{"headlines":[{"id":1403721,"content_type":"free full","is_magazine_content":"non-magazine","url":"\/2015\/11\/02\/turkey-election-akp\/","title":"What Turkey\u2019s election surprise says about the troubled country","content":"\u003Cp\u003EJust five months after failing to secure a parliamentary majority for the first time since 2002, Turkey\u2019s Justice and Development Party (AKP) came roaring back on Sunday with 49.4% of the popular vote and a renewed mandate to govern without any coalition partners. Going into the elections, all the polling indicated that the AKP would garner about 40% of the vote, which would force it to seek coalition partners to form a government. This was precisely the outcome of the June elections, after which the inability of the AKP and Turkey\u2019s other main parties to agree on a government produced a \u201chung parliament\u201d and Sunday\u2019s re-run elections.There are already questions about the AKP\u2019s turnaround, improving almost ten percentage points in an environment where the country is once again at war with the terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers\u2019 Party (PKK), where the self-declared Islamic State has perpetrated horrific bombings taking the lives of 134 Turks since July, and where the economy has been on the slide. Opponents of the AKP and critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who sabotaged coalition talks in June because he did not like the election results, suspect the outcome was manipulated. Erdogan and AKP party officials insist that voters opted for stability during increasingly uncertain times. Regardless, neither Erdogan nor the AKP have answers for the multiple crises buffeting the country.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe most obvious and pressing problem for the new Turkish government is security. For the better part of the last 18 months, Turkey avoided direct confrontation with the Islamic State, fearing retaliation on the streets of Turkish cities. Ankara was also wary of the American strategy to fight the group in Iraq first without addressing what Turkish officials have long believed to be the root cause of the Islamic State problem\u2014the regime of Syria\u2019s Bashar al-Assad, which has created the kind of chaos in which the Islamic State has thrived. The Turks also determined that Kurdish nationalism and the consonant political gains that Syrian, Iraqi, and Turkish Kurds have made was a greater threat to their sovereignty than the Islamic State\u2019s nihilism.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite this caution, Turkey now confronts simultaneous conflicts with the PKK and the Islamic State. After a year of intensive American diplomacy, Ankara\u2019s decision last July to provide the United States and coalition forces access to air bases close to the Islamic State\u2019s territory has made Turkey a target. The threat is considerable given the fact that almost five years after the conflict in neighboring Syria began, the Islamic State (and other extremist groups) has built networks and infrastructure along the Turkish-Syrian border. Consequently, there are likely to be more Islamic State-related attacks in Turkish cities. As for the PKK, since 1984 Turkish security forces have been unable to bring the conflict with that group to an end. There is no reason to believe they will be successful now. Barring a return to the on-again, off-again negotiations that the Turkish government and the PKK launched in 2013, the violence is likely to continue.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite continuing question about security, Turkey\u2019s markets soared and the lira reversed its slide against the dollar the morning after AKP\u2019s resounding victory. Investors had grown accustomed to the political stability that Erdogan and successive AKP governments have provided over the last 13 years. The optimism of the markets may be short lived, however. Other than the continuity and stability that investors seem to be betting on in the short run, Turkey\u2019s economic challenges remain exactly what they were the day before Turks cast their ballots.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETurkey\u2019s economy is expected to grow 2.8% in 2015 and barely improve in the following five years. Unemployment has consistently hovered around 10%, though it has been as high as 14% in 2009 and as low as 7.8% in 2012. Youth unemployment is double the national average. Yet the biggest question coming out of the election relates to economic policymaking and management. Will the former deputy prime minister, Ali Babacan, who was unable to run in the June elections due to an AKP by-law (since relaxed) that prevents him from sitting in parliament for three consecutive terms, return to his former position to anchor the economy? Babacan in particular has a sterling reputation and his reappointment would certainly boost investor confidence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe other major economic issue is the independence of Turkey\u2019s Central Bank. Erdogan has lashed out whenever the Bank\u2019s officials have broached the idea of raising interest rates. From his perspective, low interest rates are an important component of the AKP\u2019s electoral success because cheap money drives growth, which makes people wealthier, and, to the extent that Turks vote with their wallets, Erdogan and the AKP benefit. This in turn advances the president\u2019s effort to transform Turkish society. Central Bank officials have resisted Erdogan\u2019s pressure when they were forced to raise interbank rates in January 2014, though they seemed to heed his demands that those rates come down quickly. It seems entirely possible that the AKP and Erdogan will use the mandate Turks gave them on Sunday to chip away at the Central Bank\u2019s independence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOf broader concern are Turkey\u2019s deep divisions. Erdogan and the AKP originally came to power on a broad coalition of Turks from different sectors of society. After the 2007 elections in which the party won 47% of the vote when pious Turks, Kurds, liberals, big businesses, and average Turks voted for the AKP in what was then unprecedented numbers, Erdogan sought electoral success through confrontation and polarization. His success has produced an environment in which there are two mutually incomprehensible societies living side by side. Erdogan and the AKP have governed those who support them and sought to intimidate the others. Turks have not experienced this kind of tension and mistrust since the violence that broke out between leftist and rightist political groups in 1976 and that lasted for four years, taking the lives of anywhere between 4,500 and 5,000 Turks.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere is little reason to believe that Sunday\u2019s elections have put an end to Turkey\u2019s troubles. The AKP seems intent on pressing its political advantage and imposing its worldview on the country despite the fact that approximately half the population disagrees with that vision. Security remains a significant and ongoing problem, which will continue to weigh on international investors. In 2002, the AKP was elected to resolve a similar set of problems. The irony of Turkey\u2019s present situation is that Erdogan and the AKP exacerbated these very problems in order to reestablish their dominant position in the political arena. Despite outward signs of a robust and healthy political system, Sunday\u2019s election disguises a troubled country.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESteven A. Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Oxford University Press will publish his upcoming book, \u003C\/em\u003EThwarted Dreams: Violence and Authoritarianism in the New Middle East\u003Cem\u003E, in 2016.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n","time":{"pretty":"November 2, 2015","published":"2015-11-02 03:55:12","updated":"2015-11-02 03:55:12","minute":"3:55 PM EST","is_same_day":true,"is_home_pop":true},"comment_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/turkey-election-akp\/","absolute_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/turkey-election-akp\/","redirect_url":"","partner":"","outbrain_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/turkey-election-akp\/","outbrain_footer":true,"outbrain_right_rail":true,"short_title":"What Turkey\u2019s election surprise says about the troubled country"},{"id":1403372,"content_type":"free full","is_magazine_content":"non-magazine","url":"\/2015\/11\/02\/carly-fiorina-the-view-demented\/","title":"The View\u0027s Feud with Carly Fiorina is Getting Nastier","content":"\u003Cp\u003EIf only America debated the issues as vigorous as it does Carly Fiorina\u0026#8217;s appearance\u0026#8230;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Republican Presidential candidate will appear on ABC\u0026#8217;s daytime talk show \u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E this Friday to take the panel to task for comments made about her face after the most recent GOP debate. Those controversial comments, which have resurrected a debate on social media, come as ratings for \u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E have fallen precipitously this year, and the all-important Nielsen sweeps period is starting.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe trash talking began on Oct. 29, when \u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E\u2019s Michelle Collins said Fiorina \u0026#8220;looked demented\u0026#8221; when she flashed a grin during the debates after saying she had been told her biggest flaw was she didn\u0026#8217;t smile enough. Comedian\/co-host Joy Behar quickly jumped on the bandwagon and added, \u201cI wish it was a Halloween mask.\u201d Paula Faris, ABC News correspondent, co-anchor of \u003Cem\u003EGood Morning America Weekend\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E co-host tried to temper things by saying \u201cI think \u2018demented\u2019 is a strong word,\u201d but was quickly shouted down.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026#8220;Man up\u0026#8221;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFiorina announced her forthcoming appearance on Fox News November 2 with a message: \u0026#8220;My message to the ladies of \u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E is \u2018Man up\u2019. If you want to debate me on policies \u2026 man up and debate me on them. But don\u2019t sink to talking about my face.\u0026#8221;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E is not having the best season of its 18 years on the air. The show had \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/08\/26\/the-revolving-door-at-abcs-the-view-continues\/\u0022\u003Elots of behind the scenes drama\u003C\/a\u003E with the departure of Rosie O\u0026#8217;Donnell earlier this year. And its season premiere ratings \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/deadline.com\/2015\/09\/the-view-season-19-premiere-ratings-joy-behar-1201519419\/\u0022\u003Ewere down 22%\u003C\/a\u003E in households and 47% among women aged 25-54 this year.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022video-wrapper\u0022  data-ratio=\u00220.56363636363636\u0022 data-pos=\u00221\u0022\u003E\n\t\t\t\t\u003Cobject id=\u0022bc-video-4504625364001-1\u0022 class=\u0022BrightcoveExperience\u0022\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022bgcolor\u0022 value=\u0022#FFFFFF\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022width\u0022 value=\u0022550\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022height\u0022 value=\u0022310\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022playerID\u0022 value=\u00223160175193001\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022playerKey\u0022 value=\u0022AQ~~,AAAB668kGak~,LMlvL4u4ShOTHD9z00VquajMOcH97tcW\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022isVid\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022isUI\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022videoSmoothing\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022seamlessTabbing\u0022 value=\u0022false\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022swliveconnect\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022dynamicStreaming\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022autoStart\u0022 value=\u0022false\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022@videoPlayer\u0022 value=\u00224504625364001\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022linkBaseURL\u0022 value=\u0022http:\/\/for.tn\/1M7fXtH\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022includeAPI\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022templateLoadHandler\u0022 value=\u0022Fortune_onTemplateLoad\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022templateReadyHandler\u0022 value=\u0022Fortune_onTemplateReady\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022wmode\u0022 value=\u0022opaque\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022adServerURL\u0022 value=\u0022http:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ads?env=vp\u0026#038;gdfp_req=1\u0026#038;impl=s\u0026#038;output=xml_vast2\u0026#038;iu=\/8484\/fort\/video_bc\/mpw_bc\u0026#038;sz=1000x1\u0026#038;cust_params=tags%3Dcarlyfiorina%2Ccarlyfiorinahp%2Ccarlyfiorinapresidentialcampaign%2Ccarlyfiorinaspeech%2Ccarlyfiorinaspeech2002%2Cfutureofwork%26ch%3Dmpw%26topic%3Dfutureofwork\u0026#038;unviewed_position_start=1\u0026#038;correlator=timestamp\u0022\/\u003E\u003C\/object\u003E\n\t\t\t\u003C\/div\u003E\n\t\t\t\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022\u003E\n\t\t\t\tbrightcove.createExperiences();\n\t\t\t\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe interview with Fiorina will occur during Nielsen\u0026#8217;s sweeps period for the 2015-2016 season, which runs from Oct. 29 through Nov. 25. So a bit of controversy \u0026#8211; and the media attention that goes with it \u0026#8211; could steer people back to the show. The co-hosts certainly aren\u0026#8217;t the first to try to make hay off of personal insults against Fiorina. Donald Trump \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/09\/10\/trump-on-fiorina-look-at-that-face-would-anyone-vote-for-that\/\u0022\u003Emocked the candidate\u003C\/a\u003E two months ago, telling Rolling Stone \u0026#8220;Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?\u0026#8221; \u0026#8211; though his motivations were political and certainly different than those of the show\u0026#8217;s hosts.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIronically, the hosts of \u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ew.com\/article\/2015\/09\/10\/view-donald-trump-kanye-west-carly-fiorina\u0022\u003Etook Trump to task\u003C\/a\u003E when he called into the show soon after those comments emerged.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026#8220;Why don\u0026#8217;t you talk about her brain instead of her face?\u0026#8221; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2o5wPLTo0Po\u0022\u003EBehar challenged him\u003C\/a\u003E, to a round of applause from the audience.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESocial media users seemed to be on Fiorina\u0026#8217;s side in the matter, with several talking the show to task.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed-twitter\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022en\u0022 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EI hope \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarlyFiorina\u0022\u003E@CarlyFiorina\u003C\/a\u003E levels the women on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheView\u0022\u003E@TheView\u003C\/a\u003E on Friday and finally puts an end to this daytime jackassery.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026mdash; IrritatedWoman\u2122 (@irritatedwoman) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/irritatedwoman\/status\/661182482792980480\u0022\u003ENovember 2, 2015\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\u0022\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\u0022 charset=\u0022utf-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed-twitter\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022en\u0022 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe women of \u0026quot;The View\u0026quot; think Carly Fiorina looks \u0026quot;demented.\u0026quot; Apparently, mirrors have been banned at ABC. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/t.co\/4tj9Dv7yyF\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/4tj9Dv7yyF\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/benshapiro\/status\/659851600089878528\u0022\u003EOctober 29, 2015\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\u0022\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\u0022 charset=\u0022utf-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed-twitter\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022en\u0022 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ERemind me again, who\u0026#39;s waging a war on women?  \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/t.co\/abNyiHcXPD\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/abNyiHcXPD\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026mdash; Sara Miller (@Millerita) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/Millerita\/status\/659769141839208448\u0022\u003EOctober 29, 2015\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\u0022\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\u0022 charset=\u0022utf-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed-twitter\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022en\u0022 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheView\u0022\u003E@TheView\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarlyFiorina\u0022\u003E@CarlyFiorina\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrookeBCNN\u0022\u003E@BrookeBCNN\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/WhoopiGoldberg\u0022\u003E@WhoopiGoldberg\u003C\/a\u003E Don\u0026#39;t insult other women\u0026#39;s appearance. It reinforces it\u0026#39;s OK for men to do it. Apologize.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026mdash; Annette Gonzales (@atruechula) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/atruechula\/status\/661243024362438656\u0022\u003ENovember 2, 2015\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\u0022\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\u0022 charset=\u0022utf-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe View\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026#8216;s hosts, for now at least, seem content to stoke the fires (which, cynics might note, could help juice ratings).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026#8220;I do want to point out, Carly, last time you were here, we welcomed you to our table,\u0026#8221; said co-host Whoopi Goldberg. \u0026#8220;We helped raise your profile, so you would be included in the sea of men. \u0026#8230; We were respectful and gave you your due. So, just so we\u2019re all clear, you have to know the difference between when somebody is coming for you, and when somebody is paying you a compliment, and when somebody is saying, \u2018Here\u2019s my observation.\u2019 If you can get that together maybe you can be president.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n","time":{"pretty":"November 2, 2015","published":"2015-11-02 03:45:57","updated":"2015-11-02 03:45:57","minute":"3:45 PM EST","is_same_day":true,"is_home_pop":true},"comment_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/carly-fiorina-the-view-demented\/","absolute_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/carly-fiorina-the-view-demented\/","redirect_url":"","partner":"","outbrain_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/carly-fiorina-the-view-demented\/","outbrain_footer":true,"outbrain_right_rail":true,"short_title":"ABC The View\u0027s Feud with Carly Fiorina Is Getting Nastier"},{"id":1399526,"content_type":"free full","is_magazine_content":"non-magazine","url":"\/2015\/11\/02\/airbnb-rentals-san-francisco-election\/","title":"Airbnb to Face Voter Love and Hate in San Francisco","content":"\u003Cp\u003ESan Francisco is suffering from a housing crisis that has propelled rents into the stratosphere. And according to the supporters of a ballot measure to be voted on next week, the culprit is none other than home sharing service Airbnb.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe local ballot measure, Proposition F, seeks to impose a stricter limit on the number of nights landlords can rent their homes and apartments through Airbnb and other similar services.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, they can rent 90 days annually if they aren\u0026#8217;t present and an unlimited number of days if they are. But if the initiative passes, they would only be able to lease their places for 75 days, regardless of whether they are present.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, neighbors would be able to file complaints and lawsuits against landlords\u2014and collect damages\u2014even if the city has already cleared them of wrongdoing. Opponents, however, have attacked the possibility in their onslaught on television commercials by raising the ugly specter of neighbors spying on neighbors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProp F, as it is more commonly known, has arguably become the most talked about measure on this year\u0026#8217;s ballot in San Francisco. In a city with a huge influx of tech wealth, it has become ground zero in a fight between the haves and the have-nots.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAirbnb has poured in more than $8 million of dollars into defeating the measure, which it fears could threaten its revenue in its hometown and set off a wave of similar ordinances around the country. The money has funded a series of television commercials, billboards, and stacks of direct mail.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative\u0026#8217;s supporters, on the other hand, have raised more than $482,000, of which $410,000 came from a hotel workers union. They have run a mostly shoe string campaign that has relied mostly on newspaper op-eds and online videos to spread its message.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe proposition is the brainchild of Share Better SF, the local branch of a New York City-based coalition of politicians and local groups. The organization has been fighting Airbnb and other home-rental companies like HomeAway\u0026#8217;s VRBO in New York City, where last year, Airbnb was forced to turn over data on more than 10,000 hosts suspected of violating laws.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe proposition has also received support from local organizations and politicians, such as U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBorn in 2008 out of two friends\u0026#8217; need to rent out their apartment to help pay rent, Airbnb lets regular people rent out space in their homes for short or long stays. The company has since raised skyrocketed in value to $25.5 billion and into one of the most prominent faces of the so-called \u0026#8220;sharing economy.\u0026#8221;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn September, Airbnb hired Chris Lehane, a former White House advisor to Bill Clinton whose firm represented Goldman Sachs during the recession, among other clients, as its head of global policy and public affairs. The hiring signaled how seriously the company takes potential regulatory obstacles to its business, which is already under attack in a number of cities and states.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026#8220;We want to work in partnership with cities,\u201d Lehane said in an interview with \u003Cem\u003EFortune\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe debate over the proposition \u2014 and San Francisco\u0026#8217;s overall housing crisis \u2014 is complex. But it mainly revolves around two issues.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst, is the question of Airbnb\u0026#8217;s impact on the San Francisco\u0026#8217;s housing. In the last few years, rents have soared while affordable housing has seemingly disappeared. Because renting out an extra room, and especially an entire unit, for a short term is a lucrative business, some San Francisco residents have done so from time to time to make a little extra money.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026#8220;Airbnb was created to keep people in their home,\u0026#8221; Lehane told \u003Cem\u003EFortune, \u003C\/em\u003Eadding that the proposition is an \u0026#8220;attack on the middle class.\u0026#8221;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother set of hosts, however, use the service to rent out an entire unit or home\u2014sometimes a second home or additional properties they own\u2014year-round. They collect big money from renting to tourists instead of finding long-term tenants.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd it\u0026#8217;s that second case that\u0026#8217;s problematic, according to Prop F supporters. For the last few years, newspapers have featured articles about landlords evicting long-term residents to turn their units into Airbnb hotels and people renting second homes through the site that could otherwise house long-term residents. It\u0026#8217;s these commercial hosts, as they\u0026#8217;re called, that are the problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut, of course, there\u0026#8217;s a lot of disagreement over how often this truly happens. In May of this year, the city issued two separate reports on the impact of short-term rentals on housing. One, from San Francisco\u0026#8217;s Budget and Legislative Analyst, concluded that between 925 and 1,960 units were likely removed from the market because their owners listed them on Airbnb instead.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe other report, authored by the city\u0026#8217;s chief economist, didn\u0026#8217;t come to a definitive conclusion about short-term rentals\u2014and Airbnb\u0026#8217;s\u2014impact on the strained housing stock. Although the report did find that there was likely some connection, it also said that because of a lack of data, it\u0026#8217;s impossible to really know.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAirbnb\u0026#8217;s own analysis, released the following month, of course, found that its business only had a negligible effect on the rental market. The company also argued that the number of vacant units in the city has remained unchanged between 2005 and 2013.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe other main topic of debate centers around zoning laws. Or, in the eyes of Prop. F supporters: San Francisco residents\u0026#8217; rights to a quality life in a residential area, and not a neighborhood of defacto hotels.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProponents of ballot measure say they have no problem with homeowners having guests staying with or without them a couple of times a year. Rather, the problem arises when a steady stream of strangers comes and goes, creating noise and raising safety concerns for neighbors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen asked about those complaints, Lehane said that Airbnb\u0026#8217;s community does a good job at policing itself. Bad hosts and guests are naturally weeded out because they receive bad reviews and ratings by other users.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELehane added that the company has created a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.airbnb.com\/help\/responsible-hosting\u0022\u003Ehotline\u003C\/a\u003E for neighbors to report bad behavior. However, it is difficult to find on the company\u0026#8217;s website because it is buried in the section for hosts.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProp. F authorizes anyone who lives within 100 feet (not just residents of the building, as the current law states), homeowners\u0026#8217; associations, and housing non-profits to file lawsuits to punish the most egregious landlords. They would be able to do so even without the city finding a violation under existing law, which was voted on last fall and went into effect in February.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn speaking with \u003Cem\u003EFortune\u003C\/em\u003E, Lehane pointed to a previous 30 year-old proposition dealing with clean drinking water and toxins that has been criticized for fueling private lawsuits against businesses for pollution. Many of the litigants sued solely to make money without any improvement in the environment for the community, he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut Share Better\u0026#8217;s spokesman, Dale Carlson, called that interpretation an exaggeration used by Airbnb to scare voters. Filing a lawsuit involves a lot of work, he said, and that reasonable people would only do so if they have a legitimate complaint.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd it\u0026#8217;s part of a larger point Carlson makes, which is that the city\u0026#8217;s current rules and the new office it has set up to police short-term rentals simply aren\u0026#8217;t effective enough to keep hosts in line. \u201cThe laws and regulations that the city has put forward have been examined by experts and they\u2019ve determined that the laws are unworkable,\u201d Carlson told \u003Ci\u003EFortune\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is also why Prop. F would put the burden on Airbnb and other websites to track how many days a unit has been rented and block those that have reached their limit from being listed. According to Carlson, the city government doesn\u0026#8217;t have the resources or information to track down scofflaws. As part of the amendment to the current law that passed in July, the city has set up a new office to handle host registrations and enforce rules, but Carlson says it\u0026#8217;s understaffed and ineffective.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProp. F also requires hosts to report quarterly the number of days they\u0026#8217;ve rented out their units and how many nights they\u0026#8217;ve spent at home. It\u0026#8217;s already required, in theory, but relatively few landlords have registered so far.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026#8220;No one is the world requires you to actually register with the government the number of nights that you\u0026#8217;re sleeping in your own bed,\u0026#8221; Lehane says, which he described as draconian. Even Taliban and ISIS don\u0026#8217;t go to such lengths in the Middle East, he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAirbnb argues that it has no way of knowing if a unit has been listed and rented out through a different service. The company has also been opposed to sharing this data with city officials, stating concerns over its users\u0026#8217; privacy.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStill, the debate over home-sharing services like Airbnb and VRBO is just as complex as the housing crisis itself. Tuesday\u0026#8217;s vote marks just the latest incarnation\u2014the first referendum on Airbnb itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/fortune.com\/getdatasheet\/\u0022\u003ESubscribe to Data Sheet\u003C\/a\u003E, Fortune\u2019s daily newsletter on the business of technology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFor more on Airbnb, watch this Fortune video: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022video-wrapper\u0022  data-ratio=\u00220.56363636363636\u0022 data-pos=\u00222\u0022\u003E\n\t\t\t\t\u003Cobject id=\u0022bc-video-4322552310001-2\u0022 class=\u0022BrightcoveExperience\u0022\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022bgcolor\u0022 value=\u0022#FFFFFF\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022width\u0022 value=\u0022550\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022height\u0022 value=\u0022310\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022playerID\u0022 value=\u00223160175193001\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022playerKey\u0022 value=\u0022AQ~~,AAAB668kGak~,LMlvL4u4ShOTHD9z00VquajMOcH97tcW\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022isVid\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022isUI\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022videoSmoothing\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022seamlessTabbing\u0022 value=\u0022false\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022swliveconnect\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022dynamicStreaming\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022autoStart\u0022 value=\u0022false\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022@videoPlayer\u0022 value=\u00224322552310001\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022linkBaseURL\u0022 value=\u0022http:\/\/for.tn\/1HhjhjM\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022includeAPI\u0022 value=\u0022true\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022templateLoadHandler\u0022 value=\u0022Fortune_onTemplateLoad\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022templateReadyHandler\u0022 value=\u0022Fortune_onTemplateReady\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022wmode\u0022 value=\u0022opaque\u0022\/\u003E\u003Cparam name=\u0022adServerURL\u0022 value=\u0022http:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ads?env=vp\u0026#038;gdfp_req=1\u0026#038;impl=s\u0026#038;output=xml_vast2\u0026#038;iu=\/8484\/fort\/video_bc\/leadership_bc\u0026#038;sz=1000x1\u0026#038;cust_params=tags%3Dairbnb%2Cbrianchesky%26ch%3Dleadership%26topic%3Dairbnb\u0026#038;unviewed_position_start=1\u0026#038;correlator=timestamp\u0022\/\u003E\u003C\/object\u003E\n\t\t\t\u003C\/div\u003E\n\t\t\t\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022\u003E\n\t\t\t\tbrightcove.createExperiences();\n\t\t\t\u003C\/script\u003E\n","time":{"pretty":"November 2, 2015","published":"2015-11-02 03:43:39","updated":"2015-11-02 03:43:39","minute":"3:43 PM EST","is_same_day":true,"is_home_pop":true},"comment_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/airbnb-rentals-san-francisco-election\/","absolute_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/airbnb-rentals-san-francisco-election\/","redirect_url":"","partner":"","outbrain_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/airbnb-rentals-san-francisco-election\/","outbrain_footer":true,"outbrain_right_rail":true,"short_title":"Airbnb to Face Voter Love and Hate in San Francisco "},{"id":1403716,"content_type":"free full","is_magazine_content":"non-magazine","url":"\/2015\/11\/02\/subway-bogo-national-sandwich-day\/","title":"Subway offers buy one get one free sandwiches on Nov. 3","content":"\u003Cp\u003EThough you probably had absolutely no idea, Nov. 3 is National Sandwich Day. (Nov. 2 is National Deviled Egg day and National Traffic Directors Day, if you\u0026#8217;re curious).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EConsumers may never truly understand the madness behind all these \u0026#8220;national\u0026#8221; days\u2014or solve the metaphysical conundrum of having more \u0026#8220;national days\u0026#8221; than days of the year\u2014but they can avail themselves of the promotions they bring. For National Sandwich Day, that means two sandwiches for the price of one from Subway.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed-twitter\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022en\u0022 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWe want U to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SaveLunchBreak?src=hash\u0022\u003E#SaveLunchBreak\u003C\/a\u003E! How? Tomorrow, buy ANY sub \u0026amp; 30oz drink, and GIVE ANY sub FREE! \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NationalSandwichDay?src=hash\u0022\u003E#NationalSandwichDay\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/t.co\/bnq5HYxjrt\u0022\u003Epic.twitter.com\/bnq5HYxjrt\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026mdash; SUBWAY\u00ae (@SUBWAY) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/SUBWAY\/status\/661228297666347008\u0022\u003ENovember 2, 2015\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\u0022\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\u0022 charset=\u0022utf-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf that sounds like one too many, you could purchase a six-inch sandwich and get another six-incher thrown in at no additional cost.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOf course, there\u0026#8217;s some fine print, which does not reflect well on Subway: the offer is only valid when you purchase a \u003Cem\u003E30-ounce\u003C\/em\u003E fountain drink, which contains \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.caloriecount.com\/calories-pollo-campero-coke-30-oz-i170378\u0022\u003E101 grams of sugar\u003C\/a\u003E and will set you back $1.80.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the $1.80 for a 30-ounce drink is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.restaurants.com\/blog\/the-top-10-biggest-restaurant-markups\/#.VjezRa6rTdQ\u0022\u003Ealmost all profit\u003C\/a\u003E, like most fountain drinks, it runs counter to the chain\u0026#8217;s decade-plus of marketing itself as the healthy fast food chain.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","time":{"pretty":"November 2, 2015","published":"2015-11-02 03:37:27","updated":"2015-11-02 03:37:27","minute":"3:37 PM EST","is_same_day":true,"is_home_pop":true},"comment_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/subway-bogo-national-sandwich-day\/","absolute_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/subway-bogo-national-sandwich-day\/","redirect_url":"","partner":"","outbrain_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/subway-bogo-national-sandwich-day\/","outbrain_footer":true,"outbrain_right_rail":false,"short_title":""},{"id":1396050,"content_type":"free full","is_magazine_content":"non-magazine","url":"\/2015\/11\/02\/liberal-media\/","title":"Conservatives Are Right: The Media Is Very Liberal","content":"\u003Cp\u003EThe biggest loser of CNBC\u0026#8217;s Republican Presidential debate last week was the news media. Ted Cruz got the loudest applause of the night when he slammed the moderators for asking questions he considered anti-Republican, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/video\/2015\/10\/28\/cruz_rips_press_at_cnbc_debate_this_debate_illustrates_why_we_can_not_trust_the_media.html\u0022\u003Esaying\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026#8220;The questions asked in this debate illustrate why the American people don\u0026#8217;t trust the media.\u0026#8221;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe line thrilled conservatives, as Republican pollster Frank Luntz described on Twitter:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed-twitter\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022en\u0022 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETed Cruz\u0026#39;s focus group dials hits 98 with his attack on media bias. \ud83d\udcc8\u0026#10;\u0026#10;That\u0026#39;s the highest score we\u0026#39;ve ever measured. EVER.   \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GOPDebate?src=hash\u0022\u003E#GOPDebate\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026mdash; Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/FrankLuntz\/status\/659532219069763584\u0022\u003EOctober 29, 2015\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cscript async src=\u0022\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\u0022 charset=\u0022utf-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd the thing is, conservatives have a point. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/freakonomics.com\/2012\/02\/16\/how-biased-is-your-media\/\u0022\u003EStudy after study\u003C\/a\u003E has shown that the mainstream media leans left, and that, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sscnet.ucla.edu\/polisci\/faculty\/groseclose\/Media.Bias.8.htm\u0022\u003Eas economists Tim Groseclose and Jeff Milyo have written\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026#8220;an almost overwhelming fraction of journalists are liberal.\u0026#8221; The extent of this bias, of course, depends on what your definitions of liberal and conservative. And the media has other, arguably more important, biases: towards controversy and producing content that is profitable. But it is safe to say that the median journalist in America is to the left of the median American voter, and that this affects how the news is presented to the public.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf the story ended there, this would be a winning talking point for the Republican Party. And you would think that if there\u0026#8217;s demand for more conservative media, the free market would provide it. The problem is the free market doesn\u0026#8217;t work like members of the Republican orthodoxy claim.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBack in 1971, Edith Efron outlined the pervasive bias of liberalism in the news media in her book \u003Cem\u003EThe News Twisters. \u003C\/em\u003EIn the nearly 45 years since then, not much has changed. Yes, we have seen the rise of Fox News, America\u0026#8217;s most watched cable news network. And there has been a proliferation of small conservative websites. But most Americans \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.americanpressinstitute.org\/publications\/reports\/survey-research\/how-americans-get-news\/\u0022\u003Estill get their news from television\u003C\/a\u003E, and the ratings of network news broadcasts\u2014the same organizations that conservatives claim have been biased for decades\u2014\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.orlandosentinel.com\/entertainment\/tv\/tv-guy\/os-nbc-abc-fox-news-ratings-winners-20150224-post.html\u0022\u003Etriple the ratings of even Fox\u0026#8217;s most popular programs\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis state of affairs is very distressing to conservatives, who, along with independents, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/the-fix\/wp\/2015\/10\/29\/the-conservative-war-on-the-mainstream-media-hit-a-new-phase-at-the-gop-debate\/?postshare=4901446129016897\u0022\u003Eincreasingly distrust the news media\u003C\/a\u003E. So why hasn\u0026#8217;t the free market corrected this imbalance between the demand for conservative news and the supply? It\u0026#8217;s because economic outcomes are driven by much more than supply and demand. Institutions, rules, and power matter just as much as what consumers demand.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELegacy news organizations like NBC News or the New York Times have brand recognition and resources that no news startup can realistically compete with. But even with these barriers, one would think that the power of the Internet and strong demand for news reported from a conservative viewpoint would have helped create a conservative news complex that could rival the liberal version in size and influence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut free-market fundamentalists overlook the fact that power dynamics matter a great deal in the marketplace. When economist Daniel Sutter \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/citeseerx.ist.psu.edu\/viewdoc\/download?doi=10.1.1.500.6081\u0026amp;rep=rep1\u0026amp;type=pdf\u0022\u003Eexamined the question\u003C\/a\u003E of how a liberal media can persist in a free market, his most convincing explanation was that journalists themselves, and the type of person who aspires to journalism, are almost uniformly of a liberal disposition. \u0026#8220;People with the talent, temperament, and personality to be journalists might also be inclined toward liberal political causes,\u0026#8221; he writes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOf course, a profit-maximizing media executive might simply try to force his employees to set aside their biases and produce news that is congenial to the views of median voters. But this is why power dynamics in the market for journalists is so important. Despite severe job cuts in traditional media organizations like newspapers, the demand for college educated workers who can write and otherwise communicate on the Internet is strong. The hyper-educated media elite are trading the better pay they might fetch in corporate communications (for example) for the prestige of journalism work. If managers of media companies tried to force these workers to produce content that robs them of the benefits of working in journalism, they\u0026#8217;ll simply find work elsewhere.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELiberals recognize that power plays a big role in all kinds of markets. That\u0026#8217;s why they advocate for rules that prevent discrimination against workers based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. It\u0026#8217;s how liberals explain \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2015\/04\/14\/on-equal-pay-day-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-gender-pay-gap\/\u0022\u003Ethe gap in pay\u003C\/a\u003E between men and women for the same kind of work. And it\u0026#8217;s why liberals advocate for laws that strengthen unions as a means to raise wages for low and middle-skilled workers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThat doesn\u0026#8217;t mean the solutions proposed by the left can necessarily solve the problems caused by skewed power dynamics in media. But the persistent existence of a liberal media bias should open up conservatives\u0026#8217; eyes to the fact that they exist.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","time":{"pretty":"November 2, 2015","published":"2015-11-02 03:22:49","updated":"2015-11-02 03:22:49","minute":"3:22 PM EST","is_same_day":true,"is_home_pop":true},"comment_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/liberal-media\/","absolute_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/liberal-media\/","redirect_url":"","partner":"","outbrain_url":"http:\/\/fortune.com\/2015\/11\/02\/liberal-media\/","outbrain_footer":true,"outbrain_right_rail":true,"short_title":""}]}