The Budget

[Drknows]

I would like to know about the budget.

I did crunch some numbers though.

now the price is 500 k for 5 weeks. which is a slight adjustment 5 weeks = 35 days so 1 month and 5 days.

350k for blimp
with pilot, staff and artwork included.
http://www.airshipman.com/services.htm

That leaves 150k extra.

now there is 9 people on the staff,
.
Now Lets make a guess that the extras will cost around 50k a month. Which doesn't sound too bad since miniature RC blimps only cost around 2-5k each and renting a spot light will be around 1k per month. we will say 2k for gas expenses.
http://www.searchlights.biz/pre-owned.htm

That leaves well over 40k for renting a venue to land it, media handouts ect ect. AND......

that still leaves a budget of 11.1k a month per staff member for living expenses. thats 133k a year per person.

[leipo]

http://www.ronpaulblimp.com/Transparency.php

[alliebelle]

Staff
To get your message across with as much media attention as possible we need staff to alert the media in a coordinated fashion. To make sure the rallies are well organized.

Couldn't the meetup groups organize rallies and contact the media for free?




* Trevor Lyman - The man who made the This November 5th money bomb happen and had orginal concept for a Ron Paul Blimp in mid-June. Trevor will conduct most interviews with the press.
o $1,000/week

Couldn't the meetup groups perform this function?



* Elijah Lynn - Individual who got momentum for this project going and made arrangements with fellow Ron Paul supporter.
o $1,000/week

What will he be doing, specifically?



* Jerry Collette - Paralegal and Manager
o $1,000/week

Aren't there any volunteers with legal expertise? Why is this fee per week and not by hour as ALL paralegals charge by the hour?



* Videographer 1 - Videographer 1 will be in the blimp filming the passengers or in other aircraft taping the blimp with the passengers in it. When not in the air they will also be taping another perspective.
o $1,000/week

Anybody could do video from inside the blimp. The important one is on the ground.



* Videographer 2 - Videographer 2 will be on the ground filming all of the rallies and the aerial displays.
o $1,000/week

OK.





* Bryce Henderson- Company Media Coordinator
o $1,000/week

Couldn't the meetup groups perform this function?



* Joe Amidon - Assistant Manager
o $1,000/week

Couldn't the meetup groups perform this function?



* Joel Lemieux - On Location Media Coordinator
o Volunteer - Expenses paid

Way to go Joel Lemieux.



* Katherine
o Volunteer - Fill Time - No expenses

Way to go Katherine.


* Webmaster/Web developer (added 12/02/2008 @ 8:10 MST)
o $1,000/week

Aren't there like 20,000 web developers who support Ron Paul who would love to do this for free? Have you asked for a volunteer? Why would this be charged by the week and not by the hour?

Sorry to be negative. I'm not a troll. I'm a max Ron Paul supporter.

The BIGGEST question is what happens if the blimp is undersubscribed and doesn't fly? I made a pledge, but I won't be contributing until this question is answered.

[RP4Pres2008]

There are hundreds of people that would do half the stuff for free. Why pay 2 people 1k a week just to film?

If you haven't noticed, the movement is not at a loss for video...

[Jagwarr]

In one of these threads someone with experience in media relations or something like that offered to replace four people, including Trevor, Elijah and two other paid staff for free. He even sent an email but never received a reply.

I'm not trying to be negative, I think the blimp idea is great but I would like to know why more qualified volunteers are being denied?

I have said this before, the campaign needs people who are with this blimp to talk about the issues and not money bombs and the blimp itself. You could have each stop feature an expert on a certain issue to speak with the media. In particular we need to begin to appeal to the senior vote and I'm sorry to say but a couple young whipersnappers preaching to seniors isn't going to go over very well.

[InRonWeTrust]

I've got an HD camera and I'll come do it for free.

for real.

[RP4Pres2008]

I've got an HD camera and I'll come do it for free.

for real.

Good enough.

Let's do as Ron and start cutting some expenses.

[millerjd]

I've got an HD camera and I'll come do it for free.

for real.

Then email the website. Make a barter deal that you will have rights to the video yourself....... Good deal when RP gets elected and you hold some HD footage of the journey.....

[fletcher]

Good enough.

Let's do as Ron and start cutting some expenses.

They don't want to cut expenses. They want to make money. People have already offered to do the work for free. This thing is a scam.

[cero]

not to sound negative but why 1000$ a week?
This is going to be their undoing everything so far has been volunteered work.

[Elijah]

I've got an HD camera and I'll come do it for free.

for real.


If you will do it for free for the next year then please submit your application to http://www.ronpaulmax.com/i_will_help.html

[cero]

Elijah why 1000$ a week?

[synthetic]

This whole thing is a con. Where grassroots once drove the project we now see the organizers drawing large weekly paychecks. Some people have sunk so much of their credibility behind this they refuse to believe the obvious - people are being scammed while a few are lining their pockets.

[RP4Pres2008]

If you will do it for free for the next year then please submit your application to http://www.ronpaulmax.com/i_will_help.html

Why does it have to be a year? Why not have people sign up when your in a specific city.

Patriots want to do it for free!! Why not let them?

[steph3n]

This whole thing is a con. Where grassroots once drove the project we now see the organizers drawing large weekly paychecks. Some people have sunk so much of their credibility behind this they refuse to believe the obvious - people are being scammed while a few are lining their pockets.

I did not support this UNTIL it was a company, because of the legal issues, this alone will spark a firestorm of media making such a company, just like MoveOn.org did on the PAC scene except for LIBERTY and FREEDOM instead of "democratic" socialism

[hillertexas]

Elijah,

How about instead of a refund you make it clear that if the blimp does not fly, the money will be contributed to ________ (Operation Live Free or Die, Granny Warriors, etc).

I think this would make people as comfortable as a refund promise would. And you could avoid the problems with promising a refund.

WIN-WIN

[theantirobot]

This whole thing is a con. Where grassroots once drove the project we now see the organizers drawing large weekly paychecks. Some people have sunk so much of their credibility behind this they refuse to believe the obvious - people are being scammed while a few are lining their pockets.

We want a blimp. Some of us have more power to make that happen then others. Right now RonPaulBlimp.com is our best chance of making it happen. If they don't meet the demands of the donors, it will never get off the ground. With no refunds it would be perceived as a scam. As they improve and refine their offer they will attract more donors, which will attract even more donors.

Let's just pretend we raise enough money to fund this through inauguration. How much would that be? How much must we raise to get it off the ground? If it is funded for a full year how many people's salaries did we provide? What other business opportunities might be enabled by a successful RonPaulBlimp?

Show me the total number. Show me the goal.

[InRonWeTrust]

If you will do it for free for the next year then please submit your application to http://www.ronpaulmax.com/i_will_help.html

Why does it have to be a year? I'm not kidding. I've got an HD camera and I own a small tech company, so I can take off anytime I want. Only thing I would need is daily internet access so I can check in on my company.

[TheHand]

$1000 a week does sound a bit high but remember the feds and state take a approx. 25% bite out of that. Of course the tax rate is relative.

But if they are really working and traveling full time. Maybe it isn't that high? If your traveling then gas, restaurant meals, rooms, etc. add up quick. Plus mobile internet access and phone costs.

Now, if your telecommuting from home then I would question the salary. But even then that could be justified to me in the hours invested by the individual. Just my 2 cents. :D