Ron Paul HQ Launches Mail Iowa Program!

[Dave]

I just received the following email from Joe Seehusen and Lew Moore! Here's another great way for Ron Paul supporters all over America to make a contribution to winning the August 11 Ames Straw Poll:


We've had a great response to our Call Iowa program, and while we still need your help making phone calls, we have another option available now for people interested in volunteering. Mail Iowa is here! We are asking for volunteers from Iowa and across the country to write letters to Iowans to spread the word about the Straw Poll. This is a great way for us to personally contact all the voters that we can't reach by phone, and really display how passionately our supporters believe in Congressman Ron Paul.

The Call Iowa program is another fantastic opportunity to volunteer with the official campaign! Many of our supporters have inquired about a mailing campaign, and we think sending personal letters is the best way to do it. This is also a great option for people who are not comfortable on the phone, but still want to help.

We invite you to contact us if you are interested in volunteering to write to 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 would like to help please send us an e-mail at mailiowa@ronpaul2008.com and let us know how many letters you are interested in sending. We will send you a list of addresses, and a letter you can either copy, or use as a starting point to write your own letter. Then you just write the letters, address the envelopes, stick on your own stamps, and drop them in the mail!

Please note that this e-mail address is for our Mail Iowa program ONLY. Because of the large response anticipated to this program we will only be able to respond to requests for addresses or Mail Iowa 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 write a few letters. We are looking forward to hearing from everyone! Don't forget, if you haven't RSVP'd for the Straw Poll yet, please do so now at www.ronpaul2008.com. We'll see you there!

Joe Seehusen
Iowa State Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

Lew Moore
Campaign Manager
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

[empirenine]

Thanks for posting this info. I just requested 50.

[brumans]

Awesome! I just requested 25.

[ghemminger]

me too

[brumans]

I suggest we hand-write them to add that personal touch (and not let them feel like it's a mass-mailing, which they will probably disregard).

[empirenine]

I suggest we hand-write them to add that personal touch (and not let them feel like it's a mass-mailing, which they will probably disregard).

Agreed. I may print a small segment about Dr. Paul, then handwrite the rest. At a very minimum though, hand print the address on the envelope and make it look like mail from a friend.

[DavyDuke17]

Removed because previous posters mentioned it.

[MozoVote]

If you use anything like a form letter, *please* personalize it somehow. See my letters project thread linked below. Does not need to be this garish, but you get the idea.

Maybe have a meetup night and pass letters around the table for writing endorsements.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=6574

[PatriotOne]

I'm in for 100.

[brumans]

Is the campaign going to send out a mass e-mail about this? I think this will help the campaign a lot if the iowan voters have something tangible to look at that is personalized from another concerned american.

[BIG_J]

lol at patriot1

[empirenine]

I just got a response from the campaign already, with all addresses included. They're ON TOP of this one.

[ronpaulitician]

A handwritten letter would impress me more than even a phone call.

[MozoVote]

The recipient of a letter can mull over it's content, maybe open their mind a little more. I think phone calls stir up defensive feelings in people.

[eok321]

Think i read this on here somewhere before, but how about putting your kids handprint on the letters and something like our future depends on your vote....

[MozoVote]

Also, FWIW - I think lettergrams are better than envelopes. People get lots of junk mail in general and I'm sure Iowans develop a fine sense for "campaign literature" over the months.

Just fold a letter in 3, tape and mail. Don't let the hassle of opening an envelope, prevent it from being read.

Another nice thing about letters (personalized ones) is that sending them to the same people again, is not as annoying to them as duplicate phone calls.

[Lord Xar]

I just received the following email from Joe Seehusen and Lew Moore! Here's another great way for Ron Paul supporters all over America to make a contribution to winning the August 11 Ames Straw Poll:


We've had a great response to our Call Iowa program, and while we still need your help making phone calls, we have another option available now for people interested in volunteering. Mail Iowa is here! We are asking for volunteers from Iowa and across the country to write letters to Iowans to spread the word about the Straw Poll. This is a great way for us to personally contact all the voters that we can't reach by phone, and really display how passionately our supporters believe in Congressman Ron Paul.

The Call Iowa program is another fantastic opportunity to volunteer with the official campaign! Many of our supporters have inquired about a mailing campaign, and we think sending personal letters is the best way to do it. This is also a great option for people who are not comfortable on the phone, but still want to help.

We invite you to contact us if you are interested in volunteering to write to 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 would like to help please send us an e-mail at mailiowa@ronpaul2008.com and let us know how many letters you are interested in sending. We will send you a list of addresses, and a letter you can either copy, or use as a starting point to write your own letter. Then you just write the letters, address the envelopes, stick on your own stamps, and drop them in the mail!

Please note that this e-mail address is for our Mail Iowa program ONLY. Because of the large response anticipated to this program we will only be able to respond to requests for addresses or Mail Iowa 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 write a few letters. We are looking forward to hearing from everyone! Don't forget, if you haven't RSVP'd for the Straw Poll yet, please do so now at www.ronpaul2008.com. We'll see you there!

Joe Seehusen
Iowa State Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

Lew Moore
Campaign Manager
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee

You think he can get me my list BEFORE the straw poll? :-)

I will sign up for 500. This is important.

[MozoVote]

I think I will be joining - but haven't decided on how many letters.

I have a 2 sided printer though. I may ask for my addresses in Excel and do a MS word merge to automate the bulk of the letter, than put a hand written sentence or two on the bottom.

Anyone that really wants to do letters efficiently and at home, should invest in a good 2-sided (ie duplex) printer and nice stationary.

[ronpaulitician]

Gonna be a busy weekend for me.

100 calls, 100 letters.

[billv]

I suggest we hand-write them to add that personal touch (and not let them feel like it's a mass-mailing, which they will probably disregard).

That's what I was thinking too.

[LRitz]

I'm in for 50 letters. If there's still time after I'm done with these, I'll send off for more addresses.
Lisa in Texas

[Lord Xar]

well, I am gonna put in a back/front flyer, and a couple ron paul business cards... AND a quick post note (handwritten by me)...

simple..
1. flyer
2. couple ron paul business cards
3. small post-it with my handwritten message

I will also HIGHLIGHT with a HIGHLIGHTER the things "I" think are important.. Like TOUGH on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION....

I can't believe someone ALREADY GOT THERES... HUH!!

[MozoVote]

I do think it would be justifiable that if someone handles more than say ... 100 letters, that the official campaign chips in postage for those people. It does add up. 500 letters would be around $250 in first class postage and paper. (That's why letting direct mailers handle it is cheaper, they can use bulk mail rates.)

Problems being, that I've seen threads before about how the official campaign and the grassroots can't get too intertwined. And I suppose re-imbursements could be abused, if there isn't a local chair for Ron Paul to verify the mailings.

[gravesdav]

Do you think it would be worth it if I just requested 10-15?

[markpa]

This is great! I'll probably use the form letter they provide but like someone else said, I will highlight what I feel are the most important points. Then I will add a small paragraph describing why I feel this campaign is important enough that I had to volunteer.

[DavyDuke17]

My letters are about a page long, written out by hand. I know it is kinda long, but when you read it it doesn't take too long. Here is my letter:

My name is David and I'm a volunteer writing to you in support of Congressman Ron Paul. He is running for president and we would like to consider supporting Paul and to join us at the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames on Saturday, August 11 from 10 am to 6 pm.

Ron Paul is currently in his 10th term in Congress, and has proven time and time again that he votes on principle before party. He takes his vow to uphold the constitution very seriously, as well as his committment to lowering taxes and the size of the federal government.

The Congressman is also very tough on the fight against illegal immigration. While he agrees that strong border enforcement is crucial, he also realizes that we must also end the incentives that causes the flood of illegal immigrants to come into this country. This includes ending the free handouts for illegal aliens that we cannnot afford and putting an end to birthright citizenship or "anchor babies".

Paul has been an outspoken leader against the Iraq War since before the invasion, and advocates a humble foreign policy overseas while keeping us strong here at home. The Iraq War has diverted us from our fight against Al Qaeda and our hunt for Osama Bin Ladin, and has strengthened our enemy.

I invite you to visit his website at www.ronpaul2008.com or call toll free at 1-800-Ron-Paul and learn more about him and his positions. The best way to support him is to vote for Ron Paul at the Straw Poll. To RSVP and get more information, go to the website and click the Iowa icon at the top of the page. We hope you can join us, and we appreciate your time.

"In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."

The quote is used by someone on this forum all the time, and I think it works perfectly to motivate people to get involved. Also include the toll free number for people without the internet!

[angelatc]

I'll go 25, and then if that works out I'll do another 25. I can't talk on the phone, but I can write I pretty mean letter.

If only I don't splash coffee all over them...

[Lord Xar]

I do think it would be justifiable that if someone handles more than say ... 100 letters, that the official campaign chips in postage for those people. It does add up. 500 letters would be around $250 in first class postage and paper. (That's why letting direct mailers handle it is cheaper, they can use bulk mail rates.)

Problems being, that I've seen threads before about how the official campaign and the grassroots can't get too intertwined. And I suppose re-imbursements could be abused, if there isn't a local chair for Ron Paul to verify the mailings.

Yeah, in my haste I requested alot..hahhahahahah .. I wonder if I can get bulk pricing with "500" hmmmm.

[Birdlady]

Those of you who live in Iowa what are the big issues there? Should we mention he is pro-life? Should we mention he is pro-gun?

I live in Pennsylvania so what I feel is important is completely different to what an Iowan feels. Thanks!

This should be a sticky.

[empirenine]

Do you think it would be worth it if I just requested 10-15?

ABSOLUTELY. Every letter counts. You may get the 15 people that will end up going and voting.