I would like to attempt to clear up any Campaign for Liberty misinformation you have!

[ronpaulhawaii]

Any 501(c)(4), which is Campaign for Liberty and possibly future state chapters, cannot endorse a specific candidate at the organization level. That does not prohibit individual members from working towards getting particular candidates elected and using the organization to coordinate efforts. Much like the 501(c)(4) Moveon.org members did everything in their power to help get Obama elected.

Move-on PAC is not Move-on Civic Action

The MoveOn family of organizations is made up of a couple of different pieces. MoveOn.org Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, formerly known just as MoveOn.org, primarily focuses on education and advocacy on important national issues. MoveOn.org Political Action, a federal PAC, formerly known as MoveOn PAC, mobilizes people across the country to fight important battles in Congress and help elect candidates who reflect our values. Both organizations are entirely funded by individuals.
http://www.moveon.org/about.html

 

[ingrid]

I must note though that CFL state organizations and lower may endorse candidates.

My understanding is that they can't endorse candidates. It would be great if the state organizations could do so.

 

[JS4Pat]

Is there still an active thread somewhere for C4L comments, suggestions and criticisms?

A thread viewed by someone at C4L?

 

[raystone]

Looks like Andrew Ward, Director of Outreach, Campaign for Liberty, [email protected]

will respond to questions started in a new thread.

 

[JS4Pat]

Looks like Andrew Ward, Director of Outreach, Campaign for Liberty, [email protected]

will respond to questions started in a new thread.

Thanks RayStone.

This is the message I will send....

Andrew –

I am writing to offer my assessment & suggestions for the Campaign for Liberty. I have posted this message on both Daily Paul and Ron Paul Forums. Feel free to respond there so as to reach a larger audience.

My Background:

• I’m 39 years old and followed politics since the late 80s.
• Served in the military for 13 years
• Worked in a paid senior staff position on Pat Buchanan’s Reform Party Presidential Race in 2000 (Ballot Access & Advance Team)
• Was the Meetup Organizer for the Jacksonville, FL Ron Paul Meetup Group starting n May 2007
• Attended the Rally for the Republic Events in Minneapolis in September 2008
• Appointed as the Florida District 7 Campaign for Liberty Representative
• Currently serving as the Vice Chair and Membership Director for the Republican Liberty Caucus of Northeast Florida

Campaign for Liberty Overall Assessment

• My expectations were very low from the start because I have worked in and for national organizations and understand their impediments & limitations
  
• I did however believe that the movement needed a way to define itself nationally beyond the Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign
  
• I thought the grassroots training provided in Minneapolis was excellent
  
• I think building on the Precinct Information (Walking Lists) online software is excellent.

But in assessing the C4L over its first 5+ months my conclusion is that the primary problems is the organization is trying to do too much and is not tightly focused enough on the true needs of the movement.



Re-Inventing the Wheel

This movement does not and did not need a new website for communicating what is going on within the movement. Every day I plug into the following 3 excellent websites for national and local information & communication as to what is happening in the small “C” campaign for liberty :

1. Daily Paul
2. Ron Paul Forums
3. The Republican Liberty Caucus of Northeast Florida

I maintain a Facebook account which provides the means for mass communication beyond our movement’s inner circle. And I am on a multitude of e-mail distribution lists for liberty. Restore the Republic has also established a similar online communication vehicle.

The last thing I needed was ANOTHER website for communicating “what’s going on in the liberty movement”. To me the time. money and effort C4L is spending on a website to communicate Ron Paul’s latest media appearance or important pieces of legislation is a waste.



De-Centralization

The very message of Ron Paul and our movement is decentralization and freedom - so trying to development a leadership structure at the national level down seems to me to be a case of not practicing what we preach.

I want to support C4L because I believe in our cause – but to be honest – the organization has served more as a distraction from the real work we are doing in my local community and state. We have developed a local Charter, new Meetup Group, officers, events, literature etc. for the Republican Liberty Caucus of Northeast Florida. This is how we are keeping the Revolution alive and making a difference . And I know there are other states with other examples of success - doing it their way.

Why burden us with an additional “position” in C4L that is outside of the organization we are building locally?



My Suggestions for Going Forward

• Refocus the mission of the Campaign for Liberty. Have it be the national hub for tools for moving the liberty movement forward.
  
  
• Piggyback on what is already working – Daily Paul, Ron Paul Forums, Restore the Republic, John Birch Society etc.
  
  
• Have it be a source for contact information for successful revolutionaries in other cities and states. So before I decide to host an event or head up a project in NE Florida – I can contact C4L and find out what other people have already done what I am going to do. This way maybe they can provide me some insight & guidance.
  
  
• Produce marketing materials - High Quality DVDs, PowerPoint Presentations, Brochures, Rack Cards that explain our movement and specific issues . So if I am given the opportunity to do a 10 minute presentation at my local monthly GOP club meeting – I don’t have to start from scratch.
  
  
• Be a source for fundraising assistance. Find out what has been successful around the country and help local movements replicate what works.
  
  
• Reduce the full time C4L “paid staff” and instead encourage short internships (with a stipend) for the best local movement leaders around the country so there is constantly fresh ideas generated at the national level of the organization.
  
  
• Host regional events that any group involved in the liberty movement (no matter what the vehicle) can promote and use as a local recruiting tool.
  
  
• Design a New C4L Logo. The current C4L is not effective. It is “old looking” and not easily identifiable. Something more modern and youthful is needed. I guarantee if you sponsor a national contest to redesign the logo and have the C4L membership vote on the winner – we will have a much more effective logo.

In order for all this to work the attitude at C4L has to be “what is best for promoting the movement and the message” – NOT necessarily what is best for making C4L stronger. In other words C4L can’t see itself in competition with the Libertarian Party, JBS, Constitution Party, The Republican Liberty Caucus etc. They have to be willing to reach out and try to build more coalitions – rather than an independent empire.

There is plenty of opportunity for C4L even with the myriad of freedom organizations already in existence.

 

[raystone]

Be sure to send this to your Florida C4L state coordinator, too. Would be interesting to see his response. I think it's Mark Cross, also running for Republican state chairman.

 

[Andrew Ward]

I am writing to offer my assessment & suggestions for the Campaign for Liberty. I have posted this message on both Daily Paul and Ron Paul Forums. Feel free to respond there so as to reach a larger audience.

Thanks for your detailed feedback, JS4Pat. I'm sorry it took me this long to get back to you. We've all been very busy.

This movement does not and did not need a new website for communicating what is going on within the movement.

We're trying to be informative for our members and visitors to the website. We're currently working to strengthen our front page commentary. Anthony Gregory is on board to help us present featured articles from seasoned writers.

The last thing I needed was ANOTHER website for communicating "what's going on in the liberty movement". To me the time. money and effort C4L is spending on a website to communicate Ron Paul's latest media appearance or important pieces of legislation is a waste.

We don't believe that a national organization showcasing what's going on in the liberty movement is a waste.

The very message of Ron Paul and our movement is decentralization and freedom - so trying to development a leadership structure at the national level down seems to me to be a case of not practicing what we preach.

It's true, we're a top-down organization. But so are most successful organizations.. however, state chapters will be largely autonomous. We understand that decentralized activist activity is vital to the movement. We hope to subsidize those activities.

I want to support C4L because I believe in our cause – but to be honest – the organization has served more as a distraction from the real work we are doing in my local community and state. We have developed a local Charter, new Meetup Group, officers, events, literature etc. for the Republican Liberty Caucus of Northeast Florida. This is how we are keeping the Revolution alive and making a difference . And I know there are other states with other examples of success - doing it their way.

Well, we certainly appreciate all the hard work you're doing out there. Could you tell me more about the local Charter? We're developing better tools for communication between site users to let them know that they aren't alone in their struggle locally. Our existence will help many individuals at the local level understand that there are many activists within a national organization who are committed to working for liberty in America.

Why burden us with an additional "position" in C4L that is outside of the organization we are building locally?

I don't think you have to have a burdensome "position" to make use of the tools we provide. Quite a few local C4L groups are starting up, and many of our members belong to local groups as well.

* Refocus the mission of the Campaign for Liberty. Have it be the national hub for tools for moving the liberty movement forward.

That's where we are going with it!

* Piggyback on what is already working – Daily Paul, Ron Paul Forums, Restore the Republic, John Birch Society etc.

Not likely to happen. We can all be friends, but it would be wise of us (and best for the movement) for us to keep things at arms length. Our members are free to post and cite sources from laces like RPF, DP or other liberty sites. For instance: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=7512

* Have it be a source for contact information for successful revolutionaries in other cities and states. So before I decide to host an event or head up a project in NE Florida – I can contact C4L and find out what other people have already done what I am going to do. This way maybe they can provide me some insight & guidance.

The site is getting there. The State pages need more work, that's for sure. We've developed a Recent Member Post section as a way to advance communication between our members. A forum is still being programmed, but it has made substantial progress.

* Produce marketing materials - High Quality DVDs, PowerPoint Presentations, Brochures, Rack Cards that explain our movement and specific issues . So if I am given the opportunity to do a 10 minute presentation at my local monthly GOP club meeting – I don't have to start from scratch.

We've hired a Director of Marketing. Matt Holdridge is currently working quite a bit on brochures to present at CPAC! I'll forward him your suggestions. You can do so, too: [email protected]

* Be a source for fundraising assistance. Find out what has been successful around the country and help local movements replicate what works.

I don't believe we can fundraise for candidates. I'm sure we'll aid our state chapters in raising funds. I'll talk to our Director of Development and President about this.

* Reduce the full time C4L "paid staff" and instead encourage short internships (with a stipend) for the best local movement leaders around the country so there is constantly fresh ideas generated at the national level of the organization.

We're getting more interns. We certainly need them... I believe we are to remain somewhat small for the time being. Our staff listing can be found here: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/staff.php

* Host regional events that any group involved in the liberty movement (no matter what the vehicle) can promote and use as a local recruiting tool.

This is in the works. Major progress has been made here by VP of Membership, Debbie Hopper.

* Design a New C4L Logo. The current C4L is not effective. It is "old looking" and not easily identifiable. Something more modern and youthful is needed. I guarantee if you sponsor a national contest to redesign the logo and have the C4L membership vote on the winner – we will have a much more effective logo.

This was a while back, but I'm quite certain that the logo was picked from a contest.. we might have to rethink the logo, at it is, as my friend puts it "straight from a 1950s Disney movie". . .:o

I will say this: Given that we are addressing quite a few controversial issues, the logo does help us come off as not evil, and pro American. I don't see how we could be construed as the bad guys with a logo like the one we have! Logo changes do happen, so it's certainly possible.

In order for all this to work the attitude at C4L has to be "what is best for promoting the movement and the message" – NOT necessarily what is best for making C4L stronger. In other words C4L can't see itself in competition with the Libertarian Party, JBS, Constitution Party, The Republican Liberty Caucus etc. They have to be willing to reach out and try to build more coalitions – rather than an independent empire.

While I don't think we can work closely with parties, state chapters will be able to do it. Either way, many of our members are also members of those organizations. Expect more coalition building in the future..

There is plenty of opportunity for C4L even with the myriad of freedom organizations already in existence.

We think so too. Again, thanks much for your feedback. Let me know if I can be of any assistance to you.