So How are We going to Win this thing?

[Todd]

I was reading this thread (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?319317-With-the-media-ignoring-us-do-we-have-a-shot-Serious-question)....

There are alot of people either trying to discourage us or genuinely concerned about this campaign. Yes some of them are here to infiltrate and divide, but some, like this thread may be the real deal for some who want to go all in but just can't decide.

What I really appreciated in this thread linked above is the insight from some of the older forum members pre 2008. Especially in light of some of the newer members concerns at the chances of winning.

Before people get all huffy, in no way am I suggesting that those members are any better than the newer ones, but they represent the base from the first go around, where as many of the newer members (not all) represent the growth of this second grassroots go around. Back then we were REALLY a ramshackle group of diehards with a campaign that many felt routinely frustrating to many of us. I remember how marginal we all felt in the early part of the campaign in 07' but still had faith in pulling out a victory.

To me it feels totally different. The TV spots seem more professional, the money seems to come in more consistently (despite not being able to garner a multimillion dollar money bomb) the polling is very encouraging at this stage in the election cycle and the way the media does approach Paul when they aren't ignoring him, seems somewhat more respectful than the way they treated him as a complete and utter laughing stock last go around. Not to mention that I think it's a safe bet that there isn't one GOP candidate of the current crop who looks like a Juggernaut to run away with this thing.

The media and the establishment are concerned about his campaign. You can see it in the way the cover us and the lack there of. This should be very encouraging. It's going to take all of us, both new and old, to get this thing into full WINNING mode.

I think there are still many here from the early forum days who can give a really good assessment of where we were then and where we are today.

So let's start telling people here how this is different this go around and WHY we are going to pull this thing off.

What do you say?

[dusman]

I have a sincere belief that we win this by using our strength on the internet. It's a matter of building national organization and getting everyone to spend half the time they do commenting on articles, threads, etc. and shifting that offline to tangible objectives.

[jasonxe]

picking up the pieces when other candiates drop. When they do, slam the tv with ads and spread the message.

[JamesButabi]

I agree. I had not pushed as hard as I am at this point. Im in full blown Ron Paul mode now. I think this End of Quarter Push and Black This Out are going to start of tidal wave of support through both purchased and manufactured media coverage.

However, This needs to coincide with Ron having a clear cut plan on foreign policy and entitlements that we can push relentlessly that the average Republican could get behind.

[Duckman]

I know some people don't want to hear it, but the key is educate, educate, educate.

GOP primary voters need to be educated as to WHY Ron is right when he says things that are outside the GOP mainstream. Sadly, without this education, his ideas can be twisted as kooky or even anti-American.

We RP supporters have done an excellent job educating the masses by posting comments around the web. I think we have already converted those who are politically minded and internet saavy and who are open-minded enough to read the arguments we make. However, there is a world of GOP voters who don't spent alot of time reading political blogs on the internet. This is why I think the campaign needs to step up with TV ads intended to educate people on WHY this or that controversial RP position is actually the right position. IMO, such educational ads will have a long term impact even if RP does not win, by slowly changing the minds of people.

Remember, Ron needs like-minded people in Congress to accomplish many of the things he would like to do. Ron has inspired no small number of liberty candidates, but electing them will indeed require changing the hearts and minds of mainstream voters.

That's why I say again, we need to educate, educate, educate!

[Steve-in-NY]

Im new. New to Paul. Im active in a presidential campaign for the first time ever. Ive donated to a campaign for the first time ever. Im here, and Im sure there are MANY like me. Im in full blown Ron Paul mode too.
Im educating others on a daily basis. Im converting people, Im winning hearts and minds.
Im sure Im not alone either, but I wish it was more obvious (locally) that I wasnt.
Thats why Im here (forums). To learn and help.

[parocks]

It's the end of September.

In 2007, the really good stuff started happening in November.

We didn't really see a million anything until November.

We have a Webster Hall - 1800 at $20 a head - this year.

Last time we had a 5,000 rally in Philly and the V for Vendetta bomb in early November.

[RP Supporter]

Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

If we win those, we win the nomination, regardless of what the national polls say. It's telling that every poll I've seen have shown Paul stronger and in double digits in Iowa and New Hampshire. And once the campaign begins advertising in earnest, his numbers should only increase.

It will still be a struggle, but Iowa is winnable for us. Bachmann's having severe money trouble(Her campaign office might actually lose power, she's so far in debt) and we stand to benefit most from that. Think, if we're already at 14% in a scientific poll, what will that translate to in an actual caucus environment, when our supporters are the most likely to show up?

Romney's far ahead in New Hampshire, but I really do think Christie will run, which will hurt him most of all. In addition, a Paul win in Iowa would get us alot of the anti Romney support. We would essentially become the anti Romney candidate, and be guaranteed second place at least in NH. With that kind of support in the first two states, expect to see Ron rise all over the country. The campaign is right to focus on the early states. Anything else right now is wasted money(with the exception of opening campaign offices and such.)

I know pessimism is tempting. I wish we were higher as well. But in the states where it matters, we're in a good position that's only likely to grow stronger. So take heart. :)

[parocks]

In terms of what the grassroots should do (as opposed to the campaign), I think we really just need to focus on voter registrations at colleges along with Blue Republican.

Because Ron Paul can't really say that. He can't go up there, in a Republican Debate, and say "you know who really likes me, Independents and Democrats, and I really need their votes". Because Republicans won't like the sound of that. But we can, and we really have to.

The more Ron Paul talks about things that Likely Republican Primary Voters don't like, the more those Is and Ds do like us.

Grassroots: "How many votes do we need to find"

Campaign: "2 Million"

Ron Paul: "assassination"

Grassroots: "That helped with who we're targeting. How many votes do we need to find"

Campaign: "3 Million"

Grassroots: "That isn't so good."

The college students don't like the same stuff that the Likely Primary Voters like.

Ron Paul saying things that college students like makes it easier for us to get their vote, but it increases the number of college students we need to get.

[Jake Ralston]

It might all come down to one thing:

Peaceful Parenting.

It may be our last hope!

[69360]

The key is 1st or 2nd in NH or IA. That gets the ball rolling and will stop the media blackout and the unelectable nonsense. If neither of those happen we are in trouble.

[InTradePro]

I have a sincere belief that we win this by using our strength on the internet. It's a matter of building national organization and getting everyone to spend half the time they do commenting on articles, threads, etc. and shifting that offline to tangible objectives.

Yes, I'm with dusman.

At this point it seems a simple matter of focusing the army of supporters to be actively engaged in spreading the message wide and loudly across the internet and beyond.
It's in our hands. It's up to us. There is time, but don't waste it as many currently are. Threads about VP's and other silly things are 100% distraction from the message.
Get the fuck on with spreading the message or get the fuck out, that goes for this thread and many like it. A waste of energy that soon must by focused elsewhere.

My suggestion for everyone is focus on making "Black THIS out" as a reason to spread the message far and wide. It's not about the money, it's about the message and getting others involved and with the message and numbers will come the money.

[ZanZibar]

We are going to win by focusing our resources in the early states and doing well in them. That will build momentum and allow us to win other states.

The early states will be won by phone banking, direct mail, and door-to-door.

That's how Rand won, that's how we'll win. We are replicating what they did in Kentucky in about half a dozen of other states.

[TXcarlosTX]

We win at the Convention!!!! Its important to be a delegate.

[liberalnurse]

I think the one thing that we did was we kept on making noise. We never lost our passion. We kept our Hope for America signs on our porch bannisters and in our yards. We never took off our bumper siickers/magnets. Most importantly we continued to spread the message and educated ourselves as well as others. We never, ever gave up. We couldn't. We can't. Most importantly we are way more savy then we were in 2007, as is the campaign. We've been working towards this for 4 years and to quote the good Doctor, "No army can stop an idea whose time has come."

[turbobrain9]

Sure Ron can win the nomination. But I don't see the campaign and Ron making the changes needed to win and I don't see aggressive campaigning really happening. So, after the first campaign and way that was handled, I think a percentage of supporters are on the sidelines and they haven't been that impressed to get back in the game. Hence, the dismal fundrasing numbers compared to 2007-08. I think a lot of it boils down to Ron being set in his ways..that's my main observation.

[turbobrain9]

We are going to win by focusing our resources in the early states and doing well in them. That will build momentum and allow us to win other states.

The early states will be won by phone banking, direct mail, and door-to-door.

That's how Rand won, that's how we'll win. We are replicating what they did in Kentucky in about half a dozen of other states.

I also think that many people are blind to the realities of GOp politics. Ron is never going to get a big enough bump if he wins IA...he would have to win both IA and NH to get a big enough bump to win. He is not going to win SC or FL...this idea of putting all of ones eggs in IA or NH is midguided. Huckabee won IA and wasn't able to win against McCain who won NH although the bump was big enough for him to him several southern states...

The GOP nomination is won by those who win large primary states like CA, NY, TX, FL, and GA etc...even if Ron won ALL caucases, he would only have 1/3 of the delegates needed to get the nomination. That's the reality. The campaign has to anticipate this to win. In others words, they have to assume they are going to win either IA and/or NH and right now have people in CA, NY, TX, GA, PA, FL, OH etc....they can't wait until FEB to win IA and then scamble to put people in the large states..they need to build an organization there now...and so without the big fundraising, it is going to hard to get that done....I thought C4L was suppose to have built organization in all 50 states ready to GOTV etc...I don't think C4L was able to accomplish much...

So the path to Ron nomination is very very narrow and almost like a hail mary...

That doesn't mean we shouldn't make an attempt at stealing enough delegates to get a brokered convention and get a speaking slot there...I think that is the best we can hope for without significant changes to the campaign and $$$$$$

[acptulsa]

Yes we need to prove he's a contender in the early states. Yes we need to have support nationwide. Yes we need delegates. Yes we need to educate.

Most of all, we need to find ways to preach to someone besides the choir. Which is why I started this thread:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?317512-Let-s-Do-an-Attack-Ad!

If that isn't the way to reach a voting, non-internet demographic, then would someone please get in there and tell me what is? Thank you.

Liberty--it's not just for libertarians any more.

In short, we need to stop shouting from time to time and listen. Otherwise, we can never learn what those yet unconverted want or need to hear.

[mconder]

Too bad we don't do meetups anymore. Those were the days when we actually got together locally...everywhere.

[eleganz]

I also think that many people are blind to the realities of GOp politics. Ron is never going to get a big enough bump if he wins IA...he would have to win both IA and NH to get a big enough bump to win. He is not going to win SC or FL...this idea of putting all of ones eggs in IA or NH is midguided. Huckabee won IA and wasn't able to win against McCain who won NH although the bump was big enough for him to him several southern states...

The GOP nomination is won by those who win large primary states like CA, NY, TX, FL, and GA etc...even if Ron won ALL caucases, he would only have 1/3 of the delegates needed to get the nomination. That's the reality. The campaign has to anticipate this to win. In others words, they have to assume they are going to win either IA and/or NH and right now have people in CA, NY, TX, GA, PA, FL, OH etc....they can't wait until FEB to win IA and then scamble to put people in the large states..they need to build an organization there now...and so without the big fundraising, it is going to hard to get that done....I thought C4L was suppose to have built organization in all 50 states ready to GOTV etc...I don't think C4L was able to accomplish much...

So the path to Ron nomination is very very narrow and almost like a hail mary...

That doesn't mean we shouldn't make an attempt at stealing enough delegates to get a brokered convention and get a speaking slot there...I think that is the best we can hope for without significant changes to the campaign and $$$$$$


Yea, we all need to stop thinking that just one Iowa win and a second in NH will get the ball rolling in our favor, all efforts must be put into taking first in both NH and Iowa.

[Birdlady]

I don't consider myself special just because I was here in 2007. Many people very much disliked me in 2007 because I pointed out the flaws in things and many thought I was an infiltrator or something stupid like that. :rolleyes: Gotta love that's how people here justify things when someone disagrees with them.

Coming back to this forum was tough for me as I was never welcomed much here and the only posts allowed on this board were positive, happy, kumbaya ones. While it is good to keep morale up, it is also important to tackle problems as they come up, so they don't start to infect the movement as a whole. Last time any voice that wasn't happy with just going along the RP campaign at every turn, was pretty much told to leave the forums as they were hurting the movement. The "don't talk about it" attitude bred contempt within the movement and supporters started to feel divided and have to take sides; those who thought the campaign was right at every turn and those who thought the campaign needed some help.

It is important to identify our weaknesses and then accordingly try to find a solution to them.

Our weakness as a movement is that we do not allow open thought (if it's negative). We do not allow people to bring up criticism without taking it personally. We do not allow people to think outside of the box and we are not allowed to think poorly about anything. We always must have this fake smile plastered on our faces. Any one who thinks differently is a plant or infiltrating. :rolleyes: You can see this attitude in the thread linked in the OP.


The key is 1st or 2nd in NH or IA. That gets the ball rolling and will stop the media blackout and the unelectable nonsense. If neither of those happen we are in trouble.

This is the wrong attitude to have. "just wait till NH or IA". Many said this in 2007. When NH or IA happens it's either we are in it or we have lost. If we are waiting around for something magical to occur in either of those primaries, then we will be sorely disappointed. Don't forget about voter fraud. We have to push NOW.


Sure Ron can win the nomination. But I don't see the campaign and Ron making the changes needed to win and I don't see aggressive campaigning really happening. So, after the first campaign and way that was handled, I think a percentage of supporters are on the sidelines and they haven't been that impressed to get back in the game. Hence, the dismal fundrasing numbers compared to 2007-08. I think a lot of it boils down to Ron being set in his ways..that's my main observation.

Even though many will be ticked at this poster, he hits upon many good points. There are lots of people who are still upset at the way the campaign handled things last time and I dunno what it will take for them to get back in the race. It may not be possible for some. Many supporters pushed people away because we were pretty much told to shut up or leave. Well lots of us just left.

[eleganz]

Too bad we don't do meetups anymore. Those were the days when we actually got together locally...everywhere.

If there isn't a meetup around you, start one. We must all be pro active!

[Spanky]

How are we going to win this?

1) Call your reps, senators, governors, tell them to get behind ron paul and give them a reason why. It doesn't hurt to ask. I've called governor mitch daniels, sarah palin's campaign, and I will continue to call.

2) Get out of the house ,off your butt, in to public and preach. Go house to house, volunteer, phone calls, talk to the older people who only have time to watch tv

3) get to the younger voters. The ones that are seniors in HS that don't think voting is a big deal or they don't matter, that's millions of votes ALONE right there!

4) Get people to register

5) PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE, Preach how important october 19th is

[driller80545]

For a while RP was all over the tv everyday and his numbers were climbing, but now he has disappeared. This does not surprise me, but if I were him, I would do something to change that. If he (or we) don't make some noise he is going to be successfully filtered out. As a supporter, I have had about enough of this politically correct politeness that everyone on here keeps preaching. I feel that I am watching him disappear and my gut reaction is to make some noise that will get him attention. I don't think this "don't offend anyone" attitude is gonna work. Been saying that all along.
If something doesn't happen to overcome the MSM pretty quick this will all be wasted energy. He will get his 5 to 8 percent again.
This is what I think and I don't care if no likes it. He is not going anywhere like this and that is the worst thing that can happen to America.

[Spanky]

For a while RP was all over the tv everyday and his numbers were climbing, but now he has disappeared. This does not surprise me, but if I were him, I would do something to change that. If he (or we) don't make some noise he is going to be successfully filtered out. As a supporter, I have had about enough of this politically correct politeness that everyone on here keeps preaching. I feel that I am watching him disappear and my gut reaction is to make some noise that will get him attention. I don't think this "don't offend anyone" attitude is gonna work. Been saying that all along.
If something doesn't happen to overcome the MSM pretty quick this will all be wasted energy. He will get his 5 to 8 percent again.
This is what I think and I don't care if no likes it. He is not going anywhere like this and that is the worst thing that can happen to America.

then what do we do? WE BOMBARD his campaign telling him we see the numbers slipping, that he needs to be more assertive and get his times in debates

if all 500k of his facebook fans called in, they'd have to listen......whose with me?

[enjerth]

I too have heard many complaints about Ron Paul making certain statements. I happen to think that Ron Paul is just making it easier for us to reach victory.

Paul stands alone among the candidates. While the others agree with each other, and fight over who best represents these agreements, all we have to do is beat one of them in the battle of ideas and we've beat them all.

It will take a lot of work, but we just have to push to make things like THIS http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/09/30/awlaki go viral.

And in the wake of the assassination of Bin Laden, didn't Paul basically ask how long until we're executing our own citizens without due process? Once again, Ron Paul was way off base (such is the nature of our government, being off-base), but he was right (he correctly predicted the off-base government abuse). Get people thinking about it... Ron Paul is always right. When he sounds like he's way off base, think about it, because that's the contrast between illusion and reality.

[turbobrain9]

Perry is now being covered on FOX as I write this. He was in GA campaigning, giving a domestic policy speech and took the time to hammer Romney...this is something Paul doesn't do and this is why he is not getting attention, not taken seriously, and why he is not able to expand his base...he is SOFT when it comes to hammering his opponents and creating contrasts...Ron is Ron's biggest problem...why is Ron not giving policy speeches??

[dusman]

Again, I'll make a suggestion that our efforts are hindered dramatically if we do not have a means to organize our online base. For example, Obama has a web site that you sign up for, with your ZIP code and it will automatically feed you activities to get involved in that are local to your area. I have been working off and on, to build something similar.. but I just don't think I have enough time to get it finished up anytime soon.

With the online organizational capacity.. all these other suggestions are easy to coordinate. We have to start thinking nationally and strategically. The web is the easiest way to make that happen. If we don't do this.. we will fight a much more difficult battle of penetrating into new bases.

[Rocket_pilot]

By getting the most votes. : )

[parocks]

Again, I'll make a suggestion that our efforts are hindered dramatically if we do not have a means to organize our online base. For example, Obama has a web site that you sign up for, with your ZIP code and it will automatically feed you activities to get involved in that are local to your area. I have been working off and on, to build something similar.. but I just don't think I have enough time to get it finished up anytime soon.

With the online organizational capacity.. all these other suggestions are easy to coordinate. We have to start thinking nationally and strategically. The web is the easiest way to make that happen. If we don't do this.. we will fight a much more difficult battle of penetrating into new bases.

Joomla

[driller80545]

Gotta get him on tv. Not just a couple of minutes here and there. And not paid for. He or us have got to make some real noise. I don't know how yet, but I'm thinking. It has to be unignorable.

[Liberty74]

Ron Paul simply needs to get out of his professor mode and put himself into fifth gear campaign mode soon. The American people are thirsty for real change and the time (wars, govt debt, bailouts, collapsing dollar, unemployment, etc.) could not be better for Ron Paul to become President. If he asserts himself more in the debates with a policy agenda, that could be a game changer.

Does anyone have any inside knowledge of Ron Paul's campaign strategy?

[ZanZibar]

I also think that many people are blind to the realities of GOp politics. Ron is never going to get a big enough bump if he wins IA...he would have to win both IA and NH to get a big enough bump to win. He is not going to win SC or FL...this idea of putting all of ones eggs in IA or NH is midguided. Huckabee won IA and wasn't able to win against McCain who won NH although the bump was big enough for him to him several southern states...

The GOP nomination is won by those who win large primary states like CA, NY, TX, FL, and GA etc...even if Ron won ALL caucases, he would only have 1/3 of the delegates needed to get the nomination. That's the reality. The campaign has to anticipate this to win. In others words, they have to assume they are going to win either IA and/or NH and right now have people in CA, NY, TX, GA, PA, FL, OH etc....they can't wait until FEB to win IA and then scamble to put people in the large states..they need to build an organization there now...and so without the big fundraising, it is going to hard to get that done....I thought C4L was suppose to have built organization in all 50 states ready to GOTV etc...I don't think C4L was able to accomplish much...

So the path to Ron nomination is very very narrow and almost like a hail mary...

That doesn't mean we shouldn't make an attempt at stealing enough delegates to get a brokered convention and get a speaking slot there...I think that is the best we can hope for without significant changes to the campaign and $$$$$$Fascinating analysis. If we get into the position of being #2 after IA an NH, or maybe even beating Romney in IA, then we can take him on after Florida. Essentially we may be the last man standing especially if get into a solid #2 and then begin to case FUD on Romney's record.

[parocks]

Yes, I'm with dusman.

At this point it seems a simple matter of focusing the army of supporters to be actively engaged in spreading the message wide and loudly across the internet and beyond.
It's in our hands. It's up to us. There is time, but don't waste it as many currently are. Threads about VP's and other silly things are 100% distraction from the message.
Get the fuck on with spreading the message or get the fuck out, that goes for this thread and many like it. A waste of energy that soon must by focused elsewhere.

My suggestion for everyone is focus on making "Black THIS out" as a reason to spread the message far and wide. It's not about the money, it's about the message and getting others involved and with the message and numbers will come the money.

"spreading the message" isn't really a "tangible objective".

but dusman is right.

But, the basic situation is this - we don't need to persuade at all. We can't do a better job than Ron Paul. But Ron Paul can't be everywhere at once. He can't register people to vote himself. He needs helpers to do that. He can't afford to open an office in every state just yet. But people in those states still have to be registered.
Ron Paul can't call everybody himself, or knock on everybodies door himself. He needs helpers. It's early to be calling people, it's early to be knocking on doors.

The core of what we should be doing is one major thing, and then another major thing.

Early stage
1) - local meetups, local events, tabling. Rock the R3volution Tour. Ron Paul Free Show. Identify people, get lists of people. Grow your "meetup group" or your "youth for ron paul" group. Those youth for Ron Paul groups will be very important, and if you're a youth, you might want to start one of those groups.
But the goal is to have a lot of people on your list who you think will be able to help in stage 2.

Later stage
2) - volunteering for the campaign. You just take those lists that you gathered to the campaign, and they'll be happy with you. And then you, with all the new people you brought in, go door to door, at the instruction of the campaign, or make phone calls, at the instruction of the campaign, or just make yourself available to the campaign to do whatever work they want you to do.

Last stage
3) The last 3 days before the election, the campaign needs volunteers. So, take off work or school those days. Especially election day. You should be looking ahead to election day and not doing anything but campaign related stuff.

Those are the basics of what people should be doing. That's not to say that things that are not that are bad, and that freelance persuasion is bad or anything like that, but that's the general framework.

Focus on colleges. Getting men in college to register. We rule there. Just get them to register. I would spend a lot of effort with the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones. Get Vince Vaughan to just walk around campus with a Ron Paul sticker or pin. If you've got 100 ideas, try them all on those 2 campuses.

Huckabee got 41K votes in the Iowa Caucuses, enough to win, in 2008.

There are 30k Iowa Hawkeyes and 30K Iowa State Cyclones.

More students at those 2 schools than Huckabee got votes.

[idiom]

We need to win this without Ron and the Campaign. That is how we got so much done in 2007.

The forums were more connected then. We had our own pseudo campaign infrastructure. Meet-ups are the engines of the machine.

It is also the whole point of Ron message, decentralization should work better. We should run this as all the people of 50 states. Don't wait for the campaign to lead. It won't happen. You lead. It is on you. Join or start a meet-up. Organize to buy or build signage and advertising time. If you need money start a chip in and post it on Chip-in central.

Let other people know what you are doing. Where are all the photos of the sign waves, the billboards, the meet-ups? Post what you are doing and it will inspire others.

This is on us. Caucuses we have the organization to win at this point. Primaries come down to turning out voters who are on your side. This start with working the campaign phone bank hard, but the end game is having a large personal network and well organised phone trees. Or Facebook trees or whatever. But you need to show up with your own personal battalion to join the fight.

[Javu]

The basic truth is that it all comes down to 2 things:


Win Iowa and NH
Change the cultural significance of this election


Winning Iowa and NH
Look, it is blatantly clear that the media isn't going to give us any attention unless they have to. As such, here is how I see the early states playing out:


If we take anything less than first in Iowa, we will simply be written off.
If we take first in Iowa, but take second in NH, they will write Iowa off as a win that only occurred thanks to flooding the state with advertisements and say that RP has no national appeal.
If we take Iowa and NH, the media will be forced to talk about Ron Paul's potential as a top tier candidate. Even then though, the media will use the first defeat of RP (Florida) to show detracting momentum from the campaign


Case in point, winning Iowa and using it to snowball into NH is our only path at victory here, and even then, we will have an uphill struggle. Do I think we can win these two states? Sure. However, it is going to take a lot of sweet and tears to pull off. We have to remobilize the grassroots campaign to levels beyond those of 2008 and start treating the campaign like a military offensive.

Changing the cultural significance of this election
That all said, we need to change the public's perception of how they view the election. Most people simply wish to vote for a traditional candidate (Romney, Perry, etc.) where even if they don't agree with a lot of what they stand for, and even if they simply view them as incompetent, they can atleast trust them to tow party line.

If we are to have any shot at building off of early momentum and winning this primary, we need to use the same energy that brought the tea party into power. Ron Paul needs to truly be seen as a person who will finally end the nonsense that Americans have had to put up with for the last 10+ years. The average American understands that this country is heading in a bad direction and that something needs to come about to change it. Unfortunately, most have lost so much faith in that change coming about that they view the entire political system as a lost cause and simply vote on party lines hoping for the best.

Ron Paul needs to be seen as the true champion of change that most Americans already know they need. The seed for change is already planted. We just need to make people see that Ron Paul can actually bring it about. To do this, we need to make Ron Paul the figurehead of nation wide movement to bring a conservative driven change in America.

[FSP-Rebel]

Good points thus far, I just wanted to comment on how effective the campaign's voter id database is likely to become. Some may remember from last time that it was just starting to get up and running as the first primaries/caucuses commenced. But this time, we have if right from the start and this is a major tool which the campaign will be using over and above tv/radio ads and mailers. The former web guy last go round developed this system to where it shows all likely gop voters and marks their key issues in their listing. This way, they can be individually targeted where it most counts and in a timely and cost effective manner. It can also be used for gotv efforts as well as fundraising.

I'm sure the system has been updated with plenty of relevant info to date and the dude that created it is running the new MI hq. He's already got 35 regional coords set up and the precinct leaders are starting to be lined up. He's been sending out emails to the Mich bunch trying to galvanize folks to give to this EOQP and thus hopefully translating more support and supplies from the campaign to get operations into full gear. Anyway, I think this behind-the-scenes database is gonna really help alongside the money being spent on ads and such.

Likely something similar to the Ames poll turnout machine but also effective for non-supporters moving forward.

[dusman]

If I had a team of developers together, one of the major initiatives I would begin on would be to create a Mobile App similar to FourSquare. As you canvas areas, going door-to-door ... you'd check in at each house and identify who is a Ron Paul supporter, favorable to Ron Paul, or whatever pertinent information. Doing this nationally, you could literally store millions of records and know EXACTLY whose door to go knock on to GOTV, come primary season.

[Javu]

Lets keep the discussion going.

[scrosnoe]

How are we going to win this?

1) Call your reps, senators, governors, tell them to get behind ron paul and give them a reason why. It doesn't hurt to ask. I've called governor mitch daniels, sarah palin's campaign, and I will continue to call.

2) Get out of the house ,off your butt, in to public and preach. Go house to house, volunteer, phone calls, talk to the older people who only have time to watch tv

3) get to the younger voters. The ones that are seniors in HS that don't think voting is a big deal or they don't matter, that's millions of votes ALONE right there!

4) Get people to register

5) PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE, Preach how important october 19th is

+1 rep and a clear AMEN! exert pressure everywhere you can do so!

I'd even take it one step further -- put these candidates on the spot and ask them if they have any backbone to endorse Ron Paul IF they want your help in their campaign. We need a whole crop of constitutional R's coming up the ranks to support a Ron Paul presidency. Make your block walking count for several local races as well as the good doctor.

Be the Republican party, take the local races all the way up the ladder.

If you don't win this time, run again next time and keep building the base! Ron Paul is our example. He did not give up, nor compromise his message!

*** Keep your lists and information local and secure ***

When we have more people than they do we will be the Republican Party and we will win the nomination. Then we win the general (a little easier but not much) and then the truly hard work begins -- that of actually implementing policy. This is the easy part and a test to see if we have the metal to govern. I remember this feeling as a teenager in the Reagan years and I will tell you that you can do this. You are in striking distance, but we are about to see what the entire camp is made of because it gets harder and harder the closer you get to victory. Press on and take the battle to your own neighborhood, your own precinct, your own block, your own church, your own school. Stand up wherever you must and press in with grace and dignity every step of the way.

For Life and Liberty,

[LawnWake]

Gotta get him on tv. Not just a couple of minutes here and there. And not paid for. He or us have got to make some real noise. I don't know how yet, but I'm thinking. It has to be unignorable.

Link (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?316499-Ron-Paul-quot-infomercial-quot)

[whippoorwill]

Bump

[parocks]

If I had a team of developers together, one of the major initiatives I would begin on would be to create a Mobile App similar to FourSquare. As you canvas areas, going door-to-door ... you'd check in at each house and identify who is a Ron Paul supporter, favorable to Ron Paul, or whatever pertinent information. Doing this nationally, you could literally store millions of records and know EXACTLY whose door to go knock on to GOTV, come primary season.

They've always done that, but without computers. So you're really only talking about computerizing. They have databases, and they can use maps to provide directions. Door to Door voter ID involves marking on a list, and then inputting that data elsewhere. Same people doing the same amount of walking. You save a data entry step. Maybe I'm missing something. It creates efficiencies, yes.

[acptulsa]

he is SOFT when it comes to hammering his opponents and creating contrasts...

Not as soft as Reagan was. Yet he managed to be the one standing when the dust settled in 1980.

So, have you heard it said that this is a job for a candidate's supporters, not the candidate himself? What do you think of this idea for a project?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?317512-Let-s-Do-an-Attack-Ad!


Ron is Ron's biggest problem...why is Ron not giving policy speeches??

He is giving policy speeches. You're just not noticing because you're watching Faux, and Murdoch isn't pointing a camera at Ron Paul. And I'll have you know I am both by biggest asset and worst enemy. I'll just bet you can say the same too...

[donnay]

We need to focus...focus on liberty and preach it to the unwashed masses!!!! It isn't a easy job, but it is our duty!!!

[ninepointfive]

Again, I'll make a suggestion that our efforts are hindered dramatically if we do not have a means to organize our online base. For example, Obama has a web site that you sign up for, with your ZIP code and it will automatically feed you activities to get involved in that are local to your area. I have been working off and on, to build something similar.. but I just don't think I have enough time to get it finished up anytime soon.

With the online organizational capacity.. all these other suggestions are easy to coordinate. We have to start thinking nationally and strategically. The web is the easiest way to make that happen. If we don't do this.. we will fight a much more difficult battle of penetrating into new bases.


I'd like to something similar with organizing delegates in the caucus states. If you want to help out with the delegates page, that would be awesome.

[Freedom for the Youth]

Why not use this opportunity to win the hearts and minds of some of the #occupywallstreet crowd? They are organizing more and more demonstrations across America. They are protesting against corruption of Wall Street AND the Federal Reserve. This leaves an opening for supporters to step in and teach them about Ron Paul's message. More importantly, it would cost little to no money, and could make a HUGE difference.

[Todd]

We win at the Convention!!!! Its important to be a delegate.

This..

Probably one of the most neglected part of getting involved. Hold your nose and join a local Republican party.

This was one fo the key things the old meetups were good for organizing.

[Spanky]

If I could understand the process of becoming a delegate I would. :/

[Todd]

If I could understand the process of becoming a delegate I would. :/

hopefully these links will be a good start. Unfortunately it requires getting involved in the local GOP.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?310539-Caucus-Process-and-How-to-Become-a-Delegate

http://www.dailypaul.com/19431/how-to-become-a-delegate-in-your-state-easy-steps

http://www3.webng.com/ronpaul/delegatestates.html

[Todd]

bump

[Esoteric]

We win iowa.