Reply to Virginia referendum - if you hate MAGA, vote YES (even if your mailing says to vote 'No')

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[quote=Anonymous][twitter]https://x.com/VaNewsVanguard/status/2033173114293551300[/twitter]

🚨ALERT: Partisan, “Pink Slime” Newspaper on its Way to Virginia Voters🚨

Spread the word to alert your family, friends, & neighbors

A dark-money-funded newspaper masquerading as a neutral media outlet has been mailing copies of its Democrat-tilted news to thousands of Virginia voters’ homes ahead of the April 21 gerrymandering referendum.

The Virginia Independent, which also has a website, is an example of “pink slime” journalism – named after the fake hamburger meat – that is designed to look like a legitimate media outlet but pushes partisan frames and narratives. Voters see “Independent” in its name and assume that it is credible and unbiased. The newspaper and newsprint style promote the illusion.

In this case, TVI is peddling a YES-vote narrative about the referendum that portrays voting FOR the (10 Democrats-1 Republican) redrawn Virginia congressional map in a positive light. Its front-page subheading emphasizes responding to a “MAGA gerrymandering wave.” The inside article speaks of a Republican “attack on democracy.” The full back page describes the ballot question in glowing, reasonable-sounding terms.

The “ghost” referendum held in April, when no one is paying attention, is already confusing to voters. The ballot question asks voters to “restore fairness” without explaining its meaning: that Democrats would almost certainly win 10 of Virginia’s 11 congressional seats for the next *THREE* federal elections under the new Democrat-drawn, artfully gerrymandered map. It would deprive Virginia’s GOP counties -- and the U.S. House -- of four Republican seats for years.

So, will The Virginia Independent’s surreptitious support of the referendum influence harried voters who are not focused on state politics to check “Yes” and assist the Democrats in their reapportionment scheme?

Research suggests that voters may be wary of partisan mailers but are more receptive to sources that are perceived as credible, factual, independent, and informative. Other studies about news “framing effects” confirm that “changes in the presentation of an issue or an event produce (sometimes large) changes of opinion,” the Annual Review of Political Science reports.

The newspaper’s backers and writers certainly know this. Their narrative campaign is undoubtedly an attempt by supporters of the redrawn Democrat map to subtly persuade voters and evoke a positive image of the referendum as a “righteous” cause.

In addition, FULL transparency is missing. The newspaper’s return address is in Washington, D.C. It's from The American Independent Foundation, which, according to InfluenceWatch, “supports liberal investigative journalism to foster ‘increased public awareness of progressive issues.’ AIF is part of a network of left-of-center media outlets managed by liberal activist David Brock.”

The newspaper is stamped with “non-profit org” postage. AIF “is a public charity with assets of $13,457,553,” the grant platform Instrumentl declares.

InfluenceWatch also indicates that AIF holds the tax-exempt status of 501(c)(3). The IRS search website confirms that it is a “public charity.” Nonprofit charities are prohibited from engaging in politically partisan advocacy.

Propaganda-style framing to win support for a 10D-1R Virginia map certainly helps Democrat candidates over Republicans, but whether that runs afoul of nonprofit restrictions would be up to the IRS to determine.

In the meantime, Virginians should alert their families, friends, neighbors, churches, and communities NOT to fall for what amounts to the latest “pink slime,” progressive PSYOP.[/quote]

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