4 ms·

to be super clear: YC is not hosting the event, just lending the office space. my apartment is far too small. there's plenty i think obama has done badly, but

by sama 13y ago

to be super clear: YC is not hosting the event, just lending the office space. my apartment is far too small. there's plenty i think obama has done badly, but i think he's done a lot of good things too. and for the political issues i care most about (all related to startups, pretty much) i think he is likely to help the most. of course, everyone is welcome to disagree with me on this, and many yc community members do.

davidw 13y ago
> YC is not hosting the event, just lending the office space. This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. That said, like others have written, this kind of thing is probably what it takes to have some influence, unless Obama has taken to reading snark-filled threads about the NSA on reddit.
- mseebach 13y ago
  > This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. Not least, the press.
  - sachinag 13y ago
    Only the tech press. The political press understands that leadership of organizations often host events like this from both parties. (Technically, really, all the various parties, including Libertarian, Green, Independence, Reform (Perot), and others.)
- forgottenpass 13y ago
  This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. Including the politicians. The distinction is for show, the message is clear.
- rhizome 13y ago
  This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. Don't you think the big-ass "Y Combinator" on the front page of the invitation blurs the lines?
- mikeash 13y ago
  I'm one of those people the distinction is lost on. What would "hosting" involve beyond lending the office space?
EricaJoy 13y ago
Can you clarify the definition of "lending" here? Is YC charging for use of the space or is it being donated?
DanielBMarkham 13y ago
Maybe the messaging is a little off here? So we have what happened. How about this scenario instead? An announcement that due to all the serious issues in technology affecting startups, YC is going to donate its facilities to both political parties to hold fundraisers and get to know the people their policies are influencing. The first one is upcoming on yadda yadda yadda Then add some small print about how one of the corporate officers has to endorse any proposed event.* Then you can all get together and give money to one bunch, never let the other bunch show up, and still get to look like heroes. Instead, we get this brouhaha. Doesn't look too optimal from a PR standpoint. *Note that this would only work for one or two election cycles until the gig was up. But still, it'd look a heckuva lot better than what we have now.
- tptacek 13y ago
  Did you misread his comment, or was there some tricky subtext there? In this upcoming cycle, Sam supports the Democratic party. Suggesting that he support both parties to avoid some kind of PR problem is flat-out creepy. He's got the same right to support parties and policy agendas as you or I have.
  - DanielBMarkham 13y ago
    I was providing advice as to how YC the company might have interests that are separate from his. Or not. Guess it's his call.
o0-0o 13y ago
Hi Sam, So to be clear, you would have rather had this at your apartment and are declaring yourself to be a supporter of the DNC?
lmg643 13y ago
Since there is other office space available in the valley, and event space has value in the private market (rental rate at any hotel) it is a kind of contribution in its own right (unless they are paying you, which I doubt), as well as an endorsement. Perhaps we're splitting the definition of "hosting" a little too finely to think otherwise. YC is not obligated to be non-partisan of course. The only way to take the non-partisan line would be to allow Republicans the chance to do the same, libertards, etc. You could do so, and they probably wouldn't raise any money, or have much impact - throw a party and no one comes, kind of problem. 90% of employee donations for major tech firms are to democrats, and my read is that you'd have to be almost willfully clueless about the bay area to not realize how heavily democratic SV is. Question - is this the first time YC has hosted a political event at its offices? If so, I wonder if this is one of the early signs of change now that PG is letting go of the reins. I always suspected that a guy who could write something like "What You Can't Say" wasn't a kool-aid drinking, party-line kind of guy. http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html
zmitri 13y ago
If somehow he can get you those 100 work visas please let me know!

by sama 13y ago

davidw 13y ago

> YC is not hosting the event, just lending the office space. This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. That said, like others have written, this kind of thing is probably what it takes to have some influence, unless Obama has taken to reading snark-filled threads about the NSA on reddit.

mseebach 13y ago
> This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. Not least, the press.
- sachinag 13y ago
  Only the tech press. The political press understands that leadership of organizations often host events like this from both parties. (Technically, really, all the various parties, including Libertarian, Green, Independence, Reform (Perot), and others.)
forgottenpass 13y ago
This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. Including the politicians. The distinction is for show, the message is clear.
rhizome 13y ago
This is one of those distinctions that are likely to be lost on a lot of people. Don't you think the big-ass "Y Combinator" on the front page of the invitation blurs the lines?
mikeash 13y ago
I'm one of those people the distinction is lost on. What would "hosting" involve beyond lending the office space?

EricaJoy 13y ago

Can you clarify the definition of "lending" here? Is YC charging for use of the space or is it being donated?

DanielBMarkham 13y ago

Maybe the messaging is a little off here? So we have what happened. How about this scenario instead? An announcement that due to all the serious issues in technology affecting startups, YC is going to donate its facilities to both political parties to hold fundraisers and get to know the people their policies are influencing. The first one is upcoming on yadda yadda yadda Then add some small print about how one of the corporate officers has to endorse any proposed event.* Then you can all get together and give money to one bunch, never let the other bunch show up, and still get to look like heroes. Instead, we get this brouhaha. Doesn't look too optimal from a PR standpoint. *Note that this would only work for one or two election cycles until the gig was up. But still, it'd look a heckuva lot better than what we have now.

tptacek 13y ago
Did you misread his comment, or was there some tricky subtext there? In this upcoming cycle, Sam supports the Democratic party. Suggesting that he support both parties to avoid some kind of PR problem is flat-out creepy. He's got the same right to support parties and policy agendas as you or I have.
- DanielBMarkham 13y ago
  I was providing advice as to how YC the company might have interests that are separate from his. Or not. Guess it's his call.

o0-0o 13y ago

Hi Sam, So to be clear, you would have rather had this at your apartment and are declaring yourself to be a supporter of the DNC?

lmg643 13y ago

Since there is other office space available in the valley, and event space has value in the private market (rental rate at any hotel) it is a kind of contribution in its own right (unless they are paying you, which I doubt), as well as an endorsement. Perhaps we're splitting the definition of "hosting" a little too finely to think otherwise. YC is not obligated to be non-partisan of course. The only way to take the non-partisan line would be to allow Republicans the chance to do the same, libertards, etc. You could do so, and they probably wouldn't raise any money, or have much impact - throw a party and no one comes, kind of problem. 90% of employee donations for major tech firms are to democrats, and my read is that you'd have to be almost willfully clueless about the bay area to not realize how heavily democratic SV is. Question - is this the first time YC has hosted a political event at its offices? If so, I wonder if this is one of the early signs of change now that PG is letting go of the reins. I always suspected that a guy who could write something like "What You Can't Say" wasn't a kool-aid drinking, party-line kind of guy. http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html

zmitri 13y ago

If somehow he can get you those 100 work visas please let me know!