We're too big, too passionate. We're scurrying with ideas, can't stand to do somthin'

[boondoggle]

Guys, evidence that the Grassroots campaign has gotten too big is beginning to show. I don't mean to be so pessimistic after an unbelievably fun day. But let's face it: The only new HUGELY successful grassroots movement will come from Trevor. He has the most support.

Look at Project New Hampshire and the Ron Paul DVD Bomb! Then look at their Blimp! Grassroots isn't going to go anywhere, anymore outside of Trevor if we don't get a MAIN DATABASE OF GRASSROOTS EVENTS/FUNDRAISERS/MOVEMENTS that gets attention from everyone who WANTS to help.

What are we going to do? Post a thread in the forum and propose something? Yeah, but then watch your idea sink. It's like we're all running in circles with ideas, but we have no way of getting anywhere if there isn't someplace being a very organized, complete source for Ron Paul supporters to go.

THIS ISN'T THAT PESSIMISTIC OF A VIEW. It's very realistic.

How's the Ron Paul 2008 Meetup Alliance doing? Anyone know?

We're too big, there needs to be a better way to communicate, a simpler type of organization. I'd propose a website with a simple PAGE that lists all the events, movements, plans, and ideas with links (for example, the thread in my signature).

We're about to be caught with our pants down and staring at unorganized primary republican and delegate registration. AND I KNOW WE WANT HIM TO WIN, but we need a backup plan. If he announces a run as an independent, or if he gets the nomination, we should be ready for a money bomb the day after JUST to show we're still with the guy, that we're not failing.

Is there anyone that will make a website for us all to go as a main source? I have school, guys, I can't keep doing it. SOMEONE SHOULD! Please, if not grassroots will become loco at 6 million dollars worth. We need a simple source . . .

[boondoggle]

blimp

[Exarel]

100% Agree

[jd603]

Huh? Sorry but this doesn't make any sense.

It will come from whoever delivers the best idea that the most people rally around. Don't forget the idea for the 5th did not come from Trevor, it came from other grass roots supporters on this forum.




Guys, evidence that the Grassroots campaign has gotten too big is beginning to show. I don't mean to be so pessimistic after an unbelievably fun day. But let's face it: The only new HUGELY successful grassroots movement will come from Trevor. He has the most support.

Look at Project New Hampshire and the Ron Paul DVD Bomb! Then look at their Blimp! Grassroots isn't going to go anywhere, anymore outside of Trevor if we don't get a MAIN DATABASE OF GRASSROOTS EVENTS/FUNDRAISERS/MOVEMENTS that gets attention from everyone who WANTS to help.

What are we going to do? Post a thread in the forum and propose something? Yeah, but then watch your idea sink. It's like we're all running in circles with ideas, but we have no way of getting anywhere if there isn't someplace being a very organized, complete source for Ron Paul supporters to go.

THIS ISN'T THAT PESSIMISTIC OF A VIEW. It's very realistic.

How's the Ron Paul 2008 Meetup Alliance doing? Anyone know?

We're too big, there needs to be a better way to communicate, a simpler type of organization. I'd propose a website with a simple PAGE that lists all the events, movements, plans, and ideas with links (for example, the thread in my signature).

We're about to be caught with our pants down and staring at unorganized primary republican and delegate registration. AND I KNOW WE WANT HIM TO WIN, but we need a backup plan. If he announces a run as an independent, or if he gets the nomination, we should be ready for a money bomb the day after JUST to show we're still with the guy, that we're not failing.

Is there anyone that will make a website for us all to go as a main source? I have school, guys, I can't keep doing it. SOMEONE SHOULD! Please, if not grassroots will become loco at 6 million dollars worth. We need a simple source . . .

[RPinSEAZ]

Srsly. Huh?

[boondoggle]

I'm just trying to help.

There are a bunch of people with passion-driven ideas left out in the cold because of lack of attention to them when there's even more people willing to help out but see no one they can help. If the grassroots schedule (HERE (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=49595)) was even a fraction as popular as Trevor's teaparty or blimp website, grassroots would be healthy. BUT, instead, he DVD bomb is failing and so are other projects.

It's depressing as hell. There are A LOT more active and passionate people than on November 5, ideas have become a normal, overlooked characteristic to this sea of passionate supporters.

This isn't stream-of-consciousness babble.

[OferNave]

I've been thinking the same thing for a long time, and as a software engineer with the ability to make this happen, I'm ashamed that I've been too lazy to do it. :(

This is going to be even more important in a few months when one campaign (Ron Paul) becomes 470 campaigns (Ron Paul + 34 Senate + 435 House), or possibly more if we include state offices.

You are correct in your conclusion that it is a matter of scaling the abilities of our information tools.

PS-I think the negative comments you are getting are the result of focusing too much on Trevor, instead of on the scaling problem in the abstract (hey, I like and respect the guy).

[jd603]

no you're right, I also noticed the grass roots size is detrimental, but that is nearly un-avoidable, there's a large number of smart people on these forums, if someone pitches a good idea it will get tons of support.

DO THIS:

Make a list of any decent ideas being pitched and start a thread to debate which one(s) to run with...

Ron Paul DVD (although people have been talking abut this forever, the official campaign should have produced one of these)
Ron Paul MUSIC CD (I was thinking of doing this, aimee allen, that hiphop song, sinatra impersonator etc.)
Next big money bomb day (although if media doesn't give this one that much coverage its effectiveness will be less)
etc.








I'm just trying to help.

There's a bunch of people with passion-driven ideas left out in the cold because of lack of attention when there's even more people willing to help out but see no one they can help. If the grassroots schedule was even a fraction as popular as Trevor's teaparty or blimp website, grassroots would be healthy. BUT, instead, he DVD bomb is failing and so are other projects.

It's depressing as hell. There's A LOT more active and passionate people than on November 5, ideas have become a normal, overlooked characteristic to this sea of passionate supporters.

This isn't stream-of-consciousness babble.

[Ron Paul Fan]

Free market, less regulation, creative ideas rise to the top! I'd argue that we're not BIG enough! We need MORE people if we are to WIN!

[Mark Rushmore]

To the extent that you are trying to say that swift-moving forums make a poor medium to introduce, mull over and build support for potentially brilliant ideas - I would agree. It's too easy for a post to scroll off, no one wants to shamelessly self-bump their own idea, there's no centralized point (a la Wiki) whereby the "current" manifestation of the project exists and so people talk past each other, etc...

I don't quite understand the rest of your post about grassroots being too big or Trevor being vital to a project's success - but I'm pretty sure I disagree with whatever it means.

[boondoggle]

Free market, less regulation, creative ideas rise to the top! I'd argue that we're not BIG enough! We need MORE people if we are to WIN!

I agree. BUT WE ARE NOT ORGANIZED ANYMORE. I want the support to continue growing, just, if we let it keep growing without giving a way for everyone to be seen, then everyone will be left in the dark and Mr. Trevor will be the only one to influence the MASSIVE Ron Paul grassroots amount.

I'm glad some people are getting this. But someone, for sure, should make a website.

[MS0453]

I don't understand what you want here? Equal opportunity brainstorming or something?

[TwiLeXia]

yes we need someone to start organizing the events, i completely agree. we need a company-style management where we work like a business quickly delivering its product.

[wakejumpin]

consolidating the grassroots under an autocrat? i like free market.

[jd603]

Ok, lets out-source everything to China.

No seriously, what do you think meetup groups are? What do you think this forum is?

We don't have the time to structure a "business-like" management team. It will be counter-productive and hurt us overall. Maybe for the general elections if we pull off the nomination.



yes we need someone to start organizing the events, i completely agree. we need a company-style management where we work like a business quickly delivering its product.

[OferNave]

Everyone... the guy who started the thread is having difficulty articulating his feelings, but I know what he's saying:

He's not against free markets, and he doesn't think we should elect Trevor as our king.

What he's trying to bring attention to is the limitations of our current set of information tools.

I agree with him, it's just unfortunate that's doing such a poor job of getting his message across.

[Ron Paul Fan]

consolidating the grassroots under an autocrat? i like free market.

That's the spirit! I just don't know what this guy is trying to do! He's trying to dictate to us from his throne! This is the GRASSROOTS and there should be a FREE MARKET! If we had all of these regulations and committees like this guy wants, November 5th never would have happened! December 16th never would have happened! The Blimp never would have happened! This guy wants to quash all of that success by the FREE MARKET and GRASSROOTS! He wants to turn us into the United States Congress!

[Lucid American]

no you're right, I also noticed the grass roots size is detrimental, but that is nearly un-avoidable, there's a large number of smart people on these forums, if someone pitches a good idea it will get tons of support.

DO THIS:

Make a list of any decent ideas being pitched and start a thread to debate which one(s) to run with...

Ron Paul DVD (although people have been talking abut this forever, the official campaign should have produced one of these)
Ron Paul MUSIC CD (I was thinking of doing this, aimee allen, that hiphop song, sinatra impersonator etc.)
Next big money bomb day (although if media doesn't give this one that much coverage its effectiveness will be less)
etc.


That's precisely what the "BRAINSTORM BOMB" thread is.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=57703

Let's get a solid list of ideas -- scrap the chaff, prioritize the best.

[torchbearer]

The stage of gimmicks is over guys, we got the money we need.
It is now time to focus on becoming delegates and doing the door-to-door thing.

I'm serious... I have much experience in campaigning. It is time to dismiss gimmicks and get boots on the ground.

[boondoggle]

There are too many uninformed Paul supporters that are just as passionate as us. We need to get this organized, it was MUCH easier when less people were active. But it's growing exponentially.

THIS ISN'T TO LIMIT ANYTHING, JUST TO EDUCATE. No grassroots would be harmed in the making of this website. My philosophy, and apparently a large amount of others, see that there are ideas being abandoned when someone, somewhere, will support them without a thought. There are even ideas that are popular, though someone, somewhere, who wants to help CAN'T. That's what we should try to fix.

And, if we want this revolution to continue, even if Paul doesn't win, we need organization pointing toward the activities that most won't know about or know how to learn about.

There are these four things:
a) We need to have a web page/website devoted to ALL of the ALREADY planned events, fundraisers, or activities. Without this, many people will go unheard when there are MANY people willing to help them. The majority of supporters are willing to, at the least, analyze the ideas/events other supporters propose, but there's no way for them to know there's ideas that need to be analyzed when they don't have anywhere to get them. Ideas are captured in people's threads but, in time, they sink.
b) The website would have to be as popular as teaparty07.com. This is because there are very, very active supporters that go there for updates, for information. They are Trevor's followers. But that's where it ends. If this were a VERY POPULAR grassroots website, it'd be easy to find ideas, help ideas, and support each other and the rEVOLution as a whole.
c) We need to have it ready to be the main source for the rEVOLution movement, not just the Ron Paul movement. We've decided it's bigger than him already.
d) WE ARE NOT TELLING PEOPLE THEIR IDEAS SUCK. That's for the people going to the website to decide.

It's freaking me out that some of you think I'm trying to be dictatorial, I just think it should be organized! I am not not not not not not not not not trying to hurt this! This would ONLY help inform! Nothing more, nothing less. I proposed a SINGLE PAGE in this thread's very first post. That's all we'd need. A nice nifty list. That is it! NO OTHER PLACE IS BRINGING ATTENTION TO ALL GRASSROOTS!

[RPinSEAZ]

The stage of gimmicks is over guys, we got the money we need.
It is now time to focus on becoming delegates and doing the door-to-door thing.

I'm serious... I have much experience in campaigning. It is time to dismiss gimmicks and get boots on the ground.

QFMFT!

[literatim]

We DO NOT have all the money we need. The campaign has to advertise in ALL 50 States and that is expensive.

You people should have been working on the ground to begin with! The two are not mutually exclusive!

[boondoggle]

Well, congrats, this thread has gotten off topic.

[phree]

We're too big, too passionate.

I don't think he means too big as in we don't want more supporters. He means we're getting to big to stay organized. I agree.

I've addressed the "too passionate" part before also. Passion is necessary but can be counter productive if not balanced with discipline and focus. In a recent interview Dr. Paul was asked if he thought the predominantly grassroots based support was "risky". He said Yes. Consider what RP said. What does he think is risky about our support? Let's try to understand what he meant and work to minimize the risk.

[torchbearer]

We DO NOT have all the money we need. The campaign has to advertise in ALL 50 States and that is expensive.

You people should have been working on the ground to begin with! The two are not mutually exclusive!

Its wasting time. seriously. We are in the final days of the campaign, whether you realise it or not... every second you spend "brainstorming" are seconds away from getting Ron elected.
Game plan is set... and its implemented through our HUGE meet-up organization.

People need to realize time is almost out...

BY the time you brainstorm...debate.... plan...try to get people on board to the 9 million different ideas... the primary will be upon us...and we will not have done the things we needed to do to win.

Wyoming is a perfect example of this failure...heard about Wyoming? We are scrambling to catch up... people on the forums didn't have a clue what needed to be done because someone didn't shout out to tell them...get involved with your local meet-ups... they know what is going on.

Yet, WV and Maryland are perfect examples of what I am saying.... they got their act together locally, followed the plan, and are close to pulling out victories for ron paul.

[terryp]

I agree we need to all get out the vote.

But I do see a need for some of these ideas and many other things that have come up on this site to be kind of cataloged.
There will be primaries coming up and many people coming into the fold
who should have access to all of the info without having to go through the same learning curve a lot of us have had to do.
It's not always possible to find some of this info even doing searches. There needs to be a "best of the best" for many things people are looking for.
This might also make it easier to tailor this message to different groups.
From campaign materials & simple primers, info for seniors and others with slow inter net access to specific topics and videos to anything else that is really important

[european]

NEVER are we becomming too big.... tbh this is only the start :p

and let people just organize themselves a bit more, there will be more and more cash to spend as teh movement grows. i believe best is to have things scattered, because most projects dont need top-down regulation. only the real big projects need that. for instance that all meetup groups go door-to-door in 1 weekend or so. to spread the word :D

[literatim]

Its wasting time. seriously. We are in the final days of the campaign, whether you realise it or not... every second you spend "brainstorming" are seconds away from getting Ron elected.
Game plan is set... and its implemented through our HUGE meet-up organization.

People need to realize time is almost out...

BY the time you brainstorm...debate.... plan...try to get people on board to the 9 million different ideas... the primary will be upon us...and we will not have done the things we needed to do to win.

Excuse me? Time is almost out? You do realize we have 6 months of primaries coming up?


Wyoming is a perfect example of this failure...heard about Wyoming? We are scrambling to catch up... people on the forums didn't have a clue what needed to be done because someone didn't shout out to tell them...get involved with your local meet-ups... they know what is going on.

Yet, WV and Maryland are perfect examples of what I am saying.... they got their act together locally, followed the plan, and are close to pulling out victories for ron paul.

I know about all of them because I watch them like a hawk. Each State is different with different deadlines. You can't do anything officially until the State actually announces the lans for their primary.

[fuzzybekool]

Free market of ideas means that the best will rise to the top and others will falter, but that is how it is supposed to work. I been advocating a huge march on CNN or FOX News but I have no support. Yet, lol.. I am in need of some fine tuning of my marketing. Hehehehe.

All is good. Keep on going on.

[torchbearer]

Excuse me? Time is almost out? You do realize we have 6 months of primaries coming up?



I know about all of them because I watch them like a hawk. Each State is different with different deadlines. You can't do anything officially until the State actually announces the lans for their primary.

You will be responsible for Dr. Paul's defeat if you distract people from the things they need to be doing... what is more important right now... you feeling like you are right... or realizing you are wrong?

I write these post so the the on-lookers will understand what must be done... leave this forum, sign up with your meet-up group. Contact your organizer and say I am available for any and everything that must be done locally.

Give a portion of each of your paychecks to paul's campaign to keep money flowing... check back here at night.... catch up on what others are doing locally, get some sleep... rinse and repeat.

[phree]

Idea: A phone bank staffed with volunteers who will personally guide unfocused supporters into the best groups. This may be as simple as referring them to the local meet up group as torchbearer suggests, but it still might save time getting them to that point. Also in some places the meet up groups might not be present or strong enough, so better direction might be given this way.

The phone bank could be a decentralized model with volunteers working from their homes. All we would really need is a way to get the volunteers phone numbers out to those who seek guidance. These volunteers could also specialize in certain types of information, like how to discuss the platform, or how to become a delegate.

I think it's easy for most of us to assume a high level of comfort using the internet, but many of the new people we'll be attracting won't be as net savvy as we are. I say we should consider going "old school" with our effort to organize.

[CraigMcCra]

There should be active ideas being brainstormed always in grassroots. WE however have to work TOGETHER and have a vote on an idea before it goes into effect. For example having 25634563 money bombs is going to kill the excitement for a more important money bomb.

[Brian Bailey]

The Paulunteer - Ron Paul for President Grassroots Newsletter (http://www.paulunteer.com)

The newsletter is designed and run with exactly this problem in mind. I founded the newsletter because the movement was simply getting too big to organize and communicate effectively.

You can browse or search all previous posts by category, including Projects, Fundraising, Hot Forum Topics, and more.

You can also utilize the drop down menus at the top left and see some of the top Grassroots Projects and Donation Drives and access them in one place, with one click.

There are already 50+ subscribers via RSS and 400+ get the newsletter via email.

I am constantly soliciting articles, advice, and news from supporters and a lot of it goes into the newsletter each day and gets put up on the site.

I strongly urge everyone to take a look, give it a chance, and submit feedback or suggestions.

[boondoggle]

Brian, that is PERFECT. That's all I wanted. Have you seen the Grassroots Schedule in my signature? If that can help, feel free to use it. :)

I was just about ready to blow up on everyone for taking what I said WAY WAY WAY out of proportion and everyone got EVEN MORE OFF TOPIC. Take it to your own! LET ME CLARIFY THE MEANING OF THIS TOPIC.


But I do see a need for some of these ideas and many other things that have come up on this site to be kind of cataloged.

Terryp said that, that's basically what I said. Although I don't agree with the idea that we SHOULD VOTE for something's validity. EVERYTHING should go on the hypothetical page/website, no matter how stupid we think it is.


I don't think he means too big as in we don't want more supporters. He means we're getting to big to stay organized. I agree.

I've addressed the "too passionate" part before also. Passion is necessary but can be counter productive if not balanced with discipline and focus. In a recent interview Dr. Paul was asked if he thought the predominantly grassroots based support was "risky". He said Yes. Consider what RP said. What does he think is risky about our support? Let's try to understand what he meant and work to minimize the risk.

Thank you! That's exactly what I was thinking. We are TOO big and even though we're ALL passionate, it's hurting us because we can't keep everything together and keep everyone aware of every project.


we need a company-style management where we work like a business quickly delivering its product.
Not much like a business, more like a resource.


That's the spirit! I just don't know what this guy is trying to do! He's trying to dictate to us from his throne! This is the GRASSROOTS and there should be a FREE MARKET! If we had all of these regulations and committees like this guy wants, November 5th never would have happened! December 16th never would have happened! The Blimp never would have happened! This guy wants to quash all of that success by the FREE MARKET and GRASSROOTS! He wants to turn us into the United States Congress!

This is so f'ing ridiculous. I said one page that lists events. That's all. No rule the world type thing. No regulations or committees. Just an f'ing page. Seriously, c'mon. The blimp, November 5 would have happened, but they would have more attention on some small web page/website created to keep attention on them and ALL other projects.


a) We need to have a web page/website devoted to ALL of the ALREADY planned events, fundraisers, or activities. Without this, many people will go unheard when there are MANY people willing to help them. The majority of supporters are willing to, at the least, analyze the ideas/events other supporters propose, but there's no way for them to know there's ideas that need to be analyzed when they don't have anywhere to get them. Ideas are captured in people's threads but, in time, they sink.

It's that simple. We don't need anything big. Just a nice page or list for ALL supporters to go to in order to stay informed on all the projects currently active and in the works. It'd just be easier if they had a website, a simple domain name like grassrootsforliberty.com or something . . .


Look at Project New Hampshire and the Ron Paul DVD Bomb! Then look at their Blimp! Grassroots isn't going to go anywhere, anymore outside of Trevor if we don't get a MAIN DATABASE OF GRASSROOTS EVENTS/FUNDRAISERS/MOVEMENTS that gets attention from everyone who WANTS to help.

This is probably my more unorganized thought, but it's that Trevor had over 35,000 Ron Paul supporters going to the Tea Party website. Do you know what that means? Over 35,000 people willing to give money to help Ron Paul. If that entire group saw the proposed Grassroots Schedule page, they'd be given ways to help Ron Paul more than just the Tea Party or Blimp project.

Let me end in this to sum it up:

I'm just trying to help.

There are a bunch of people with passion-driven ideas left out in the cold because of lack of attention to them when there's even more people willing to help out but see no one they can help. If the grassroots schedule (HERE (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=49595)) was even a fraction as popular as Trevor's teaparty or blimp website, grassroots would be healthy. BUT, instead, he DVD bomb is failing and so are other projects.

It's depressing as hell. There are A LOT more active and passionate people than on November 5, ideas have become a normal, overlooked characteristic to this sea of passionate supporters.

This isn't stream-of-consciousness babble.

And, let me say, if someone doesn't make the website, Brian's newsletter is GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.