Starting only meetup group in my area, NEED Help

[ronpauldelivers]

Been lurking around here quite a while and after reading a post about getting my lazy ass off my computer and going to ronpaulmeetup I did just that and found no meetups in my area to participate in. Sooo....I started a new one and now I am scared to death and not sure what to do. I don't want to f things up.

I live in a democratic county in SW FL, and the closest meetups to me are 30 miles away in Ft.Myers/Naples/PuntaGorda areas. This is a very rural area, and we are on the 'fringe area' of the media coverage of the glorious, Gulf Coast and like RP, never get any attention unless it's negative...

Our first meeting is scheduled for this Tues. and could use some suggestions on what the hell I am supposed to do?? :confused:

PLease, all of you experienced RP supporters and meetup people...HELP!!!
thankyou

[Tenbatsu]

Send a message to the meetup that is closest to you. There are probably other lurkers from your area in the same position that you are. From there you'll have to play it by ear and acquire people by getting the word out about Ron Paul in your area.

[malibu]

we need Florida big time - and you'll do fine.

Since you know the people in your area best, you may have more inside you than you think though.

and feel free to PM any of us here - exchange phone numbers if needed - plenty can help you to help yourself.

What are your specific concerns ?

Go Florida !

[SaratogaForRonPaul]

Thank you!! Your are a true patriot.

You are lucky that Florida is a very well organized state and there are people who can help you. Go to http://www.ronpaulflorida.com/ and ask them to add your group to their list and for some advise and how you can help.

Advertise in Craigslist and your local papers (usually free in the events section). Post a couple of strategic signs around the town. It is great that you are in rural area, because as you said, these places are rarely hit, and can make a big difference as we saw in Iowa.

As a general starting point, you can contact the Florida group or go to your local county Board of Elections and ask for registered voter lists (Florida is an open primary I believe?). Use this to plan canvassing in your neighborhood. You just need some literature (SlimJims from the campaign at www.ronpaul2008.com/store) or ask people around here to send you some.

When you have enough people (say 3 or more), do a sign waving at a major intersection. Coordinate with other meetups that are further away for big events or their sign waving so you can learn.

You are a true patriot and will make a difference. Thanks again!

[John of Des Moines]

Join the other groups near you as well and see if you're able to get some assistance from them. Also when buying from the campaign store buy with distributing the purchase to the group, not everybody can buy stuff.

[ronpauldelivers]

Thanks for your reply...don't know what PM means but, some of my concerns are:
1) what is best to focus on doing in this particular area?
2) do people just 'show up' for the meetup, or do I have to get people to come by invitation?
3) I can't vote in the primaries because I am reg. repub and live in a dem. county, will people be unwilling to even care here until he wins the nomination (some have indicated this to me already)
4) what else do people do or expect to do at this meetup?

[nc4rp]

just be a good example of a ron paul supporter.(i agree with above poster that you should still join teh nearest meetup even if you dont go, you can stay in touch with current things) also join voters.ronpaul2008.com and watch the training videos.

1. do you have a meeting location? my group meets in a friendly restaurant and at the library. or at your house or anywhere.

2. have an agenda. either discuss possibilities for canvassing, or write some letters and address envelopes.
http://www.louislogan.com/letters/index.asp

3. discuss your local GOP process.

4. if its only you, then use teh time to put out a free ad in the local papers, or do canvassing as per http://www.ronpaulreveres.com/canvassing and http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

just do these things and dont worry. it should be a fun process. like Paul says, hes just getting teh message out there and the message speaks for itself.

good luck. PM me if you want.

[jointhefightforfreedom]

Get a leader from the closest meetup to come help you get going!!!

[SaratogaForRonPaul]

Thanks for your reply...don't know what PM means but, some of my concerns are:
1) what is best to focus on doing in this particular area?
2) do people just 'show up' for the meetup, or do I have to get people to come by invitation?
3) I can't vote in the primaries because I am reg. repub and live in a dem. county, will people be unwilling to even care here until he wins the nomination (some have indicated this to me already)
4) what else do people do or expect to do at this meetup?

1) get his name out and post Signs (whether its hand made or bought lawn signs). Get it everywhere that you think people will see it on public land (don't put it on private land). Sign Wave and Canvass as you get at least 1 more person (Family, friend, neighbor)

2) They will join your meetup over time. Just like you, they saw there was nothing close by. Now that there is, they will sign up. Also as I said in my last post, advertise for free in Craiglists and local events in newpapers.

3) Of course you can VOTE! There will be primaries in every county, it doesn't matter if its mostly Democrat or not! This is critical, anyone can vote because its an open primary! Make sure everyone in your county votes for Ron Paul.

4) Discuss strategies to recruit more people, raise some petty cash for signs and literature, make your own signs, discuss upcoming debates and visits by Ron Paul, plan sign waving and canvassing, coordinate with larger meetup groups, even if they are far away.

[ronpauldelivers]

thanks for all the suggestions...time for me to get busy.

[ronpauldelivers]

1) get his name out and post Signs (whether its hand made or bought lawn signs). Get it everywhere that you think people will see it on public land (don't put it on private land). Sign Wave and Canvass as you get at least 1 more person (Family, friend, neighbor)

2) They will join your meetup over time. Just like you, they saw there was nothing close by. Now that there is, they will sign up. Also as I said in my last post, advertise for free in Craiglists and local events in newpapers.

3) Of course you can VOTE! There will be primaries in every county, it doesn't matter if its mostly Democrat or not! This is critical, anyone can vote because its an open primary! Make sure everyone in your county votes for Ron Paul.

4) Discuss strategies to recruit more people, raise some petty cash for signs and literature, make your own signs, discuss upcoming debates and visits by Ron Paul, plan sign waving and canvassing, coordinate with larger meetup groups, even if they are far away.


We were told by the county when we registered Republican, that because this is a democratic county we weren't allowed to vote in the primaries? maybe we misunderstood and it was 4 years ago, but I distinctly remember this and she explained it a couple of times. Of course, 4 years ago I could care less about politics and voting b/c IMO all politicians are bought, so we just went ahead and registered Repub. and didn't care. I am going to call the county now.

[ronpauldelivers]

Just talked to Supervisor of Elections, I was wrong. You can't vote in the primaries unless you are registered with either of the 2 major parties and when we registered we weren't sure if we were really republicans anymore (no one in the party to identify and total dissatisfaction with the party, politicians and the whole process in general).

Soooo....this is very exciting for me to learn and she also offered to send us absentee ballots b/c it's more convenient, so I said "sure, I guess". Is this ok, or should we be going out on the night of? shit, the 29th is a Tuesday, which is the night I picked for meetups...is this going to be a problem or is this maybe a good thing? should I call back and say we're going so don't send the ballots?

[SaratogaForRonPaul]

Its better if you go. Make the meetup for that Tuesday a Primary meeting at the polls!! The primary is the most important thing, period. It is why you are having meetings for. It is better to show up than absentee because they do not look at absentee votes if there is a clear winner.

Go as a carpool, etc to vote on the 29th!

[SaratogaForRonPaul]

And you don't have to call them back. Keep the ballot orpass it to someone who REALLY can not make it that Tuesday night.

[jenninlouisiana]

I run ron paul meetup 1334 in Louisiana.

I had my first meeting at a coffee shop where we introduced ourselves, talked about

1)the caucus: when it is, what the requirements are, etc
2) the primary and what the differences are
3) upcoming sign waving events
4) how to get campaign materials, etc...
5) handed out slim jims for them to pass out, etc.
6) set a day to canvass neighborhoods handing out literature door to door and then
7) set a date for a sign waving even within 3 days of the door to door literature...

But trust me, once you set yours up... OTHER people will start contacting you and it will take off basically on autopilot.

Sign up on all the meetups (3 or 4) closest to you to see what they are doing...

[jenninlouisiana]

PM me if you need bumper stickers, slim jims and hand outs... I'll send you a few... send me your address...

[SaratogaForRonPaul]

BTW PM means Private Message. Click on a users name and you can send a message from there.

[ronpauldelivers]

oops, I had already called them back and asked if I decided to go in person could I just use them there or did they absolutely have to be mailed back and she said, yes they have to be mailed back. I thought they would be sending out ballots registered to us, so I told her we were going to go in person instead, so she's not mailing them out. didn't realize you could get more than your own and give it to someone else. However, I did immediately text my BFF who is going to be out of town and told her to call for her ballots so she could get them mailed off. I am proud to say she is someone I've convinced to vote for RP!!! exciting!!

I'm just still floored that we can actually vote in the primary...all this time I thought we couldn't...:o






And you don't have to call them back. Keep the ballot orpass it to someone who REALLY can not make it that Tuesday night.

[malibu]

..don't know what PM means but, some of my concerns are:
1) what is best to focus on doing in this particular area?
2) do people just 'show up' for the meetup, or do I have to get people to come by invitation?
3) I can't vote in the primaries because I am reg. repub and live in a dem. county, will people be unwilling to even care here until he wins the nomination (some have indicated this to me already)
4) what else do people do or expect to do at this meetup?

Re : 3) any Florida registered Democrat had until Dec. 31 to change party affiliation - it wouldn't matter if you or the meetup members are in a mostly dem county.

PM is for private messages, box is under your name in upper right corner -
suggested here mainly only if ya' wanna exchange phone numbers with people in the forums privately.

Also, the meetups are a good way to organize people and communicate to everyone just by the group emails, and also many larger meetups have files for making copies of flyers, that can go in coffee shops or whatever.

Good luck.

[cswake]

All the suggestions above are great, but this is the *best* one:
http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

They provide you directions, contacts, and a to-do list to make your contribution effective.

[dirknb@hotmail.com]

If it's a small town newspaper, an ad for your first meeting would be inexpensive. I did that and got 20 people out from it.

Definitely network with all other Ron Paul Meetups within an hour or so from you.

Set up an easy to remember URL and point it to your Meetup group. For San Antonio and New Braunfels, Texas I set up www.RonPaul2008SA.org (http://www.ronpaul2008sa.org/) and www.RonPaul2008NB.org (http://www.ronpaul2008nb.org/). I then had some business cards made that have that website address and give them to any Ron Paul supporter I meet and leave them on any car I see with a Ron Paul sticker on it.