Don't stop donating to the Ron Paul Campaign, even if you're critical!

[D.A.S.]

Since Super Tuesday, the campaign donations dropped like a rock. Yesterday, they received less than $10,000 for the entire day, and today looks to be no different.

Yes, we have our differences and our criticisms with the way some of the things have been handled, and a lot of folks are disappointed that we didn't get our first win on Super Tuesday. But while we communicate those differences and flesh out new ideas, we still need to continue donating to the campaign. If we want them to do better and to continue accruing delegates and to continue working on our first win, they need continued donations from the grassroots.

Ron Paul is in it for the long haul. Most of us are, too. So get on your facebook, twitter, etc, and start rallying the troops, start getting people mad, and start putting the idea into peoples' head that Ron Paul needs us now more than ever, and the best way to manifest it is to DONATE to the campaign.

[eleganz]

agreed...this is a revolution, we must keep fighting.

The second you let it all get to you, you're letting them win.

[bluesc]

A good way to raise money - people want to meet Dr. Paul whether he is winning or not. Host a shit load of expensive private dinners with the man himself. Go through California, Florida, Texas and New York.

$2000 a head x 1000 heads = campaign funded for a while.

[D.A.S.]

That's very true -- and he is doing a fundraiser like that toward mid-March, I think. They need to do more of them!

[havox112]

A good way to raise money - people want to meet Dr. Paul whether he is winning or not. Host a shit load of expensive private dinners with the man himself. Go through California, Florida, Texas and New York.

$2000 a head x 1000 heads = campaign funded for a while.

I sure wish I had that much disposable income.

[Hitman83]

Don't stop! I donated 0.5% of what came in on Wednesday as it seems...that's kinda sad considering I put in $50. This is not over. I'll try to find some info on actual delegate counts, hopefully by bound and unbound. We are in way better shape than most people think.

Should we establish another $$$ moneybomb $$$?

[mport1]

Anybody know if the campaign is ramping up traditional fundraising efforts? Donations have been lagging for quite some time (given what we should have been able to raise), even before Super Tuesday.

[unknown]

I have started donating to Justin Amash here in MI, I also plan give Tom Davis and Massie some money. I'm sorry but I don't see the point in trying for the Presidency at this point, I'm not giving up but I just feel there are far more effective things we can be spending our money on.

BUT, I am open to ideas, you say keep getting delegates - OK, to what end tho? A speaking spot? Again, that sounds like a waste of time, what exactly will getting delegates do for us if not to clinch the nomination?

Im actually taking the opposite approach.

Im sending all my funds to the campaign and PACs at-least until after the convention.

Ron Paul isnt running again. This is it.

[bluesc]

Im actually taking the opposite approach.

Im sending all my funds to the campaign and PACs at-least until after the convention.

Ron Paul isnt running again. This is it.

How dare you stick with Ron Paul!

[ronpaulhawaii]

BUT, I am open to ideas, you say keep getting delegates - OK, to what end tho? A speaking spot? Again, that sounds like a waste of time, what exactly will getting delegates do for us if not to clinch the nomination?

There are a ton of reasons to support the campaign and the delegates. To abandon them will truly be a waste of time and treasure. We NEED to seat the largest delegation we can muster, for LOTS of reasons:

1 - No one knows the future and we still have a slim chance of capturing the nomination right now. The future will make that chance wider, or slimmer, much depends on us.

Regardless:

2 - Delegates will end up on Rules Committee, they will be our voice for fairness and transparency. They will end up on the Platform Committee, they will be our voice for the future direction of the GOP. They will end up impressing other delegates and end up on Central Committees/Other local positions of power.

3 - While the Super Tuesday of 08 was a great disappointment, as were other contests, those disappointments paled by FAR the disappointment suffered nationwide when Dr. Paul suspended his campaign. The vast majority of the r3VOLution wants RP to fight all the way to Tampa, and it is up to us, the internet vanguard, to keep pressing on. We are causing political pain to the enemies of this country and that is enough for me.

I support the r3VOLution and right now, our Shock Troops are the seated and future delegates. Support them - Support the campaign

www.ronpaul2012.com

[coffeewithchess]

Ron Paul isnt running again. This is it.

You're right...and unfortunately there is NOT another RP. Rand Paul is not RP. There is no other RP out there, with his record...

The fact is though, if RP is in it for the long haul, that doesn't take much money at all. Clearly the only point now is to get delegates, as the MSM effectively destroyed the official campaign before Iowa...so I don't see why more money is needed for the campaign, if it's only about grassroots getting delegate spots/hoping for a brokered convention.
See this thread that shows the best way to ensure a brokered convention: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?365491-Want-a-BROKERED-convention

[mport1]

How can we get in touch with Peter Theil? We need to convince him and Endorse Liberty to continue funding the campaign. A few more million from Theil is a drop in the bucket but would go a long way towards helping this campaign continue to move forward.

[TheTyke]

There are a ton of reasons to support the campaign and the delegates. To abandon them will truly be a waste of time and treasure. We NEED to seat the largest delegation we can muster, for LOTS of reasons:

1 - No one knows the future and we still have a slim chance of capturing the nomination right now. The future will make that chance wider, or slimmer, much depends on us.

Regardless:

2 - Delegates will end up on Rules Committee, they will be our voice for fairness and transparency. They will end up on the Platform Committee, they will be our voice for the future direction of the GOP. They will end up impressing other delegates and end up on Central Committees/Other local positions of power.

3 - While the Super Tuesday of 08 was a great disappointment, as were other contests, those disappointments paled by FAR the disappointment suffered nationwide when Dr. Paul suspended his campaign. The vast majority of the r3VOLution wants RP to fight all the way to Tampa, and it is up to us, the internet vanguard, to keep pressing on. We are causing political pain to the enemies of this country and that is enough for me.

I support the r3VOLution and right now, our Shock Troops are the seated and future delegates. Support them - Support the campaign

www.ronpaul2012.com

+Rep

Let's support the delegates who worked so hard for those positions... and those STILL working hard to become delegates. Let's not pull the carpet out from under them. We've accomplished amazing things in getting so many... let's see this through!

[Butchie]

How dare you stick with Ron Paul!

If you guys are resting all of your hopes on Ron Paul I think you are in for a big dissapointment. Having a nice chunk of the senate/congress on our side would do far more than hoping for a brokered convention and then hoping again it will swing in Ron's favor, do what you want with your money/time obviously.

[angelatc]

Third party, with a new campaign management team, and i'm in. Other than that - I am pissed at the campaign. I called and emailed everybody I could find with a Ron Paul address about getting handicapped seating for my husband at any event here in Michigan. He can't stand in line for 6 hours, he can't stay in the cold because the circulation in his limbs is compromised, and he can't climb stairs or do the "sideways shuffle" either.,

Not one person contacted me until after the events were over. Then, we got emails encouraging us to sign up and volunteer for Paul - in a state where the primary was already over?

Fuck these leeches that are riding the Ron Paul gravy train.

[TheTyke]

Butchie - While I want Paul to fight all the way to the convention, I agree that the liberty movement needs support from local candidates to push forward. Consider donating to Chris Hightower (http://www.hightowerforkentucky.com) if you get a chance... he was Rand's earliest and most effective supporter and will win win if we get him the money.

We should support Ron, Amash, Massie, Bradley, Hightower and others... maybe prioritizing those with most reach or ability to win. Whatever we feel motivated to do. This is the future!

[sailingaway]

I think part of the drop was the pre- Super Tuesday push. People pushed to donate then, and it tends to go down before and after money bombs, plus some are taking a breather, I think, after a pretty intense build up. I'm figuring it is temporary, but I agree, now is no time to give up.

[bluesc]

If you guys are resting all of your hopes on Ron Paul I think you are in for a big dissapointment. Having a nice chunk of the senate/congress on our side would do far more than hoping for a brokered convention and then hoping again it will swing in Ron's favor, do what you want with your money/time obviously.

Trust me dude, I don't need the "reality" talk again. I've heard it enough times. I'm with Paul.

[odamn]

Dear Terry,

The mainstream media got the Super Tuesday story wrong. Very wrong. Again.

I'm sure you heard them gleefully talk about which establishment candidate "won" which primary or caucus Tuesday night, if you were even watching. Most Americans thankfully had more sense and switched on something else.

The fact is, just like in many of the earlier contests, very few delegates to the Republican National Convention were decided on Tuesday. Most will be decided several weeks, or even months, from now at District and State conventions - conventions where our local delegates will have a big say in who goes to Tampa.

In fact, while I didn't win any state's straw polls, my team expects me to win a plurality of delegates in at least three states, as well as outright majorities in two more of the states that have already started their process.

Of course, the media totally ignores this story - as they have consistently ignored our message, our passion, and our grassroots army.

Even more lost in the shuffle is that no candidate for President has even made it one-third of the way toward the number of delegates needed to win the nomination.

And for that reason I am determined to proudly battle on, picking up more delegates and skewering the pretensions and historical rewrites of ALL the establishment candidates – Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich.

And I will continue to proudly speak up for liberty, respecting the Constitution in domestic and foreign policy, and returning to a limited government that acts and spends within its means.

And I will continue to do so as long as you will stand with me.

Click to sign

So what does all of that mean?

It means this race is FAR from over. In fact, you could argue it is just getting started. With the decisive number of delegates still to be awarded between now and June, and with our activists swarming local and county delegate selections, you and I will surely end up with an army of delegates...

… IF we don't give up now.

I know it can be tempting to hear and believe the reports of how we can't win. Even worse, you can listen to the professional political class tell you that ideas, the grassroots, and the future do not matter. They rarely say it directly, but their message to you and me from Day One has been - if you cannot win it all this year, you shouldn't even try. It can be tempting to question whether or not all the hard work is worth it.

Well, I know it is. That's why I'm flying thousands of hours and crisscrossing the country. That's why I am leaving my family and home for weeks on end - to fight for the future of our movement and our country.

I am vowing to you today that I will keep fighting. I will fight in every convention and every place where delegates will be selected. I will fight until there is a clear winner - not because the media says that’s the end, but because the nomination has been clinched.

And by my calculations, that may never actually happen. Even if one candidate starts to rack up a clear advantage, it is unlikely he will have all the delegates needed to win on the first ballot.

And if that is the case, then the hundreds of delegates who support our ideals and my campaign (many of whom may be bound to another candidate for the first ballot or two but then free to vote their conscience), will be unleashed.

And they will hold the key to deciding the nominees for President and Vice President, as well as what the platform and policies of the Republican Party will be.

These things – and, even more, the long-term standing of the liberty movement - are worth fighting for, even when we are tired and feel like quitting.

But I cannot do it alone.

Will you join me over these next few weeks and months in pressing our battle forward?

If so, I MUST have your continued support today, tomorrow, and in the coming weeks.

You can show your support by signing the CARRY ON Pledge HERE. I really urge you to take the pledge, as without your support my efforts won't make enough of a difference.

And then, frankly, there’s something else I must ask you to do. I ask you to again make a contribution, even if it is a smaller contribution of $25 or $50 to my campaign. As you know, we run a debt-free campaign, and we pushed our resources to do all we could on Super Tuesday.

Click to sign

Your pledge and your contribution are critical to keeping this campaign running for the upcoming fights in other states, as well as finishing our strong efforts in key caucus states that are already underway.

As I'm sure you know, this won't be the only time I’ll ask. There will be more emails. More money bombs. More state and local conventions and elections where we must – and will – fight for delegates.

I hope you'll come to my aid every time you possibly can.

Our message is too important. Think of the issues that are dominating the political debate right now.

*** How and when to BALANCE THE BUDGET. I am the only candidate with a plan to balance the federal budget and end our debt crisis in one term;

*** Fighting for Individual Liberty, including restoring and protecting the Bill of Rights by stopping the Patriot Act and the Indefinite Detention of American citizens;

*** Auditing the out-of-control Federal Reserve;

*** Stopping the continuing bleeding in our housing market by ending Fannie and Freddie;

*** Ending all government bailouts.
These are OUR issues. And NONE of them were part of the discussion by the other Republican candidates in 2008. Nearly ALL of the candidates now are trying to sound like us!

That tells you our message is breaking through. We are winning on many fronts.

And we must carry the message through the rest of this campaign.

So will you join me? Will you sign the CARRY ON Pledge and send your most generous contribution today to help me carry this fight forward?

I don't believe the media. YOU shouldn't either.

This fight goes on as long as you and I are in it together.


For Liberty,


Ron Paul

P.S. With no candidate even one-third of the way to locking up the nomination, and our campaign set to bank far more delegates then the media acknowledges, now is not the time to back off, back down, or quit. Our liberty message and our movement are growing stronger every day.

They will continue to do so, if we continue to insist on it.

That's why I'm pledging to stay in this fight and to battle for every possible delegate. But I can only succeed if you will keep fighting alongside me. If you will, please sign the CARRY ON Pledge HERE.

And then, please help keep this campaign running by making a contribution (even if it is only $25 or $50). I insist upon a debt-free campaign, and I cannot carry on without your support

[Travlyr]

Don't stop! I donated 0.5% of what came in on Wednesday as it seems...that's kinda sad considering I put in $50. This is not over. I'll try to find some info on actual delegate counts, hopefully by bound and unbound. We are in way better shape than most people think.

Should we establish another $$$ moneybomb $$$?
A Sound Money Bomb would be cool. Everybody donates real money... a silver dime or five... maybe a silver dollar or a Silver Eagle or Gold Eagle.

[D.A.S.]

The campaign is sending out a pledge to sign for standing with Ron Paul.

Signed and donated.

Here are your transaction details:
Donation amount: $20.12
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 17:27:41
Transaction ID: 6DY37019FC464910U

[jkr]

Thank you!

Thank you for your generous donation!

Amount: $20.12
Transaction ID: 344600360
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 17:41:32

[Revolution9]

A good way to raise money - people want to meet Dr. Paul whether he is winning or not. Host a shit load of expensive private dinners with the man himself. Go through California, Florida, Texas and New York.

$2000 a head x 1000 heads = campaign funded for a while.

This should be done. It is one of the few things you will find me saying should be done by the campaign.

Rev9

[Okie RP fan]

The campaign needs to figure something out, then.

Perhaps more appearances, more fundraisers, etc.

[Revolution9]

If you guys are resting all of your hopes on Ron Paul I think you are in for a big dissapointment. Having a nice chunk of the senate/congress on our side would do far more than hoping for a brokered convention and then hoping again it will swing in Ron's favor, do what you want with your money/time obviously.

Call the Dept of Redundancy Department. We have their new head honcho just a buckin' fer a job here.

Rev9

[Butchie]

Butchie - While I want Paul to fight all the way to the convention, I agree that the liberty movement needs support from local candidates to push forward. Consider donating to Chris Hightower (http://www.hightowerforkentucky.com) if you get a chance... he was Rand's earliest and most effective supporter and will win win if we get him the money.

We should support Ron, Amash, Massie, Bradley, Hightower and others... maybe prioritizing those with most reach or ability to win. Whatever we feel motivated to do. This is the future!

I'll look into him, thanks. I still like Tom Davis too tho, he stuck his neck out for Ron in SC and he seems to be on board. Thanks for the info.

[rb3b3]

I fighting on no matter what!!!!!!!!



Amount: $50.00
Transaction ID: 344603561
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 17:58:52

[sailingaway]

This should be done. It is one of the few things you will find me saying should be done by the campaign.

Rev9

they are doing it, but it takes time from seeing more dense crowds of voters. He has a $2500 a plate dinner in LA coming up, for example.

[InTradePro]

Keep donating to the Ron Paul Campaign. Someone please change the thread title.

[NoOneButPaul]

If you guys are resting all of your hopes on Ron Paul I think you are in for a big dissapointment. Having a nice chunk of the senate/congress on our side would do far more than hoping for a brokered convention and then hoping again it will swing in Ron's favor, do what you want with your money/time obviously.

This...

I for one will not donate until the campaign releases their projected delegate numbers.

I feel like were just getting dicked around now. I just got another email from Ron talking about how he actually got 3 wins on Tuesday...

I'm sick of the same talking points about delegates, without a number it's useless.

I say this now because a REAL PROJECTION is exactly what would wake some folks up, they aren't going to give it to us so i'm not going to give to them.

We should be focusing in on the senate and house and taking back the GOP.

If the delegates are all the matter, and Ron is winning 3 states on Super Tuesday while only spending 188k, then he can make it the rest of the way without my $1700 and keep racking up the delegates in the same cheap fashion.

They need to give us a good reason.

[D.A.S.]

Keep donating to the Ron Paul Campaign. Someone please change the thread title.

Nothing wrong with the thread title. Nothing wrong to be critical of the Campaign. But on the other hand, the message is to continue being consistent in supporting the campaign, even if you're critical of their efforts.

[D.A.S.]

We need to cheer up Ron... If we're feeling disappointed, imagine how he's feeling after a couple possible wins got snatched from underneath him... He needs us now, in the time of need, and even I'm broke right now, but I HAD to give Ron something at this time.

Please reach for it.

[Butchie]

We need to cheer up Ron... If we're feeling disappointed, imagine how he's feeling after a couple possible wins got snatched from underneath him... He needs us now, in the time of need, and even I'm broke right now, but I HAD to give Ron something at this time.

Please reach for it.

I agree with this to a point, and I'm not trying to hurt Ron's feelings or anything like that, I'm just trying to think of what's practical. I really feel at this point getting people in House/Senate positions will be much more realistic, there are going to be more Patriot Acts, NDAA's, SOPA's, bailouts coming, trust me, we need opposition voices in there besides Rand. Ron will be gone and now Kucinich is gone (I know DK isn't everyone's fav but he did speak out against wars and govt spying).

Everyone likes to bring up the founders and their struggle, but keep this in mind, there were many instances where Washington could have "stood his ground", and if he had his Army would have been slaughtered and end of Revolution. Therefore he understood sometimes he had to cut his losses and move his men to a more advantageous position.

[jeremiahj13]

Thank you for your generous donation!

Amount: $100.00
Transaction ID: 3446198xx
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 20:33:26

[PatriotOne]

Thank you for your generous donation!


Amount: $100.00
Transaction ID: 344619905
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 20:34:07

[PolicyReader]

Im actually taking the opposite approach.

Im sending all my funds to the campaign and PACs at-least until after the convention.

Ron Paul isnt running again. This is it.
There isn't enough +rep to express how I endorse this statement.

[V3n]

Donate as an EFF U! To the establishment! Damn the torpedoes!!

[seawolf]

That Campaign e-mail was definitely written and approved by Ron himself. I can him in every word I read!!!

Perhaps the best message from the Campaign this year!!! We are making history and I will be damned if I want this Movement for Personal Liberty to stop.!!!

[D.A.S.]

This push is making a difference, folks -- look!

http://i.imgur.com/wPFPy.jpg

[EBounding]

If you guys are resting all of your hopes on Ron Paul I think you are in for a big dissapointment. Having a nice chunk of the senate/congress on our side would do far more than hoping for a brokered convention and then hoping again it will swing in Ron's favor, do what you want with your money/time obviously.


I don't know about anyone else, but I donated knowing full well that it is now practically 100% unlikely that Paul will get the nomination.

Why? Because the message needs to continue and Paul has proven that he's the best person to do so. I believe we do need to focus on other liberty candidates, but we can't give up on Paul either. It's only going to be for a few more months anyway. Plus, it's going to drive the media and the establishment GOP nuts. ;)

Amount: $25.00
Transaction ID: 344621801
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 21:08:33

[jeremiahj13]

Here are your transaction details:
Donation amount: $100.00
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 20:33:26
Transaction ID: 344619874

[floridasun1983]

That Campaign e-mail was definitely written and approved by Ron himself. I can him in every word I read!!!

Perhaps the best message from the Campaign this year!!! We are making history and I will be damned if I want this Movement for Personal Liberty to stop.!!!A agree and felt the same way when I read it. Definitely a totally different vibe.

[J_White]

You have lost, when you stop trying !
I will carry on !

[JNL]

Amount: $20.12
Transaction ID: 344xxx531
Transaction date/time: 2012-03-08 21:45:04

[D.A.S.]

I agree, that email had a very different vibe to it. It wasn't the usual fundraising email full of one-liners and the more generic phrases we've heard several times. It was heartfelt. It was sincere. And while I think the ENTIRE email couldn't have been written by Ron because he's too humble to ask for donations, I think a BIG PART of the email -- the motivational part -- WAS written by the good Doctor himself.

I'm pretty much broke at this point, and I could NOT pass up this opportunity to stand with the man we revere, the man who has been the embodiment of courage and conviction.

[PolicyReader]

I hear a lot about hopes on these forums, about what we should or shouldn't have them about and about when or when not to 'get them up'. I want to comment about hopes.



I don't have hopes I have goals. Bear with me hear because I think these particular conceptual hairs need splitting.

It is my experience that problems take care of themselves, meaning that a problem will be there whether you spend time talking about it/focusing on it or not.
Resolutions on the other hand rarely manifest themselves with action that roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty gritty stuff.

"Hope" is a rather free floating thing, a "I'm already falling I hope there's water rather than sharp rocks below" sort of thing.
"Fatalism" is more of "I'm already falling I'm going to picture how bad it could be when I hit bottom and all the ways I could have not fallen"
"Action" then is "I'm falling, what best can I do to stop or survive this fall"

I'm sure not everyone will take to my particular definitions but the point remains the same, I'm not talking about how likely a nomination is or isn't I'm talking about what can be done to move towards that goal actions you see. Out side of the question of which methods are more effective I don't concern myself with probabilities. Because frankly in what I have observed as well as what I've read in historical accounts very little of potency and import has been accomplished by those who weren't willing to buck the odds and try for what they were told they couldn't/shouldn't.

Will I still seek liberty even if the nomination goes awry? Of course.
However I don't see any more functional merit to playing for the next set of elections than in taking actions here and now during this one.
Considering how things are now, how much worse they've gotten in the past three presidential terms and how much more still is in the pipe I'm not going to simply hope that the liberty movement elects sufficient congressional representatives to counter balance the effects of the rest of the congress combined with an Obamney White House. What if we elected 5 more Rands to the Senate and 20 more Rons to the House (even leaving aside if we have that many to run) how much would that really accomplish when it comes down to the mathematics of voting against things like the TSA, "Patriot" Act, NDAA, hiking the debt limit, funding undeclared wars, etc? If memory serves even if we managed to do both of those things it still wouldn't be enough vote wise to alter the outcomes of any of those votes (govtrack.us if anyone wants to double check me on that).

When people talk about this being a long game they're right, we have a long way to go to accomplish our goals, the reverse is NOT also true.
We don't have a long time to right our course before the current bad becomes profoundly worse.
Does anyone on these forums seriously believe that (sans a Paul White House) it will be easier/'more realistic' to seat 60 liberty Senators and 261 Representatives (the numbers needed to provide the ability to overcome veto and Filibuster) ?
Just because the road back from the cliff is long does not mean the road left until the cliff has very much left.

It's a long road, which is why we have no time to waste on waiting, and as far as I can see giving up on big goals because their unlikely in favor of smaller goals that we hope will signal the start of change, is just a prettied up form of waiting.
(Note: I think everyone who can should run for whatever position at whatever level they can, I wholeheartedly support that but let's not pretend that having 1/3 of the PCOs nation wide and 1/5 of Congress will on it's own directly result in very much tangible change. )
Our economy and our liberties will not bear another decade (let alone two, let alone more) of damage on top of what Obama and W have done... not if we wish to retain a nation or way of life that is recognizable during those decades in question. (Who in the 1990s let alone before would have said 'nude' body scans, highway check points, assassination of citizens based on 'secrete' evidence, torture, indefinite military detention of suspects, warrant-less tapping of our calls and correspondence, and proposals CIA spy drone tech in our skies were things that would ever be seen, let alone accepted within the day to day of american life?)

"The true danger is when Liberty is nibbled away, for expedients and by parts.... The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men do nothing."

[D.A.S.]

Will I still seek liberty even if the nomination goes awry? Of course. However I don't see any more functional merit to playing for the next set of elections than in taking actions here and now during this one. Considering how things are now, how much worse they've gotten in the past three presidential terms and how much more still is in the pipe I'm not going to simply hope that the liberty movement elects sufficient congressional representatives to counter balance the effects of the rest of the congress combined with an Obamney White House. What if we elected 5 more Rands to the Senate and 20 more Rons to the House (even leaving aside if we have that many to run) how much would that really accomplish when it comes down to the mathematics of voting against things like the TSA, "Patriot" Act, NDAA, hiking the debt limit, funding undeclared wars, etc? If memory serves even if we managed to do both of those things it still wouldn't be enough vote wise to alter the outcomes of any of those votes (govtrack.us if anyone wants to double check me on that).

When people talk about this being a long game they're right, we have a long way to go to accomplish our goals, the reverse is NOT also true.
We don't have a long time to right our course before the current bad becomes profoundly worse. Does anyone on these forums seriously believe that (sans a Paul White House) it will be easier/'more realistic' to seat 60 liberty Senators and 261 Representatives (the numbers needed to provide the ability to overcome veto and Filibuster) ? Just because the road back from the cliff is long does not mean the road left until the cliff has very much left.



Excellent post -- you make so many important points, I don't have enough rep to give you. I took the liberty of highlighting a couple of key statements.

[Jingles]

bump

[V3n]

For the future of this nation - BUMP!

[pacelli]

How can we get in touch with Peter Theil? We need to convince him and Endorse Liberty to continue funding the campaign. A few more million from Theil is a drop in the bucket but would go a long way towards helping this campaign continue to move forward.

I suspect Peter Thiel and the other PAC-funders are reading the same emails we are reading from Ron Paul's signature.

[D.A.S.]

That was a nice day yesterday, pulling in just over $100K in donations! That's the spirit.

[A. Havnes]

I've definitely hit critical now! I've been focused to much on the campaign I kind of forgot to follow up on that student loan deferment (I got fired from my crap job) and it went into default. That sucks. As such, in my signature I'm promoting a product by a guy I've been working on, and he's giving me a commission on sales. Little does he know, it's mostly going to Ron Paul's campaign while the rest is going to pay off my debt. :(

For me, freedom is priority!

[cjm]

If you guys are resting all of your hopes on Ron Paul I think you are in for a big dissapointment. Having a nice chunk of the senate/congress on our side would do far more than hoping for a brokered convention and then hoping again it will swing in Ron's favor, do what you want with your money/time obviously.


Butchie, I understand your sentiment. You want to be as effective with your resources as possible. I think all of us here agree with that. I'm in Virginia's 6th CD where Karen Kwiatkowski is running for Congress and although I've volunteered and performed some leg work for her campaign, all of my contributions go to Ron Paul. I'm embarrassed to say that the people in my district look to the national scene to determine their support at the local level. The political phrase is "coattails" not "floorjacks" for a reason. For Karen to have any chance to primary a popular 10 term incumbent, it will be on Ron Paul's coattails. To get her into office, we have to make Ron Paul as successful as possible.

[cjm]

Is my coattails theory that bad? or did this thread just scroll off the first page?

[PolicyReader]

Butchie, I understand your sentiment. You want to be as effective with your resources as possible. I think all of us here agree with that. I'm in Virginia's 6th CD where Karen Kwiatkowski is running for Congress and although I've volunteered and performed some leg work for her campaign, all of my contributions go to Ron Paul. I'm embarrassed to say that the people in my district look to the national scene to determine their support at the local level. The political phrase is "coattails" not "floorjacks" for a reason. For Karen to have any chance to primary a popular 10 term incumbent, it will be on Ron Paul's coattails. To get her into office, we have to make Ron Paul as successful as possible.

This political phenomenon has a lot of historical traction too it. Simply put the majority of voters don't research deeply so they vote for who/what they are comfortable with, which means what they know and that which is endorsed by/associated with what they know.
Even among the politically savvy members of RPF (and yes the average level of know how here is a cut, if not two or three, above the standard voting curve) you can see 'coattails' in action. Just think how many voters wouldn't even know of liberty candidates (let alone how many wouldn't even be running) if not for Dr. Paul.
There's more of a conversation on the issues and how the interconnect, there are more personal connections and thus people who can vouch for the legitimacy of liberty candidates. Even Rons Official Campaign has already created some degree of a coattails effect by training and inspiration for many local supporters to run for party offices. Also the 'fair weather friends' who dance like weather-vanes to the prevailing political winds *cough*Romney*cough* at various levels (esp federal) will become at least more receptive if not actually supportive. The White House is not just an office, it's a symbol, and a symbol of that potency would have an impact on the perceived legitimacy of the liberty movement. Anyone who's talked about how important a 1st place straw poll state would be/is should understand this fully, to occupy the white house is the mother of all momentum creators for federal politics. On top of which it would put a liberty defender (Ron Paul) in a position to hold the line for four years giving the movement not only momentum but the traction to grow into a much more formidable force.
Without the advantages that the white house grants? Well things are going to get even more up hill than they are this election cycle (I have read reports from many voters turned away for various reason and GOP insiders talking about altering how nominations are handled in their area to protect the insiders. There have been rules changes after votes where being counted in Ohio to block everyone on the ballot except the incumbent establishment candidate. And I know at least one Idaho voter cut out of the PCO process by the way the party has stacked it's regulations). The proceeding parenthetical is a growing trend and what we're seeing now is only what they've done on the fly, just wait until they've had 2-4 years to work on it.
We need wins, in the sense of liberty people elected and holding offices, this election or the next time round the fight is going to be even more stacked against us, it will be harder. If we win elections the reverse happens and we're facing a more even playing field next cycle than this one but that's the situation, this election is double down for the liberty movement, that bet has already been made (was made the moment we started seeking party and political office as an organized political force, made when Paul decided to make a real push to win this year and go after delegates) if we fall short now there will be a price paid and we'll have to fight even harder to accomplish our goals.

So lets make this happen in 2012

[jbauer]

Not much but its what I can do. Fight on Ron!!!!

Amount:

$20.12



Transaction ID:

344828928



Transaction date/time:

2012-03-09 16:09:07

[Butchie]

Butchie, I understand your sentiment. You want to be as effective with your resources as possible. I think all of us here agree with that. I'm in Virginia's 6th CD where Karen Kwiatkowski is running for Congress and although I've volunteered and performed some leg work for her campaign, all of my contributions go to Ron Paul. I'm embarrassed to say that the people in my district look to the national scene to determine their support at the local level. The political phrase is "coattails" not "floorjacks" for a reason. For Karen to have any chance to primary a popular 10 term incumbent, it will be on Ron Paul's coattails. To get her into office, we have to make Ron Paul as successful as possible.

OK, I can respect that, here's what I fear tho: As Ron stays in he becomes a "sideshow" of sorts, already I have seen a few articles making fun of Ron and his lack of success, not to mention being hyped yet still coming in 3rd, even in a place like Alaska. Now ofcourse, bad press is nothing new, but it seems to be taking a different turn now. He was mostly ignored, or called unelectable, now it's more the meme that he's just a joke with a diluded group of followers who have no idea they are a laughing stock.

My 2nd fear: Everyone starts rallying behind Romney, they just want to get on with the election and start the Obama bashing, Ron "sticks it out", the entire past/present/future GOP start to see him as a pain in the butt who just won't get out of the way, the vast majority of voters who simply ignored him now start to actually hate him.

So we either have Ron ending his career as a walking joke or a hated "saboteur", neither good for his legacy or the future, just how I see it, I could be wrong, hope I am.

[EBounding]

My 2nd fear: Everyone starts rallying behind Romney, they just want to get on with the election and start the Obama bashing, Ron "sticks it out", the entire past/present/future GOP start to see him as a pain in the butt who just won't get out of the way, the vast majority of voters who simply ignored him now start to actually hate him.


Other than the media hype, I'm not seeing the GOP coalescing behind Romney. The proof of that is with Virginia among other states. If Ron was irrelevant and if people were really on board with Romney, he should have easily won that state by 75%+. Yet he couldn't even break 60% against a guy who's been blacked out by the media! The people who voted for Ron were either supporters or neocons so against Romney that they're willing to vote for Paul.

Most of Paul's supporters aren't going to rally behind Romney anyway, so he's not spoiling anything. This is Romney's race to lose. What's important now is that the message of liberty reaches as many eyes and ears as possible. Paul is the only person popular enough to deliver that message, so it's worth it to keep him in the race. And as unlikely as it is, you never know what may happen.

[D.A.S.]

My 2nd fear: Everyone starts rallying behind Romney, they just want to get on with the election and start the Obama bashing, Ron "sticks it out", the entire past/present/future GOP start to see him as a pain in the butt who just won't get out of the way, the vast majority of voters who simply ignored him now start to actually hate him.


Doubt it -- there's a lot of anti-Romney sentiment in the GOP.

Ron already sticks out, and he is already a pain in the butt for the GOP, and he's definitely not interested in getting out of the way, and neither are we as the liberty movement. :-D

A lot of voters who ignore him are ALREADY negative toward him, or were negative since before Iowa... Media has already done its job to portray Ron early on as a long-shot, a spoiler, then racist, then inept, then 3rd-party candidate, then a guy who can't win a state. It's always something. When he wins a state, it will be "oh, but you only won one state, are you still considering 3rd party?" It never ends. Get used to it. :-)

Ron's legacy won't change whether he stays the course through the convention or drops out now. In fact, his legacy would probably be lot taller if he stays all the way through, which is what he pledged to do.

[buggrock]

How does one donate?, Sorry am new !

[seawolf]

Go to www.ronpaul2012.com and hit the Donate Button. It's that easy buggrock and welcome aboard!!!!

[seawolf]

Oh!! buggrock if you want to follow the Ron Paul Daily Donation Total's that are received by the Campaign On-line just click on
http://schiff.depositwiz.com/

[Warmon]

How does one donate?, Sorry am new !

Direct link is here: https://secure.ronpaul2012.com/

[DRFilms]

Donated another $30 today... gotta get sum sleep now, big day Tomorrow at the Gwinnett Co GA country delegate meeting.

[ronpaulhemp]

Ron Paul for the long haul!

[oldsmobile98]

Thank you!

Thank you for your generous donation!

Amount: $25.00
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Transaction date/time: 2012-03-10 00:22:59