Operation Spooner- Iowa Outreach

[StagirasGhost]

Please pay this forward...we need as many people as we can get.

Current Results of mini-outreach (phone banking and [hand]letter-writing) to Iowa:

Of the 2407 former Republican Delegates called in Iowa, only 6% had heard of Ron Paul prior to our outreach efforts; of those called, after the phone call 37% answered that they would vote for Ron Paul when asked " who would you vote for tomorrow?" and/or that they needed to confirm the facts, voting record and philosophy espoused during the conversation before they could make a vote for Ron Paul.

The three largest issues for Republican voters based on our small poll of 2407 republicans across the state, follow:

1) Pro-Life
2) Immigration
3) The War in Iraq (many concede they are pro-war when speaking, but do not know that the US went into Iraq under the auspices of UN resolutions, not a constitutional declaration of War. They also rarely associate national [in]security with open borders--most if not all of our phone bankers encountered this and had much success in winning-over RP converts based on this dialectic.)

Since that time, I've obtained a list of 1.7 million Iowan voters (mostly republicans and independents.) Our tech team in Austin has scrubbed the data and loaded it into a database (Advokit,) and we're set to begin the larger outreach effort to reach as many republican and independent voters before the straw poll and certainly before the caucus.

If you're interested, please email ccy@earthlink.net. Your email address will then be loaded into the database and you'll be sent a series of short instructions, a phone script, and you'll be able to access the Iowan contacts.

Include the following information when emailing ccy@earthlink.net:

Name
Email
Meetup Number and/or City, State (we need this info so we can assign you with other Ron Paul supporters in your area/group only to assign larger groups to larger zip codes in Iowa.)
Are you a meetup leader? Would you be interested in leading your group/team for the current Outreach effort.

Thanks in advance and know that this can and will turn the tide for Ron Paul in Iowa. I've called over 500 people and shortly after ten calls, you get into a groove and it absolutely invigorates you.

Towards Liberty [in the White House],
Jason Stoddard
stoddard.jason@gmail.com
Austin MeetUp, Communications and Media Team lead

[FreedomLover]

Thats some great news. Very promising stats, if only everyone could have the opportunity to hear about Ron Paul.

Keep it up man. :)

[njandrewg]

good plan

[Dan Klaus]

Wow..this is impressive concrete action to get the vote out for RP...you are to be commended sir....i am overseas now, but will hit you up when I return to the states in august...are you preparing for new hampshire as well?? this is heartening..

[Dustancostine]

I signed up for the list. I have an unlimited cell phone plan and an unlimited vonage plan. Shoot me some names and I will start calling.

--Dustan

[MozoVote]

I'd been a while since I did cold calling to look for leads in computer software. It was never something I liked doing, but some things I learned were

(1) If you sound like you're in a hurry, the other person feels like they're in a hurry, and they want to get off the phone and resume what they were doing. Speak at a normal pace. Do you sound like someone handling a long list of names... trying to get through it?

(2) It helps to ask permission to begin the conversation. "My name is xxx. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? - This won't take long"

(3) Patience opens people up. They may have compaints about something you can't do anything about. But listen for a while. An opening usually appears in the conversation if someone hasn't hung up on you already.

[Bossobass]

Please pay this forward...we need as many people as we can get.

Current Results of mini-outreach (phone banking and [hand]letter-writing) to Iowa:

Of the 2407 former Republican Delegates called in Iowa, only 6% had heard of Ron Paul prior to our outreach efforts; of those called, after the phone call 37% answered that they would vote for Ron Paul when asked " who would you vote for tomorrow?" and/or that they needed to confirm the facts, voting record and philosophy espoused during the conversation before they could make a vote for Ron Paul.

The three largest issues for Republican voters based on our small poll of 2407 republicans across the state, follow:

1) Pro-Life
2) Immigration
3) The War in Iraq (many concede they are pro-war when speaking, but do not know that the US went into Iraq under the auspices of UN resolutions, not a constitutional declaration of War. They also rarely associate national [in]security with open borders--most if not all of our phone bankers encountered this and had much success in winning-over RP converts based on this dialectic.)

Since that time, I've obtained a list of 1.7 million Iowan voters (mostly republicans and independents.) Our tech team in Austin has scrubbed the data and loaded it into a database (Advokit,) and we're set to begin the larger outreach effort to reach as many republican and independent voters before the straw poll and certainly before the caucus.

If you're interested, please email ccy@earthlink.net. Your email address will then be loaded into the database and you'll be sent a series of short instructions, a phone script, and you'll be able to access the Iowan contacts.

Include the following information when emailing ccy@earthlink.net:

Name
Email
Meetup Number and/or City, State (we need this info so we can assign you with other Ron Paul supporters in your area/group only to assign larger groups to larger zip codes in Iowa.)
Are you a meetup leader? Would you be interested in leading your group/team for the current Outreach effort.

Thanks in advance and know that this can and will turn the tide for Ron Paul in Iowa. I've called over 500 people and shortly after ten calls, you get into a groove and it absolutely invigorates you.

Towards Liberty [in the White House],
Jason Stoddard
stoddard.jason@gmail.com
Austin MeetUp, Communications and Media Team lead

THIS MADE MY DAY!!!!!!

That's what I'M talkin' 'bout.

Please let me know if there's any way I can help. I'm planning to travel to Des Moines for the debate on August 5th. I may be able to squeeze and extra day or two and WORK FOR RON PAUL IN IOWA. :) :) :) :)

Bosso

[specsaregood]

Edit: the information I asked for is at the bottom of the OP. Somehow I missed it...

[LibertyEagle]

bump

[Lord Xar]

Maybe there should be a centralized place to disseminate this information to the meetup groups. I contacted my meetup group and they didn't know anything about the big july4th "blanket advertising".

I think all these individual splinter meetups are cool, but if they also worked as a team -- much more effective.

Is there a way to consolidate all the info and push things like this post to ALL meetup group leaders?

[Dustancostine]

Also another good idea is to ask the people who say that they will support Dr. Paul, if it is ok if we put a yard sign in their yard. Most times they we say yes, then we can forward the list to an Iowa meetup group so that they can place the sign.

--Dustan

[Avalon]

I think all these individual splinter meetups are cool, but if they also worked as a team -- much more effective.

Assuming a meetup group is of a reasonable size and the members motivated, surely someone would come across the important things that are relevant to their group and pass it along. I know I keep up very well with this forum and dailypaul and plan to share useful information I've picked up.

I'm all for a decentralized grassroots effort that is held at arms length from the campaign, for many reasons.

[LibertyEagle]

Maybe there should be a centralized place to disseminate this information to the meetup groups. I contacted my meetup group and they didn't know anything about the big july4th "blanket advertising".

I think all these individual splinter meetups are cool, but if they also worked as a team -- much more effective.

Is there a way to consolidate all the info and push things like this post to ALL meetup group leaders?

The leaders of the various Meetup groups DO have a place to share information with each other.

[PatriotOne]

I have unlimited long distance and I am not afraid to use it ;). Count me in....will send you my info as requested.

[LibertyEagle]

This thread is about helping out with calling Iowans. In the first post, a contact name and email was given for people interested, to sign-up. This needs to be a concerted effort so the same person isn't repeatedly called.

If you want to help with this effort, please read the 1st post and contact Jason Stoddard. He's not going to have time to come back here and read your posts. He is extremely busy on this effort. Please use the email address he listed and help out.

[LibertyEagle]

Well, use some of that energy to sign-up to help out on Operation Spooner ---- calling the Iowa delegates!

Go here, read the 1st post and contact them to get started.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=5537

[batman00]

bump

[Bradley in DC]

Let me just add my commendation to this effort. Jason was in intern in the Congressional office in DC while I was there. This is an excellent project that has been in the works for a while with weeks of fine-tuning.

Getting as many people to make as many calls every week over the next six months gives us the best opportunity (for non-Iowans) to win this for Dr. Paul and restore the Republic! (and donating to the campaign, of course ;) )

[austinphish]

Maybe there should be a centralized place to disseminate this information to the meetup groups. I contacted my meetup group and they didn't know anything about the big july4th "blanket advertising".

I think all these individual splinter meetups are cool, but if they also worked as a team -- much more effective.

Is there a way to consolidate all the info and push things like this post to ALL meetup group leaders?

There is work being done on that as well, also by the Austin Tech team. Those guys are good BTW and spend a lot of time behind the scenes. They are working on getting every meetup.com leaders email address and forming one listserve for them. That is apparently much easier said then done b/c of meetup.com wants to keep the information like that too themselves.

Suffice it to say, that for now if you want to help, email Jason Stoddard and get you some Iowans to call!

[MozoVote]

Now, here is another limitation -aside from surverys- of living without land lines. :)

[scbissler]

bump

[LibertyEagle]

Now, here is another limitation -aside from surverys- of living without land lines. :)

The 1st post in the thread says they are also writing letters. You don't even need a phone to do that. :)

[Spirit of '76]

Just sent the sign-up email.

Looking forward to helping out. I'd prefer to send letters rather than call, but we'll see what needs to be done.

[beermotor]

bump, maybe we can sticky this temporarily?

[Roxi]

bump

[princessredtights]

bump

[poppop_schell]

How about getting a list of all The Gop County/city headquarters and placing campaign material there? Make sure iit is constantly refilled. Assign a specific person to do this in every county?

I will do this in Lee and Duquense counties. Volunteers for other Iowa Counties? You can contact me at poppop_schell@hotmail.com

[Bradley in DC]

bump, maybe we can sticky this temporarily?

Excellent idea. At least through Ames if not the caucus!

[austinphish]

just bumping again

[nayjevin]

If you want to help with this effort, please read the 1st post and contact Jason Stoddard.

I have sent several emails over the past MONTH, and no response.

HAS ANYONE RECEIVED A RESPONSE ABOUT THIS?

[Dustancostine]

I recieved a list today, but not from the person listed in the thread but from another member of the austin meetup group.

--Dustan

[nayjevin]

I recieved a list today

by email? or snail mail? i thought we were to receive instructions on how to access some sort of web database. what exactly did you receive? what exactly did you do, or who did you email to get a response?

thanks. been waiting for so long now, while hearing so many urges to get involved. HELL I BEEN TRYIN! :D

[CJLauderdale4]

We should do form letters AND calls.

Again, the more we touch people with the message the better. The letters can be form letters we send, with the Ron Paul HQ as the return address. The calls are still great because they will be from a REAL PERSON who is a Ron Paul supporter, not some clones being paid to run a phone bank.

I think both are great!!

[Bradley in DC]

I have sent several emails over the past MONTH, and no response.

HAS ANYONE RECEIVED A RESPONSE ABOUT THIS?

There were having technical issues early on and also had just a smaller number of people doing a dry run calling delegates.

[MozoVote]

Why letters instead of post cards? I think people these days are so trained to spot mass mail, that they toss them without opening envelopes.

I know I ignore ANYTHING from Wilmington Delaware that has no return address or says "Dated Material" - because it will be a credit card solicitation.

[nayjevin]

Why letters instead of post cards? I think people these days are so trained to spot mass mail, that they toss them without opening envelopes.

my grandparents donate to about half of the politicians that send them mail. getting mail that is even slightly personal makes their whole day -- as they boogie around the house looking for something to do.

[MozoVote]

Hmm. My grandmother told me she ignores Republican party mail now, because "They're always just asking for more money".

But I guess it's hard to include a self addressed return envelope for checks when using postcards. Postcards for impressions, mail when you want them to send something back. (Questionnaire, check, change of address, etc.)

One strategy I have heard of to get people to open letters is "lumpy mail". Include something in it that makes the envelope bulky. They will open it to find out what the thing is. (Pin, magnet, etc.)

[poppop_schell]

I signed up for the list. I have an unlimited cell phone plan and an unlimited vonage plan. Shoot me some names and I will start calling.

--Dustan

What cell phone company are you using? I would look to get a similar plan.

[poppop_schell]

The leaders of the various Meetup groups DO have a place to share information with each other.

Where is this? I am the leader of the Ft. Madison/Keokuk Meetup. No one has mentioned this to me before????

[poppop_schell]

I have unlimited long distance and I am not afraid to use it ;). Count me in....will send you my info as requested.

Which cell phone company do you use? We probably should make a list of such GOOD compoanies and then encourage ALL Ron Paul supporters to get one IFthey can afford to.

[CJLauderdale4]

Hmm. My grandmother told me she ignores Republican party mail now, because "They're always just asking for more money".

But I guess it's hard to include a self addressed return envelope for checks when using postcards. Postcards for impressions, mail when you want them to send something back. (Questionnaire, check, change of address, etc.)

One strategy I have heard of to get people to open letters is "lumpy mail". Include something in it that makes the envelope bulky. They will open it to find out what the thing is. (Pin, magnet, etc.)

I think this is even more reason that if we mail out the letters personally, using our own "neatest" handwriting to specific addresses, people will open the letter just to see what it is.

The letter can then be a form letter that we can modify with information about how we came to know Ron Paul, and why we love him.

Thoughts??

[Dustancostine]

What cell phone company are you using? I would look to get a similar plan.

I have sprint. I got my plan in 2002 and they don't offer it anymore :-( . It was called sprint sense and I had to sign up for their home service as well, but cancled it after a month and just kept the cell plan. I also added my father, brother, wife, and sister. So we have alot of unlimited lines.

--Dustan

[MozoVote]

The letter can then be a form letter that we can modify with information about how we came to know Ron Paul, and why we love him.

Thoughts??

Take a colored pencil, or a sharp art crayon, and write on the corner of each one. People are getting wise to how well computers can mimic written handwriting. Well, at least I am ;)

"Let's Take Our Country Back"
"Restore the Republic"
"Honor the Constitution" etc etc

Then circle it. Draw a few stars, or something. Make it clear a human hand was involved.

[nayjevin]

have your infant put an ink handprint on the envelope

cute

[poppop_schell]

We MUST watch for all types of vote fraud to occur at the Ames Strawvote. Below is a copy of an e-mail from Jim Condit of Cicinnati, OH. He is a practicing lawyer and authority of all types of vote fraud. To ignore his counsel IMO would be foolhardy.

Doug Schell

From: "Jim Condit Jr." <votefraud@fuse.net>
Reply-To: votefraud@fuse.net
To: schellforncgovernor@hotmail.com
Subject: Report From Iowa on Ron Paul For President
Date: Sat, 07 Jul 2007 01:39:38 -0500
>July 07, 2007 NA (Network America) e-wire
>
>REPORT FROM IOWA ON RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT
>
>This is a primer for Presidential Campaign 2008. If you've been busy, or haven't gotten engaged until now - not to worry. Just read this Network America e-wire and you'll be basically up to speed, and ready to continuing watching and researching on your own. There hopefully will be something new even for those who have been watching.
>
>From 9 PM on Friday June 29 to 4 AM on early Monday July 2 (2007), I drove about 20 hours in just under 2 ½ days to be present at a Ron Paul for President counter-rally in Des Moines, Iowa.
>
>Counter-rally? Yes. Congressman Paul had been excluded from the establishment Republican Debate, where Romney, Hunter, Huckaby, et al appeared.
>
>Why make such an intense drive by car? It is now or never in the 2008 Presidential Campaign. The patriotic, alert American public must rally behind Ron Paul now, or it will be too late to oust the Ruling Oligarchy from thee White House in 2008.
>
>Thanks to the intervention of an alert Network America subscriber, Arthur, I realized that I had to be among those putting "boots on the ground" in Iowa now. To get the lay of the land, meet the people leading the Ron Paul campaign, get engaged with the time table of this Presidential contest, etc.
>
>The Ames Straw Poll is coming up August 11, 2007 - 35 days or so from this writing. That will be the first big test where "The People" will meet the GOP part of the Oligarchy -- and the 5 Big TV Networks -- in an open clash. To be clear: The Ames, Iowa Straw Poll will be: The People vs. GOP Crooks and Big TV Networks Crooks. Crooks? Yes, Crooks. Only Crooks want to "count" the vote in SECRET. Now . . .
>
>They want to count the vote in SECRET so they can cheat, if necessary. They want to cheat at Ames Iowa in on August 11, 2007 - because they want to make sure that Ron Paul doesn't win that contest. He is supposed to be a "non-person" - a "non-candidate." (The GOP of Iowa has a long history of crookery in counting the votes at Ames, Iowa. See tomorrow's Open Letter. The state GOP of Iowa has already ignominiously voted to AGAIN count the Ames Straw Poll IN SECRET, and BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - instead of in the open.)
>
>The 5 Big TV Networks are pushing the fiction - the alternative reality - that "the people" are all excited about Romney or Hideous Hillary or Ghouliani or Obama. FALSE! People are politely attending one or more of these candidates' rallies because they are told by the 5 Big TV networks that these are their only choices for "front runner." In fact . . .
>
>The only honest and explosive enthusiasm in this Presidential campaign is from normal people finding out about the Ron Paul for President Campaign. As Paul himself says in his gentle and understated way, "I think people have underestimated the number of people in this country who are interested in a freedom message."
>
>OPEN LETTER TO THE RON PAUL CAMPAIGN IS IMMINENT
>
>By the way, tomorrow I will publish an "Open Letter to Congressman Ron Paul, His Campaign Staff, and His Supporters" which will outline how to avoid the vote-skullduggery and theft that happened to the Pat Buchanan campaign in Iowa, and in the Super Tuesday states, in 1996.
>
>At the risk of hacking some people off with what may appear to be arrogance, --- if the prescriptions in the "Open Letter" are not basically enacted by the supporters of the Ron Paul for President Campaign, or the Campaign itself, or both - then we will all be waking up in February, 2008 - on the morning after Super Tuesday - to find that the 5 Big TV Networks (criminals!) have informed us that the secret computer programs "counted" the votes -- and that Congressman Ron Paul has gotten just a few percentage points of the vote - and is out of the race.
>
>
>AMERICANS IN TWO CATEGORIES: RON PAUL IS "REAL DEAL" -- vs. -- BRAINWASHED BY THE 5 BIG TV NETWORKS
>
>There is no time to sugar-coat what's going on. The 5 Big TV Networks are run by the same 30 people in New York City and Washington D.C. They decide what to cover everyday, and they decide what to censor everyday. They (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX) coordinate their news EVERYDAY. AP wire service is their partner in info-crime - and AP delivers the national stories that are parroted by every major daily paper in the USA.
>
>From day one, the 5 TV Networks, and Clear Channel Radio stations (Rush, Hannity, etc.) have chosen Romney, McCain, Ghouliani, Obama, Hillary, and John Edwards - as the "serious" candidates. Who said so? They said so. The TV Networks and Hannity and Rush blather on endlessly about these "chosen" frontrunners - and ignore all the others. They have stated from DAY ONE that it was too late for the others to become serious candidates - so they were going to give them little or no publicity. (They are all media crooks!)
>
>Now, since "the dogs ain't eating the dogfood" which the 5 TV Networks have offered up, actor and former Senator Fred Thompson, looking and talking a little tired, is being trotted out to try and somewhat match the boundless enthusiasm spreading from coast to coast in the Ron Paul for President Campaign.
>
>A QUICK SURVEY OF THE OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, BEFORE GETTING TO CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL
>
>Skip this section if you feel you already know the presidential candidates, and go to the next section entitled, "Moving up the Calendar to Thwart the Will of the People."
>
>I'm going to tell it to ya straight - and quick. You'll have to watch events unfold if you think I'm being unfair, as there is neither time nor space here to list the history of each candidate.
>
>* Hillary -- criminal asset of the New World Order oligarchy, obnoxious, cold, grating, annoying, not funny, hardly seems human, looks at times like she might need an exorcism, should be prosecuted for treason on many fronts, along with her husband;
>
>* Obama -- plucked out of nowhere by the Big Media and made into a star, of sorts; can string together a paragraph without stumbling over his words; rarely says anything of substance, and when he does it's usually dead wrong; his duplicity has hacked off his democratic senatorial colleagues; would be no different than Bush or Clinton on all issues touching on national sovereignty or national interest - and, like Bush and Clinton, he will be on the wrong side. Fund-raising success has been orchestrated by the billionaires-in-chief of the New World Order. Small donors have probably been organized by the billionaires in chief to some extent - and I will go into this in a future ewire.
>
>* John Edwards -- shallow con-man who is searching for something to say that will schmooze the everyday people AND the impress the oligarchs who can make him president. Edwards attended the 50th anniversary of the super-secret and super prestigious Billionaire-led Bilderberg meeting held in Europe in early 2004, and, according to World Net Daily, impressed the elite assembly enough that his performance there may have been the reason he was tapped as John Kerry's Vice Presidential candidate in 2004.
>
>* Romney -- slick con-man who has changed almost all of his positions in the last 5 years. IF - and I say IF - you want to believe he's sincere in all those flippity-floppity changes in the last few years - then how could anyone trust his judgement to be the mayor, the Governor, or the President??? A Mormon, which usually means pro-life and pro-family, who was avidly for "legalized abortion" up until the ninth month until 2002 or so - the first 50 years of his life - and bragged about it in a debate with Ted Kennedy in 1992 before a statewide audience? And now he's switched to "pro-life" champion? The man is either dishonest, or of such unstable judgement - that he's outta here.
>
>* McCain - disqualified himself due to his support of amnesty for illegal aliens; looks like a Manchurian candidate who showed extreme courage in battle and as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, but who showed no courage as a Senator and politician ever since, always caving in to the background Neo-Con oligarchy to try and climb the ladder.
>
>* Guiliani - who I call Ghouliani. Rudy is a crook, plain and simple, in all ways. He went along with the destruction of the crime scene in NYC at the place where the twin towers once stood until the terror attacks of 9-11-01. Veteran reporter David Broder on "Meet the Press" said last Sunday that he can't imagine that the well known horror stories about Rudy in New York City aren't going to catch up with him. One thing cited recently was that his kids from one of his first marriages won't talk to him. In social policy and social engineering he's a left-leaning Democrat, and he's the leading cheerleader for the Neo-Con oligarchy - trying to make torture, pre-emptive nuclear strikes, and endless war for endless terror - look as American as apple pie. (Also, Ghouliani looks like Prune Face from the old Dick Tracy cartoons - this comes from a lifetime of lying, deception, and taking immoral positions. Ghouliani's fundraising success comes 100% from the Neo-Con, anti-Christian, Z
> ionist Jewish network, to whom he sold his soul decades ago.)
>
>* Fred Thompson - actor, former Senator; was recently asked what his greatest accomplishment in the Senate was - and couldn't come up with an answer; member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a New World Order think tank pushing hard for the North American Union (the practical merger of Mexico, the US, and Canada); just another climber wanting the oligarchy to pick him for President.
>
>* Regarding all the other candidates on both Democratic and Republican sides of the ledger, they are all phonies with three exceptions. When I say phonies, they would all be identical in pushing the anti-American New World Order programs pushed by the Clintons and the Bushes since 1988. The only three candidates, other than Ron Paul, who have integrity, are Congressman Tom Tancredo, Governor Mike Huckaby, and Congressman Dennis Cucinich. Now . . .
>
>Cucinich honestly opposes the War in Iraq, but is too much of a loopy, left-leaning socialist-style Democrat on everything else to be seriously considered. Tancredo is a good, honest man who has taken the lead in the fight against illegal immigration; but since he swallows the web of Neo-Con lies about the war in Iraq and the war on terror, then he disqualifies himself. Huckaby is a sincere guy, but lost in the bizarre and insane world of Pat Robertson/Jerry Falwell neo-conism and "Christian Zionism" - and therefore is pro-Iraq war and buys the contrived "war on terror" - and therefore disqualifies himself.
>
>* Bloomberg - Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City brings us all that was worst in Rulers of Communist Russia circa 1917, but this is a story for another time. He represents the billionaire half of the Communist/socialist scam, and, again, no time to explain that here if it seems like a contradiction. But a Network America ewire will be devoted to Bloomberg soon. And - it won't be pretty. He's loyal to the anti-American New World Order scheme for world tyranny and "perpetual war for perpetual peace." He's a gun-grabber, because he doesn't want you and me to have any guns when his faction lowers the police state boom - if they can get away with it. He was a Democrat until he switched to Republican just in time to run for Mayor in NYC a few years ago. And now he's just declared himself an independent - possibly preparing for a third party Presidential run. He is loyal only to world tyranny. He will wait in the wings to see if the Ruling Elite calls him out of the bull pen t
> o run third party and split the vote so that they can make it believable that Hillary is "elected" by their secret computer counts. I would like to see an investigation of how this man made his billions, as well as an investigation into the whole "devil's science" of Wall Street.
>
>Which leaves us with Congressman Ron Paul.
>
>MOVING UP THE CALENDAR TO THWART THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
>
>The corrupt Ruling Elite behind BOTH the national Democratic and Republican parties have moved the Presidential "election" events up so drastically that both Republican and Democratic nominees will likely be decided by February, 2008. (In the days before the dominance of computer-"counted" elections - pre-1988, the decision was often not made until late in the summer of the presidential election year, or even at the Party national conventions in August.)
>
>They have moved up the events of the presidential race on the calendar for one reason. They know that a reaction is underway from the American people. They know they are going to face opposition as they try to dissolve the United States of America as a sovereign nation via eradicating the borders and combining the US, Canada, and Mexico through the North American Union scam. BUT -- they hope to keep the opposition of the American people unfocused and ineffective. BY MOVING UP THE CALENDAR, they hope to make it believable that two of their puppets emerge as the Democratic and Republican nominees - before most people are really paying attention to Presidential race 2000.
>
>Enter Ron Paul.
>
>WHO IS RON PAUL?
>
>I'm assuming so far that the reader knows something about Congressman Ron Paul. This may not be true - so let's do a brief sketch. (After the sketch, we'll cover the other relevant details on last weekend in Des Moines.)
>
>At the end of this article you will find a few lines about Representative Ron Paul in an essay entitled, "The Honor of Ron Paul" by the man Pat Buchanan called the greatest columnist in America today, namely, Joseph Sobran. If you're just being introduced to Sobran, then that's worth the read through this Network America e-wire report all by itself. (We will also provide the link to the entire article about Ron Paul by Joe Sobran.)
>
>* Congressman Paul served in Congress in 1976, from 1979 to 1985, and from 1997 to the present.
>
>* He is an M.D., having graduated from the Duke University School of Medicine, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology; he has delivered over 4,000 babies. At the rally in Des Moines over the weekend he spent the first few minutes of his almost hour long talk explaining why the right to life of the human person, including the unborn infant, is the foundation of all of our other rights.
>
>* In the 1960s he served as a flight surgeon in the United Air Force.
>
>* Born in 1935; married to his wife, Carol, for just over 50 years; they have five children and seventeen grand children.
>
>* He delivers his message with the sincere "bedside manner" of the family Doctor from another era, -- the kind of Doctor who made house calls.
>
>* At the speech in Des Moines he got many standing ovations, but two that stick out in my mind were when he called for the shutting down of the IRS and, later, when he called for the shutting down of the Federal Reserve Board, and a return to an honest monetary system.
>
>* Now look at this record spanning 30 years in Congress: He has never voted to raise taxes -- He has never voted for an unbalanced budget --
>He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership --
>He has never voted to raise congressional pay -- He has never taken a government-paid junket -- He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch -- He voted against the Patriot Act -- He voted against regulating the Internet -- He voted against the Iraq war (first time, everytime) -- He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program -- He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year -- Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress. (All this taken off the Ron Paul 2008 President website.)
>
>(You may want to read that last bullet/paragraph again.)
>
>* Some have called Congressman Paul "Dr. No" because he votes no on anything that's against the Constitution. But his wife has recently stated that it's OK to call her husband that - but it would be better spelled "Dr. Know." Because Ron Paul knows the constitution, he knows the checks and balances put there to prevent evil oligarchs from stealing America, and he knows that the forces currently trying to circumvent the checks and balances in the US Constitution are up to no good - as far as the true freedom of the American people are concerned.
>
>BACK TO DES MOINES, IOWA THIS LAST WEEKEND (June 30, 2007)
>
>* It is important that everyone face this fact: while the politically alert know about the candidacy of Congressman Ron Paul, the average person in the USA does not. I talked to people on the way from Cincinnati, Ohio to Des Moines, Iowa last weekend - riding there and back. I talked to the people I got the rent-a-car from. I talked to people at gas stations and quick shops. Not one "normal" American who was not a political activist - had heard of Ron Paul. All had heard of Obama, Hillary, and Romney. THIS IS BECAUSE the average American is depending on the 5 TV Networks and the big radio stations for their news. They have heard sound bites so far, that is all.
>
>* The Big Media are deliberately treating Ron Paul this way: they give 98% of the coverage to the chosen puppets, and they give 2% of the coverage to the rest. In this way, they can claim that they are not censoring any of the candidates. This is exactly the tactic that Stalin used in Communist Russia with regards to his opponents at election time (yes, Stalin held elections!); this quote is attributed to Stalin: "Those who CAST the votes decide nothing; those who COUNT the vote decide everything." (More on that tomorrow.)
>
>* ABC's THIS WEEK with George Stephanopoulos features Congressman Ron Paul on its July 8th, 2007 Sunday morning show - this will be the first "fair shot" that Paul is getting from the 5 Big TV networks. This comes about because Ron Paul is now third in "cash on hand" in the GOP Presidential race - far behind Romney and Giuliani, but ahead of "front-runner" McCain.
>
>* Back to the Des Moines rally of June 30, 2007: The Ron Paul meeting was full of enthusiasm, bursting with life, and spontaneous. About 800 to 900 showed up. A lot of young people. No security to keep the people out. Congressman Paul stayed and greeted everybody who wanted to meet him, which amounted to 200-300 of the crowd.
>
>* The establishment debate - the one Ron Paul was excluded from - took place in the same Des Moines Convention Center, one hall away. It started a few hours earlier -- and was run like a Big Brother event. No one was allowed into the audience unless they had been invited. (Imagine this, at a political event where the party is supposed to be appealing to the general electorate!) I guess they were afraid somebody was going to ask an unscripted question! When I asked why you had to be invited to get into hear the debate, the official answer was that the event was restricted for the safety of the candidates. Metal detectors were used, I am told; and plenty of police types were around the convention center. Standing in the convention center lobby, I was able to see in once when the door was opened to let some people out. People sat motionless at tables looking forward. Admittedly I saw in for only a few seconds, - but it could have been a morgue. Only half of the expected crowd sh
> owed up for this establishment event, about 600 out of 1200.
>
>* Ron Paul talked for almost an hour about dozens of subjects. He wasn't using notes, or at least he wasn't looking down at any. The speech was both an education and a call to action. I believe some of it will be up on the internet, if it is not already.
>
>* After the speech and rally, there was an impromptu meeting of those from Iowa organizing the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll which is coming up on August 11, 2007 - about 35 days from now. The Straw Poll is non-binding, and it costs $35 to cast a vote. You must have an Iowa drivers license, or other proof of state citizenship in order to vote.
>
>This - the Ames Straw Poll -- IS the first big confrontation, and it will get nationwide media coverage. It became a part of the fabric of the Presidential Election when a lady by the name of Marlene Elwell organized the pro-life Catholic and Evangelical communities for Pat Robertson in 1987. Robertson WON that straw poll in a shocker for then Vice President Bush Sr. and Senator Bob Dole, from neighboring Kansas. The GOP then blatantly and crassly cheated Robertson in the Michigan primary. By Super Tuesday, when the computer-"counted" states were reported over the Big TV Networks, then VP George H.W. Bush "won" almost everything in a landslide - even the southern states. (More on this type of computer magic in tomorrow's ewire).
>
>The hope is to get 10,000 Iowans to Ames to vote for Congressman Paul. Bush 43 won the Ames Straw Poll in 1999 with 7000+ votes out of 23,000+ cast. The curious 1996 straw poll would have us believe that Bob Dole and then Senator Phil Graham tied for first with something like 4501 votes each out of 20,000 cast - with Pat Buchanan announced as second with about 3900. The announcement of this "final total" came after a secret vote count, followed by two hours of shenanigans behind locked doors, where only the Dole and Graham people were allowed in. CNN's Robert Novak suggested the next morning on CNN to Republican Strategist Charlie Black that the 1996 Straw Poll had been fixed against Buchanan. Black gave his plastic smile -- and addressed something else.
>
>* The most shocking piece of information at the after-meeting on the Straw poll was this: the GOP establishment is talking about moving the calendar of events up even more! Paul campaign officials shook there heads as they reported that David Jepsen in the Des Moines Register had reported that week that there was talk of moving the Iowa Caucus from January 2008 - to the week before Thanksgiving 2007 !!!!!!
>
>* Another insider told me that the Iowa State GOP had already voted to use "black box" machines at the Iowa Straw Poll. This is what they did in 1996 and 2000. This is a machine where you vote, and your vote is SUPPOSEDLY counted inside the little machine. Naturally, no one can see what is going on inside the little computer inside the machine. At the end of the voting - GOP officials push a button and the machine spits out a ticker tape with the results (?) for each candidate. - A Ron Paul representative asked Iowa GOP state committee why the vote at the straw poll couldn't just be counted in the open in front of everybody (this would be very easy, as I will explain in the "Open Letter" tomorrow). A state GOP official said, "Don't worry, a REPUBLICAN is running the machine count." The Ron Paul representative appropriately responded, "I'd rather have a Democrat." --- Again, the Iowa GOP wants to "count" the votes on these machines, in secret, and behind closed doors - because
> they want to be able to CHEAT Ron Paul if necessary.
>
>TIMELY COLUMN BY JOSEPH SOBRAN: THE HONOR OF RON PAUL
>
>To conclude, here are few lines from Joseph Sobran's excellent, recent column, "The Honor of Ron Paul":
>
>"I guess I've known Ron Paul for a quarter of a century now, and I don't remember how we met. My first memory of him is a quiet dinner on Capitol Hill, during the Reagan years. He told me with dry humor of being the only member of Congress to vote against some bill Reagan wanted passed. For Ron it was a matter of principle, and he was under heavy pressure to change his vote.
>
>"What amused him was that the Democrats didn't mind his voting against it; all the pressure came from his fellow Republicans, professed conservatives, who were embarrassed that anyone should actually stand up for their avowed principles when it was unpopular to do so.
>
>"That was Ron Paul for you. Still is. The whole country is getting to know him now, and the Republicans still want to get rid of him. . . .
>
>"They're right, in a way. He doesn't belong in a party that has made conservative a synonym for destructive. George Will calls him a "useful anachronism" because he actually believes, as literally as circumstances permit, in the U.S. Constitution. In his unassuming way, without priggery or histrionics, he stands alone.
>
>"He may have become at last what he has always deserved to be: the most respected member of the U.S. Congress. He is also the only Republican candidate for president who is truly what all the others pretend to be, namely, a conservative. His career shows that a patriotic, pacific conservatism isn't a paradox . . .
>
>"Ron -- I'm very proud to call him my friend -- fares well not only in comparison with the party's sorry current candidates, but also with its legendary conservative giants, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. He lacks their charisma and of course Reagan's matchless charm, but he excels them both in consistency, depth, historical awareness, courage, and honor. Heaven grant him some of Reagan's luck! . . .
>
>"I can only attest that to know him is to love him, and knowing him for many years has only deepened the esteem I felt for him when we were both much younger men. This is a man who strikes deep chords in people's hearts.
>
>"Every attempt to portray him as an extremist, or even eccentric, founders on his palpable probity and wisdom. His words are the carefully measured words of one given to meditation. Ron Paul is a man you listen closely to . . . . He will say things worth pondering long after the votes are cast.
>
>"Until now, the GOP has been able to contain Paul by pretending he wasn't there. But the silent treatment can no longer stifle this soft-spoken man. He has been proved right too often."
>
>END OF QUOTE FROM SOBRAN COLUMN
>
>Here is the link to the entire article, "The Honor of Ron Paul" by Joe Sobran:
>
>http://www.sobran.com/columns/2007/070612.shtml
>
>HANG IN THERE, SUPERMAN. ONE BILLION GROWN UP CHILDREN WISH YOU WELL
>
>As I close this Network America ewire, two items from the entertainment world came to mind. The first is not an exact fit, for when you see Ron Paul in person you realize he is truly a kindly and pleasant "Everyman." Nevertheless, we are expecting him to carry quite a heavy burden for all of us now. And his performance and voting record in public office over 30 years is kind of "super-human." The following is from a little known country song, circa 1996, by a country singer named Hal Ketchum. The song is called, "Hang in there, Superman" - and here is the refrain that came to my mind as I finished this e-wire:
>
>Hang in there, Superman;
>You always came out fighting at the bell.
>Hang in there, Superman.
>One Billion Grown Up Children wish you well.
>
>(As to the Oligarchy behind the 5 Big TV Networks and the national Democratic and Republican parties who are trying to fix the Presidential election against Congressman Ron Paul, --- let me offer this observation: Something LESS than one billion grown up children are wishing YOU well.)
>
>2nd item; at the end of the 2nd Lord of the Rings movie, "The Two Towers", the good wizard Gandalf looks out after the decisive battle with some of the other central characters from a high hill, and comments about the journey to Mount Doom of Frodo and Sam, where the two hobbits will try to destroy the evil Ring of Power. Gandolf says: "All our hopes now rest with two little Hobbits, somewhere out there in the wilderness."
>
>And, whether most Americans and most people of the world realize it or not, all of our hopes to re-capture America from the gathering forces of darkness -- now rest with Congressman Ron Paul, somewhere out there on the campaign trail.

[LibertyEagle]

Operation Spooner- Iowa Outreach is rolling!

Literally thousand of volunteers from around the country are signing up every day to reach out to Iowans to raise awareness for Ron Paul, only to change the course of the Ames Iowa Straw Poll and the the upcoming primaries/caucuses. The more people we have calling, the more votes we're garnering for Ron Paul only to reach Critical Mass.

Please watch the enclosed video from Rachel Mills of "Confessions of Junkie" Fame for instructions and a bit of humor and follow-through to effectively change the course of this campaign to get Ron Paul in the White House.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl6SVrqhdDM

Please sign up by sending a blank email at Outreach4RonPaul@yahoo.com . You'll receive an auto response with instructions only to begin calling as early as tomorrow.

Jason Stoddard

[CJLauderdale4]

have your infant put an ink handprint on the envelope

cute

I'll have my 8 and 6 year-olds write the addresses on the envelopes...:D

[poppop_schell]

Operation Spooner- Iowa Outreach is rolling!

Literally thousand of volunteers from around the country are signing up every day to reach out to Iowans to raise awareness for Ron Paul, only to change the course of the Ames Iowa Straw Poll and the the upcoming primaries/caucuses. The more people we have calling, the more votes we're garnering for Ron Paul only to reach Critical Mass.

Please watch the enclosed video from Rachel Mills of "Confessions of Junkie" Fame for instructions and a bit of humor and follow-through to effectively change the course of this campaign to get Ron Paul in the White House.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl6SVrqhdDM

Please sign up by sending a blank email at Outreach4RonPaul@yahoo.com . You'll receive an auto response with instructions only to begin calling as early as tomorrow.

Jason Stoddard

Sounds great BUT I'm not hearing from any of these volunteers??? I have yet to hear ONCE from DC headquarters. If it wouldn't for this thread, I would know NOTHING!!

[skyorbit]

How many people do you need to reach. 1.7 million?

That means if 1000 people on the forum helped out, we'd need to reach about 1,700 each.

Back when I used to do network marketing, I used to only be able to only get through about 30 people an afternoon. Well, reach as many people as we can I guess :)

Tracy

[LibertyEagle]

Sounds great BUT I'm not hearing from any of these volunteers??? I have yet to hear ONCE from DC headquarters. If it wouldn't for this thread, I would know NOTHING!!

This is not being led by campaign headquarters. It is totally grassroots. Jason Stoddard, who is mentioned in the posts, lives in Austin and used to work for Dr. Paul.

[mesler]

The one question I have is is this effort being coordinated with the other grassroots folks in Iowa? Our meetup talked about doing some calling in Iowa a few weeks ago, and we decided that we did not want t duplicate the efforts of locals there.

[StagirasGhost]

Post this whereever you think it might attract the best audience only to begin making calls only to generate voters in Iowa for Ron Paul

Those that have already signed up should have received a message a couple of minutes ago detailing your log-in and basic instructions.

You'll find a script and certain questions you might want to ask. You also might want to take a look at Rachel Mills' video on this listed below.

The interface is very user friendly and we debugged it all to death, so there should be no problems.

If you encounter problems write me at stoddard.jason@gmail.com; I may redirect Vernon Robinson or Chuck Young to reply as they are advanced in the infrastructure.

If you encounter philosophical issues with callers or would like to talk about your experience calling and how best to deliver the Ron Paul freedom philosophy or candidate message, call me 512.925.0921. (Jason Stoddard)

The Metric:

We need 2,500 callers calling until August 10th. If each caller "enlists" no less than 4 voters each, each committed to voting for Ron Paul in Ames, that is 10,000 votes for Ron Paul and certain victory at the Ames Iowa Straw Poll.

Over 600 media outlets attend and cover the event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl6SVrqhdDM

Send an email to Outreach4RonPaul@yahoo.com or ccy@earthlink.net

Writing the latter address will bump you up a step.

Include:

your name
email address
city, state/meetup group #

Let us know if you're a MeetUp group team leader so we can organize it to correspond with your log-in. Otherwise, we will select a team lead for every part of the country/meetupgroup represented, respectively.

Please pay this forward. We have 34 days to win The Straw Poll for Ron Paul.

God Speed and God Bless Ron Paul.

Thanks to Brad, rachel, and especially Chuck on this. We could not have done this without you all. Two weeks in the making, and 34 days until victorious results...

[mesler]

Is this info on a website somewhere so us bloggers can link to it?

[LibertyEagle]

Jason,

Do all the Meetup groups know about this effort?

[StagirasGhost]

MD has the info so maybe, but doubtful.

If you can proliferate this in those groups, all those groups, please do.

There is no singular home page with this info. There might be in the near future. I suggest you link to the board, here, otherwise I would gratefully appreciate a quick page launch containing the information herein to channel people to sign up and begin making calls.

It is all about calling Iowans and spreading the good news that they actually have a real choice...and at some point I just need to step away from this and let it take on a life of its own.

Thanks in advance.

[mesler]

MD has the info so maybe, but doubtful.

If you can proliferate this in those groups, all those groups, please do.

There is no singular home page with this info. There might be in the near future. I suggest you link to the board, here, otherwise I would gratefully appreciate a quick page launch containing the information herein to channel people to sign up and begin making calls.

It is all about calling Iowans and spreading the good news that they actually have a real choice...and at some point I just need to step away from this and let it take on a life of its own.

Thanks in advance.

I posted a piece on my blog, if you would like it to say anything else, let me know.

[Bradley in DC]

Jason,

Do all the Meetup groups know about this effort?

I just got off the phone with a long conversation with Nathan. Without trying to speak out of turn, but yes, the Meetup organizers will know of this, if they don't already, and will be urged to get their members to participate.

[LibertyEagle]

Thank you, Bradley.

[poppop_schell]

I just got off the phone with a long conversation with Nathan. Without trying to speak out of turn, but yes, the Meetup organizers will know of this, if they don't already, and will be urged to get their members to participate.

What do you mean "speaking out of turn with Nathan?" I thought we all were in this to find the best way to get Ron Paul the GOP nomination? I pray that egos will NEVER get in the way.

[mport1]

For the letters, I think we should include some literature. Throw a flyer, business card, or "slim jim" in there so they have something nice to look at.

[LibertyEagle]

What do you mean "speaking out of turn with Nathan?" I thought we all were in this to find the best way to get Ron Paul the GOP nomination? I pray that egos will NEVER get in the way.

You're painting a picture that does not exist. It's pretty clear that Bradley said that only because I had directed my question to Jason, rather than to him. Bradley had the answer, so it's great he came forward to answer it. End of story.

[Bradley in DC]

What do you mean "speaking out of turn with Nathan?" I thought we all were in this to find the best way to get Ron Paul the GOP nomination? I pray that egos will NEVER get in the way.

By "speaking out of turn" I just meant that Nathan and I were talking about it and I "leaked" what he's going to do but that I was "out of turn" for speaking for him before he could get it out. That's all, no biggie. Yes, we're all on the same team, and it's good to know you (and others) are there to keep egos in check!

[Bradley in DC]

For the letters, I think we should include some literature. Throw a flyer, business card, or "slim jim" in there so they have something nice to look at.

Or maybe a fancy new DVD?! :D

[poppop_schell]

A few weeks ago, I asked for volunteers to help me contact GOP leaders in every Iowa County. Not hearing any resposne, I took it upon myself to send an e-mail to every GOP County leader in the Iowa 2nd Congressional District.

I would hope from this thread we might get volunteers to do the same for the other Iowa Congressional Districts. Respond to this post if you wish to help. I will show you the exact steps I followed. All you have to do is contact and keep in touch.

The e-mail I sent out was:

I am the Meetup Group leader for the Ron Paul for President Campaign in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. I or another Representative hope to meet you soon but until then could you please provide me with the following information ASAP?
1. Where your County headquarters is located plus any other physical locations.
2. How I might go about placing Ron Paul literature, etc in this location(s) and make sure it is restocked when needed
3. When your next County Committee Meeting is and perhaps have 5-10 minutes to speak with them and answer questions about Ron Paul.
Thanks for your help,

[Lord Xar]

A few weeks ago, I asked for volunteers to help me contact GOP leaders in every Iowa County. Not hearing any resposne, I took it upon myself to send an e-mail to every GOP County leader in the Iowa 2nd Congressional District.

I would hope from this thread we might get volunteers to do the same for the other Iowa Congressional Districts. Respond to this post if you wish to help. I will show you the exact steps I followed. All you have to do is contact and keep in touch.

The e-mail I sent out was:

I am the Meetup Group leader for the Ron Paul for President Campaign in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. I or another Representative hope to meet you soon but until then could you please provide me with the following information ASAP?
1. Where your County headquarters is located plus any other physical locations.
2. How I might go about placing Ron Paul literature, etc in this location(s) and make sure it is restocked when needed
3. When your next County Committee Meeting is and perhaps have 5-10 minutes to speak with them and answer questions about Ron Paul.
Thanks for your help,

I will be more than happy to email/snail mail anybody.... PM all the info.

[jj111]

Help me with the project please with some questions:

1) What times and days are OK for calling?

2) At the bottom right of the software page, it talks about "Add a Task"

It gives the following tasks to add:

Undefined
Email
Mail
Recruit
Retry
Follow-up

Under what circumstances are we supposed to "add a task", and could you give me an illustrative example of each category please?

Sorry for asking, but I want to make sure I know what I'm doing....

[poppop_schell]

I will be more than happy to email/snail mail anybody.... PM all the info.

What Iowa County do you live in? What is your e-mail address? Remember, I have already covered the 2nd District. Anxious to hear from you.:cool:

[freedom_junkie]

Bump Bump Bump

[freedom_junkie]

Getting Ready for my day off tomorrow, lots of water for the phone calls, it'll have to be after 7 PM here (time difference) its 12AM now. What time in Iowa? 10PM?

[rpf2008]

I think cold calling people is a bad idea.

[torchbearer]

Calling people can be invasive. Personally, i don't answer a call unless i know who it is... that is how many unsolicited calls i get in a day (probably 5 an hour).
Walk up to someone's house and talk to them as a neighbor is more effective.

i'm not saying don't call. i'm saying calling is less effective than face to face campaigning.

[Bradley in DC]

Calling people can be invasive. Personally, i don't answer a call unless i know who it is... that is how many unsolicited calls i get in a day (probably 5 an hour).
Walk up to someone's house and talk to them as a neighbor is more effective.

i'm not saying don't call. i'm saying calling is less effective than face to face campaigning.

If you're in Iowa, then great. If not, please join Operation Spooner and call Iowa voters before the Ames straw poll (and later to win the caucus)!

[raille]

I've had several people sign up for this project but still no response. We have very little time left to reach all 1.7 million. Are you guys moving forward in getting volunteers setup?

[aknappjr]

We've got a guy here in New York, Casey, who's organizing the 5 people who expressed interest in calling.

MORE VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED. There may be 100 people doing this project at the moment. We need 1000, and each of those people needs to contact 100 people. Thats 100,000 people, a good goal.

We need people willing to spend the 30 minutes to get set up and then a few hours a week.

[aknappjr]

What is the best resource for Dr. Paul's stances that can be easily read and SHARED over the phone? Is there a 3 page PDF or something that we could make?

[Bradley in DC]

What is the best resource for Dr. Paul's stances that can be easily read and SHARED over the phone? Is there a 3 page PDF or something that we could make?

Hi, and thanks!

Everyone has their own style. Importantly, do NOT identify yourself with the campaign (host of reasons, mostly FEC) but as a Ron Paul supporter or something. Best not to reference any other candidates at all (not Dr. Paul's style) and keep any conversations focused on issues.

Feedback has suggested that Iowa voters want to know that Dr. Paul is pro-life right off the bat (he is). I'm also personally enamored with this Burma Shave type slogan:
"It's leadership, this country lacks. Defend our borders, not Iraq's" which sums up a lot in a few words. Never voted to raise taxes, etc.

This is one guy's script:

Hi, I'm calling as a volunteer supporter of Ron Paul. I am part of a volunteer effort by 5,000 Ron Paul supporters who are calling voters nationwide. Have you heard of Congressman Ron Paul who is running for the Republican Presidential nomination?

I'm not trying to convince you to vote for him. I'm just requesting that you consider him. You may not hear about him in the local or national news. Even though, he has many supporters and over 25,000 volunteers such as myself working on his behalf. If you would be able to seriously consider him as a candidate for President, I would sincerely appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

[Shatterhand]

Hey, there was some talk over at the Daily Paul blog about Operation Spooner.

Can these calls be construed as illegal if the numbers are on the do not call list?

[berkeleybound]

Hey, there was some talk over at the Daily Paul blog about Operation Spooner.

Can these calls be construed as illegal if the numbers are on the do not call list?


Political calls are exempt from the do-no-call regulations.

[torchbearer]

I get automated calls from politicians all the time and i'm on the no-call list. i think its ok for political purposes to call people... at least, it is in louisiana.

[ghemminger]

Great Job guys!!!...I'm looking foward to being part of history...From everyhting I'm reading, Iowa is the picture perfect example of what's wrong in politics with this country. Big money buying influence, feet on the ground, parties, rides, food, apathy, ect.....just sick. I wonder if our founding father's envisioned this?

Besides RP raising $10 milliion to throw an even more ridiculous extravagant party for the mindless....maybe what you are attempting just might work. This is an effort from the heart.... a direct appeal, person to person sharing Ron Paul's Message. After, what I'm sure is to be exhaustive efforts.....ultimately, it will be up to individual Iowans to rise against the status quo to carry the torch of Liberty and Ron Paul's message.
Good Luck!

[poppop_schell]

Calling people can be invasive. Personally, i don't answer a call unless i know who it is... that is how many unsolicited calls i get in a day (probably 5 an hour).
Walk up to someone's house and talk to them as a neighbor is more effective.

i'm not saying don't call. i'm saying calling is less effective than face to face campaigning.

True BUT time is of the essence right now. Once Paul is the GOP nominee then door-todoor is very important IF we can get a large number of vounteers. Frankly, I see way more talkers than I do doers. :confused:

[poppop_schell]

Hi, and thanks!

Everyone has their own style. Importantly, do NOT identify yourself with the campaign (host of reasons, mostly FEC) but as a Ron Paul supporter or something. Best not to reference any other candidates at all (not Dr. Paul's style) and keep any conversations focused on issues.

Feedback has suggested that Iowa voters want to know that Dr. Paul is pro-life right off the bat (he is). I'm also personally enamored with this Burma Shave type slogan:
"It's leadership, this country lacks. Defend our borders, not Iraq's" which sums up a lot in a few words. Never voted to raise taxes, etc.

This is one guy's script:

Hi, I'm calling as a volunteer supporter of Ron Paul. I am part of a volunteer effort by 5,000 Ron Paul supporters who are calling voters nationwide. Have you heard of Congressman Ron Paul who is running for the Republican Presidential nomination?

I'm not trying to convince you to vote for him. I'm just requesting that you consider him. You may not hear about him in the local or national news. Even though, he has many supporters and over 25,000 volunteers such as myself working on his behalf. If you would be able to seriously consider him as a candidate for President, I would sincerely appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

Great script BUT you need to tell there where to go to get Paul information like ronpaul2008.com or a telephone number for folks without internet.

[poppop_schell]

Great Job guys!!!...I'm looking foward to being part of history...From everyhting I'm reading, Iowa is the picture perfect example of what's wrong in politics with this country. Big money buying influence, feet on the ground, parties, rides, food, apathy, ect.....just sick. I wonder if our founding father's envisioned this?

Besides RP raising $10 milliion to throw an even more ridiculous extravagant party for the mindless....maybe what you are attempting just might work. This is an effort from the heart.... a direct appeal, person to person sharing Ron Paul's Message. After, what I'm sure is to be exhaustive efforts.....ultimately, it will be up to individual Iowans to rise against the status quo to carry the torch of Liberty and Ron Paul's message.
Good Luck!

Thanks for the good luck but we need you to make telephone calls. Hard work wins it, not good luck. Soemone mentioned we ONLY have 100 call vounteers? IF true that is sad. Where are the doers. It seems we have plentyn of talkers.:(

[poppop_schell]

I think cold calling people is a bad idea.

OK bluntly put, what better way do you have to get the job done in less than three weeks? The Paul Campaign is one of hope and hard work, not sitting on the sidelines taking "potshots."

[vertesc]

"I wonder if the founding fathers envisioned this?"

They did. It's exactly why they were against the idea of political parties - they give you one coffer to bribe. Check out the federalist papers about "factioning".

[aknappjr]

Is the "Call an Iowian" official campaign supplanting this or will they both go on?

[jnpg]

Is anyone actually doing this? I signed up to call, but haven't received any information back on actually calling....
wondering what's going on...

[sifupaul]

I just want to say first of all that I will be with the Ron Paul campaign to the very end! I would never do or say anything with the purpose of causing any animosities.

I am completely and humbly ready to work with anyone and everyone who wants to see Ron Paul elected President of these United States.

With that said, I want it to be known that someone at HQ (I don't know exactly who) pulled some real disrespectful and inconsiderate shit today in regards to Operation Spooner.

Everyone who has followed this operation, from day 1, knows that the time and effort put in from 2 members here in Austin, Jason Stoddard and Chuck Young, have been nothing short of phenomonal!

Knowing these 2 gentlemen like I do, they would never do what I am doing here because it would make them sound like they were seeking some glory over what they have selflessly accomplished.

Here's the email that was sent out earlier today...

Dear friend,

Exciting news from Iowa! Many of you across the country have been asking how you can help in Iowa, and we're ready to take you up on it in a big way. We are officially launching our Call Iowa program today. We are asking for volunteers from Iowa and across the country to call Iowans and spread the word about the Straw Poll. We are excited about this opportunity to have Ron Paul supporters converse on a one-to-one basis with Iowans likely to be interested in attending the Straw Poll.

We are aware that some volunteers have begun calling people and trying to spread the word. While we appreciate everyone's initiative and support, the Call Iowa program is a great chance to volunteer with the official campaign and really be a part of the action! Many of you have already expressed interest in a program like this and we are grateful and excited for your help.

We invite you to contact us if you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans. You are also welcome to contact us on behalf of your group, if you have several local volunteers who are interested in working together on this. If you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans here's what to do:

Send an e-mail to calliowa@ronpaul.com providing us with the following information:

Your Name (ex. John Smith)

Your e-mail address (ex. ronpaul@voteforronpaul.com)

Your location (ex. Cedar Rapids, IA)

How many people you are responding for (ex. 12). Please enter "1" if you are volunteering alone on this.

Approximately how many calls you think you and your group can reasonably handle in about one week's time. (ex. 150)

Once we get your response we will send you an e-mail with a list of people to call and a guide for calling. We will give you sample scripts if you feel you need them, plus a guideline of appropriate conduct and tone, and information that should be included in every call. We promise that this program is simple and user friendly for even the least computer-inclined. We are anticipating a large response to this, so you may not get a list from us immediately, but we will work hard to get to everyone as fast as possible. Everyone who wants to volunteer will absolutely have the chance to. There are approximately 1,500,000 registered voters in Iowa, so there are plenty of calls to be made!

Please note that this e-mail address is for our Call Iowa program ONLY. Because of the large response anticipated to this program we will only be able to respond to e-mails that provide only the above requested information or relevant questions. We are very excited to be able to get everyone involved on a national scale to help get out the vote in Iowa. We welcome everyone's help, even if you can only make a handful of phone calls. We are looking forward to hearing from everyone!

Joe Seehusen
Iowa State Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee
_________________________________________

HELLO!!! Does any of this sound familiar???

I'll say one more time that this has nothing to do with wanting glory, this is about common respect and acknowledgement!

There's a word that's very relevant in politics and that's OPPORTUNISM!! People always looking for ways they can take credit for someone elses hard work.

Everyone who knows and respects the enthusiasm and efforts of these guys should ask for the record to be set straight.

I apologize to those who might find this trivial but with all due respect, you simply have no idea of what these guys have gone through for it to just be redirected as if they had never done a damn thing!!

[RonPaul2012grassroots]

I signed up to call, but haven't received any information back on actually calling....
wondering what's going on...

jnpg, the preceding post should give you an idea of the current hiccup in this project now being experienced. From what I gather, the two people most responsible for developing this effort and getting it underway have graciously 'stood down' so the official national HQ can more or less immediately take over without any hitches this concept which someone else initiated, spun up, and fleshed out.

As Paul accurately pointed out, the way everyone was informed was inappropriate. Jason and Chuck should have been brought into the loop and debriefed as soon as the decision made to do this, yet for all their time spent and extraordinary efforts they found out about this development just like any other volunteer in the field - a very impersonal email.

We all owe Jason Stoddard and Chuck Young a debt of gratitude for getting this off the launching pad, now it's up to the national HQ staff and their subordinates to set it on cruise and navigate it to the target. Let's all hope and pray they do well with it, all of us hitting a home run.

[Dave]

You have shared your feelings in a reasonable manner.

I don't think this effort from HQ would have happened without the inspiring work of all the people behind Operation Spooner.

I feel badly if some people feel their toes have been stepped on a bit since HQ has 'taken the wheel', so to speak, of this effort. I would probably feel the same way. So let me say this:

I truly believe that Operation Spooner was the inspiration for the effort that campaign HQ has launched. In this sense, I think everyone behind Operation Spooner should feel a great sense of accomplishment that their brainstorming and energy developed an idea so great that it has quickly snowballed and been adopted into a national campaign-sanctioned effort.

As an Iowa Ron Paul supporter, I am humbled that Operation Spooner was conceived and launched by people outside Iowa to focus on turning out the vote in the August 11 Ames Straw Poll. I commend you for your vision in understanding the importance of this event in the nominating process. And I thank you for being there with ideas and energy at a time when I wasn't sure how we would spread the word here. Everyone involved with Operation Spooner is a hero. Those of us on the ground in Iowa won't forget this contribution.

[Dustancostine]

I am very confused about this move by the campaign. This was going well and was not costing them a cent. Why take it over. Why not focus on another state like NH or SC. Then we could be hitting two states at once.

Also this has to be very discouraging to the people that worked so hard. And lastly, it seems that HQ is going to be emailing hard copy list. This is going to be less effective than operation spooner, since spooner used a database to keep track of who had been called and who hasen't. What happens if some gets a list and then procrastinates and doesn't call the people on their list? At least with operation spooner, someone else could call the people. The free market always delivers a better product at a cheaper price. :(

[Noodles]

"plus a guideline of appropriate conduct and tone"

reminiscent of:

"everyone should wear khaki shorts and Ron Paul t-shirts"

I, for one, will be glad when Iowa's moment in the sun is passed.

The condescension is stifling.

[Johnnybags]

Its that simple, I just got a response from an email I sent on 6/19 telling them to rent the room next door to the IOWA tax forum, which they did. I am sure they had a plan for phone outreach but you guys simply beat them to it with freemarket, tech principles, in the private sector which just goes to show you that even small beaurocracies like campaigns are inefficient. Although I like your ideas better personally, I think we have to give deference to the campaign. We all know Ron never expected to be in such demand and obviously was not well prepared for the groundswell of support. 358 sq ft office? Anyway the goal is the same, elect him, if the campaign decides their idea is more needed we probably have to support it, although, they really should just adopt yours if you gave them some control over it. Awesome work.

[jnpg]

Thanks for the replies and clarifications-
Yes- Thank your Jason and Chuck for your hard work.
Yes- Even the small bureaucracies are difficult.
Yes- I think the campaign is overwhelmed.

Yes- I and many many others stand by to help in whatever way we can regardless of the tact or lack of it...

Everyone- keep your heads up we are growing hourly! Keep up the great online and offline work!

[LibertyEagle]

I hope what the Austin guys created will be used for future calling efforts in other states. It is my understanding that they put a tremendous number of hours into this effort and the application they created can be duplicated for use in calling other states. This was no small feat of programming effort. Something that other campaigns could only dream about and if they tried to hire it done, it would cause a huge dent in their campaign budgets.

So, thank you guys. You took the lead on this. You're right, it wasn't handled well by one individual in the campaign, but it more than likely was not intentional at all. Your work will not go in vain. Let's use it for the next state, how about?

[EvoPro]

Good idea Liberty, we should use the spooner infrastructure for south carolina.

[Dustancostine]

I second the motion. Start operation Spooner 2.0 SC.

[Dave]

Good idea Liberty, we should use the spooner infrastructure for south carolina.

What do you think about New Hampshire? NH has a lot less voters than Iowa so would be easier to penetrate.

Also, NH could be our ace in the hole in case things don't turn out so well in Iowa.

Or...HQ is pushing this calling effort for the August 11 Ames Straw Poll. There's still a lot of time between the straw poll and the Iowa caucus in January. Our work in Iowa will be far from done after August 11 - just starting, really.

Maybe fences could be mended between HQ and Operation Spooner and we could all work together to keep spreading the word in Iowa.

[EvoPro]

Dave, I believe Ron Paul will win New Hampshire much more easily than south carolina, since New Hampshire leans libertarian. South Carolina also has more influence over a larger area. (ie. the south) Here in New England, New Hampshire is kind of scene as the oddball state(conservative among liberals).

[ghemminger]

Interesting...I was ready with Chuck to get a my group calling every night from here in SoCal....had my passwords and everything. Other groups were setting up phone banks...

Sent 3 emails to HQ since email, no response....Why not push ahead with ops spooner....who gives a ____ if we duplicate efforts.....get th _____job done...m god.

I'm part of a local "official meetup", but notice there are two factions in this campaign.....old and young - Why stop ops spooner - push foward, why are we taking direction?????????? from people we don't work for.....This is a movement not a structured campaign.


Then again, maybe there are only a 1000 people that can use a computer and a telephone at the same time,......while there is 10,000 meetup members who can work a paper list.....Can anyone wrap ther minds around this?

Just because HQ says it , doesn't mean it is the best thing for RP

[mport1]

Can we also get a sticky for the new official calling project from the campaign?

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

I am very disappointed with both the campaign and the Spooner leadership over this. I too had everyone set up and this was going to be a great weekend for call. Instead, Spooner pulled the plug with nothing to take over. Lost weekend.

I still haven't heard from the new project. Things were going so great for the Paul campaign when the grassroots were running things. I fear a coming campaign bureaucracy and all it's failings.

[lonestarguy]

{Campaign HQ picked-off and picked-up on a winning strategy originated by the grassroots. Lets get behind it and press ahead. Then after Super Tuesday 2008 we can debrief all of the history. Press on folks!}

Dear friend,

Exciting news from Iowa! Many of you across the country have been asking how you can help in Iowa, and we're ready to take you up on it in a big way. We are officially launching our Call Iowa program today. We are asking for volunteers from Iowa and across the country to call Iowans and spread the word about the Straw Poll. We are excited about this opportunity to have Ron Paul supporters converse on a one-to-one basis with Iowans likely to be interested in attending the Straw Poll.

We are aware that some volunteers have begun calling people and trying to spread the word. While we appreciate everyone's initiative and support, the Call Iowa program is a great chance to volunteer with the official campaign and really be a part of the action! Many of you have already expressed interest in a program like this and we are grateful and excited for your help.

We invite you to contact us if you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans. You are also welcome to contact us on behalf of your group, if you have several local volunteers who are interested in working together on this. If you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans here's what to do:

Send an e-mail to calliowa@ronpaul.com providing us with the following information:

Your Name (ex. John Smith)

Your e-mail address (ex. ronpaul@voteforronpaul.com)

Your location (ex. Cedar Rapids, IA)

How many people you are responding for (ex. 12). Please enter "1" if you are volunteering alone on this.

Approximately how many calls you think you and your group can reasonably handle in about one week's time. (ex. 150)

Once we get your response we will send you an e-mail with a list of people to call and a guide for calling. We will give you sample scripts if you feel you need them, plus a guideline of appropriate conduct and tone, and information that should be included in every call. We promise that this program is simple and user friendly for even the least computer-inclined. We are anticipating a large response to this, so you may not get a list from us immediately, but we will work hard to get to everyone as fast as possible. Everyone who wants to volunteer will absolutely have the chance to. There are approximately 1,500,000 registered voters in Iowa, so there are plenty of calls to be made!

Please note that this e-mail address is for our Call Iowa program ONLY. Because of the large response anticipated to this program we will only be able to respond to e-mails that provide only the above requested information or relevant questions. We are very excited to be able to get everyone involved on a national scale to help get out the vote in Iowa. We welcome everyone's help, even if you can only make a handful of phone calls. We are looking forward to hearing from everyone!

Joe Seehusen
Iowa State Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Did the above yesterday and haven't heard anything. If everyone lost out on a good Sunday of calling, with only 3 weekends left, we're losing thousands of straw poll voters. Just saying, wish they hadn't messed with a good thing.

[Shatterhand]

Scribbler,

Thank you for opening my eyes to an important fact: the grassroots is more capable than the campaign. You can find better looking bumper stickers from sellers than the official campaign stickers. You can find better homemade Ron Paul videos on youtube than official campaign videos. And now here we go with Iowa. I fear we might lose the straw poll over this stuff.

:eek:

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

No different than how the independent actions of all the individuals who make up the free market do a much a better job than anything the bureaucracy of government can do. Leave it in the hands of the people!

[EvoPro]

I second the motion. Start operation Spooner 2.0 SC.

Actually, maybe we should aim at florida since their primary is before south carolina's. I just found that florida moved up.

[torchbearer]

yeh, florida is a good idea, but its a very large state... we would need a Super Spooner 2.0 Vista edition.

[dspectre]

I think this is a good opportunity. If the campaign focuses on Iowa and the Independents focus on another state, more work can get done.

[LibertyEagle]

I think this is a good opportunity. If the campaign focuses on Iowa and the Independents focus on another state, more work can get done.

WE are the campaign. The Iowa calling campaign will not come off, if WE do not join in and help.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

There IS no Iowa calling campaign. That's my beef! They shut down shop and the campaign has not opened shop. We lost a big calling day yesterday, and we're losing ground each day.

I don't give a damn about SC and FL right now, because if we don't do well in the Iowa Straw Poll, there won't be a campaign by the time you get to the primaries.

[LibertyEagle]

I know, Scribbler. I'm not sure what to do about it at this juncture. Any ideas? Does anyone know when they're supposed to be up and running?

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Why can't Operation Spooner re-open shop?

[LibertyEagle]

You saw the message that was posted here. I think there are some hurt feelings, because it sounds like they were essentially told to butt out. So they did. If the campaign wants them to re-engage, the campaign needs to tell them. Just like they told them to stop.

Just my opinion.

[ghemminger]

{Campaign HQ picked-off and picked-up on a winning strategy originated by the grassroots. Lets get behind it and press ahead. Then after Super Tuesday 2008 we can debrief all of the history. Press on folks!}

Joe Seehusen
Iowa State Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

Sounds Great Joe!
And very positive....My question would be...why would HQ want to take control...(more work/staff/bureaucracy) of a process that seemed to be naturally unfolding by itself.......and free of cost I might add......

HQ could have started another Operation Spooner, why take away the momentum of something already in operation......

Philosophically, does the campaign want to heavily centralize operations or leverage the power of the "free markets"....

I know you need to keep the message consistent, but I would think heavy promotion of the name of RON PAUL and his MESSAGE should be ahead of any control or centralization at this point in time....

[ghemminger]

Why can't Operation Spooner re-open shop?

There is nothing preventing 2 calling campign....who cares if IOWANS get two phone calls from Ron Paul Supporters......


I say, "Release the power of the Free Market" Do not restrain me.....ahhhhhhhh!!!!...lol

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Quote today from Reason via LewRockwell blog:


Jesse Walker argues that the grassroots activity around Ron Paul's campaign is interesting and valuable in itself. Particularly interesting: "The Paul movement is different. Unlike the Jackson and Perot campaigns, it is open, decentralized, and largely driven by activists operating without any direction from the candidate or his staff.

Correction: we were all that; now we're about to become just like any other 2nd tier campaign.

[ghemminger]

Some one needs to notify Chuck Young and grow some "_____"....I'll take the heat.....lol unofficial Call Iowan Operation begins here!!

[Johnnybags]

I cannot figure it out with so many posts, the campaign should just give spooner the script and stand back. Is it on or off?

[LibertyEagle]

Has Seehusen told anyone when his great new calling program is supposed to start?

Has anyone even gotten an email back from the new calling group? I haven't.

[Noodles]

Who hired the fascists in Iowa?

[LibertyEagle]

We needed a campaign coordinator in Iowa and we got one. I don't agree with how this was handled either, but it's possible we don't have all the information either.

I wish there was a way for us to find out from Joe Seehusen, the Iowa coordinator, when he expects his program to be up and running. I think that would tell us how to proceed.

[ghemminger]

I cannot figure it out with so many posts, the campaign should just give spooner the script and stand back. Is it on or off?

I just sent an email to Chuck Young" <ccy@earthlink.net> and jimv@blank blank, anbsoft@blank blank

Let's fire spooner back up.....why are we so quick to SHUT DOWN....why are we so afraid of duplicating efforts????? The free market is all about duplicating efforts, driving down costs and increasing competition!!!!

Let's get Chuck to fire up OPS Spooner again.....!!!! HQ can have the Meetups....Have OPS Spooner for everyone else.....

Why kill inspiration, technology and compettion...am I smoking crack or what?????

[LibertyEagle]

You should also send an email to Jason Stoddard, if you're wanting to get Spooner started back up.

[ghemminger]

You should also send an email to Jason Stoddard, if you're wanting to get Spooner started back up.

Post it!!!! I can run it if they are afraid of HQ.....I am not afraid of LIBERTY!!!!

[LibertyEagle]

Jason Stoddard
stoddard.jason@gmail.com
Austin MeetUp, Communications and Media Team lead

[poppop_schell]

I just sent an email to Chuck Young" <ccy@earthlink.net> and jimv@qumasoft.com, anbsoft@hotmail.com

Let's fire spooner back up.....why are we so quick to SHUT DOWN....why are we so afraid of duplicating efforts????? The free market is all about duplicating efforts, driving down costs and increasing competition!!!!

Let's get Chuck to fire up OPS Spooner again.....!!!! HQ can have the Meetups....Have OPS Spooner for everyone else.....

Why kill inspiration, technology and compettion...am I smoking crack or what?????

I agree 100%. FYI, I was on the Conference Call Thursday night when Heather ASSURED us that the phone calling would begin Friday. To make sure you were contaced and recurited to call, you needed to make sure you had signed up as a phone volunteer at ronpaul2008.com

IT IS MONDAY NOW AND NOTHING???? THREE MORE CALL DAYS MISSED. I AGREE THAT SPOONER MUST START UP AGAIN AND IF NATIONAL/JOE DOES COME THROUGH (?????????), THEN IT WON'T HURT TO HAVE A BACKUP SYSTEM IN PLACE.

I REMAIN A SCEPTICAL PERSON RELATED TO NATIONAL AND OUR PAID STAFF.

[Noodles]

We are being defeated from within.

[Dan Klaus]

update...??? Hope this gets resolved...losing time..

[beermotor]

We are being defeated from within.


You know, you sure are quick to holler that kind of talk, man.

Let's be patient folks. I know it looks a little squirrely, but ultimately we do need a little bit of structure from the campaign. I wouldn't slag them. However, I wouldn't cut off your grassroots efforts, either. So long as people are making clear that they aren't affiliated with the campaign, why should it be a problem?

Keep going, says I. No need to stop.

[Lord Xar]

MY 2 CENTS to GET INFORMATION.

I THINK THE PROMOTORS OF OPERATION SPOONER SHOULD CONTACT THE CAMPAIGN and Set a Deadline for Action.


"If do not know what you have planned by Wednesday and get this ball rolling, we will push forward with our agenda/campaign and work independantly"

SIMPLE... Set up a conditional and stop waiting on them to make the decision.

Draw the line in the sand because we need to either move forward with them, or without them..

[Noodles]

Oh, I'll never stop. Just calling it like I see it. But discretion is the better part of valor, and I will try to limit the comments.

[Dustancostine]

I justed called HQ and they said they didn't take over the operation, but Joe was running it now, or something to that effect. Said the list should be out soon.

He also said Joe's email was joe@ronpaul2008.com

So I don't know what to think.

-Dustan

[Dave]

Holy Cow!

I just got done posting here a few minutes ago and now I've literally just hung up the phone with a woman calling me to urge my support for Tancredo at the Ames Straw Poll! I asked her where she was calling from and she said California. She was very pleasant and we had a really nice visit. I told her I would be in Ames but I was voting for Ron Paul. She didn't really know much about Ron Paul so I gave her some information. She was touting, of course, Tancredo's strong position on illegal immigration.

I asked how she got my number. She said she was just a supporter of the campaign, not someone on the payroll or with a telemarketing firm. She got my number by signing up on the Tancredo website and they sent her a list of Iowa phone numbers that she has been working on. I asked when she got started on this and she said Saturday. She called on her own dime.

I hope the calling effort in Iowa (HQ, Spooner, or otherwise) gets started ASAP!

[LibertyEagle]

I justed called HQ and they said they didn't take over the operation, but Joe was running it now, or something to that effect. Said the list should be out soon.

He also said Joe's email was joe@ronpaul2008.com

So I don't know what to think.

-Dustan

My understanding is that Joe didn't take over Spooner, he is starting something new.

[Noodles]

Dave,

Please post that information in a new thread also. Some people don't look at this thread.

Thanks.

[beermotor]

Yeah, that's not good.

Ugh... hope to hear some good news soon!

[jnpg]

Just sent this email to calliowa@ronpaul.com

To Whom it May Concern:

Please communicate with us your humble volunteers- We are wasting valuable minutes NOT calling Iowans.
The Spooner initiative was coming along- and now it really looks bad when you are not even giving us any info or timeline.
I could easily call 100 people this week- but will not have as much time in the next 2 weeks. You are squandering your volunteer enthusiasm and resources.
Please communicate with us!
Also the advokit site was really neat and user friendly- are we going to use it?

Jill Gabli
www.ronpaul2008.com

[Dustancostine]

Joe,

I know you are very busy and are overwhelmed, but there are many volunteers that are on the sideline right now who desperately want to participate. Many of us see this campaign not only as an attempt to elect Dr. Paul, but also an attempt to protect our freedoms. Some of us may not have much money to contribute, but one small thing we can do is to call people. Please communicate with your volunteers as to how this new project is going to take place and when it will get started. Every day that passes many thousands of Iowans could have been contacted. I went to my meetup group last night and they are all waiting to get to calling.

Thank you for all that you are doing for the campaign and for liberty,

Dustan Costine

I just sent this to joe@ronpaul2008.com

[FreedomLover]

Can anyone tell me who is really in charge of this operation and what mediuim they use to tell us (this forum?).

[Bergie Bergeron]

How about... CALLING the HQ?

[mconder]

Did Spooner turn over his list of volunteers to the campaign?

[ghemminger]

Holy Cow!

I just got done posting here a few minutes ago and now I've literally just hung up the phone with a woman calling me to urge my support for Tancredo at the Ames Straw Poll! I asked her where she was calling from and she said California. She was very pleasant and we had a really nice visit. I told her I would be in Ames but I was voting for Ron Paul. She didn't really know much about Ron Paul so I gave her some information. She was touting, of course, Tancredo's strong position on illegal immigration.

I asked how she got my number. She said she was just a supporter of the campaign, not someone on the payroll or with a telemarketing firm. She got my number by signing up on the Tancredo website and they sent her a list of Iowa phone numbers that she has been working on. I asked when she got started on this and she said Saturday. She called on her own dime.

I hope the calling effort in Iowa (HQ, Spooner, or otherwise) gets started ASAP!

Just Spoke with Jason Stoddard,
He wouldn't divulge details, right now but Operation Spooner has been shut down due to worries regarding Ron Paul Branding? or duplication of efforts??

I do not understand what is wrong with operating 2 operations spooners???? or for that matter 10 operation spooners....Please urge Jason, Chuck and the high tech gang to revive OPS SPOONER imiedietly!!!!
They can turn it on in one milisecond......LETS DO THIS PEOPLE......Contact the guys...Contact HQ

Open OPS SPOONER!!!!! - Worst that will happen is IOWANS get two phone calls instead of one...."sorry sir, you've been contacted already.....thank you for your time...support....."

[nayjevin]

I suspect HQ wants to control the script more than is possible with spooner.

Imagine how saboteurs could effect Iowa by calling potential voters en masse and talking about impeachment, CFR, NAU, JFK, 911, MK-ULTRA, Chemtrails, etc etc etc

[LibertyEagle]

It sounds like our wishes have already been communicated to all parties involved. I don't think it's a good idea to spam our own team.

Let's give it a couple of days and see if Joe steps forward with his calling program.

[LibertyEagle]

I suspect HQ wants to control the script more than is possible with spooner.

Imagine how saboteurs could effect Iowa by calling potential voters en masse and talking about impeachment, CFR, NAU, JFK, 911, MK-ULTRA, Chemtrails, etc etc etc

They can do that regardless of who is handing out the phone numbers.

[ghemminger]

It sounds like our wishes have already been communicated to all parties involved. I don't think it's a good idea to spam our own team.

Let's give it a couple of days and see if Joe steps forward with his calling program.

Liberty,
I'm getting a little excited.....sorry...but I know this top down control will and has sabotaged some pretty amazing people....

Hypothetically , what if HQ are "propeller heads" and just don't get it....shouldn't the RP supporters have other avenues to show support...or should we allow HQ to censor all effort to support RP?

[Orat]

Well, I suppose of someone really can't hold their water, they could always get out the white pages and just start calling. But that greatly increases the chances of not only double-calling, but tripple, quadruple, and more.

[Lord Xar]

Liberty,
I'm getting a little excited.....sorry...but I know this top down control will and has sabotaged some pretty amazing people....

Hypothetically , what if HQ are "propeller heads" and just don't get it....shouldn't the RP supporters have other avenues to show support...or should we allow HQ to censor all effort to support RP?

well, I wouldn't go that far.. I think its perfectly ok for HQ be concerned about the Ron Paul branding............ its natural. You have to consider what is at stake here.... the presidency... handing out flyers, posting banners, doing alot of homegrown campainging is good.... but I think when its a concerted effort like this, they probably want to make sure the agenda, presenation and such are in line.. its natural.

Don't get worked up.... its part of the process. Try to hang in there and STILL be part of the calling...

[nayjevin]

They can do that regardless of who is handing out the phone numbers.

true, but currently, no one is handing out the phone numbers!! the only people calling right now are @ HQ, in their call center. controlled environment. I think i'd take my chances with the general public i.e. spooner, but i just think it's possible the reason for HQ taking over is to control the script. even well meaning callers can easily come off bad for RP.

[Noodles]

Well, if we're coming off bad, even when our intentions are good, then HQ should be the ones calling. A controlled environment is good. They should go ahead and hand out the flyers as well. And write letters to the editor. And call the talk shows.

[Joe Knows]

Liberty,
I'm getting a little excited.....sorry...but I know this top down control will and has sabotaged some pretty amazing people....



You would think that HQ would understand Blowback.:eek:

[ghemminger]

To illustrate...RPs effort is like many small and large brushfires across the county fueled by the discontent of the citizens...Now how should HQ increase the burn rate?

Should they fan the existing flames.....set new fires....bring more fule to the fire....

or should they extinquish fires, consolidate fires, control them? I'm not sure....

I don't see why you would want to censor or "shut down" anything that helps you in a massive way....

It s' a matter of philosphy.....

[LibertyEagle]

true, but currently, no one is handing out the phone numbers!! the only people calling right now are @ HQ, in their call center. controlled environment. I think i'd take my chances with the general public i.e. spooner, but i just think it's possible the reason for HQ taking over is to control the script. even well meaning callers can easily come off bad for RP.

Hi. You must have missed the email sent out by Joe Seehusen, the Iowa campaign manager. There will be a calling program that we all can be involved with. It's just slow in starting.



Dear friend,

Exciting news from Iowa! Many of you across the country have been asking how you can help in Iowa, and we're ready to take you up on it in a big way. We are officially launching our Call Iowa program today. We are asking for volunteers from Iowa and across the country to call Iowans and spread the word about the Straw Poll. We are excited about this opportunity to have Ron Paul supporters converse on a one-to-one basis with Iowans likely to be interested in attending the Straw Poll.

We are aware that some volunteers have begun calling people and trying to spread the word. While we appreciate everyone's initiative and support, the Call Iowa program is a great chance to volunteer with the official campaign and really be a part of the action! Many of you have already expressed interest in a program like this and we are grateful and excited for your help.

We invite you to contact us if you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans. You are also welcome to contact us on behalf of your group, if you have several local volunteers who are interested in working together on this. If you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans here's what to do:

Send an e-mail to calliowa@ronpaul.com providing us with the following information:

Your Name (ex. John Smith)

Your e-mail address (ex. ronpaul@voteforronpaul.com)

Your location (ex. Cedar Rapids, IA)

How many people you are responding for (ex. 12). Please enter "1" if you are volunteering alone on this.

Approximately how many calls you think you and your group can reasonably handle in about one week's time. (ex. 150)

Once we get your response we will send you an e-mail with a list of people to call and a guide for calling. We will give you sample scripts if you feel you need them, plus a guideline of appropriate conduct and tone, and information that should be included in every call. We promise that this program is simple and user friendly for even the least computer-inclined. We are anticipating a large response to this, so you may not get a list from us immediately, but we will work hard to get to everyone as fast as possible. Everyone who wants to volunteer will absolutely have the chance to. There are approximately 1,500,000 registered voters in Iowa, so there are plenty of calls to be made!

Please note that this e-mail address is for our Call Iowa program ONLY. Because of the large response anticipated to this program we will only be able to respond to e-mails that provide only the above requested information or relevant questions. We are very excited to be able to get everyone involved on a national scale to help get out the vote in Iowa. We welcome everyone's help, even if you can only make a handful of phone calls. We are looking forward to hearing from everyone!

Joe Seehusen
Iowa State Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

[nayjevin]

Hi. You must have missed the email sent out by Joe Seehusen

indeed. (argument deflates)

thanks for pointing this out.

[jj111]

I am so confused. Did anybody try calling HQ today to get an update from them?

[LibertyEagle]

yes, scroll back up.

[Dustancostine]

Yes, they said email joe and wait.

[Dave]

Hi. You must have missed the email sent out by Joe Seehusen, the Iowa campaign manager. There will be a calling program that we all can be involved with. It's just slow in starting.

It should be noted that the email address in that email is wrong. It's not @ronpaul.com - it's @ronpaul2008.com.

[Orat]

While we wait, I don't want to hijack the thread, but please spread the word about Operation Hawkeye 1. It is an effort for people outside Iowa to travel to Iowa the week prior to the straw poll and, for those who can, to stay that week and work to get the word out for the straw poll doing whatever we can (to be determined by Iowa coordinators).

Here is my thread for this project:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=6563

And here is a link to the meetup group for coordinating our efforts:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/507/

[ghemminger]

It should be noted that the email address in that email is wrong. It's not @ronpaul.com - it's @ronpaul2008.com.

I've sent 3 emails already....I have gotten anything rejected...:) ..I think we are all confused and frustrated.....

[nayjevin]

A controlled environment is good. They should go ahead and hand out the flyers as well. And write letters to the editor. And call the talk shows.

ha, no kidding. i'm not old enough to remember, but i am told that perot's campaign lost a bunch of grassroots momentum when the campaign took a little bit too much control of things, stifling the spontaneity of the activists.

[LibertyEagle]

Guys, guys.... this is the FIRST hint of anything that could even remotely be considered HQ taking control. I'm frustrated too, but they might just have a reason we would agree with if we just knew it. I'm not sure this is one of them, but there are things that the headquarters should be coordinating, at least at the very high level. There has been a lot of wheel spinning on a lot of things because they haven't done that so far. It's micromanagement that we don't want. High-level coordination is a good thing.

It's not like we have to sit on our backsides until we hear from Seehusen. We can direct our attention to getting out there in our own towns and handing out campaign literature for the next day or two until we hear back from him.

[SV-v2.0]

Operation Spooner won't be coming back. This is from Chuck, and Chuck was the man at the switch.

I suggest that everyone who wants to reach out to folks in Iowa, especially the 2,407 straw poll delegates, put the pressure on those who have laid claim to the Iowa call out effort. NOW is the time they need to show what they're capable of - they need to get on a stick.

Time's a-wastin'!!!

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

I'm pixxed. We would have been better off not donating to the campaign if we had known giving them staff would bring all the positive momentum to a screeching halt.

[LibertyEagle]

Operation Spooner won't be coming back. This is from Chuck, and Chuck was the man at the switch.

I suggest that everyone who wants to reach out to folks in Iowa, especially the 2,407 straw poll delegates, put the pressure on those who have laid claim to the Iowa call out effort. NOW is the time they need to show what they're capable of - they need to get on a stick.

Time's a-wastin'!!!

Is this just being stubborn or proud?

[SV-v2.0]

Is this just being stubborn or proud?

On whose part?

[LibertyEagle]

On whose part?

Either. Both. Does it matter? Did HQ absolutely say that Spooner had to be shut down or is it that they were also going to chair a calling campaign?

Just wondering.

[MozoVote]

The HQ wording made it appear to me that they would prefer people participate in the official campaign, but were not saying Spooner had to shut down.

I guess there was some private communication, or the Spooner folks bit their lip to avoid confusing the public, and closed up.

[EvoPro]

I understand your frustration about the campaign. But all this negativity is really bumming me out. Let's be a little more patient and make extra calls in a shorter period of time. Hopefully they send the lists tommorow. I really don't understand the hold up either, but c'mon I'm sure they are getting a lot more callers than spooner had.

I mean, this is obviously not Dr. Paul's fault.

[Dave]

OK, I'm home from the Des Moines meetup. Joe Seehusen and his 2 staff people were not there - they were working in eastern Iowa. The following information was relayed to me by someone who got it from an Iowa staffer.

People who have volunteered to call Iowans will be receiving their lists beginning tomorrow - they will go out to people in the order that offers to help were received, so I wouldn't expect that everyone will get a list right away. Calls are to begin as soon as people get their lists.

I understand that the list of Iowans they are working from is considerably larger than what the spooner operation was using. The best news I heard is that around 1,000 people so far have signed up to help call Iowans. They still want people to sign up and indicate how many calls/week they think they can do.

This is all the info I have.

I have met Ron Paul. I have met most of the Ron Paul campaign staff and these people bleed Ron Paul. I have faith that they are working as hard as they can and to the best of their abilities. Joe Seehusen is a tremendous asset here on the ground in Iowa.

[FreedomLover]

OK, I'm home from the Des Moines meetup. Joe Seehusen and his 2 staff people were not there - they were working in eastern Iowa. The following information was relayed to me by someone who got it from an Iowa staffer.

People who have volunteered to call Iowans will be receiving their lists beginning tomorrow - they will go out to people in the order that offers to help were received, so I wouldn't expect that everyone will get a list right away. Calls are to begin as soon as people get their lists.

I understand that the list of Iowans they are working from is considerably larger than what the spooner operation was using. The best news I heard is that around 1,000 people so far have signed up to help call Iowans. They still want people to sign up and indicate how many calls/week they think they can do.

This is all the info I have.

I have met Ron Paul. I have met most of the Ron Paul campaign staff and these people bleed Ron Paul. I have faith that they are working as hard as they can and to the best of their abilities. Joe Seehusen is a tremendous asset here on the ground in Iowa.

Thanks Dave, you should make this a new thread and bump it just in case. :cool:

[skyorbit]

Thanks,

BTW. How big is Paul's list?

Will we be able to reach everybody beforethe Straw Poll?

Tracy


OK, I'm home from the Des Moines meetup. Joe Seehusen and his 2 staff people were not there - they were working in eastern Iowa. The following information was relayed to me by someone who got it from an Iowa staffer.

People who have volunteered to call Iowans will be receiving their lists beginning tomorrow - they will go out to people in the order that offers to help were received, so I wouldn't expect that everyone will get a list right away. Calls are to begin as soon as people get their lists.

I understand that the list of Iowans they are working from is considerably larger than what the spooner operation was using. The best news I heard is that around 1,000 people so far have signed up to help call Iowans. They still want people to sign up and indicate how many calls/week they think they can do.

This is all the info I have.

I have met Ron Paul. I have met most of the Ron Paul campaign staff and these people bleed Ron Paul. I have faith that they are working as hard as they can and to the best of their abilities. Joe Seehusen is a tremendous asset here on the ground in Iowa.

[Dan Klaus]

Thanks Dave,
This information can serve to turn this thread and the Call Iowans program back into a positive thing. This is heartening. I fear that issues such as this one will more frequent in the future and should not be the cause for desertion or frustration. Good luck with the calls my friends - wish I could I help out as well, but stuck in a post soviet paradise for awhile. Sending positive thoughts to all.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Sorry for being so cranky on this. I just saw a huge grassroots effort that was working marvelously, and worry about it becoming bureaucratic, making us no different from any other 2nd tier campaign with little money to spend.

I hope I'm wrong and look forward to getting the calling lists for MN volunteers today or tomorrow.

[Dave]

Sorry for being so cranky on this. I just saw a huge grassroots effort that was working marvelously, and worry about it becoming bureaucratic, making us no different from any other 2nd tier campaign with little money to spend.

I hope I'm wrong and look forward to getting the calling lists for MN volunteers today or tomorrow.

Scrib,

You're a great asset here and I don't like that you're upset - it's a sign that we have a problem. You're kind of our canary in the coal mine, I guess.

I, too, hope you're wrong and hope you get your list soon. If you're right, we'll all have to grunt, shake it off, and move forward - wiser and more determined.

[Dave]

Thanks,

BTW. How big is Paul's list?

Will we be able to reach everybody beforethe Straw Poll?

Tracy


As of July 2, there are just over 2 million registered voters in Iowa. About 606K Rep, 631K Dem, and 793K independent. I don't know if the calling effort is targeting just GOP or will include the others.

If it's just GOP and we assume 1,000 callers, then everyone has to make 606 calls between now and August 11. That's a tall order.

We're going to need a lot more people helping make calls into Iowa!

[Noodles]

I hope they target the independents. We have to get the non-traditional vote. I also think Dr. Paul's strength lies in the youth movement, so we need to actively recruit college students to assist with the telephone project.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

We need to target Constitution Party and Libertarian Party members for the straw poll. That's the easiest bang for the buck. So far, no one has gotten their hands on these lists, to the best of my knowledge, and I've been asking around.

[Slugg]

We need to target Constitution Party and Libertarian Party members for the straw poll. That's the easiest bang for the buck. So far, no one has gotten their hands on these lists, to the best of my knowledge, and I've been asking around.

Libertarian Party and Constitution Party members have a high chance of already knowing about Ron Paul...these people are these parties because they are already informed (this is my opinion anyway). I think targeting them wouldn't really do much....but there is an off chance you can catch a few that have been 'sleeping' for a bit.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Libertarian Party and Constitution Party members have a high chance of already knowing about Ron Paul...these people are these parties because they are already informed (this is my opinion anyway). I think targeting them wouldn't really do much....but there is an off chance you can catch a few that have been 'sleeping' for a bit.

But they won't go the the IA GOP Straw Poll unless they understand that their numbers will make the difference for RP. It probably hadn't even occurred to them to go the the GOP straw poll -- they're not getting the notices from the IA Republican Party. All we have to do is call them and take 30 seconds to ask them to attend the straw poll. That's what I mean by them being the easiest bang for the buck.

[poppop_schell]

Is anyone actually doing this? I signed up to call, but haven't received any information back on actually calling....
wondering what's going on...

ME TOO. Has anyone gotten a list yet from Heather? My guess is that there is something rotten and fishy going on. As far as I can see very little or nothing of value has come out of National. IF anyone has seen something, please tell me.

IMO, this is NOT because they are "overworked." IF they were overworked, then Spooner would NEVER have been cancelled????? That wouldn't make ratiuonal sense, would it?

IMO, It is purposeful footdragging to decrease the number of RP people at Ames. I'm sorry but I've had too much political experience (40+) years to see this as anything else than an insider(s) trying to sabotage the campaign.

There is a plan to deal with this possibiity. IF you want to know more, send me a personal e-mail

[poppop_schell]

I second the motion. Start operation Spooner 2.0 SC.

IMO, you should start it now or at the latest the day after Ames, i.e. August 12th. Then keep it as a private effort. IF National wants to have their own program, let them. I pray that Ames will turn out great for RP but be prepared to move quickly if it doesn't.

[poppop_schell]

What do you think about New Hampshire? NH has a lot less voters than Iowa so would be easier to penetrate.

Also, NH could be our ace in the hole in case things don't turn out so well in Iowa.

Or...HQ is pushing this calling effort for the August 11 Ames Straw Poll. There's still a lot of time between the straw poll and the Iowa caucus in January. Our work in Iowa will be far from done after August 11 - just starting, really.

Maybe fences could be mended between HQ and Operation Spooner and we could all work together to keep spreading the word in Iowa.

The fences are broken in only one direction!!!!! National has treated some of its most dedicated people worst frankly than I would my worst enemy. The important thing , however, is NOT personalities but the FACT that the call campaign has been set back probably a week which we can't afford!!!!

TO THE GOOD SPOONER FOLKS. WORK ON SC, NH, and AZ VOTING LISTS NOW AND ANNOUNCE SPOONER NH, AZ or SC PROJECT ON AUGUST 12TH. LET NATIONAL RUN A PARELLEL CALL CAMPAIGN IF THEY WISH.

THEY KEEP TELLING US THAT THEY CAN'T SUPPLY US WITH NAMES, INFO BECAUSE OF McCAIN-fEINGOLD. WELL THAT LAW GOES BOTH WAYS, DOESN'T IT? MY LEGAL ADVISORS ARE TOTALLY BEWILDERED BY THE CLAIMS OF NATIONAL AS TO THE RESTRICTIONS OF McCAIN-FEINGOLD??? I WANT TO SEE CHAPTER AND VERSE FROM NATIONAL!!!

[poppop_schell]

Some one needs to notify Chuck Young and grow some "_____"....I'll take the heat.....lol unofficial Call Iowan Operation begins here!!

FWIW, I contacted Chuck Young this morning with a proposal for building a grasroots RP campaign centered around Spooner in all states. I felt the grassroots needed an alternative winning campaign plan as an alternative that Ames becomes a bomb because of National's last minute meddling and its breakin its promise to have Call Iowa up and running. Anyone can privately e-mail if they feel uncomfortable about this.

[poppop_schell]

MY 2 CENTS to GET INFORMATION.

I THINK THE PROMOTORS OF OPERATION SPOONER SHOULD CONTACT THE CAMPAIGN and Set a Deadline for Action.


"If do not know what you have planned by Wednesday and get this ball rolling, we will push forward with our agenda/campaign and work independantly"

SIMPLE... Set up a conditional and stop waiting on them to make the decision.

Draw the line in the sand because we need to either move forward with them, or without them..

AGREED 100%. AND THAT DEADLINE, NO EXCUSES FOR NOT MEETING IT, IS

NOON, JULY 18TH. THAT'S 5 DAYS PAST THE TIME THEY SAID IT WOULD BE UP AND RUNNING!!!

[poppop_schell]

I justed called HQ and they said they didn't take over the operation, but Joe was running it now, or something to that effect. Said the list should be out soon.

He also said Joe's email was joe@ronpaul2008.com

So I don't know what to think.

-Dustan

OH BOY. IF JOE is running this, we are in real trouble. He rarely if ever answers e-mails no matter how critical. I truly am scared for RP at Ames.

[poppop_schell]

I'm pixxed. We would have been better off not donating to the campaign if we had known giving them staff would bring all the positive momentum to a screeching halt.

I agree with you. I was giving $20/month to National but since this faisco occured, I will be spending that money locally here in Iowa. I don't want to feed the Bermuda Triangle.

[poppop_schell]

I understand your frustration about the campaign. But all this negativity is really bumming me out. Let's be a little more patient and make extra calls in a shorter period of time. Hopefully they send the lists tommorow. I really don't understand the hold up either, but c'mon I'm sure they are getting a lot more callers than spooner had.

I mean, this is obviously not Dr. Paul's fault.

NO it is NOT RP's fault BUT IMO we are being told less than the truth about what we and National can do legally under McCain-Feingold.

Patient???? Joe has been in his job three weeks and NOW we are just staring an Call Iowa Campaign replacing an already up and running campaign?

And National REFUSED to provide the names of the volunteers to Spooner saying (a) couldn't do so under McCain-Feingold and then later (b) we wish to keep the names SECRET???

I could be patient if we had two months until Ames but we have less than three weeks???

[poppop_schell]

I understand your frustration about the campaign. But all this negativity is really bumming me out. Let's be a little more patient and make extra calls in a shorter period of time. Hopefully they send the lists tommorow. I really don't understand the hold up either, but c'mon I'm sure they are getting a lot more callers than spooner had.

I mean, this is obviously not Dr. Paul's fault.

NO it is NOT RP's fault BUT IMO we are being told less than the truth about what we and National can do legally under McCain-Feingold.

Patient???? Joe has been in his job three weeks and NOW we are just starting an Call Iowa Campaign replacing an already up and running campaign? Where are the political smarts? Where are the sense of priorities?

And National REFUSED to provide the names of the volunteers to Spooner saying (a) couldn't do so under McCain-Feingold and then later (b) we wish to keep the names SECRET???

I could be patient if we had two months until Ames but we have less than three weeks???

[Noodles]

From smallgov.org

Over the last few years, it seems that the Libertarian Party has been the victim of numerous con-artists. There was Joe Seehusen (former executive director) who kept touting increasing membership and taking a bonus for it, all the while, every state affiliate was telling their LNC representatives that membership was declining. :eek:

(not being an alarmist, just trying to connect the dots)

[Dustancostine]

OH BOY. IF JOE is running this, we are in real trouble. He rarely if ever answers e-mails no matter how critical. I truly am scared for RP at Ames.

He got back to me within 24hrs:

From Joe:

Dustan, 2 million plus files are loaded, and begin to be sent out today.

Heather is your contact on this.

THANKS for you help on this vital project.

Joe

[Orat]

Dustan, same here.

[orenbus]

Going to go in a different direction on this one. Although I respect the official campaigns drive, dedication, commitment and innovation in our common goal, I’m finding myself at odds of the news that Operation Spooner has been shut down?

We need to remember that there are allot of volunteers that are retired, in between semesters at school, currently unemployed, on 'vacation' have chosen not to work in order to dedicate themselves to the campaign full time. These people come from different backgrounds and many have decades of experience in their professions that lend themselves to being very effective in a campaign like this. They have taken a job that does not pay cash, any amount of cash but does pay in a different way. In a way no amount of money can possibly match, a payment of a bright future for our country.

I really, really hope that Operation Spooner was shut down for something other than a decision from HQ. A decision like that would be no way to win a campaign. The only way we have a chance is if everyone on an individual basis does whatever they can, when they can to make sure that Ron Paul wins. That’s it, end of story.

Our friends that put Operation Spooner together spent many hours and people like Jason, Rachel, Josh and everyone else that put the word on the net and beyond on this project should be thankd and applauded for they're work, and their example of commitment to this campaign! Many different groups and people online started to come together on this one, it felt like the stars were aligning, which was a nice thing to see The official campaign needs to take a humble approach when it comes to something like this. The support structure efforts outside of a traditional campaign something that is grassroots/netroots like this can turn out WAY WAY WAY more support than the best and biggest official campaign. ... anyway I'm kind of emotional about this one, lets just say I’m holding my anger till all the facts are in.

I know your getting this information second hand and I've heard someone from the official campaign talk about how "Big" their calling list is, although honestly that's B.S. excuse my French, who cares how big the list is? we need as many people calling as soon as possible that should be our focus, and to keep the momentum going and not stop. The more callers we have the better, there is always time to add to a list, but the crunch between now and August 11 is narrowing. I can't believe we're throwing away Advokit for excel spreadsheets. ::smacks hand against head::

Anyway really the only thing I have to say right now is if someone has regular contact with someone in the official campaign, preferablly someone close to the top, please tell them if their going to have a Call Iowa Outreach program to get their asses in gear. The longer it is delayed the more people will begin to feel frustrated. We have a Straw Poll to win and I'm going to feel really bad about it if we look back and realize there may have been other options that would have worked better if we had allowed them to. Worst part is, Operation Spooner shuts down and the official calling program isn't ACTIVE yet?!?!? Wow even Tancredo is killing us on that one. Don't fix what aint broken is what I heard.

I struggled with this for a bit, but I have to say it. Operation Spooner may have been aptly named, take a look at Lysander Spooner wiki article, specifically regarding the postal monopoly, am I just reaching here or what?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysander_Spooner

Now I'm not saying lets SPAM them, lol that is stupid. I'm just saying if you're
in casual conversation with one of them tell them. Thanks.

[poppop_schell]

From smallgov.org

Over the last few years, it seems that the Libertarian Party has been the victim of numerous con-artists. There was Joe Seehusen (former executive director) who kept touting increasing membership and taking a bonus for it, all the while, every state affiliate was telling their LNC representatives that membership was declining. :eek:

(not being an alarmist, just trying to connect the dots)

Do you have documented proof of this? I KNOW there are some who are reading my posts that perhaps angry at me or think I'm paranoid. I have seen too much politics in my 40+ years to not be looking closely for the "wrong" people running a campaign under very false claims. It is easy to do when a candidate is THIRSTING for volunteers to help and looking for "experienced" politicos to hire.

On please, I hope I'm wrong about the gut feeling I have.

[Orat]

Man, I really hope this isn't true.

[Lord Xar]

Man, I really hope this isn't true.

well, if it is, then he needs to be kicked to the curb ASAP and perhaps grab someone from this forum or one of the meetups who actually WANT to help ron paul. Scary cause if a person is willing to take bonuses to manipulate data, then he can be 'bought', and if that is the case... who knows.. maybe he has already been bought to make thinks run not so smooth...

[JoshLowry]

He got back to me within 24hrs:

From Joe:

Dustan, 2 million plus files are loaded, and begin to be sent out today.

Heather is your contact on this.

THANKS for you help on this vital project.

Joe



Do you have contact info for Heather?

If she is your 'contact' then I suspect you do. If not I can get a hold of her cell and give her a buzz.

If they say it is coming out today then we can only wait. This is crunch time so if no lists are released today then Joe or someone needs to be asked a few questions.

[Lord Xar]

Do you have contact info for Heather?

If she is your 'contact' then I suspect you do. If not I can get a hold of her cell and give her a buzz.

If they say it is coming out today then we can only wait. This is crunch time so if no lists are released today then Joe or someone needs to be asked a few questions.

well?

its 1:15pm pacific time, and 4:15 eastern time.. so, I am assuming IF they were sending out numbers, they should have already been funneled out.....?

uhmmmm........ ya :confused:

[Dave]

well, if it is, then he needs to be kicked to the curb ASAP and perhaps grab someone from this forum or one of the meetups who actually WANT to help ron paul. Scary cause if a person is willing to take bonuses to manipulate data, then he can be 'bought', and if that is the case... who knows.. maybe he has already been bought to make thinks run not so smooth...

Hold your horses, everyone. This stuff is hearsay and there's always 3 sides or more to stories like this. Joe is not on trial here.

Have you met Joe Seehusen? I have. I've seen him in action. He's working like crazy to see to it that Ron Paul is our next president. A lot harder than me, in fact, and a lot harder than anyone else in Iowa.

[Noodles]

I just posted what I found... I'm not really buying this "too busy" argument anymore. All over the net, I have read accounts of Mr. Seehusen "not being available for comment", "not at the event", "out campaigning", etc. The volunteers are the lifeblood. Too busy doesn't cut it.

[LibertyEagle]

But they won't go the the IA GOP Straw Poll unless they understand that their numbers will make the difference for RP. It probably hadn't even occurred to them to go the the GOP straw poll -- they're not getting the notices from the IA Republican Party. All we have to do is call them and take 30 seconds to ask them to attend the straw poll. That's what I mean by them being the easiest bang for the buck.

I agree. It's stupid to leave them out. How do we go about getting their names and numbers?

[ghemminger]

PLEASE TURN ON OPS SPOONER!!!

I have been told they can turn it back on.....I can't sleep over this.....Please guys...

I know for a fact....OPS SPOONER can be turned back on imiedietly.....and

putting all peices together I can assume that HQ shut down Ops Spooner through privated conversations...

I know for a fact HQ doesn't have physical control of OPS SPOONER...I'm asssuming legal, political leverage was used to close OPS Spooner..

Just personal opinion.....HQ should not be involved in controlling/limiting any of the multiple grass movements for Ron Paul.....they should see from THIS response that thier descion to close OPS Spooner before they replaced it was a major mistake and damaged thier credibility.

I am sure they are all good people...but good people also make mistakes...this looks like a biggie.....HQ needs to call OPS Spooner and request it to be turned back on......BIG DEAL... we will have TWO call IOWA programs for the the next straw poll vs. one official one.

OPS SPOONER needs to grow some cajones and turn back on......

[ThePieSwindler]

Oh gawd guyz its the end of the universe lets all jump to conclusionszzzzz!!!!!111onelim x -> 0 sin(x)/x

Read #1 in this little article: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-virtually-instant-ways-to-improve-your-life.html

[Noodles]

Thank you for giving me the 10 keys to happiness! I now understand the way. :cool:

[JoshLowry]

Has anyone gone and looked back at the email they received from the campaign. There is a large glaring error in it and I'm not sure it was ever corrected.

I just noticed it, but look here:


Dear friend,

Exciting news from Iowa! Many of you across the country have been asking how you can help in Iowa, and we're ready to take you up on it in a big way. We are officially launching our Call Iowa program today. We are asking for volunteers from Iowa and across the country to call Iowans and spread the word about the Straw Poll. We are excited about this opportunity to have Ron Paul supporters converse on a one-to-one basis with Iowans likely to be interested in attending the Straw Poll.

We are aware that some volunteers have begun calling people and trying to spread the word. While we appreciate everyone's initiative and support, the Call Iowa program is a great chance to volunteer with the official campaign and really be a part of the action! Many of you have already expressed interest in a program like this and we are grateful and excited for your help.

We invite you to contact us if you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans. You are also welcome to contact us on behalf of your group, if you have several local volunteers who are interested in working together on this. If you are interested in volunteering to call Iowans here's what to do:

Send an e-mail to calliowa@ronpaul.com providing us with the following information:

Your Name (ex. John Smith)

Your e-mail address (ex. ronpaul@voteforronpaul.com)

Your location (ex. Cedar Rapids, IA)

How many people you are responding for (ex. 12). Please enter "1" if you are volunteering alone on this.

Approximately how many calls you think you and your group can reasonably handle in about one week's time. (ex. 150)

Once we get your response we will send you an e-mail with a list of people to call and a guide for calling. We will give you sample scripts if you feel you need them, plus a guideline of appropriate conduct and tone, and information that should be included in every call. We promise that this program is simple and user friendly for even the least computer-inclined. We are anticipating a large response to this, so you may not get a list from us immediately, but we will work hard to get to everyone as fast as possible. Everyone who wants to volunteer will absolutely have the chance to. There are approximately 1,500,000 registered voters in Iowa, so there are plenty of calls to be made!

Please note that this e-mail address is for our Call Iowa program ONLY. Because of the large response anticipated to this program we will only be able to respond to e-mails that provide only the above requested information or relevant questions. We are very excited to be able to get everyone involved on a national scale to help get out the vote in Iowa. We welcome everyone\'s help, even if you can only make a handful of phone calls. We are looking forward to hearing from everyone!

Joe Seehusen

Iowa State Coordinator

Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

P.S. – Don't forget to go to www.ronpaul2008.com/events/iowa-straw-poll/ (http://www.ronpaul2008.com/events/iowa-straw-poll/) and RSVP for the Straw Poll if you haven't done so already!I bolded the error. If you send an email to calliowa@ronpaul.com that doesn't even go to the campaign. The person that owns the domain ronpaul.com probably doesn't even get this email.

This is a pretty large error and I don't know if it has been corrected. However, I think if you sent an email to that email address (calliowa@ronpaul.com) then you are almost certainly not going to be getting any phone lists from anyone.

[Orat]

Yeah, Joe sent out a follow-up e-mail right after correcting the error. At least I got one, I don't know about everyone else.

[LibertyEagle]

Is the correct email address, calliowa@ronpaul2008.com ?

[ghemminger]

Has anyone gone and looked back at the email they received from the campaign. There is a large glaring error in it and I'm not sure it was ever corrected.

I just noticed it, but look here:

I bolded the error. If you send an email to calliowa@ronpaul.com that doesn't even go to the campaign. The person that owns the domain ronpaul.com probably doesn't even get this email.

This is a pretty large error and I don't know if it has been corrected. However, I think if you sent an email to that email address (calliowa@ronpaul.com) then you are almost certainly not going to be getting any phone lists from anyone.

That has been noted...thanks for bringing this up....I'm pretty rational...but this is getting very dark and sinister....

[Orat]

Have you met Joe Seehusen?

Yep, I met him at the Des Moines rally. He seemed like a great guy to me.

[LibertyEagle]

If that's so, then Josh, can you either make the changes in those posts that list the wrong address or delete them entirely? We need a clean and CORRECT version of what people are supposed to do.

[JoshLowry]

Yeah, Joe sent out a follow-up e-mail right after correcting the error. At least I got one, I don't know about everyone else.


That has been noted...thanks for bringing this up....I'm pretty rational...but this is getting very dark and sinister....

Ok good. Wasn't sure if that was corrected.

I see the correction email now. :)

[ghemminger]

Going to go in a different direction on this one. Although I respect the official campaigns drive, dedication, commitment and innovation in our common goal, I’m finding myself at odds of the news that Operation Spooner has been shut down?

We need to remember that there are allot of volunteers that are retired, in between semesters at school, currently unemployed, on 'vacation' have chosen not to work in order to dedicate themselves to the campaign full time. These people come from different backgrounds and many have decades of experience in their professions that lend themselves to being very effective in a campaign like this. They have taken a job that does not pay cash, any amount of cash but does pay in a different way. In a way no amount of money can possibly match, a payment of a bright future for our country.

I really, really hope that Operation Spooner was shut down for something other than a decision from HQ. A decision like that would be no way to win a campaign. The only way we have a chance is if everyone on an individual basis does whatever they can, when they can to make sure that Ron Paul wins. That’s it, end of story.

Our friends that put Operation Spooner together spent many hours and people like Jason, Rachel, Josh and everyone else that put the word on the net and beyond on this project should be thankd and applauded for they're work, and their example of commitment to this campaign! Many different groups and people online started to come together on this one, it felt like the stars were aligning, which was a nice thing to see The official campaign needs to take a humble approach when it comes to something like this. The support structure efforts outside of a traditional campaign something that is grassroots/netroots like this can turn out WAY WAY WAY more support than the best and biggest official campaign. ... anyway I'm kind of emotional about this one, lets just say I’m holding my anger till all the facts are in.

I know your getting this information second hand and I've heard someone from the official campaign talk about how "Big" their calling list is, although honestly that's B.S. excuse my French, who cares how big the list is? we need as many people calling as soon as possible that should be our focus, and to keep the momentum going and not stop. The more callers we have the better, there is always time to add to a list, but the crunch between now and August 11 is narrowing. I can't believe we're throwing away Advokit for excel spreadsheets. ::smacks hand against head::

Anyway really the only thing I have to say right now is if someone has regular contact with someone in the official campaign, preferablly someone close to the top, please tell them if their going to have a Call Iowa Outreach program to get their asses in gear. The longer it is delayed the more people will begin to feel frustrated. We have a Straw Poll to win and I'm going to feel really bad about it if we look back and realize there may have been other options that would have worked better if we had allowed them to. Worst part is, Operation Spooner shuts down and the official calling program isn't ACTIVE yet?!?!? Wow even Tancredo is killing us on that one. Don't fix what aint broken is what I heard.

I struggled with this for a bit, but I have to say it. Operation Spooner may have been aptly named, take a look at Lysander Spooner wiki article, specifically regarding the postal monopoly, am I just reaching here or what?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysander_Spooner

Now I'm not saying lets SPAM them, lol that is stupid. I'm just saying if you're
in casual conversation with one of them tell them. Thanks.

Later known as an early individualist anarchist, Spooner advocated what he called Natural Law — or the "Science of Justice" — wherein acts of actual coercion against individuals and their property were considered "illegal" but the so-called criminal acts that violated only man-made legislation were not.

Very good post....give this whole thing a different point of view.......

[ghemminger]

I'm not getting why we turned this off before HQ had something up and running...or why on earth would you pull the plug on a beneficial redundant system of communication???

Can we lobby OPS Leadership to turn back on....at least as a back up.....
Keep it on...and then coherse or ask for voluntary partcipation in the official HQ site when they have it up and running.

[Lord Xar]

That has been noted...thanks for bringing this up....I'm pretty rational...but this is getting very dark and sinister....

Sending out the WRONG EMAIL! Wow... very very unprofessional...

Has ANYONE heard from him OR other laisons to move forward with the IOWA operation???

I second others.. move forward with Operation Spooner ---

[Orat]

Like I said earlier (perhaps it was in another thread), there was apparently a miscommunication of sorts that Spooner thought HQ wanted them to shut down. But I've heard that this wound up not being the case. So the jury is still out as to whether Spooner will be brought back online or not.

[ghemminger]

Sending out the WRONG EMAIL! Wow... very very unprofessional...

Has ANYONE heard from him OR other laisons to move forward with the IOWA operation???

I second others.. move forward with Operation Spooner ---

Tommorrow list go out tommorrow...

We should be lobbing both competing factions to open up shop to call IOWA....enough with "in house" fighting OPEN OPS SPOONER....support RON PAUL

Lobby OPS LEADERSHIP...."OPEN OPS SPOONER!!!!"

[JoshLowry]

Emails are going to be sent out today.

Just got confirmation from Heather, she can't officialy post any information as of yet as they have rules to follow and has to get approval through the campaign. However, they just finished up a conference call and if you had signed up prior to today then you will most likely be getting a script and numbers today.

Everyone please try and be patient. It is crunch time and emotions can flare but they are definitely working on it.

[ghemminger]

Emails are going to be sent out today.

Just got confirmation from Heather, she can't officialy post any information as of yet as they have rules to follow and has to get approval through the campaign. However, they just finished up a conference call and if you had signed up prior to today then you will most likely be getting a script and numbers today.

Everyone please try and be patient. It is crunch time and emotions can flare but they are definitely working on it.

Thanks Josh....I appreciate it...I had a team ready to start calling from Southern California...hence my enthusiasm...but

No one has even offered an argument of why two redundant sytems would be bad.... Why are we shutting some grassroots movements if they have shown no ill will???

[JoshLowry]

Thanks Josh....I appreciate it...I had a team ready to start calling from Southern California...hence my enthusiasm...but

No one has even offered an argument of why two redundant sytems would be bad.... Why are we shutting some grassroots movements if they have shown no ill will???

I don't know. Hopefully that can be cleared up by Paul (sifupaul), Chuck, or Jason. I left a message with Paul and am hoping he can get back in touch with me.

[ghemminger]

I don't know. Hopefully that can be cleared up by Paul (sifupaul), Chuck, or Jason. I left a message with Paul and am hoping he can get back in touch with me.

Thanks Josh..it just hasn't been sitting well with me that we all got excited about a program called Operation Spooner, started marshalling resources accross the country...and then "poof" everthing vanishes....

I looked on You Tube...the OPS spooner video has even been erased....

[Lord Xar]

btw.. I NEVER got a correction email.. can we confirm that others got the correction email.

[JoshLowry]

btw.. I NEVER got a correction email.. can we confirm that others got the correction email.

Search your inbox for 'calliowa@ronpaul2008.com'

The email I received was sent out at 2:25 AM the morning of Jul 14, 2007.

[ghemminger]

Search your inbox for 'calliowa@ronpaul2008.com'

The email I received was sent out at 2:25 AM the morning of Jul 14, 2007.

Josh,
I sent 2 emails to wrong addresss intially...I got no correction...reallly wierd.

[JoshLowry]

Josh,
I sent 2 emails to wrong addresss intially...I got no correction...reallly wierd.

That's because whoever owns RonPaul.com is not affiliated with the campaign.

He probably has an inbox for any emails that are sent to his domain, probably why you didn't get an email bounce back.

[ghemminger]

Aimes Straw Poll

Guess what comes up first.....Congrats!

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?p=73381&posted=1#post73381

escept ops spooner sdoesn;t exist:(

[ghemminger]

Please see official Campaign

[poppop_schell]

I agree. It's stupid to leave them out. How do we go about getting their names and numbers?

As the Chair of the Keokuk/Ft. Madison Meetup Group, I have taken the iniative today to contact the leaders of :
1. The Iowa Libertarian Party
2. The Iowa Constitution Party
3. The Iowa Democxratic Party

asking them to contact their memebrs to be at the August 11th strawvote. I gave them IMO sound reasons for doing this, the message patterned to satisy the partcular goals of each party. I made sure that they understood that I was in no way representing the Ron Paul Campign but I was simply a RP supporter volunteer.

I wil,keep you posted as I learn something.

[poppop_schell]

PLEASE TURN ON OPS SPOONER!!!

I have been told they can turn it back on.....I can't sleep over this.....Please guys...

I know for a fact....OPS SPOONER can be turned back on imiedietly.....and

putting all peices together I can assume that HQ shut down Ops Spooner through privated conversations...

I know for a fact HQ doesn't have physical control of OPS SPOONER...I'm asssuming legal, political leverage was used to close OPS Spooner..

Just personal opinion.....HQ should not be involved in controlling/limiting any of the multiple grass movements for Ron Paul.....they should see from THIS response that thier descion to close OPS Spooner before they replaced it was a major mistake and damaged thier credibility.

I am sure they are all good people...but good people also make mistakes...this looks like a biggie.....HQ needs to call OPS Spooner and request it to be turned back on......BIG DEAL... we will have TWO call IOWA programs for the the next straw poll vs. one official one.

OPS SPOONER needs to grow some cajones and turn back on......

Folks this is conjecture only. :confused:

Headquratres is always warning us about McCain-Feingold and the FEC. Can go to jail for NOT following the rules. My guess is that National used this type of misinformation as an implied threat to the Spooner folks. I can't beleive that these fine young, dedicated Spooner folks gave up months of their time and had the Spoorner Project up and running.. to simply beg off the entire project. Doesn't make rational sense to me UNLESS some type of threat was used.

Again this is speculation. I did contact Spooner today urging them to restart their program and invited them to join an "alternative grassroots campaign planning group" JUST in case National screws up at Ames. Haven't heard one word back from Spooner.

[skyorbit]

Did anybody get names of people to call yet?

Tracy

[poppop_schell]

JUST IN CASE...

ANYONE WANTING TO CALL FOR THE STRAWVOTE SHOULD CONTACT calliowa@ronpaul2008.com

NO, I HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED YET.

[ghemminger]

Folks this is conjecture only. :confused:

Headquratres is always warning us about McCain-Feingold and the FEC. Can go to jail for NOT following the rules. My guess is that National used this type of misinformation as an implied threat to the Spooner folks. I can't beleive that these fine young, dedicated Spooner folks gave up months of their time and had the Spoorner Project up and running.. to simply beg off the entire project. Doesn't make rational sense to me UNLESS some type of threat was used.

Again this is speculation. I did contact Spooner today urging them to restart their program and invited them to join an "alternative grassroots campaign planning group" JUST in case National screws up at Ames. Haven't heard one word back from Spooner.

pop....Thanks for engouaging those talented guys....I think you are laying it correctly...I feel uncomfortable going into the details..let's hope this doesn't happen again....no more "erasures".....

[ccy]

Hello All.

For those of you not aware, I'm Chuck Young. I was "the man at the switch" of Op. Spooner, as someone picturesquely put it. So I guess that makes me responsible for the recent train wreck... :confused:

I just got off the phone with Heather Olsen. She's as nice a person as can be imagined. She's truly grateful for the efforts of everyone in the grassroots community. And she's genuinely sorry for any confusion and hurt feelings there might be out there.

National has really good data, and it's prioritized by region, party, etc. I think there's every reason to believe that tons of good can be done viz the Call Iowa program.

You should all be getting call lists soon; I'm going to subscribe everyone from spooner into the call iowa program in bulk. Note that some of you may thus get some redundant communications. Apologies, apologies... work in progress? Or have I worn that one out? :)

Point is that this is truly a New Thing. We're confused, National is confused, and hovering over it all are onerous FEC regs designed *precisely* to exacerbate all this confusion, fear, etc.

The answer to all this is positive action, as always. I know, it's inefficient, time's been wasted, etc. But here we are. Gotta move forward, y'all. So everyone, let's get behind this thing, be patient, get lists, make calls, and win!

OK?

:)

[skyorbit]

Hello All.

For those of you not aware, I'm Chuck Young. I was "the man at the switch" of Op. Spooner, as someone picturesquely put it. So I guess that makes me responsible for the recent train wreck... :confused:

I just got off the phone with Heather Olsen. She's as nice a person as can be imagined. She's truly grateful for the efforts of everyone in the grassroots community. And she's genuinely sorry for any confusion and hurt feelings there might be out there.

National has really good data, and it's prioritized by region, party, etc. I think there's every reason to believe that tons of good can be done viz the Call Iowa program.

You should all be getting call lists soon; I'm going to subscribe everyone from spooner into the call iowa program in bulk. Note that some of you may thus get some redundant communications. Apologies, apologies... work in progress? Or have I worn that one out? :)

Point is that this is truly a New Thing. We're confused, National is confused, and hovering over it all are onerous FEC regs designed *precisely* to exacerbate all this confusion, fear, etc.

The answer to all this is positive action, as always. I know, it's inefficient, time's been wasted, etc. But here we are. Gotta move forward, y'all. So everyone, let's get behind this thing, be patient, get lists, make calls, and win!

OK?

:)

How many people do you have total calling?

Tracy

[jblosser]

How many people do you have total calling?

Tracy

Just FYI you're not likely to see Chuck here for more than drive bys right now. We're all pretty head-down on stuff. I don't know the exact numbers and I'm not sure he has time to even tell me...

Back to it.

[LibertyEagle]

Well, I consider that great news. I'm glad Chuck and Heather have talked.

[poppop_schell]

Bump

[FreedomLover]

Good to hear Chuck. Everyone stay positive and try to not to be counter-productive with assumptions. I have all my confidence in the people heading the calling program, and im sure they are working pretty darn hard to satisfy everyone.

[ccy]

Callers = 250+ and counting, that's just spooner's tally... there's more in another repository I'll have to get to.

Now if each of them could just sell *one* Iowan a Lear Jet...

:cool:

cy

[JoshLowry]

Hello All.

For those of you not aware, I'm Chuck Young. I was "the man at the switch" of Op. Spooner, as someone picturesquely put it. So I guess that makes me responsible for the recent train wreck... :confused:

I just got off the phone with Heather Olsen. She's as nice a person as can be imagined. She's truly grateful for the efforts of everyone in the grassroots community. And she's genuinely sorry for any confusion and hurt feelings there might be out there.

National has really good data, and it's prioritized by region, party, etc. I think there's every reason to believe that tons of good can be done viz the Call Iowa program.

You should all be getting call lists soon; I'm going to subscribe everyone from spooner into the call iowa program in bulk. Note that some of you may thus get some redundant communications. Apologies, apologies... work in progress? Or have I worn that one out? :)

Point is that this is truly a New Thing. We're confused, National is confused, and hovering over it all are onerous FEC regs designed *precisely* to exacerbate all this confusion, fear, etc.

The answer to all this is positive action, as always. I know, it's inefficient, time's been wasted, etc. But here we are. Gotta move forward, y'all. So everyone, let's get behind this thing, be patient, get lists, make calls, and win!

OK?

:)

Thanks for all you, Jason, and any unnamed have done! It's much appreciated by the community.

[orenbus]

Thanks cy, you rock!

[ghemminger]

I feel privledged to see your efforts unfold...from ops meetups mesages to you tube to here and everywhere....I'm in awe of the stuff you guys can do...from a non-tech sales guy - you guys work miracles...

[poppop_schell]

bump

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Thanks, Chuck. But I have over 20 Minnesotans who have scheduled time onto their calendars for this coming Saturday to make phone calls and I have no numbers to give them. Maybe I'll feel better about this if I get some numbers today, but as of right now I REALLY think it was a bad move for the campaign to take this over. We've lost a good week / how many thousands of calls / how many votes in the ISP which could have put us over F Thompson.

[Dave]

I just spoke with Heather (Iowa Field Coordinator) and she told me they are current now and have sent Iowa phone number lists out to everyone who has requested them.

She said that if you haven't received them then your list may have gotten stuck in your spam filter so check there first.

Then, if you still don't have your list, send a message to calliowa@ronpaul2008.com and she will investigate.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

I just spoke with Heather (Iowa Field Coordinator) and she told me they are current now and have sent Iowa phone number lists out to everyone who has requested them.

She said that if you haven't received them then your list may have gotten stuck in your spam filter so check there first.

Then, if you still don't have your list, send a message to calliowa@ronpaul2008.com and she will investigate.

Absolutely not true. They are not in my spamfilter, and I have emailed them three times, including once today. No response whatsoever.

Anyone else missing theirs?

[Dave]

Absolutely not true. They are not in my spamfilter, and I have emailed them three times, including once today. No response whatsoever.

Anyone else missing theirs?

Maybe you're caught in THEIR spam filter?? Who knows. Why don't you try sending her an email at Heather@RonPaul2008.com and see if you get a response.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Maybe you're caught in THEIR spam filter?? Who knows. Why don't you try sending her an email at Heather@RonPaul2008.com and see if you get a response.

Just tried that. I'd hope they'd check their spam filter, but I don't see any reason I'd get caught in it. Liberty Eagle has said he has also not received numbers.

[Joe Knows]

For some reason they sent me 2 lists.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Arg!!! You're got mine, Joe! Joe@knows.com is so close to Scribbler@deStebbing.com.

How many names did they send you?