Hillary camp who said they’d have a staff soon.
LailaLei Mathilde: you mean someone on the payroll?
Kei Moana: Rik, I think we’ve seen some legitimate interest among those who visit SL Cap Hill.
Reena Zenovka: But, that was weeks ago.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: yes, a fulltime staffer, and volunteers
LailaLei Mathilde: the groups have dedicated volunteers who staff the hqs
LailaLei Mathilde: liam and kelly at obama
LailaLei Mathilde: red and hervy at JE
LailaLei Mathilde: pup and king at hillary
LailaLei Mathilde: no one really at wes clark
Rik Riel: clark?
Rik Riel: oh
LailaLei Mathilde: i guess you could call liam and kelly full time staff
Alan Innis: no one is ever at Wes Clark!
Kei Moana: The Clark HQ was hard to find in Search.
Reena Zenovka: Nope. I saw a guy there once.
LailaLei Mathilde: bc they do the HQ as part of their business
Reena Zenovka: And when he saw me he left.
Reena Zenovka: lol
LailaLei Mathilde: yes, it was very hard to find
LailaLei Mathilde: sooo frustrating
Kei Moana: I type in "Wesley Clark" and got nothing.
Alan Innis: it’s on progressive island
Rik Riel: For the record, I find Disco Guiliani to be the wrong impression to send about politics in SL
BC Nevadan: One of the guys from the Warner event works for Dodd now as a database guy – but there’s no Dodd presence here
Kei Moana: You have to search for "Wes Clark."
Lilith Pronovost: /ao on
BC Nevadan: Disco Giuliani is to SL what the Hillary Big Brother ad is to Youtube
LailaLei Mathilde: and theres a group as well
Kei Moana: Yes, I agree, Rik.
BC Nevadan: What msg does that send about politics in Youtube?
LailaLei Mathilde: if sl is an open forum for political expression
Kei Moana: Taints the other serious efforts.
LailaLei Mathilde: then satire is allowed, right?
LailaLei Mathilde: i disagree
Reena Zenovka: I think YouTube can be good, and bad.
Rik Riel: it’s not even good satire
BC Nevadan: Same with SL , Reena
LailaLei Mathilde: if its open to all, its open to some
Reena Zenovka: Very true.
Rik Riel: the french do good satire. It’s just open season attack.
Alan Innis: sl can be a political tool and used in many different ways
– like any media.
Reena Zenovka: There is a sewer in every neighborhood.
BC Nevadan: agree Rik – theres bad satire on youtube as well
Kei Moana: lol
LailaLei Mathilde: he still has the right to do it
BC Nevadan: the "John Edward" was better satire
Reena Zenovka: It can get annoying though.
BC Nevadan: as far as satire goes
Kei Moana: Ooo, they really did not like that.
LailaLei Mathilde: if that scares of guiliani, then maybe he is a little think skinned to be running for president
Rik Riel: I’m sure Guiliani could give a damn
Reena Zenovka: I went once to the J.E. place, and there was a crowd of loonies there harassing everyone about John Edward and how he can read everyones minds.
Kei Moana: Would you guys say that the big mistake with the Edwards HQ is its location?
LailaLei Mathilde: he prob doesnt know what sl is, true
Reena Zenovka: YES
Alan Innis: yes
LailaLei Mathilde: yes
Rik Riel: hmmmmm
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: yes
LailaLei Mathilde: private island
Alan Innis: and poor security
Reena Zenovka: very poor
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: although I see he just moved
LailaLei Mathilde: at least they havent gone overboard like obama
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: all campaigns should be on private sims if they are smart
Alan Innis: overboard?
Reena Zenovka: ?
Rik Riel: sometimes being attacked is good publicity
LailaLei Mathilde: security guards everywhere
LailaLei Mathilde: at the obama hq
Rik Riel: i.e. the Le Pen HQ is very "popular"
Kei Moana: Um hmm, so if a rl campaign is interested in establishing a presence in SL, they should set up on a private sim?
Reena Zenovka: I hear someone vandalized the J.E. place.
Reena Zenovka: Definately.
LailaLei Mathilde: absolutely
Kei Moana: yep
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I would absolutely – to have maximum control
Alan Innis: Or work with an island owner who understands security well.
Alan Innis: And cares about the campaign!
Reena Zenovka: You can’t just put stuff out there, and expect others to not try & wreck it.
Rik Riel: but then where’s the engagement with a larger SL public?
Rik Riel: shouldn’t there be a small beachfront on the mainland too?
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: the public would still be allowed in
LailaLei Mathilde: you can find the content, if you can look for it
BC Nevadan: I think larger SL public is getting the hang of teleports
BC Nevadan: and SLurls
BC Nevadan: if only search worked 🙁
LailaLei Mathilde: heh
Reena Zenovka: If only…
Reena Zenovka: lol
Reena Zenovka: SLURLs are nice.
Reena Zenovka: It’s quirky to say the least
LailaLei Mathilde: from your mouth to philips ears…
Kei Moana: Since the Search really is so lame, it reallyl puts the burden of responsibility for publicizing a candidate on the staffers in-world.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: also, that’s why a full time staffer is important, someone who lives in SL and understands teh communities and the abilities
Reena Zenovka: with out the right tags, no one will find you
LailaLei Mathilde: thats very true, reena
Alan Innis: … but once again with traffic levels so low compared to rl the effort isn’t worth it yet… except as rl pr.
Reena Zenovka: I gthink JE has done the best job of that.
BC Nevadan: It’ll be a cycle thing – campaigns have full time bloggers now, and were experimenting with it last time
LailaLei Mathilde: and arent non-land searches throttled now too?
BC Nevadan: I think they’ll learn from what works and doesn’t
Rik Riel: true, bc
Alan Innis: yes BC
Reena Zenovka: A lot of success in SL comes from trial & error.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade nods
Reena Zenovka: and wom.
Kei Moana: Word of mouth, absolutely.
Kei Moana: Alright, we’ve got 10 minutes left.
Rik Riel: candidates should promise a turkey in every resident inventory!
Reena Zenovka: I’d go for that….and maybe some pie.
Rik Riel: mmmm pie
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: That’s actually a nice allusion to Huey Long
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: very funny
Kei Moana: Y’know, Rik, I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody tried that!
Reena Zenovka: I was making a South Park joke actually…
Alan Innis: Everyone’s giving away hats, t-shirts, signs, etc.
Rik Riel: my vote is for sale
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: They are doing that
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I’d be interested in knowing whether significant fundraising is possible in SL through donations of L$
Rik Riel apologizes for silly derailment
Alan Innis: excellent question!
LailaLei Mathilde: fundraising is underway at JE
Rik Riel: Gov, there’s no real money in SL
LailaLei Mathilde: will be at hillary
Reena Zenovka: Someone at the Republican HQ told me that the reason there aren’t many candidates in SL is because they are trying to stay united before the primaries. I think it’s because either they don’t know, or it’s such a liberal community here there isn’t much of a market yet.
LailaLei Mathilde: not sure what the status of that is at obama
Kei Moana: Yes, it’s done with RElay for Life, for instance.
Rik Riel: Relay for Life is still small potatoes, and a hell of a lot of work
BC Nevadan: for a candidate
BC Nevadan: that does bring up the issue of fundraising in SL
BC Nevadan: given the laws about campaign finance reporting
LailaLei Mathilde: at JE you can click on a sign and make a contribution
Reena Zenovka: I don’t think that fundraising will ever be too big here.
LailaLei Mathilde: the HQ managers can track how much is being donated by residents
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: do micro donations need to be reported?
Reena Zenovka: If the campaigns are not privately funded, they won’ t go too far.
BC Nevadan: does the FEC know about $L?
Alan Innis: IRS knows!
LailaLei Mathilde: i think the larger issue is the impact of foreign residents on the contribution process
Reena Zenovka: Yes!
LailaLei Mathilde: there are FEC regs against foreign nationals handling campaign contributions
Reena Zenovka: I have met many non-Americans who are interested in this.
Reena Zenovka: If the FEC is not on this SL stuff soon, they will be.
Alan Innis: I am! (But haven’t made any donatoins – for the record.) (Canadian)
LailaLei Mathilde: i think they can volunteer, but they cant donate or handle the money
Kei Moana: Basically, if real money is exchanged, anyone who is associated with a legit campaign should be prepared to report it.
LailaLei Mathilde: with such a large anonymous foreign population…
LailaLei Mathilde: exactly
Rik Riel: the biggest fundraiser to date raised $40K. Candidates can raise that with dinner.
LailaLei Mathilde: so then you have an HQ split between havs and have nots
BC Nevadan: that was relay, rik>
Alan Innis: $40K L or US$?
Rik Riel: US
Reena Zenovka: I think SL will affect all sorts of legislation, in all departments.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: 40K us in an SL event?
Rik Riel: yes
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: that is amazing
BC Nevadan: Relay for Life
BC Nevadan: for the ACS
Kei Moana: It really is.
Alan Innis: Wow!
Rik Riel: its peanuts in american politics
Rik Riel: and took months of work
LailaLei Mathilde: over a few months, right?
LailaLei Mathilde: not all at once
Reena Zenovka: Copyright laws, intelectual property laws…lots of issues.
Rik Riel: nope, mostly that one event – the Relay
LailaLei Mathilde: not to mention child pornography…
LailaLei Mathilde: the ageplay issue…
Reena Zenovka: YES
Reena Zenovka: Although, I think it has been somewhat established that if is not "real" children it is not illigal.
BC Nevadan: Linden laissez faire
Kei Moana: Think about it from t
he perspective of a serious candidate, though.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: That’s why it’s so important to have own sim
Rik Riel: oh geez what a non issue
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: I would allow volunteers to go out to mainland
BC Nevadan: right – as I tell RL people – hey, you meet in New York City after all
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: but never the candidate
BC Nevadan: just *look* at what goes on there!
Kei Moana: Heh, BC…
LailaLei Mathilde: fox news took edwards to task for being in an environment that allows these things
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: If everyone is in SL it will be a moot issue
Reena Zenovka: lol
BC Nevadan: And the candidates are meeting in Nevada for a debate
BC Nevadan: and Fox is behind that one!
LailaLei Mathilde: wasnt that debate cancelled?
Rik Riel: fox news is in an environment that allows porn, violence and Laguna Beach
Reena Zenovka: yes, it was
Reena Zenovka: they all backed out.
BC Nevadan: talk about an environment that allows things!
Reena Zenovka: They bowed down to moveon.org I hear.
LailaLei Mathilde: and rupert murdoch doesnt have the best personal morals either
Reena Zenovka: Even Bill Maher says it was a bad move for them.
BC Nevadan: yah, but Fox didn’t mind the environment to begin with
Kei Moana: Seems tailor-made for Fox…

Closing
Kei Moana: Alright, everyone. We did not get to our second topic, so let’s give it another week for the Senate to chew on and have another roundtable next week.
Reena Zenovka: I heard Dennis Kucinich saying (on Fox) that if you can’t reach out to everyone, you shouldn’t be running for President.
Alan Innis: Same time, same place?
Reena Zenovka: I’ll be here.
GovernorBillRichardson Bade: Thank you Kei
Alan Innis: Definitely.
Rik Riel: thanks for moderating kei
Kei Moana: Yes, Alan. I’ll send out notices to Political Hill and SL Cap Hill.
Alan Innis: THanks Kei.
Reena Zenovka: Thank you!
LailaLei Mathilde: thx, kei
Kei Moana: My pleasure. I’m glad you all came.
Alan Innis: Are you with any of the campaigns Kei?
Kei Moana: I think we need more dialogue like this in SL. No, I am not, Alan. Just an interested party.