Ron Paul: 'Help!' - RPI might have to close.

[Lucille]

http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2014/november/20/ron-paul-help/


Dear Friends:

Looking at the entrance to the little, spartan headquarters of my Institute for Peace and Prosperity here in Clute, Texas, I wonder how long it will be here. Not long, I am afraid, without your help.

I marvel at how much has been achieved with so little over the past year and a half. My tiny Ron Paul Institute has become an antiwar powerhouse, publishing thousands of cutting-edge articles challenging the politicians, the warmongering neocons, and the mainstream media. Our small staff, led by my long-time Congressional foreign policy advisor Daniel McAdams, has been featured in hundreds of television and radio interviews all over the world. That is bang for the buck!

When last summer it looked like the neocons would get away with bombing Syria, my Institute went into high gear. One by one we refuted the lies served up by the neocons and the mainstream media. Had US bombs fallen on the Syrian government last summer, the black flag of al-Qaeda or ISIS would now be flying in Damascus. And Syria’s Christian community, dating back to the time of Christ, would be obliterated.

We've done a lot, but we have so much more to do. That is why it would break my heart if I should have to shut down the Ron Paul Institute. We don’t constantly bombard our friends and supporters for money. But the truth is, the wolf is at the door. I am very worried and I need your help.

If we cannot get some help from our friends and followers, I will be forced to place a Closed sign on our little building, and to shut down the intellectual powerhouse it contains. Won't you consider a tax-deductible contribution?

Closing my Institute for Peace and Prosperity would have all the neocons toasting each other in champagne. It would break my heart, not just because it would silence the most effective center for the ideas we share, but because of what it would mean for the whole country – and even the world.
[...]
I need your help. If you value what I have done over the past forty years, please consider lending a hand in the most important battle of my life. The Ron Paul Institute is our future, and I want to make sure it continues to grow and prosper as the legacy of my lifetime dedication to peace, prosperity, international dialogue, and civil liberties. Indeed, I want to make sure it survives, and right now, it may not.

Won’t you please make your most generous, tax-deductible donation to my Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity? Your help is urgently needed. Our bank account is almost empty.

[Warlord]

sad to say peace doesn't pay does it? the neocons have all their established media and MIC financing what do we have? I am so greatful to Ron Paul.

[invisible]

Maybe this would be better use of the money going to jesse benton's legal defense.

[thoughtomator]

Ron's a multimillionaire - he can run it off his own money the rest of his life if he wants to. If the doors close it will be his own decision.

[Warlord]

Ron's a multimillionaire - he can run it off his own money the rest of his life if he wants to. If the doors close it will be his own decision.

That's complacent nonesense.

[thoughtomator]

That's complacent nonesense.

Maybe I just seen one too many Ron Paul fundraising letters in my time. After the amount that went to Jesse Benton, and ending the campaign with a million unspent, I'm 100% done for good sending any money his way.

[mit26chell]

This type of stuff makes me so mad. Does he not have over $1 million left from the 2012 campaign? Also, if he really believed in it he will fund it himself... He's worth millions. It should not cost much money to run a small think tank. Overhead should be very low.

[devil21]

This type of stuff makes me so mad. Does he not have over $1 million left from the 2012 campaign? Also, if he really believed in it he will fund it himself... He's worth millions. It should not cost much money to run a small think tank. Overhead should be very low.

Not even close to a million anymore. That's what the posts above about Benton are about. The 2012 campaign surplus has mostly gone to lawyers. Blech!

My simple question is who is soliciting and processing the donations? If it's Saber then no thanks. So much money has been stolen by them in various forms already. Seems to me that whatever remaining money is left over from RP2012 should go to supporting RPI and associated orgs, not paying for legal defenses for corrupt campaign workers.

[NoOneButPaul]

After the Benton debacle I'm done donating. I've got posts as far back as 2012 when I first joined here expressing my displeasure with Benton and what an obvious little shit he was from the start. Sorry Ron, I love you like a family member but I gave enough already (especially to the last money bomb that went nowhere) and I have come to the point where I do not believe in your judgment as it relates to putting the proper people in charge of the institutions you want us to donate to. Call Peter Thiel or Alex Jones if you're that desperate...

[Matt Collins]

This type of stuff makes me so mad. Does he not have over $1 million left from the 2012 campaign? Also, if he really believed in it he will fund it himself... He's worth millions. It should not cost much money to run a small think tank. Overhead should be very low.
Ron was self-employed, and he didn't take Congressional pension... so the only income he gets is from his investments....


In case you don't understand how wealth works, people who are wealthy only spend the interest on their investments (unless they are going to make another investment).


Since Ron has likely less than $10 million (according to Open Secrets) anything he takes out of his investments will significantly impact his retirement income. So his time is better spent using his name brand to fundraise for the Institute, than donating to it himself. He can get RPI a lot more money that way.

[Carlybee]

Ron was self-employed, and he didn't take Congressional pension... so the only income he gets is from his investments....


In case you don't understand how wealth works, people who are wealthy only spend the interest on their investments (unless they are going to make another investment).


Since Ron has likely less than $10 million (according to Open Secrets) anything he takes out of his investments will significantly impact his retirement income. So his time is better spent using his name brand to fundraise for the Institute, than donating to it himself. He can get RPI a lot more money that way.


And some of us will never have ten million or even a good retirement account. Love RP but my days of donating will be very selective. Perhaps those who are a bit more affluent will help.

[NewRightLibertarian]

Ron's a multimillionaire - he can run it off his own money the rest of his life if he wants to. If the doors close it will be his own decision.

It's just the usual C4L funding tactic. I will throw a few bucks their way though because I really appreciate the work of the Institute. Got regular donations going to Antiwar.com though, an organization that I trust more than RPI.

[PRB]

It's just the usual C4L funding tactic. I will throw a few bucks their way though because I really appreciate the work of the Institute. Got regular donations going to Antiwar.com though, an organization that I trust more than RPI.

If for no other reason than, they've been around longer.

How about RPI just say how much they need and why, then MAYBE some people will know

1. How far it is to save it
2. Where the money goes or whether their expenses are even justified

We're all about asking the government to be transparent, luckily it's 501c3, so it's easy to look up AFTER the fact (not necessarily before).

[PRB]

Ron was self-employed, and he didn't take Congressional pension... so the only income he gets is from his investments....


Which should be making millions because Schiff and Wead are his advisors, right?



In case you don't understand how wealth works, people who are wealthy only spend the interest on their investments (unless they are going to make another investment).


What's wealth if you don't spend it? Spending frugally is a good trait no less.



Since Ron has likely less than $10 million (according to Open Secrets) anything he takes out of his investments will significantly impact his retirement income. So his time is better spent using his name brand to fundraise for the Institute, than donating to it himself. He can get RPI a lot more money that way.

Yeah, which is another way of saying his time is better spent raising money for somebody else, since he has enough.

[PRB]

And some of us will never have ten million or even a good retirement account. Love RP but my days of donating will be very selective. Perhaps those who are a bit more affluent will help.

If we're talking about living and retiring, a man at 80 years old with anything more than a million has nothing to complain (not to mention if he's healthy, has no debt, and has children who are all well to do).

[PRB]

After the Benton debacle I'm done donating. I've got posts as far back as 2012 when I first joined here expressing my displeasure with Benton and what an obvious little shit he was from the start. Sorry Ron, I love you like a family member but I gave enough already (especially to the last money bomb that went nowhere) and I have come to the point where I do not believe in your judgment as it relates to putting the proper people in charge of the institutions you want us to donate to. Call Peter Thiel or Alex Jones if you're that desperate...

LOL. Knowing how Peter Thiel and Alex Jones spend their money, you can know how much people with money care about the liberty movement. Sadly this is becoming typical if not the norm, the liberty movement is like any other struggling movement, rich people calling poor people to donate and/or saying "I'll match" rather than jumping in first.

[PRB]

Ron's a multimillionaire - he can run it off his own money the rest of his life if he wants to. If the doors close it will be his own decision.

Yep.

He had just as much support, fans, and reach before the institute, there's no reason he "needs" it. it's a platform for his voice, but there's more than enough places that'll happily pay to have him speak. I don't blame him for trying everything he can to use his name to get money, but I think people know from as early as 2008 how he and his associates spend it (or not spend it).

[thoughtomator]

Ron was self-employed, and he didn't take Congressional pension... so the only income he gets is from his investments....

In case you don't understand how wealth works, people who are wealthy only spend the interest on their investments (unless they are going to make another investment).

Since Ron has likely less than $10 million (according to Open Secrets) anything he takes out of his investments will significantly impact his retirement income. So his time is better spent using his name brand to fundraise for the Institute, than donating to it himself. He can get RPI a lot more money that way.

That statement is breathtaking arrogant and out of touch. Less than $10 million, eh? Is that the entitlement minimum for important people? Certainly it's not an expected level of assets for a regular Joe.

I guess Ron must think that a bit more comfort in his retirement is more important than the institute, if the retirement income is more important than the institute. This implies the institute is of minor importance indeed. And if that's the case, who cares if it folds?

I love Ron, but there's something unseemly about people with significant wealth asking regular Joes for their money for his project. The fundraising connected to RP activities seems wildly out of place in the movement that RP inspired.

[PRB]

That statement is breathtaking arrogant and out of touch. Less than $10 million, eh? Is that the entitlement minimum for important people?


LOL, no, nobody said that. He simply meant to say Ron isn't a billionaire and has limited amounts he can and is willing to throw at his institute. And why should he use any of his money if doesn't have to?



Certainly it's not an expected level of assets for a regular Joe.


Correct, it isn't. What IS though? $1M? I mean, after all, you've worked 30+ years as a doctor and Congressman.



I guess Ron must think that a bit more comfort in his retirement is more important than the institute, if the retirement income is more important than the institute.


Of course it is, or else he'd have said "Donate your retirement to invest in our future, I did, you should too". Clearly he knows nobody's retirement should come after his institute.



This implies the institute is of minor importance indeed. And if that's the case, who cares if it folds?


People who like to point to a website whenever people ask them questions about "How Ron Paul is doing".



I love Ron, but there's something unseemly about people with significant wealth asking regular Joes for their money for his project. The fundraising connected to RP activities seems wildly out of place in the movement that RP inspired.

Don't get too mad, this is just how Americans do it. This just means RP movement is typically American, and no different. If anything, we should be glad we're becoming mainstream and not thinking we have magical ways of doing things differently. Rich people asking poor people to donate, not disclosing overhead, that's the American way.

[green73]

It's amazing how cynical people are of the one man who's done more for liberty than anyone in living memory.

[Carlybee]

LOL, no, nobody said that. He simply meant to say Ron isn't a billionaire and has limited amounts he can and is willing to throw at his institute. And why should he use any of his money if doesn't have to?



Correct, it isn't. What IS though? $1M? I mean, after all, you've worked 30+ years as a doctor and Congressman.



Of course it is, or else he'd have said "Donate your retirement to invest in our future, I did, you should too". Clearly he knows nobody's retirement should come after his institute.



People who like to point to a website whenever people ask them questions about "How Ron Paul is doing".



Don't get too mad, this is just how Americans do it. This just means RP movement is typically American, and no different. If anything, we should be glad we're becoming mainstream and not thinking we have magical ways of doing things differently. Rich people asking poor people to donate, not disclosing overhead, that's the American way.


Rich people stay rich by using OPM.

[green73]

Rich people stay rich by using OPM.

This is the disgusting argument I'd expect from a leftist.

[Occam's Banana]

If (1) you like and support what RPI is doing, and (2) you like and support how it is being done, and (3) you are able to do so, then you should contribute. If any of (1-3) do not apply, then you shouldn't. (And if you don't, I'm pretty sure Ron isn't going to whine & bitch about how you spend your own money, regardless of how much of it you have ...)

[amy31416]

Ron was self-employed, and he didn't take Congressional pension... so the only income he gets is from his investments....


In case you don't understand how wealth works, people who are wealthy only spend the interest on their investments (unless they are going to make another investment).


Since Ron has likely less than $10 million (according to Open Secrets) anything he takes out of his investments will significantly impact his retirement income. So his time is better spent using his name brand to fundraise for the Institute, than donating to it himself. He can get RPI a lot more money that way.

So you've donated, right?

[green73]

If (1) you like and support what RPI is doing, and (2) you like and support how it is being done, and (3) you are able to do so, then you should contribute. If any of (1-3) do not apply, then you shouldn't. (And if you don't, I'm pretty sure Ron isn't going to whine & bitch about how you spend your own money, regardless of how much of it you have ...)

No, no, no! I know better than he does on how he should spend his personal wealth. To hell with his enormous family! It should all go to the "people"!

[Suzanimal]

It's amazing how cynical people are of the one man who's done more for liberty than anyone in living memory.

^^^This and thisvvv


If (1) you like and support what RPI is doing, and (2) you like and support how it is being done, and (3) you are able to do so, then you should contribute. If any of (1-3) do not apply, then you shouldn't. (And if you don't, I'm pretty sure Ron isn't going to whine & bitch about how you spend your own money, regardless of how much of it you have ...)

I will happily make Christmas gift donations to RPI in the name of my Democrat in-laws.:)

[brandon]

What even is the RPI other than a blogging platform for RP and a couple others? Blogging should raise money through adverts.... not require money from the readers.

I feel like RPs attempts at internet money grabs since his campaign ended are seriously tarnishing his legacy. Can someone please tell him to stop this shit. People do not pay for written content on the internet and that seems to have totally escaped whoever is running his team.

[green73]

^^ says the proudly identified "statist".

Don't worry, nobody is coercing you to contribute, unlike like your precious government and all its connected apologists.

[Carlybee]

This is the disgusting argument I'd expect from a leftist.

It's true and I am hardly a leftist. I have worked for a couple of multi millionaires. Sorry if my comments made your butt hurt. :/. FYI...just as RP...what I choose to do with MY money is MY business. Is RP asking for donations NOT using OPM? If I'm mistaken please correct me. I donated plenty during the campaign that was thrown under the bus.

[Henry Rogue]

I think i can scratch a little together for the cause, just wish it wasn't right before the holidays.

[Tod]

Sorry, Ron.....I cannot afford to contribute.

I am not yet in a position to maintain my own lifestyle should I suddenly find that my income source is cut off, and you know what they say on airplanes: In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, please place your own oxygen mask over your own face first, and THEN you may assist others.

[fr33]

Maybe I just seen one too many Ron Paul fundraising letters in my time. After the amount that went to Jesse Benton, and ending the campaign with a million unspent, I'm 100% done for good sending any money his way.

No shit. I'll never give anything to Ron Paul again. I gave thousands in the past. He's got way more money than I have. He makes a living off assholes like me.

[green73]

It's true and I am hardly a leftist. I have worked for a couple of multi millionaires. Sorry if my comments made your butt hurt. :/. FYI...just as RP...what I choose to do with MY money is MY business. Is RP asking for donations NOT using OPM? If I'm mistaken please correct me. I donated plenty during the campaign that was thrown under the bus.

Do you ever read what the Ron Paul Institute puts out? Probably not. They put out articles daily. Articles that represent what "we" the Rothbardian/Ron Paul wing of libertarians believe with respect to what is going on in the world right now. Who else is putting out this message? Reason? Cato? Rand Paul?

But you can shit on it all if you want because you were burned chasing some unachievable political dream, despite all the good it did freeing people's minds.

I'm not the butthurt one. It's you, and the others on this thread who share you myopic view.

[Bryan]

OK, everyone. There is no need to make arguments personal. Let's just please stick to the issues.

Thank you.

[green73]

OK, everyone. There is no need to make arguments personal. Let's just please stick to the issues.

Thank you.

I said that she probably does not read RPI because it's fairly obvious most here don't give a shit about foreign policy. The mass murder being committed in the world by the US government gets little play here. People care much more about a cop killing someone's pitbull than a brown family being blown up by a US drone in a foreign land. I'll never understand that. I guess nationalism is just that poisonous, even to supposed "libertarians".

[Carlybee]

Do you ever read what the Ron Paul Institute puts out? Probably not. They put out articles daily. Articles that represent what "we" the Rothbardian/Ron Paul wing of libertarians believe with respect to what is going on in the world right now. Who else is putting out this message? Reason? Cato? Rand Paul?

But you can shit on it all if you want because you were burned chasing some unachievable political dream, despite all the good it did freeing people's minds.

I'm not the butthurt one. It's you, and the others on this thread who share you myopic view.

I'm not shitting on anything. I made some comments that you didn't like and you took it upon yourself to not only label me, but to scold me for making the comments. You don't know anything about me, what I read, where I read it or where I got it so I would highly suggest you discontinue the speculation. I hope RPI is able to continue, however, I don't utilize it so I have the right to decide whether or not I am able to contribute to it. Mises Institute puts out articles daily too for the record. Jeffrey Tucker has a new newsletter that goes out. Tom Woods has a blog. Zerohedge has daily articles. And there is always the public library as well as my own bookshelf that has books, including some written by Ron Paul, that I have purchased or received as gifts. I have donated to campaigns and various Ron Paul causes since 2007, so I really don't need your judgment, but how libertarian of you.:rolleyes: You just earned the first neg rep I have given out in a long, long time so that should tell you what I think of your comments.

[Carlybee]

OK, everyone. There is no need to make arguments personal. Let's just please stick to the issues.

Thank you.

Don't worry, I said what I had to say in response, but I'm out of this thread.

[PierzStyx]

This type of stuff makes me so mad. Does he not have over $1 million left from the 2012 campaign? Also, if he really believed in it he will fund it himself... He's worth millions. It should not cost much money to run a small think tank. Overhead should be very low.


Do you not understand how little a million dollars is in today's economy? Sad to ay it isn't a whole lot. The lease for the office building alone was probably a couple hundred thousand, that is if they didn't buy it outright. RPI is constantly putting out articles and information everyday about the news and representing the libertarian message. Do you think all those people who do this work for free? They don't. And RPI isn't even a wealth making enterprise. A lot of people like to talk about liberty and spreading the message of freedom. I don't know a better place doing more than RPI. I don't have much, my wife and I are living check to check. But what I can give I will.

[PRB]

Sorry, Ron.....I cannot afford to contribute.

I am not yet in a position to maintain my own lifestyle should I suddenly find that my income source is cut off, and you know what they say on airplanes: In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, please place your own oxygen mask over your own face first, and THEN you may assist others.

Yeah, but don't you believe in LIBERTY? Don't you know liberty is larger than life?

[PRB]

Not even close to a million anymore. That's what the posts above about Benton are about. The 2012 campaign surplus has mostly gone to lawyers. Blech!

My simple question is who is soliciting and processing the donations? If it's Saber then no thanks. So much money has been stolen by them in various forms already. Seems to me that whatever remaining money is left over from RP2012 should go to supporting RPI and associated orgs, not paying for legal defenses for corrupt campaign workers.

How much was spent on just these two lawsuits?

http://www.dmlp.org/threats/ron-paul-2012-v-does-1-10
http://gawker.com/united-nations-tells-ron-paul-to-shove-his-lawsuit-righ-509944619

[PRB]

If (1) you like and support what RPI is doing, and (2) you like and support how it is being done, and (3) you are able to do so, then you should contribute. If any of (1-3) do not apply, then you shouldn't. (And if you don't, I'm pretty sure Ron isn't going to whine & bitch about how you spend your own money, regardless of how much of it you have ...)

No, it's not good enough that I don't. Just like it's not good enough that I refuse to vaccinate my kids and eat GMOs. I have to tell people why they shouldn't either. If I only minded my own business this country would be in a hell handbasket. If you never tell people why liberty is important, you'll never be safe for liberty, we need other people to know why liberty is good, and vaccination is bad, or else the country will get worse and more people will keep voting democrat.

You're right, Ron won't complain about how we spend our money, you wanna know why?
1) he knows we're not richer than him
2) he's the one asking for money, not us

[PRB]

No shit. I'll never give anything to Ron Paul again. I gave thousands in the past. He's got way more money than I have. He makes a living off assholes like me.

People who are passionate enough about liberty to donate money to Ron Paul are likely not assholes, possibly uninformed or naive, but not asshole in the sense of being selfish.

Count the places Ron Paul has for collecting money in his name : Ron Paul Presidential campaign, Ron Paul congressional campaign, LibertyPAC, FREE (which is the owner of RPI), CFL, RP Channel.

[PRB]

It's amazing how cynical people are of the one man who's done more for liberty than anyone in living memory.

it's precisely because he's capable of doing so much without much money, that we know he still doesn't need it. In other words, he's proven he has a following and the ability to get things done without much money, so we're not worried about him being short on money. I've learned, whether for tax deductible charities, small businesses or campaigns, if something's desperate or serious, people will be specific. When not specific, it's not serious or it's not worth it.

[PRB]

What even is the RPI other than a blogging platform for RP and a couple others? Blogging should raise money through adverts.... not require money from the readers.


And we already know what the adverts look like : survivalist stuff, gold coins, bitcoins and ebooks.

The better question is whether there's even enough reader demand to justify the supposed cost.



I feel like RPs attempts at internet money grabs since his campaign ended are seriously tarnishing his legacy.


Welcome to 2008 when CFL was founded.



Can someone please tell him to stop this shit. People do not pay for written content on the internet and that seems to have totally escaped whoever is running his team.

Or they know and are just in denial, and counting on people who don't know, don't care.

Think about how little they cared when they sued for the domain name and youtube user.

[PRB]

Do you not understand how little a million dollars is in today's economy?


No, I don't know how little a million dollars means.

A million dollars means: A house paid for, a car, at least 10 years of utilities and food paid for. Yeah, HOW LITTLE.

Oh, you mean "to get things done"? Ok, what are we trying to get done that requires a million dollars?



Sad to ay it isn't a whole lot. The lease for the office building alone was probably a couple hundred thousand, that is if they didn't buy it outright.


Except, not only do you not need an office building, but also, last time I checked, office buildings are only getting cheaper and more desperate for occupants.



RPI is constantly putting out articles and information everyday about the news and representing the libertarian message. Do you think all those people who do this work for free?


Millions of his supporters do lots for free, so yes, many people can work part time or flexible hours a few at a time, for free. If you need a limited number of qualified people, maybe it'll cost more, but I am not convinced that is either necessary or better than what volunteers already do. For a movement that prides itself in criticizing waste and being fiscally responsible, this ought to be the first thing to notice : spend only what you need.



They don't. And RPI isn't even a wealth making enterprise. A lot of people like to talk about liberty and spreading the message of freedom. I don't know a better place doing more than RPI. I don't have much, my wife and I are living check to check. But what I can give I will.

I do : antiwar.com, mises institute, free talk live, infowars.com, naturalnews.com, or any other site Ron Paul wants to focus on. Bottom line : Ron doesn't need to rebuild his empire and reinvent the wheel, there's more than enough outlets that'll be happy to put his voice on amplification, and they'll gladly pay for the electricity.

[Barrex]

I read few articles from that site. It got same problem as RP Channel and many other liberty oriented sites. It is obvious that something needs to change. Current business model is not working. It was obvious for a while now. I even started a thread about it few months back(http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?453583-Merger-of-RonPaulChannel-BennSwann-com-Peter-Schiff-Lew-Rockwell). My "solution" is not professional analysis or done after careful analysis of financial construction, risks and yada yada...but there is a problem and something needs to change.

[jmdrake]

I think i can scratch a little together for the cause, just wish it wasn't right before the holidays.

Maybe Ron Paul would consider doing what Mises has done and set up an Amazon "Smile" account so that people can help him through their holiday spending.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?463602-Support-the-Mises-Institute-whenever-you-shop-at-Amazon

[jurgs01]

I gladly donate to organizations like the 10th Amendment center, RPI, Young Americans for Liberty, Tom Woods' endeavors, and the Mises institute.

It would be absurd for me to stop my donations to organizations that are doing 100x the work of other groups with 1/10 of the money just because I don't like how some money I donated to a political campaign in the past was used.

Do whatever you want with your money guys, but don't make a mountain out of a molehill. If you are really that butthurt over maybe a couple of hundred dollars you donated in 2012, then you should probably stop donating your money and start working on something entrepreneurial or you skill set so you can improve your financial situation.

[Carlybee]

Maybe Ron Paul would consider doing what Mises has done and set up an Amazon "Smile" account so that people can help him through their holiday spending.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?463602-Support-the-Mises-Institute-whenever-you-shop-at-Amazon


Yes I would do that. I have mine set for Mises now.

[lib3rtarian]

I always thought Ron was spreading himself thin - Ron Paul Channel, RPI, Voices of Liberty etc., and he is not even a coherent or charming speaker to be expand his base to other than the folks who funded his presidential campaigns. It's one thing to fund a presidential campaign with the hope of winning the election (a definite target), and another thing to indefinitely fund something nebulous as the RPI.

In the real-world, think tanks are usually funded by big donors and corporate interests. He better hit up the Koch brothers and ask them if they like to fund an anti-neocon think tank.

[devil21]

What even is the RPI other than a blogging platform for RP and a couple others? Blogging should raise money through adverts.... not require money from the readers.

I feel like RPs attempts at internet money grabs since his campaign ended are seriously tarnishing his legacy. Can someone please tell him to stop this shit. People do not pay for written content on the internet and that seems to have totally escaped whoever is running his team.

Im pretty certain Ron himself isn't involved in the money side of the organizations that sprouted up out of his campaigns. That's long since been taken over by other interests.

[Cowlesy]

I guess I don't see what value RPI provides. And I don't mean that in a derogatory manner, I simply just never see any articles from the site. My social media sphere has enough liberty-oriented folks that if they were pushing through needed commentary, I feel like I'd see it.

Like RonPaulChannel, it has no zero visibility to average right/liberty type people. It'd be wrong for me to state who he is reaching, but my guess is, it's a very small, narrow base of people.

Effectiveness at producing results is really important. And frankly, it's REALLY HARD to produce results in DC that move the needle on policy. There's no impetus anymore for grassroots bonfires, other than Anti-Obama strategies.

It's hard not to be cynical sometimes and not view C4L, RPI, RP Channel as just charity projects for hangers-on legacy campaign staffers. Especially since I really like most of them as people. He really needs to find a billionaire who can just set these things up with endowments that don't make fundraising critical to keeping the lights on.

[angelatc]

I guess I don't see what value RPI provides. And I don't mean that in a derogatory manner, I simply just never see any articles from the site. My social media sphere has enough liberty-oriented folks that if they were pushing through needed commentary, I feel like I'd see it.


American Conservative has always given me the foreign policy commentary that I value the most. But as always, let the market sort it out.

[Jamesiv1]

No shit. I'll never give anything to Ron Paul again. I gave thousands in the past. He's got way more money than I have. He makes a living off assholes like me.
You sir, are no lover of liberty.

[Jamesiv1]

What even is the RPI other than a blogging platform for RP and a couple others? Blogging should raise money through adverts.... not require money from the readers.

I feel like RPs attempts at internet money grabs since his campaign ended are seriously tarnishing his legacy. Can someone please tell him to stop this shit. People do not pay for written content on the internet and that seems to have totally escaped whoever is running his team.
You sir, are no lover of liberty.

[Natural Citizen]

I said that she probably does not read RPI because it's fairly obvious most here don't give a shit about foreign policy. The mass murder being committed in the world by the US government gets little play here. People care much more about a cop killing someone's pitbull than a brown family being blown up by a US drone in a foreign land. I'll never understand that. I guess nationalism is just that poisonous, even to supposed "libertarians".

Well. I agree with you with regard to the plugging of the ears when it comes to foreign policy (which is an issue in itself) but I disagree with the way that you tried to create a left-right paradigm at Carlybee's expense.

Of course, even your interpretation of the critical aspects of foreign policy are specific to a generalized meme that we see when foreign policy does actually get mentioned in some way. Foreign policy is broad.

[Matt Collins]

What's wealth if you don't spend it? Spending frugally is a good trait no less.

That statement is breathtaking arrogant and out of touch. Less than $10 million, eh? Is that the entitlement minimum for important people? Certainly it's not an expected level of assets for a regular Joe.

I guess Ron must think that a bit more comfort in his retirement is more important than the institute, if the retirement income is more important than the institute. This implies the institute is of minor importance indeed. And if that's the case, who cares if it folds?

I love Ron, but there's something unseemly about people with significant wealth asking regular Joes for their money for his project. The fundraising connected to RP activities seems wildly out of place in the movement that RP inspired.These two statements show that neither of you understand how wealth works....

[Matt Collins]

So you've donated, right?
No, I don't donate to think-tanks.

[amy31416]

No, I don't donate to think-tanks.

But we should, eh?

What do you donate to?

[Christian Liberty]

I said that she probably does not read RPI because it's fairly obvious most here don't give a shit about foreign policy. The mass murder being committed in the world by the US government gets little play here. People care much more about a cop killing someone's pitbull than a brown family being blown up by a US drone in a foreign land. I'll never understand that. I guess nationalism is just that poisonous, even to supposed "libertarians".

Ignoring the personal comment at the beginning, I totally agree with the greater point you are making here. I've tried to make this point here many times. There is definitely a disproportionate response to cop crimes rather than military crimes. I think I'm able to be more objective in that I'm currently in college and thus not quite as personally affected by stuff, and so its not really about me.

But we should, eh?

What do you donate to?

In fairness to Matt, I don't think he's saying you should donate, just that Ron isn't wrong for asking you to.

[PRB]

These two statements show that neither of you understand how wealth works....

You're right, we don't, since we are not wealthy.

[Matt Collins]

But we should, eh?

What do you donate to?
I donate to candidates and political activism organizations.

[fr33]

You sir, are no lover of liberty.

I'm not a true scotsman either. There are bloggers with less fans and less capital than Ron Paul has who do a better job at spreading liberty to more people. And that is all RPI is. A blog. It doesn't require much money at all to do what they do. I gave $200 when they started and watched as they disappointed me afterwards.

[fr33]

You sir, are no lover of liberty.

Your measurement seems to be based off what I'll donate. Should I jump in on every AR15 lottery? I did the first time until I realized I was almost as dumb as lottery ticket buyers. Am I required to slavishly give money to RPI, RP2012, C4L? Maybe I should instead give to the Mises Institute or Voices of Liberty youtube channel. It's amazing how they milk us and people like you fall for it. I contributed to Jesse Benton's 580k take home pay and Ron's 1 million but according to you, the only answer is more more more.

I'll never forget how Ron lost super tuesday while people here and within the campaign kept begging for money after it was clearly over. We got grifted and you call that being a "true lover of liberty". It's not a coincidence that you use a cult type of description.