Idea: Release "Foreign Policy Plan" and Hold Press Conference

[Havax]

Identical to when he released his budget plan in Nevada:



and do this one in Nevada as well. It would be a great way to build momentum going into our strong caucus states out west.

We have released an economic budget plan which was a success and even the establishment says they love it. Releasing a foreign policy plan would be a perfect way to get people to re-evaluate Ron's foreign policy positions in a serious manner. This would also be a great excuse to hold a press conference like he did when he released his budget plan, clearly stating bullet points and fielding questions. This would also be great because neo-cons love to say that Obama "has no foreign policy plan" which would not only separate ourselves from Obama (which people compare us to already) but to also have something concrete people can look at. Then we could make TV ads based on this plan like in the "The Plan" ad we have out for his budget proposal already, and have something specific Ron can refer back to and reference people to - call it the "America-first Initiative":



As far as specifics, I'd like to hear some ideas from you guys. Cite statistics from polls on the number of people that want us home from Afghanistan and pledge to end that war too. I think Ron could gain a lot more support by at least 'appearing' less extreme and cold of just "pulling our troops out immediately" because people that means we don't care about the people we are leaving behind. We should talk specifics on ways we can make this transition smoothly (much like how Ron doesn't want to end the fed year one cold turkey but wants a transition).

I think this is a no-brainer and would do wonders for our support going forward. I feel really strongly about this and really want the campaign to listen on this one.

Working ideas for the press conference...

-> Get together 30 or so people in uniform or wearing "veterans for Paul t-shirts) to stand behind Paul at the press conference
-> Show blown-up chart (like they do in congress) of military donations of Paul vs. all others and talk about it plus give references
-> Show blown-up chart of top 3 donors to Obama and Mitt Romney (banks - shows they are controlled)
-> Talk up how he's the last veteran remaining in the race and give an actual story from his service that people will honor him for and start actually viewing him as a veteran
-> Open the floor with a 5-10 minute speech from Michael Scheuer (ex-CIA Bin Laden unit) touting his own experience and support for Ron Paul
-> Have ex-Army Colonel Douglas A. Macgregor introduce Ron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Macgregor

Working proposal...

-> Stop borrowing money from China to give foreign aid; end all foreign aid
-> Begin the transition of withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan and ending that war (cite poll with exact % of Americans wanting us out)
-> Transition to begin closing down obvious bases where our national security is not threatened one: Germany, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Spain etc
-> Support Israel as our best friend in the middle east by granting them their sovereignty and not getting in their way. If they want to bomb Iran we should not give them road blocks. "Friendship and commerce with all, entangling alliances with none"
-> Emphasize that troops coming home will still have a job and will help to secure our borders and spend their money back home
-> End sanctions on Cuba (this one might not be the best political move for this plan)

 

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

I fully support this. Many MSM viewers that have taken the blue pill, still view Ron Paul's foreign policy to be the reason why they don't vote for him. I see a common trend of people saying, "His economic and social policies are fantastic, but his views on Iran, Israel, and Foreign Policy scare me."

 

[Xelaetaks]

I would like to see this. I think a foreign policy press release or conference could make all the difference long term.

 

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

Remake the thread, with a poll.

Poll Question: Should the campaign publicly release Ron Paul's foreign policy via Press Conference?
A1: Yes
A2: No
A3: Other (Please Respond)

 

[ohgodno]

Would love this - he has started to and should actually speak more in terms of what he will do as President.

 

[Captain America]

I would love for the campaign to listen to this idea. The only reason why we are not winning outright is because of the misconception of the Liberty foreign policy.

 

[Tyler_Durden]

Will the Campaign see this?

I noticed a thread yesterday suggesting Paul should say "I'm the only military veteran on stage" during the debate and sure enough he said it last night!! I had wondered if that was a coincidence or whether someone on the campaign saw the thread and suggested it directly to Paul.

 

[Tyler_Durden]

I would love for the campaign to listen to this idea. The only reason why we are not winning outright is because of the misconception of the Liberty foreign policy.

And the ELECTIBILITY issue. That's a huge driving force.

 

[coffeewithgames]

Sorry, hate to burst the positive thinking bubble. But I think the campaign is finished after SC. If the campaign was SERIOUS about running/winning, they would have addressed this foreign policy issue in a better way, long ago. Better ads, press conference, having RP actually go on more shows, instead of avoiding them. Debate coach/speech coach 24/7. Practice makes perfect.

If RP loses tomorrow, there is absolutely no point to give anymore money. Call me crazy, or explain to me why I'm wrong, but I don't see anything positive from a 3rd or 4th place finish. The campaign ignored 2 weeks of nothing but smear attacks by the media in December, that ultimately I believe, cost RP a first place win in Iowa.

How can a campaign raise so much money, have so many passionate and dedicated supporters, and not address issues people have been saying for months (years for some)? How can they ignore LEGITIMATE issues that are holding the campaign back? If they addressed two issues with ads, RP would have had this sealed months ago. Foreign policy, targeting seniors.
They have done neither in a meaningful way.

MAKES NO SENSE.

 

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

Sorry, hate to burst the positive thinking bubble. But I think the campaign is finished after SC. If the campaign was SERIOUS about running/winning, they would have addressed this foreign policy issue in a better way, long ago. Better ads, press conference, having RP actually go on more shows, instead of avoiding them. Debate coach/speech coach 24/7. Practice makes perfect.

If RP loses tomorrow, there is absolutely no point to give anymore money. Call me crazy, or explain to me why I'm wrong, but I don't see anything positive from a 3rd or 4th place finish. The campaign ignored 2 weeks of nothing but smear attacks by the media in December, that ultimately I believe, cost RP a first place win in Iowa.

How can a campaign raise so much money, have so many passionate and dedicated supporters, and not address issues people have been saying for months (years for some)? How can they ignore LEGITIMATE issues that are holding the campaign back? If they addressed two issues with ads, RP would have had this sealed months ago. Foreign policy, targeting seniors.
They have done neither in a meaningful way.

MAKES NO SENSE.

You underestimate the potential of a 3-man race, and the other states coming up.

 

[playpianoking]

agreed. good idea.

 

[Tyler_Durden]

Sorry, hate to burst the positive thinking bubble. But I think the campaign is finished after SC. If the campaign was SERIOUS about running/winning, they would have addressed this foreign policy issue in a better way, long ago. Better ads, press conference, having RP actually go on more shows, instead of avoiding them. Debate coach/speech coach 24/7. Practice makes perfect.

If RP loses tomorrow, there is absolutely no point to give anymore money. Call me crazy, or explain to me why I'm wrong, but I don't see anything positive from a 3rd or 4th place finish. The campaign ignored 2 weeks of nothing but smear attacks by the media in December, that ultimately I believe, cost RP a first place win in Iowa.

How can a campaign raise so much money, have so many passionate and dedicated supporters, and not address issues people have been saying for months (years for some)? How can they ignore LEGITIMATE issues that are holding the campaign back? If they addressed two issues with ads, RP would have had this sealed months ago. Foreign policy, targeting seniors.
They have done neither in a meaningful way.

MAKES NO SENSE.

You realize he's at least 10 points higher than he was a few weeks ago, right? He just focused an ad campaign for Nevada and Minnesota. It's the long game. The campaign never really had high hopes for SC and FL. You can hang it up, but this Campaign and Movement will roll on....

 

[Havax]

Please ignore the obvious trolls in this thread. I updated my OP with this:

Working ideas for the press conference...
-> Get together 30 or so people in uniform or wearing "veterans for Paul t-shirts) to stand behind Paul at the press conference
-> Show blown-up chart (like they do in congress) of military donations of Paul vs. all others and talk about it plus give references
-> Show blown-up chart of top 3 donors to Obama and Mitt Romney (banks - shows they are controlled)
-> Talk up how he's the last veteran remaining in the race and give an actual story from his service that people will honor him for and start actually viewing him as a veteran
-> Open the floor with a 5-10 minute speech from Michael Scheuer (ex-CIA Bin Laden unit) touting his own experience and support for Ron Paul
-> Have ex-Army Colonel Douglas A. Macgregor introduce Ron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Macgregor

Working proposal...

-> Stop borrowing money from China to give foreign aid; end all foreign aid
-> Begin the transition of withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan and ending that war
-> Transition to begin closing down obvious bases where our national security is not threatened one: Germany, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Spain etc
-> Support Israel as our best friend in the middle east by granting them their sovereignty and not getting in their way. If they want to bomb Iran we should not give them road blocks. "Friendship and commerce with all, entangling alliances with none"
-> Emphasize that troops coming home will still have a job and will help to secure our borders and spend their money back home
-> End sanctions on Cuba (this one might not be the best political move for this plan)

 

[coffeewithgames]

You realize he's at least 10 points higher than he was a few weeks ago, right? He just focused an ad campaign for Nevada and Minnesota. It's the long game. The campaign never really had high hopes for SC and FL. You can hang it up, but this Campaign and Movement will roll on....

I don't doubt the campaign will...just like in 2008. I just wonder what the title of the next book will be.
If it's about the "Movement" or message, why not make some ads showing/addressing issues like the Fed, National Debt crisis, and others? While they're at it, they know the media is not their friend, and Newt gets standing ovations for attacking the idiot media, why not do ads showing the media as liars? If you can discredit the media, that would only help the campaign.

 

[Feeding the Abscess]

Drop the "support" Israel talk. I'd drop the entire thing, personally, but leaving the rest while simply deleting "support" would be a compromise for which I'd plug my nose.

Still think it would be too supportive of war, for what it's worth.

 

[Emerick]

I don't doubt the campaign will...just like in 2008. I just wonder what the title of the next book will be.
If it's about the "Movement" or message, why not make some ads showing/addressing issues like the Fed, National Debt crisis, and others? While they're at it, they know the media is not their friend, and Newt gets standing ovations for attacking the idiot media, why not do ads showing the media as liars? If you can discredit the media, that would only help the campaign.

The key word here is: PATIENCE. A while ago, I thought the campaign was doing terrible, because it wasn't attacking anybody. But it was just a matter of timing. When they did attack, they crushed Newt in Iowa and NH. This is a FACT! Ron destroyed Newt in those two states.

So, the problem here is timing. We know this is a marathon. Ron has the organization, has the followers, has the ability to raise money with the people. Right now, we need to focus in tacking Santorum or Gingrich out of the race. I think the best thing would be to Santorum to burst.

Think about this: a month and a half ago there was 8 candidates. Four of them are gone: Cain, Bachmann, Huntsmann and Perry. It's a matter of time to Santorum or Gingrich (probably Santorum) to get out of the race. Then, there will be a 3 horse race, one of them being Ron Paul. As the race becomes narrower, people will have to report Ron's ideas more thoroughly. Then it will be the time for clarifying all the issues.

Of course, I agree with doing a Press Conference explaining Foreign Policy right away, because we know now that almost half of the Republican Party agrees with Ron -- and, of course, more than half of independents and democrats agree on that too.

But we don't need to get pessimistic. When it comes down to a 3 men race, then Ron and Romney will attack Gingrich (or Santorum), because they both have an interest in making this a two men race (Romney bets that the rejection to Ron is greater than to him, and that's what matter, because 70% of the republicans don't want Romney; and Ron knows Romney is here to stay, but all other can eventually go home).

Let me say again: the word is PATIENCE!

 

[cdw]

This.. is a genius idea Havax. Wow, just thinking it over. A Foreign Policy Plan press conference would clarify Dr. Paul's position for seasoned voters who have misconceptions about it, while also attracting newcomers who are just now learning more about Dr. Paul. It wouldn't be just on the internet like his Economic Plan's press conference was, because now that the media around him has increased dramatically the jerks in our MSM would have to cover it on TV since media from all around the globe will at the press conference as well. And after he lays out his his plan, his followup question/answer session could be killer. He would have the opportunity to assure the media of those specific countries what he would do as President that would specifically strengthen U.S. relations with their countries and peoples. His image as the "peace candidate" would sky-rocket all around the globe, and every other candidate's scorched-earth's foreign policy would be put on the defensive. It would be a way for Paul to completely change the narrative and expose their foreign policy for the insanity that it is.

 

[Emerick]

My two cents on the content of such a Press Conference:

1) MAKE THE MORAL CASE FOR NON-INTERVENTIONISM.

This should be easy. Start quoting the Bible on the Golden Rule. Get quotes from protestants, evangelicals, and catholics. Explain the Christian Just War Theory, which is summed up in number 2,309 of the Cathecism of the Catholic Church.

Then, go to the Founding Fathers, talk about the Constitution. End this argument saying that this is the true Republican and conservative Foreign Policy. Quote former members of the Party, denounce the neocon takeover, quote Russell Kirk on this issue (Kirk is usually considered the greatest American conservative thinker of the XXth century).

2) MAKE THE PRAGMATIC CASE FOR NON-INTERVENTIONISM

Show the total failure of the neocon agenda. How, after wasting trillions of dollars, killing hundreds of thousands of people, thousands of American soldiers, have dozens of thousands wounded, the interventions are resulting in scalation of the fundamentalism in some countries; how the Middle East is more unstable; how America suffers from more suicidal terrorist each month than in the 20 years before 9/11.

Also, point out that, strategically, it makes no sense borrowing money from China to engage in unnecessary wars.

3) MAKE THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR NON-INTERVENTIONISM

Explain the connection between foreign policy, the FED, the military industrial complex and, specially, the debt. Quote Eisenhower etc.

And, finally,

4) EXPLAIN HOW INTERVENTIONISM ABROAD MEANS THE END OF FREEDOM INSIDE AMERICA

This is very important. Ron should denounce how warmongering and specially fear propaganda make people give up their liberties for security, and how this is wrong. Connect the Patriot Act, the NDAA, SOPA, and PIPA to foreign policy. Explain this in details, talk how the due process of law is being destroyed and how he is the ONLY candidate, in both parties, to rise against this, to defend liberty of the people.

 

[coffeewithgames]

Again, this is a great idea, I don't dismiss it. Some of us have been saying for months now that the campaign needed to do it. If they were serious about addressing the foreign policy issue, South Carolina was THE state to make that point, and they have failed.
There is no excuse for this. Patience? Newt was destroyed in Iowa by RP and Romney's campaigns, he was destroyed on two fronts...don't forget that.
The campaign had a 2 week warning (at least) that Santorum was rising in Iowa, and they failed to get an ad out on him...only to release on against him in SC? If you aren't trying to win South Carolina, why run negative ads against somebody in South Carolina...seems like a waste of funds, especially considering the ads would have made more sense in tanking that guy in Iowa, and getting him to drop out like Michele Bachmann.

 

[Ilhaguru]

We need a whole website designed to explain Paul's foreign policy. A very good one too, not just another wikipedia page and bullet points.