Is there less enthusiasm for 2012 than in 2008?

[Anti Federalist]

+rep

I agree 100% with Anti Federalist and in many ways I'm in the same boat, there are some things that would get the people sitting in the sidelines cheering to get in the game unfortunately those things are being looked down upon by many on this very forum. The Fifth of November money bomb being a perfect example, many of the more rebellious and energetic supporters would be willing to take risks that many others would not. This divide drives those that would otherwise do some amazing, creative things to the sidelines only to cheer those that follow the more traditional campaigning route.

Truth is you really need both groups, the rebelliously spirited side to attract those individuals that want to have fun and do things not done before or actions that maybe risky that provides adrenaline to their cause (risky dates for money bombs, revolution banners on overpasses, ron paul signs at other campaigns events, risky and creative [guerilla] marketing). And the more traditional campaigning group that followed tried and testing approach to winning an election (door to door, phone banks, gotv). A campaign that has both arms supported by dedicated individuals on both sides and perhaps some that are willing to participate on both sides of the lets say traditional vs. guerilla tactics forms of campaign would make a grassroots movement extremely powerful and would be presented as so, as it was in 2007. Some of the problems we had in 2007 are still with us today for example the Media Blackout being a major one and also the need to have many more volunteers to do Door to Door in NH and IA, but we have to pay attention also to the engine that recruits and energizes more volunteers to our cause.

I too, will continually support Dr. Paul as I have done for almost 30 years--no matter what. Because I believe in liberty and freedom. I agree with AF wholeheartedly. If you want the enthusiasm to be what is was in 2007/2008, you have to adhere to the ideas of unbridled liberty--the message Dr. Paul has been conveying for over thirty years, and it should be the message that every person should carry in their heart. The idea of liberty has to shake people to the core. You cannot subscribe to liberty only when it suits you, you have to know it, understand it and live it.

In 2007/2008 many enthusiastic people had just about given up on politics altogether. They were disgusted with the left/right false paradigm. Voting the lesser of two evils, still gives us an evil-- any way you slice it. When Dr. Paul threw his hat in the ring, for President, it was like a breath of fresh air--hope that all was not lost. Our Republic still had a fighting chance because so many people had been brainwashed and Dr. Paul's message of liberty and freedom started breaking people from their trance. It was not only encouraging it was powerful! It still is!

Whether people here want to believe it or not, Dr. Paul is out there in the trenches day after day continually trying to break people from their trance. If for nothing else, the history books will show he is a winner, no matter what happens in this election!

 

[doctor jones]

Loud, raucous groups of enthusiastic supporters at sign waves, functions, yelling behind reporters and yes, even throwing well deserved snowballs at Hannity.

Revolutionary themed money bombs.

Wholly embracing "fringe" ideas. In fact, nothing is more disappointing to me than to watch a whole slew of "supporters" run around with their hair on fire after Ron Paul does or says something that, well, sounds like Ron Paul.

We truly are living in the Empire of Lies, and telling the truth is treason.

Treason is not mainstream.

Nothing would make ME feel better than to yell at (behind) reporters and throw snowballs at Hannity-esq pundits but as you've surely figured out, it's counterproductive to winning the presidency. As soon as this bid is over (hopefully in a win) we can all resume being assholes... or we could continue to try and change minds through civil methods. I'm not sure which I'll choose yet, depends on the state of the economy and how insane society has become. (I know you'd likely argue it's already insane but I'm talking major inflation and rioting in the cities).

 

[jason43]

2007 was also a completely open race, this time less people are paying attention. I talked to a lady in the grocery store today who had never heard of Ron Paul and didnt even know the primary was going on.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Nothing would make ME feel better than to yell at (behind) reporters and throw snowballs at Hannity-esq pundits but as you've surely figured out, it's counterproductive to winning the presidency. As soon as this bid is over (hopefully in a win) we can all resume being assholes... or we could continue to try and change minds through civil methods. I'm not sure which I'll choose yet, depends on the state of the economy and how insane society has become. (I know you'd likely argue it's already insane but I'm talking major inflation and rioting in the cities).

Understood, but the man asked me "what outlaw methods?", so I listed a few off the top of my head.

As you stated, these are viewed as counter productive (although I would argue that point) and are not welcome anymore.

Thus, I sit on my hands to a certain degree, shut up and smile politely at the straights.

And I think there are a lot of people like me.

To me, this accounts for the perceived lack of enthusiasm, which was the OP's question.

 

[outspoken]

Just because you don't have a lot of pot smoking hippies and feverant supporters throwing snow balls at people they don't agree with isn't necessarily a bad thing. Ron Paul is finally being heard by the mainstream and so you don't have to act like an Ahole to get the message of liberty out. I was still asleep trying to decide between McCain and Obama last time around not realizing that there was a real choice out of the matrix in Ron Paul. The real apathy is with Obama supporters which is a very good thing, finally.

 

[justinpagewood]

Exactly. The campaign is more different. People are smarter, more organized, more creative.

We don't need people holding signs and yelling. We need an effective political campaigning machine.

 

[donnay]

Exactly. The campaign is more different. People are smarter, more organized, more creative.

We don't need people holding signs and yelling. We need an effective political campaigning machine.

I take umbrage to your remarks, are you saying the people in 2007/2008 were idiots? That the driving force behind the enthusiasm to back Dr. Paul was idiotic?

Making noise, last time, got the attention Dr. Paul needed--many people have short attention spans. It was that driving force that gave Dr. Paul the edge he currently has. I will continue to make noise every time the presstitutes ignore and smear Dr. Paul's message and good name. I will continue to make noise, every time an unconstitutional law is presented. And, I will continue to make noise and be enthusiastic for Dr. Paul and his message of liberty and freedom, until the people really understand what Dr. Paul is actually doing. My enthusiasm holds no bound...live with it!!!

 

[ZanZibar]

Ron Paul is less novel and much more mainstream this time around. Also our energies are a lot more focused than last time. We're taking the tight rifle approach instead of the wide shotgun approach in 2012.

 

[parocks]

Understood, but the man asked me "what outlaw methods?", so I listed a few off the top of my head.

As you stated, these are viewed as counter productive (although I would argue that point) and are not welcome anymore.

Thus, I sit on my hands to a certain degree, shut up and smile politely at the straights.

And I think there are a lot of people like me.

To me, this accounts for the perceived lack of enthusiasm, which was the OP's question.

You're right about all that.

Activities that are 2nd guessed in 2011 weren't in 2007.

There are a lot of fun things you can do that don't require you ever to say the words "Ron Paul". Guerrila, revolutionary, whatever you want to say about it.
Snowball like. But done smarter. Done so that Ron Paul is not hurt by these activities.

I think that making the campaign trail very unpleasant for Rick Perry is what people who want to do outside of the box stuff should do.

 

[parocks]

I take umbrage to your remarks, are you saying the people in 2007/2008 were idiots? That the driving force behind the enthusiasm to back Dr. Paul was idiotic?

Making noise, last time, got the attention Dr. Paul needed--many people have short attention spans. It was that driving force that gave Dr. Paul the edge he currently has. I will continue to make noise every time the presstitutes ignore and smear Dr. Paul's message and good name. I will continue to make noise, every time an unconstitutional law is presented. And, I will continue to make noise and be enthusiastic for Dr. Paul and his message of liberty and freedom, until the people really understand what Dr. Paul is actually doing. My enthusiasm holds no bound...live with it!!!

Idiotic is the wrong word. Completely unfamiliar with how to effectively campaign.

 

[moreliberty]

Becoming to "mainstream" could really hurt Dr. Paul. If there is nothing exciting or extreme to put on the news, they can honestly just ignore him. But these forms of campaigning should be done outside anyone involved in Dr. Paul's actuall campaign crew. Even throwing snowballs at Hannity or having a Nov. 5 moneybomb. These thing get him as much attention as anything else, and can hardly be tied directly to him because they are not directly tied to him.

 

[True Human]

If you have ever read a really good book or watched a movie that made you want to scream because it was so awesome, then you understand the 2008 Ron Paul Revolution.

Because the book or movie presented a new idea, it was fresh stuff. It was potent. Enough to obsess over.

The steam has run out only for those who were in the '08 election cycle cheering for him. For those who has recently joined, it's still quite fresh. But this next part is extremely important. Remember it.

Like a book series or a trilogy, the first is usually the best. This election cycle for 2012 is the next book in his series. Because it is no longer new, that is why the enthusiasm doesn't seem like it's like it was in '08. That's why it seems duller.

We were kids screaming and shouting and fighting for coverage last time. Now we're veterans. So let's be smart about it and not let the morale drop because no war is ever won without morale. This isn't just a movement to get involved in that you can CHOOSE to be a part of this election cycle or the next, you have to adopt this philosophy of liberty as a way of life. Only then are you really fighting for liberty. You have to stay the course no matter the state of other peoples enthusiasm. Your enthusiasm has effects too. You inspire people to vote when they see you changing "END THE FED! END THE FED!" Don't wait for others to inspire you with their videos, be a defender of liberty. Fight for the constitution. MAKE THE REVOLUTION LIVE!

Read my signature. It says it all. "Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."

 

[acptulsa]

I say the enthusiasm runs just as deep now as four years ago. Maybe you agree, maybe you don't. But you must admit that, as deep or not, the enthusiasm sure spreads out over a much wider spectrum of voters now.

Net effect: How can you deny that there's more now than then? Even the shallowest lake has more water than one well.

 

[donnay]

Idiotic is the wrong word. Completely unfamiliar with how to effectively campaign.

*smacks forehead* Oh is that what it is...the enthusiastic people didn't know how to effectively campaign.

 

[tnvoter]

from someone in a GOP stocked family... support is WAY up from this view. Name recognition is up, electability is up, from my pov.. much more positive than I would have thought, yet we still have some battles ahead of us to restore america.

 

[trey4sports]

i think part of it is that were actually doing things that win elections instead of throwing snowballs and renting blimps. It may seem dull but dull wins elections

 

[Original_Intent]

don't mistake the poor economy for lack of enthusiasm. I fhte economy was now what it was in 2007, we would have raised five times what we did then. In the silver lining department, the lousy economy is probably why people are waking up to Dr. Paul/

 

[angelatc]

i think part of it is that were actually doing things that win elections instead of throwing snowballs and renting blimps. It may seem dull but dull wins elections

But that stuff was awesomeness. And if that stuff hadn't happened, nobody would even know who Ron Paul was now. The grassroots didn't fail, the campaign did. If only we had that 2007 energy combined with the 2012 campaign....

 

[donnay]

But that stuff was awesomeness. And if that stuff hadn't happened, nobody would even know who Ron Paul was now. The grassroots didn't fail, the campaign did. If only we had that 2007 energy combined with the 2012 campaign....

Absolutely!

+rep

 

[justatrey]

I was thinking the same thing until I saw this over the weekend. The enthusiasm is still there. At least in California.