By Kristen Convery / Aug. 5, 2004


There's no polite way to tell this: A Pittsburgh-based group called Etbj the Vote claims it's offering sex to would-be Bush voters in return for their signed pledges to vote against the president in November.

Is it a hoax, in the grand tradition of 1993's bogus Arm the Homeless campaign? If not, people on both sides of the vote-for-sex swap could be breaking election laws.

The group's founder, Nathan Martin, said last week he intends to kick off his bus tour of the "swinger state" of Ohio in style, with a big, blue van with a pull-out bed and a "Etbj the Vote boat" that will be used for day trips.

At political events by day and bars by night, Martin said, the group will be distributing condoms and pledge forms: "I, the undersigned, pledge my vote for anyone but George W. Bush on November 2, 2004 in return for getting laid or at least getting some play."

Martin acknowledged the obvious: that horny young people are the most obvious targets of his effort. He said he plans to visit plenty of college towns.

"Columbus," he said, "is great for that."

The group's website looks more like a fetish page than anything else, complete with pictures of "models"—who, as the site goes to great lengths to make clear, "ARE NOT PROSTITUTES."

If Martin's group is a joke, he should at least make up better numbers: Last week, the group's site claimed only three sex-for-vote swaps in Florida and one in New Mexico.

Martin said he's unconcerned that FTV's claim—that it will actually convert hardcore GOP voters, if only for one election—is dubious.

"You don't make sure of anything," he said, musing on the effectiveness of the pledge forms. "If you make sure of anything, it would be illegal."

Actually, Ohio elections officials will take a dim view of his plan anyway.

Staffers for Republican Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell—who, theoretically, are prime targets for FTV—will be monitoring the group if it ventures across the border.

It's a fourth-degree felony to offer or accept "anything of value" for votes, said Carlo LoParo, spokesman for the office. (It doesn't matter that FTV isn't telling people who to vote for. In the past, LoParo said, stores that have given discounts to shoppers with "I voted today" stickers have been ordered to stop.)

So now for the big question: Does sex fall under the state's definition of "anything of value"?

"I guess it would depend on the individual," LoParo said. But he offered a warning:

"If someone offers or accepts, they'll really be screwed."

A FAR...FAR..FAR..LEFT WING NUTJOB!! I am sure they will get him on Prostitution charges or something similar.

that is completely immoral, and illegal (as far as I can tell).

....like those above are estimated to comprise up to 20% of the demoncr...er...liberhat...er...."progressive" party. The same folks, incidentally, who have been smearing the hell out of Bush for 20 months now....

....and today are hypocritically demonizing him for attacks on Kerry that he doesn't even have anything to do with (ex: Swift Boat Vets new devastating book on Kerry: "Unfit For Command").

Hardcover: 256 pages
* Publisher: National Book Network; (August 15, 2004)
* Language: Published in English
* ISBN: 0895260174

* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1 as of 8/4/04

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

__________________
"John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and my comrades in the prison camps in North Vietnam took torture to avoid saying. He sold us out."
- Paul Galanti, US P.O.W.

Um...isn't voting still PRIVATE? How will anyone ever know whether the sexually-satisfied individuals stand by their pledge when they vote?

Seems to me most Bush supporters are probably pretty desperate to get laid, so would gladly accept the free "servicing" under the false promise of changing their vote. (that one courtesy of CheapShots-R-Us )

__________________
"The basic problems facing the world today are not susceptible to a military solution."

- JFK

... What if I SAID I was planning on voting for Bush? Would I go to hell (or jail) for stealing a political lay under false pretenses?

More likely, I bet I would end up starring on a Web site somewhere without my knowledge.

raytri - when you show up, just be sure to bring plenty of duct tape to cover up any suspicious pinholes, mirrors, smoke alarms, etc. Oh yeah, and don't forget your little rainhats!

__________________
"The basic problems facing the world today are not susceptible to a military solution."

- JFK