Several weeks ago, I wrote about Amendment 3; a ballot measure that will be voted on in Florida this November. If Amendment 3 passes, it will create a Top-Two voting system; the same as California and Washington. I showed how Amendment 3 would bleach minority districts and cause major problems when it came to minority representation in Florida.
Amendment three supporters have long focused on the issue of Florida’s closed primaries and how independents don’t get to vote in said primaries. Rather than offer an amendment to allow independents to simply pick a primary and vote; they are pushing this Top-Two scheme. But in the last few days, ads have been popping up on Facebook; ads which aim to pass Amendment 3 by pitting both the left and right against each-other; and they are doing so with dishonest ploys and lies.
Truth and Transparency, Inc
One of the organizations tasked with passing Amendment 3 is called Truth and Transparency, Inc, a registered entity in the state of Florida. It has begun to run Facebook ads to prop up Amendment 3. Keep in mind these ads can be tailored and targeted to only be seen by people who’s profile lands them in a certain group; like liberal or conservative. The ad you see may not be what I see. Right now, these competing ads are playing a dirty trick.
First, here is one of their more generic ads – aimed at folks less inclined to back or register with a single party. Standard talking point lines about party bosses and a “corrupt primary” system. It acts like this is New York or Chicago; where party bosses have real influence.
Overly dramatic, but that is the way most ads are.
BUT, here is where the dirty tricks begin. Here is another ad with a very different message. It delivers a conservative red-meat message; amendment 3 will let liberal radicals flip Florida blue! (somehow)
Well clearly any good conservative should vote no on Amendment 3- right? Well here is the thing, that ad didn’t go out to conservatives. Nope, it went out to liberals! That ad was seen by democrats and progressives across Facebook. The reason? To make them think Amendment 3 must be really bad for the right-wing; and hence Democrats should back it. It is a classic strategy of making one side think that have spotted the secret message about their enemy’s views. Most voters don’t understand how Facebook ads work – they would just assume the ad they saw went to everyone. They don’t realize they are being played.
Lets look at another ad, this one talks about the same issue I wrote about; the erosion of minority voting power under the amendment.
But who did this ad go to? Not African-Americans or Democrats. It went to Republicans. Its an even more cynical ploy to play up to conservatives that this is a great way to erode African-American (aka Democratic) power.
These are just the first ads to pop up so far. But the strategy of the Amendment 3 forces is here – and it coincides with them being down in the polls – win by pitting the two sides of the spectrum against each-other with sneaky tricks to make them think Amendment 3 is bad for their opponents.
Amendment 3 isn’t good or bad for either side. The proposal is a mess; and is opposed by the leadership of both parties. When both the right and left can come together to agree on something; you know its bad. But rather than focus on their own message, Amendment 3 backers are resorted to a disinformation campaign to trick partisans. Its a lazy and cynical thing to play when it comes to something as important as a MASSIVE OVERALL OF HOW WE CONDUCT ELECTIONS!
If Amendment 3 is going to pass, let it pass on its merits; not because consultants tricked Democrats and Republicans into thinking the proposal would torpedo the other side. That is not how you reform elections.