Organizing the grassroots?

[PledgeForPaul]

I am a pretty decent web designer (see pledgeforpaul.com). Reading this Iowa Caucus forum I am seeing a lot of people talking about the need for better organization. Is there anything I can do to help? I don't want to create a message board, or anything that would split the troops between ronpaulforums and this site, but maybe something that at least lists every grassroots project (with pictures/status updates/what is needed/etc?)

I want to help make things more transparent, and figure out a way to have lost iowa database disasters not happen, etc. Maybe I should really just be volunteering for the official campaign?

I'm open to any suggestions anyone has for how I can use my web development skills to help Ron Paul.

[OptionsTrader]

I am a pretty decent web designer (see pledgeforpaul.com). Reading this Iowa Caucus forum I am seeing a lot of people talking about the need for better organization. Is there anything I can do to help? I don't want to create a message board, or anything that would split the troops between ronpaulforums and this site, but maybe something that at least lists every grassroots project (with pictures/status updates/what is needed/etc?)

I want to help make things more transparent, and figure out a way to have lost iowa database disasters not happen, etc. Maybe I should really just be volunteering for the official campaign?

I'm open to any suggestions anyone has for how I can use my web development skills to help Ron Paul.

http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

help promote this when the campaign says it is ready for prime time.

In the meantime, see if you can find any bugs, and sign up, use it, and let's stress test it.

[father963]

I was building a site with a developer to handle all the data needed or organize grass roots efforts. We had the data gathering part done. People could join and enter their complete information down to the precinct level. We were about to add the wiki, blog and report functions, when someone from the campaign called him and talked him into stopping and working for them.

Complete bs. But the bottom line is this: picture what the campaign's web site could have been if they had collected data from the start. Picture a wiki that had developed since June. Picture a blog that Ron could have preached from. Picture 75 thousand volunteers organized down to the precinct level and an established hierarchy of people running counties, districts and wards.

Picture the reporting functions that could generate voter lists and such if they had allowed volunteers to develop it with a little instruction.

Now here's the hardest part of building that now: everyone is on the campaign's teat and you will have the damnedest time getting enough people to join your site. In essence, unless the campaign signs off on it, Meetup is as large as it gets.

And unless you adhere to what the campaign wants, which is no Real ID, Votefraud or anything other than strict campaign stuff, they will never buy into it.

So there you have it. Just as an old Patriot said to me long ago at the Iowa Straw Poll, "The campaign's going to run the revolution like it's any other campaign and lose."

Lack of vision is what best describes the official campaign. So build it separate, and do it fast. Organize the data so every state can enter information as required. What you're basically doing is mimicking Complete Campaign, but custom.

The reason we still need it is because the campaign will go away at some point. And They may take the data with them.

[breakranks]

Lack of vision is what best describes the official campaign. So build it separate, and do it fast. Organize the data so every state can enter information as required. What you're basically doing is mimicking Complete Campaign, but custom.
Argh, so very frustration. Yes, father963, you've called-out the requirements very well. And Yes, we'll need this functionality when this campaign goes away, as there will be other candidates that we support in the future and they will need this functionality.

One question, as I am not well versed in Complete Campaigns, is there any reason why we would simply not just use Complete Campaigns?

[father963]

Argh, so very frustration. Yes, father963, you've called-out the requirements very well. And Yes, we'll need this functionality when this campaign goes away, as there will be other candidates that we support in the future and they will need this functionality.

One question, as I am not well versed in Complete Campaigns, is there any reason why we would simply not just use Complete Campaigns?

Money.

You could raise it, but the campaign sucks everything dry like the Corps of Engineers in the Everglades. If your Meetup can swing it, you're good to go, but you have to recruit and woe be unto you if that goes against the campaign's wishes. It also takes leg work. Cat's don't always come when you call them. You have to go get most. That's the key to the failure of the campaign. Ron is the pied piper of our age and the campaign didn't just drop the ball, they left the pump, sphere and needle at home.

I'm trying to fight Real ID legislation in Virginia and can do the whole thing for about 6K, but so far I've gotten $76 from an email campaign to 800 strong. We've got 8 weeks to lobby the state legislature and the meetups are busy planing sign-waving (which is fine) but they're going to have RFID chips in their wallets when they do it soon.

I know I'm getting cynical, but this grass roots stuff is mind boggling, and I've been doing it without a break for too long. Can't seem to quit though. I don't want Real ID and no one else is picking up the ball, only spray paint.

[dawnbt]

I am a pretty decent web designer (see pledgeforpaul.com). Reading this Iowa Caucus forum I am seeing a lot of people talking about the need for better organization. Is there anything I can do to help? I don't want to create a message board, or anything that would split the troops between ronpaulforums and this site, but maybe something that at least lists every grassroots project (with pictures/status updates/what is needed/etc?)

I want to help make things more transparent, and figure out a way to have lost iowa database disasters not happen, etc. Maybe I should really just be volunteering for the official campaign?

I'm open to any suggestions anyone has for how I can use my web development skills to help Ron Paul.

Excellent! Thank you!!

[dawnbt]

http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

help promote this when the campaign says it is ready for prime time.

In the meantime, see if you can find any bugs, and sign up, use it, and let's stress test it.

I think having a strictly grassroots is good to have. We always have a hard time getting information from HQ. It's nice to have options. Just have a liason or two between the two.

[Cleaner44]

I am a pretty decent web designer (see pledgeforpaul.com). Reading this Iowa Caucus forum I am seeing a lot of people talking about the need for better organization. Is there anything I can do to help? I don't want to create a message board, or anything that would split the troops between ronpaulforums and this site, but maybe something that at least lists every grassroots project (with pictures/status updates/what is needed/etc?)

I want to help make things more transparent, and figure out a way to have lost iowa database disasters not happen, etc. Maybe I should really just be volunteering for the official campaign?

I'm open to any suggestions anyone has for how I can use my web development skills to help Ron Paul.

I would like to work with you. I want to organize to protect the vote counts.

[OptionsTrader]

I think having a strictly grassroots is good to have. We always have a hard time getting information from HQ. It's nice to have options. Just have a liason or two between the two.

Update:

http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

Precinct Captain system aka "Grassroots Central" is going live on Saturday 1/4/2007. Be a part of it, and focus your energy in the same direction as all Ron Paul supporters, focus on getting the vote out in your precinct!

What is Ron Paul Grassroots Central?

It's a powerful new tool to enable Ron Paul supporters to actively, methodically get out the Ron Paul vote all across America. After signing up, you'll become a Precinct Leader and you'll be in charge of about 1,000 voters. It's a big job, but if everyone does it just this once, we will win the Republican nomination. Please join today!

Going officially live tomorrow:
http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

Chat about it here:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=254


Note from http://voters.ronpaul2008.com:
2008-01-04 13:42:39 [National]: The user feedback database will be scrubbed tonight to allow for new features. The system will officially launch Saturday morning.

[dawnbt]

http://voters.ronpaul2008.com

help promote this when the campaign says it is ready for prime time.

In the meantime, see if you can find any bugs, and sign up, use it, and let's stress test it.

This is just for precinct leaders. We need a "Grassroots Central!" I even think it should be members only to keep out trolls! I can see us whippin up quite a few great ideas in there in a more organized fashion! Bring it!

[Jamon]

This site (http://rpn.metagov.us/) has the intention of such organization and is ready for you to use.

[Sey.Naci]

I was building a site with a developer to handle all the data needed or organize grass roots efforts. We had the data gathering part done. People could join and enter their complete information down to the precinct level. We were about to add the wiki, blog and report functions, when someone from the campaign called him and talked him into stopping and working for them.

Complete bs. But the bottom line is this: picture what the campaign's web site could have been if they had collected data from the start. Picture a wiki that had developed since June. Picture a blog that Ron could have preached from. Picture 75 thousand volunteers organized down to the precinct level and an established hierarchy of people running counties, districts and wards.

Picture the reporting functions that could generate voter lists and such if they had allowed volunteers to develop it with a little instruction.

Now here's the hardest part of building that now: everyone is on the campaign's teat and you will have the damnedest time getting enough people to join your site. In essence, unless the campaign signs off on it, Meetup is as large as it gets.

And unless you adhere to what the campaign wants, which is no Real ID, Votefraud or anything other than strict campaign stuff, they will never buy into it.

So there you have it. Just as an old Patriot said to me long ago at the Iowa Straw Poll, "The campaign's going to run the revolution like it's any other campaign and lose."

Lack of vision is what best describes the official campaign. So build it separate, and do it fast. Organize the data so every state can enter information as required. What you're basically doing is mimicking Complete Campaign, but custom.

The reason we still need it is because the campaign will go away at some point. And They may take the data with them.I understand your and other supporters' frustration. However, I am getting tired of people overlooking one thing and perhaps failing to consider how things might be from the other side.

The Ron Paul presidential campaign began with only a handful of staffers and the expectation by both Ron Paul and the staffers that he would never be more than a fringe candidate. He was just hoping to get his ideas out there, to help shape the political discourse.

NONE of them back in March 2007 expected what would in fact transpire. Like any human being, they were taken by surprise, especially during the last quarter. And I don't think it has helped that when they did receive donations, they came in two huge moneybombs rather than steadily over the quarter. The moneybombs introduced a good deal of uncertainty and hurt their bank balance as people withheld their donations in order to contribute to the bombs.

As for questions like "Why aren't they spending the money?" (which I acknowledge wasn't asked in the above post), to buy advertising, arrange TV and radio spots, etc., money - and a lot of it - is needed well in advance. There is also the matter of the time needed to produce these spots. Yet the campaign didn't receive the first huge infusion of money until the second month of the last quarter. While that and the media attention was no doubt welcome, that money would have been better donated steadily over the course of the previous month. And although I LOVED the outcome of the tea party - "Ron Paul, the $6 million man" - that money too would have been better contributed over the six previous weeks, $1 million per week.

[constituent]

NONE of them back in March 2007 expected what would in fact transpire. Like any human being, they were taken by surprise, especially during the last quarter.

damn, shoulda listened to me in march....


...so it goes

[father963]

I understand your and other supporters' frustration. However, I am getting tired of people overlooking one thing and perhaps failing to consider how things might be from the other side.

The Ron Paul presidential campaign began with only a handful of staffers and the expectation by both Ron Paul and the staffers that he would never be more than a fringe candidate. He was just hoping to get his ideas out there, to help shape the political discourse.

NONE of them back in March 2007 expected what would in fact transpire. Like any human being, they were taken by surprise, especially during the last quarter. And I don't think it has helped that when they did receive donations, they came in two huge moneybombs rather than steadily over the quarter. The moneybombs introduced a good deal of uncertainty and hurt their bank balance as people withheld their donations in order to contribute to the bombs.

As for questions like "Why aren't they spending the money?" (which I acknowledge wasn't asked in the above post), to buy advertising, arrange TV and radio spots, etc., money - and a lot of it - is needed well in advance. There is also the matter of the time needed to produce these spots. Yet the campaign didn't receive the first huge infusion of money until the second month of the last quarter. While that and the media attention was no doubt welcome, that money would have been better donated steadily over the course of the previous month. And although I LOVED the outcome of the tea party - "Ron Paul, the $6 million man" - that money too would have been better contributed over the six previous weeks, $1 million per week.

Yes I've heard this line before, even preached it. But for a short time, I towed the line as the Volunteers State Coordinator, working with Dennis and Mike and Justine. Sorry, they have dropped the ball. They practically killed the Virginia Petition Drive with either gross mistakes or planned the thing to drag out so the delegate push is starting.... now. They denied me access to timely emails and resources and well what's the point? I'm tired of talking about it, but here's the deal. I had Virginia on track to be prepared for the primary and Mass Meetings. This is something I saw crucial to the success of a Ron Paul Presidency. The Campaign and the Campaign only mucked that up.

As it stands now, we've got people miss allocating their time and resources trying to stand on corners and wave signs when they should desperately be concentrating on other things. We have no leaders either. Can you name one Campaign official that can command authority like they could have developed? It's January, almost a year after starting and the National Field Director has to introduce himself in an email to us. Come on.

I was told on Labor Day the campaign had a list of 300 web developers offering their services. Look what they came up with. What we should have now is a campaign site that makes meetup, yahoo and google look silly.

It's lack of vision. It's adhering to the misguided concept that the campaign can't associate with any issue other than Gun Owners of America (because that's their pet organization) or all hell will break loose. It's the simple mistake of running a revolution like it's a straight forward presidential campaign.

And they know better or at least they say they do. Most of them have been doing this since 88 and they should have been prepared to take an information campaign into it's natural state of a determined one if, God forbid, the idea of freedom caught on.

The lot should be fired. End of story. They've wasted our time. This campaign will go third party, you can count on that unless they either make a serious change in paradigm or get replaced by some creative sorts who can turn a revolution of The People into a new and wonderful thing.

I don't see it happening. They're entrenched. I'm working the state level where I can do some good. Again Real ID is up in the State legislatures now and you'd better get it done, because if Ron doesn't turn it around, you'll have the first taste of National ID very, very soon.... this year... before the election.