My wife's Idea to combat the "Ron Paul is too extreme" meme

[HenryKnoxFineBooks]

My wife is a supporter, but she always worries that people view his ideas as too extreme and too much a radical departure for the general public to stomach too quickly.

She will now type her idea:


Hello - I think Ron should take out a full page ad in a major national newspaper, like USA Today. It should be titled "My first 100 days as President". There he can layout how he would begin to steer us back to prosperity. I know he will be criticized for his ideas, but he is criticized already. At least this way his ideas, and a Paul presidency, would appear less radical and be based upon stated plans, and not his opponents/media conjecture. He needs to get his message out in a way that the general public and not just his supporters, can read it unfiltered. Examples would include his not ending SS overnight, but allowing young people to opt out. Or a gradual plan to close overseas bases from 900 to maybe 650. Or how he wouldn't end the Dept. of Ed, Dept of Energy, Dept of Commerce, Dept. of Housing, or Homeland Security on January 20th 2013. But instead would begin to implement steps to achieve those goals. And list the steps.

[sailingaway]

He has something called 'what to ask for from a Freedom President' or something like that that kind of does this. It could probably be tinkered with into a flyer...and add the social security / medicare bit.

[wstrucke]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I did not realize that USA today only prints on weekdays... here are the national daily rates (http://www.usatoday.com/media_kit/usatoday/ai_rates_national_circulation.htm). A full page color ad (b/c honestly, if we do it it should be color) one day Monday - Thursday nationally would run $178,000.00 and Friday would cost $218,000.00.

[gosmo]

I love this idea. If the campaign were to choose not to do this, is this a project that could pick up support by grassroots?

Rather than done nationally, the Grassroots could fund full page ads for newspapers in Iowa/NH/Nevada/SC for much cheaper throughout the rest of the year.

[alieas007]

Some private citizen took out a full page, $100,000 USA Today ad (http://ronpaulrally.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ronpaul-usa-today-ad.jpg) in 2008, it was awesome! But I agree, Ron talks so much about the root issues that he doesn't get a chance to go into his delivery methods and actual plans very often, leaving people with a somewhat uncomfortable, "well what now" type of feeling. Anything outside of status quo is going to look extreme to your common MSM drone.

[Darin]

In his response to the credit rating thing, he said he would balance the budget within his first year.

I thought it was odd... doesn't Paul usually avoid those types of commitments? I think it's a good idea to help people understand, but I don't think it should within any certain amount of time. You get in huge trouble when you commit to things in a time period like that, and it's great fuel for opponents and critics, and can be damaging to your influence and goals. I think maybe it could just be a "When Presient I will work to..." sort of thing. The things you listed do need better explaining to people who think he is extreme, and it's a great idea.

- Darin

[Thomas]

the campaign has gotta define Ron now before our opponents do, tho they already have sort of...

[C_J_Burns]

I completely agree with that idea. One thing people know about Ron Paul is that he's honest. Having him list out his first 100 days allows him to dictate dialogue. Criticism would change from what he MIGHT do to what he WILL, and I think we have a better chance of reaching potential converts on that debate.

[AJ187]

I like it!!! I agree with Ron almost 100 percent of the time but in truth he can not do everything even in this first term as president. As he says "we have to change the way we think about our relationship to government." I also think that could be a good selling point to people that like the immediate things Paul could do like getting out of the wars or pardoning first time, non violent drug offenders, but are not on board for some of the other ideas that Paul advocates.

As much as Paul is a idealist, he's also a realist. I think it's important to remember that.

[Steve-in-NY]

Good idea. Im willing to chip in, albeit small numbers, towards it.

[RM918]

This is a good idea.

I'm also amused at why it's come to this. Ron Paul is 'too extreme' and 'fringy'.

Ron Paul's ideas: Don't spend more than you have. Don't pay off debt with more debt. Don't bomb people unless there's a legitimate case for defending yourself.

I worry more about what society has become when the above is 'extreme'.

[seekingliberty]

I believe this might be what sailingaway was referring to. http://www.citizensforaconstitutionalrepublic.com/paul3-5-10.html

I think I found it on here awhile back.

[Standing Liberty]

Berry Goldwater defended it pretty well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVNoClu0h9M

[chmst1999]

Here's the link referred to earlier...

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul647.html

[Delivered4000]

Who the hell reads newspapers anymore? The grass roots needs to get out there and distribute these flyers. and on the internet too. Newspapers is an old and dying medium.

[Slutter McGee]

Who the hell reads newspapers anymore? The grass roots needs to get out there and distribute these flyers. and on the internet too. Newspapers is an old and dying medium.

They are thriving in other countries. But dying here.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

[HenryKnoxFineBooks]

Who the hell reads newspapers anymore? The grass roots needs to get out there and distribute these flyers. and on the internet too. Newspapers is an old and dying medium.

It may be a dying medium, but older people still read em, and the old people are the ones who vote most often, and are the ones who get scared more from change.

[KingRobbStark]

They are thriving in other countries. But dying here.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

Luckily we're not campaigning in other countries.

[gosmo]

Who the hell reads newspapers anymore? The grass roots needs to get out there and distribute these flyers. and on the internet too. Newspapers is an old and dying medium.

Old people, a group we are weak with.