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I don’t know Ron Conway personally - there’s different news in different circles about him. Less flattering include: * https://www.google.com/search?q=ron+conw

by bfung 6y ago

I don’t know Ron Conway personally - there’s different news in different circles about him. Less flattering include: * https://www.google.com/search?q=ron+conway+sf+propositions https://www.google.com/search?q=ron+conway+sf+propositions * https://www.sfexaminer.com/news-columnists/hes-back-ron-conway-dumps-50000-in-fund-supporting-loftus-for-da-brown-for-supervisor/ https://www.sfexaminer.com/news-columnists/hes-back-ron-conw... * https://missionlocal.org/2016/10/billionaires-back-bid-to-ban-sf-homeless-camps/ https://missionlocal.org/2016/10/billionaires-back-bid-to-ba... So while he maybe a great VC, that’s only one aspect of a person. Def a weird article.

justin66 6y ago
Perhaps the oddest thing in the stuff you linked is that Ron Conway has a "political advisor." "Ron is exercising his constitutional right - even responsibility - to participate in the political process of his hometown and have opinions about candidates and issues on the ballot. It’s no different from any other CEO or union or high profile individual making endorsements. Ron understands that ranked-choice voting does not allow for multiple votes for the same candidate, though his enthusiasm for some candidates seems to have been interpreted otherwise. The fact is a lot of people in the tech community look to Ron for recommendations and he is glad to share them and encourage others to share them as well," said Alex Tourk, Conway's political advisor in an email to Business Insider.
nodesocket 6y ago
That SF examiner article is ridiculously biased and immediately demonizes Ron because he chooses to be actively involved in the political process. What a hit piece. And what’s wrong with banning people from setting up tents on public sidewalks all over the city and claiming that public space as their own?
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  > And what’s wrong with banning people from setting up tents on public sidewalks all over the city and claiming that public space as their own? Because first you need an alternate place for them to go, which is the missing step in the bans on the Peninsula, which has also banned sleeping in vehicles. For those who want to learn how not to do it, watch the Caifornia Insider - Epoch Times interview about LA spending $500,000 per person on emergency housing spaces and basically getting nothing in return. (The non-permanent homeless budget in SF is currently $180 million per year.) How to Help the Homeless with Edward Ring | California Insider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLqqypjBwC8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLqqypjBwC8
kelp 6y ago
A few things about this. Looking at your second link, I like Joe Fitz as a person, and I know he means well. He is a bit of a "progressive" partisan in SF politics. The "Progressive" camp (I use quotes because their policies are often about stopping progress, especially in growing business and housing) would often bring out Ron Conways name whenever they needed a boogyman for rich tech who is somehow pulling strings behind the scenes. I've seen a little bit of behind the scenes where Ron would donate some money to a cause and then just be supportive. But I didn't get the sense that he was some political mastermind behind the scenes like the progressives often paint him as. Another anecdote. I was at Square when Jack Dorsey announced that Square would no longer be allowed at gun shows or for any other kinds of gun sales. This was around the time of a mass shooting, I forget which one, there have sadly been so many. Several years later, I was at an small event and panel about gun violence and what would be done about it. Ron Conway was there to introduce the panel and he talked about how, a few years prior, he had gotten very passionate about the issue after some mass shootings. He got a lot of Silicon Valley CEOs and leaders together to both raise money but also see how they could work to reduce gun violence. At that moment I put it all together. Jack Dorsey had been at that Ron Conway event and that convinced him to shut down gun sales with Square.
adolph 6y ago
What is unflattering about making donations to local political campaigns?
- 238475235243 6y ago
  ... if it's to the "wrong" party? In the bay you're a Democrat or... There are no other options.
specialist 6y ago
This is the first I've heard of Ron Conway. I'm certain that we're polar opposites politically. These links are nothing sauce. All the players send out endorsements to their peeps. Fund raisers to pay off campaign debt is common. Billionaires buying ballot issues is direct democracy in action (aka Freedom Votes™). Hate the game, not the player. Our campaign financing is payola meets bribery. Fix that. Like maybe public financing of campaigns. Or show these players the ROI is terrible. Or make the case that biz and politics don't mix. Whatever. The ad hominem crap doesn't help.
- bfung 6y ago
  I’m not saying he’s a bad person, I don’t know the guy. In my time of living in SF (9 years till recently), his name has come up outside of the startup context multiple times, with less glowing reviews and the article. While Airbnb benefited from his business and investor wisdom, outside of business, the outcomes he was able to sway is not as clear cut as being an overall good. I’m just presenting other articles about him since HN seemed interested about this topic.

by bfung 6y ago

justin66 6y ago

Perhaps the oddest thing in the stuff you linked is that Ron Conway has a "political advisor." "Ron is exercising his constitutional right - even responsibility - to participate in the political process of his hometown and have opinions about candidates and issues on the ballot. It’s no different from any other CEO or union or high profile individual making endorsements. Ron understands that ranked-choice voting does not allow for multiple votes for the same candidate, though his enthusiasm for some candidates seems to have been interpreted otherwise. The fact is a lot of people in the tech community look to Ron for recommendations and he is glad to share them and encourage others to share them as well," said Alex Tourk, Conway's political advisor in an email to Business Insider.

nodesocket 6y ago

That SF examiner article is ridiculously biased and immediately demonizes Ron because he chooses to be actively involved in the political process. What a hit piece. And what’s wrong with banning people from setting up tents on public sidewalks all over the city and claiming that public space as their own?

redis_mlc 6y ago
> And what’s wrong with banning people from setting up tents on public sidewalks all over the city and claiming that public space as their own? Because first you need an alternate place for them to go, which is the missing step in the bans on the Peninsula, which has also banned sleeping in vehicles. For those who want to learn how not to do it, watch the Caifornia Insider - Epoch Times interview about LA spending $500,000 per person on emergency housing spaces and basically getting nothing in return. (The non-permanent homeless budget in SF is currently $180 million per year.) How to Help the Homeless with Edward Ring | California Insider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLqqypjBwC8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLqqypjBwC8

kelp 6y ago

A few things about this. Looking at your second link, I like Joe Fitz as a person, and I know he means well. He is a bit of a "progressive" partisan in SF politics. The "Progressive" camp (I use quotes because their policies are often about stopping progress, especially in growing business and housing) would often bring out Ron Conways name whenever they needed a boogyman for rich tech who is somehow pulling strings behind the scenes. I've seen a little bit of behind the scenes where Ron would donate some money to a cause and then just be supportive. But I didn't get the sense that he was some political mastermind behind the scenes like the progressives often paint him as. Another anecdote. I was at Square when Jack Dorsey announced that Square would no longer be allowed at gun shows or for any other kinds of gun sales. This was around the time of a mass shooting, I forget which one, there have sadly been so many. Several years later, I was at an small event and panel about gun violence and what would be done about it. Ron Conway was there to introduce the panel and he talked about how, a few years prior, he had gotten very passionate about the issue after some mass shootings. He got a lot of Silicon Valley CEOs and leaders together to both raise money but also see how they could work to reduce gun violence. At that moment I put it all together. Jack Dorsey had been at that Ron Conway event and that convinced him to shut down gun sales with Square.

adolph 6y ago

What is unflattering about making donations to local political campaigns?

238475235243 6y ago
... if it's to the "wrong" party? In the bay you're a Democrat or... There are no other options.

specialist 6y ago

This is the first I've heard of Ron Conway. I'm certain that we're polar opposites politically. These links are nothing sauce. All the players send out endorsements to their peeps. Fund raisers to pay off campaign debt is common. Billionaires buying ballot issues is direct democracy in action (aka Freedom Votes™). Hate the game, not the player. Our campaign financing is payola meets bribery. Fix that. Like maybe public financing of campaigns. Or show these players the ROI is terrible. Or make the case that biz and politics don't mix. Whatever. The ad hominem crap doesn't help.

bfung 6y ago
I’m not saying he’s a bad person, I don’t know the guy. In my time of living in SF (9 years till recently), his name has come up outside of the startup context multiple times, with less glowing reviews and the article. While Airbnb benefited from his business and investor wisdom, outside of business, the outcomes he was able to sway is not as clear cut as being an overall good. I’m just presenting other articles about him since HN seemed interested about this topic.