Microsoft and Ralph Reed


When the whole issue first arose concerning Microsoft's changing stance on a Washington state bill to address anti-gay discrimination, I wasn't quite sure how to take it. Microsoft is a monopoly, and I can see that it is awkward for a company with a monopoly position push for social policy, in any direction. Would I want them to lobby for the death penalty? No.
But let's give credit to Americablog, who revealed that Ralph Reed, our buddy from the Christian Coalition, has been on the Microsoft payroll at the tune of $20,000/month. That's a whole lot of what is Caesar's, if you know what I mean. So, the question is, what role did Reed play in Microsoft's change of mind? Microsoft was one of the first companies to put a same-sex benefits policy in place, and have been vocal supporters of gay rights in the public policy arena for years. Was it just Ken Hutcherson's threat of a Microsoft boycott that led to the change in heart? (Come on, how many people are really going to switch from Windows to a Mac mini because of this? Remember, Al Gore is on Apple's Board of Directors, and Apple is hardly a bastion of support for the right.)

To be fair, I do not know that I agree with Americablog's premise, that Microsoft killed the bill. Microsoft chose not to support the bill. If the progressive community did not have enough support behind it outside of Microsoft's support, this is our problem.

Posted: Thu - April 28, 2005 at 08:03 AM        

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