please EVERYONE read this before posting

[~River~]

Really? where could I buy a blimp for $2 million?

Blimps-R-Us

 

[rdeyoung]

..

 

[Ball]

I think most people (myself included) were miffed that the project had grown all out of proportion (sound familiar?).

But, I think, in retrospect, they have been responsive to complaints, and will scale down as necessary.

This isn't an ordinary business where they're selling a product, or else there would be no call for transparency in the first place. It's being run for the benefit of the campaign, not their own pockets, and as such are expected to break even or less.

Profit is an excellent indicator of how to allocate resources, which is a point free market economists like Mises make all the time. A market of campaign ideas and materials is a good thing, but this model fails to include the grand complexity of society like how entrepreneurs first know which products to offer (like a simple blimp-for-a-month project, or some giant media service). This is also a point Austrian economists make, and sure the Blimp project may fail for not offering the exact blimp service we're after, but why ignore calls to make it the blimp project we really want by being responsive to criticism?

This wouldn't be an issue if there was already a blimp flying with a huge digital display you could buy time on.

Anyway, I 'bought' $25 of time, and I hope they 'succeed' well enough to fly.

 

[kevin m]

Pay your pledges and stop whining if you really want Victory

Come on, 25 bucks or 100 bucks- what is the big deal? How much do you lose every day to the tax and spenders?
How much of a risk is it anyway? I buy more lotto tickets than that.
I paid my small pledge within 5 minutes of the start of collecting, why don't some of you big spenders shoot off your wallet instead of your mouth. I'll send a few more bucks next payday, every little bit helps.
I can't believe the whiners on here, don't we have a goal?
And thank you to all of the stand-up folks who stood by your pledges.

RON PAUL 2008

 

[CJP]

The moment this became a money making business it stopped being grassroots.

Don't you know what "grassroots" means? It means efforts indepedent of the campaign. These people are trying to get something done. Something heroic, in fact. Why are so many of you throwing rocks at people working hard for our side?

People have to make money here or there. For example, should someone who has a business that makes campaign buttons work for free and ruin himself (and his family) because it would be "wrong" to take money from a worthy campaign?

Fortunately, most people understand that if you do something full-time and aren't sitting on pile of cash from elsewhere, you have to make some money from it or you don't get to eat. This is called "the real world."

Your post and others like it seem to display a knee-jerk bias against the idea of profit. Are you libertarians or are you leftists?

 

[smartbandwidth]

>>Fortunately, most people understand that if you do something full-time and aren't sitting on pile of cash from elsewhere, you have to make some money from it or you don't get to eat. This is called "the real world."

Your post and others like it seem to display a knee-jerk bias against the idea of profit. Are you libertarians or are you leftists?>>

Most of the individuals in this movement have sacrificed a ton of time, energy and money to get us to where we are. We are all standing on the shoulders of so many patriots like Aaron Russo, G. Edward Griffin, Robert Schulz, Edwin Vieira - not to mention Ron Paul - who have paved the way to the clearing we find ourselves in today where we can even dream of supporting an idea as audacious as The Ron Paul Blimp spreading the word in support of Ron Paul's candidacy.

Liberty Advertising, LLC needs to take all comers from here on out. For example, here is a mobile billboard which We The People here in the upper midwest - WI, IL, IN and MI - would like to get on the road to fund a "Circle The Lake For Freedom" campaign that would bring this to every community that borders Lake Michigan. This mobile billboard could be used to rally the local meetup groups on the shores of Lake Michigan to connect, help and serve up this incredible grassroots energy to get out and do what has to be done - canvass, distribute yard signs, and phone bank - to really push for a successful run during this primary season.

Who do we contact at Liberty Advertising? Who's taking calls? Let's turn Liberty Adversising, LLC over to We The People.

 

[fredricko]

I'm disappointed that this has, for the most part, degraded to shouting matches on both sides. I notice it seems to be a handful of posters making all the ruckus and I am wondering if anyone else feels the same. I certainly hope no one who recently has been turned on to RP is being directed to this forum.

There are legitimate concerns and I think there are also some people trolling. However, the best way to address both of these groups is to start posting calm, reasoned responses. Take the high ground.

For people with concerns, try not to use hyperbole to get your point across. Again, calm, reasoned questions will result in rational responses.

Both groups; don't be accusatory.

Pretend you are Ron Paul; ask the tough questions and present the facts while keeping a cool head.

Deep breaths...

Hopefully someone will read this...

 

[areyou4real]

Having watched both RPR and the blimp explode into a fullblown pissfit over "going corporate", I have to say the grassroots has shown a side of itself that I never thought I'd see...especially coming from the so-called supporters of a free market candidate.

You're preaching to the choir. See my post here: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=47043

 

[torchbearer]

we have many socialist here for the anti-war reason.. they believe profit is evil...

 

[RlxdN10sity]

Why can't the graphics on the blimp say "Ron Paul for President" ? I liked the original graphics promoting the campaign platform of peace, prosperity and liberty now it says google Ron Paul. Why is this? Thanks.

 

[Focus Liberty]

A Pledge Is A Promise

The blimp is such a great opportunity. At the very least, people need to honor their pledges. This is a chance to do something really unique and powerful for Ron Paul that is going to capture the attention of millions. Please THINK out of the box people. Support this massive BLIMP.

 

[american.swan]

At first I thought their salaries were high, but then again, they'll need it if there is a legal challenge.

I worry that part of the outside council is a Mitt supporter. Or at least that what I heard.

 

[bootstrap]

reserving judgment, but...

Gads, been without power a few days and look what happens to the Ron Paul blimp project. :-o Without infinite time to figure out why some people need to make a profit while thousands of us others doing grassroots work only want to save this country from destruction... So let me ask a couple question that surely have been answered somewhere back along the road (but not easy to find)...

Am I correct that this floating billboard "enterprise" can now be rented by other presidential campaigns to display messages to *defeat* Ron Paul? In particular, certain very rich candidates? Or did I misinterpret one of the messages I read? And if I did not, this is consistent with getting donations from RP supporters? Hopefully I just misinterpreted something...

Why should some RP supporters make money on this, while 99.999% of us donate our time/effort/money to save this country from destruction? Maybe you have a legit answer, but without a good answer, it does have a strange odor.

It is almost too late to get this blimp to teaparty07. Not sure about NH and other voting. Is this gonna happen? How much is raised and needed to at least have it flying (for Ron Paul only) for one month?

This is not a criticism - I don't know enough about what happened to make any sense of it. If there is one or two messages with answers to all the above, simple links will be fine. Thanks.

 

[Lacrosseus]

Gads, been without power a few days and look what happens to the Ron Paul blimp project. :-o

I believe that *THIS* floating billboard is leased by Liberty Advertising to support Ron Paul -- with the funds coming from a grass roots effort. It would be possible for another blimp to be leased by another group or individual, and Liberty Advertising could in theory be retained to manage that project.

Liberty Advertising could also be retained to manage other projects -- Trevor obviously has the ability to effectively market on the net and other candidates for office would surely be interested in having him for work them. Personally, I am hoping this is the case -- there is only one Ron Paul out there but we needed 100's of them, and if Liberty advertising can help them -- we will all be better off for it.

Make a profit/ take a salary... some of the blimp team members will take a small salary on this project. This project requires many people to work full-time, and some have been working (Elijah) way beyond 40 hours a week. You may have the financial ability to volunteer full-time but most of us do not. This issue has been fully vetted over the last several days and I am sure there are thousands of message for and against this but the general conclusion was that this is not a major issue and the talk had died down until your power came back on (we had bribed someone to keep it off for two weeks, but that obviously didn't work).

As far as the weather is concerned. If you have the ability to help out with this, I would be willing to pay you a salary myself to work for me! I will retain Trevor to market a for-profit business and we will all be wealthy! Actually, I have not followed the latest on this, but I think they have some room to play with the launch date and still make it to the teaparty.

 

[bootstrap]

this is the original RP blimp, no?

I believe that *THIS* floating billboard is leased by Liberty Advertising to support Ron Paul -- with the funds coming from a grass roots effort. It would be possible for another blimp to be leased by another group or individual, and Liberty Advertising could in theory be retained to manage that project.

Okay, I have no problem with people making a living, but if these guys are willing to support any other ***presidential*** candidate, they are *****not***** RP supporters (no matter what they say, claim, did-before).

Liberty Advertising could also be retained to manage other projects -- Trevor obviously has the ability to effectively market on the net and other candidates for office would surely be interested in having him for work them. Personally, I am hoping this is the case -- there is only one Ron Paul out there but we needed 100's of them, and if Liberty advertising can help them -- we will all be better off for it.

You will not find 100 people like RP, not one person in a million is honest under the pressures like RP has faced. Don't kid yourself.

Make a profit/ take a salary... some of the blimp team members will take a small salary on this project. This project requires many people to work full-time, and some have been working (Elijah) way beyond 40 hours a week. You may have the financial ability to volunteer full-time but most of us do not. This issue has been fully vetted over the last several days and I am sure there are thousands of message for and against this but the general conclusion was that this is not a major issue and the talk had died down until your power came back on (we had bribed someone to keep it off for two weeks, but that obviously didn't work).

So these payments are only a couple thousand per month (or so) as needed to pull it off? That seems reasonable. As does "getting rich" on *future* endeavors (even if they can do so only because they learned how to do it on the dime of RP supporters). But "big bucks" income from RP supporters is just pure BS. Glad to hear [I think I am hearing] this is not the case. Are you saying you are responsible for putting the southern half of Maui in the dark ages for several days? If so, a few island dwellers might just pay to give you a free plane ticket to Maui. I'll see you are met at the airport with leis [and rope?].

As far as the weather is concerned. If you have the ability to help out with this, I would be willing to pay you a salary myself to work for me! I will retain Trevor to market a for-profit business and we will all be wealthy! Actually, I have not followed the latest on this, but I think they have some room to play with the launch date and still make it to the teaparty.

So they are on the verge of having enough dough [promised]? We are down to ~1 week now for teaparty07. Is the new version of this project only gonna happen if it also becomes a huge multi-month endeavor? Are they renting or buying a blimp?

 

[jjockers]

Okay, I have no problem with people making a living, but if these guys are willing to support any other ***presidential*** candidate, they are *****not***** RP supporters (no matter what they say, claim, did-before).

They have said before (can't find quote) that they would only accept sponsorship from people/companies whose core beliefs are in line with their company's: liberty.

 

[Lacrosseus]

You will not find 100 people like RP, not one person in a million is honest under the pressures like RP has faced. Don't kid yourself.

I hope you are wrong... or else, we are sc***ed.

Are you saying you are responsible for putting the southern half of Maui in the dark ages for several days? If so, a few island dwellers might just pay to give you a free plane ticket to Maui. I'll see you are met at the airport with leis [and rope?].

Uhhh.... ummm... it was a fellow forum member's idea - Lucid American. Yeah, that's right... HE DID IT!.

So they are on the verge of having enough dough [promised]? Are they renting or buying a blimp?

Renting (or perhaps leasing is the term they are using). The company who owns the blimp allowed Liberty Advertising to start using it if they could put 200k down -- which was accomplished on Friday afternoon at 11:15 AM Eastern. So it flys with Ron Pauls name on it as soon as the weather permits. We (the grassroots effort) still need to come up with another 150K +/- to secure the blimp for 30 days. Of course, it would be nice to continue to fly it as long as it would be of value to our efforts but we need to continue to promote the project if we want that to happen.

 

[bootstrap]

yes, almost certainly beyond the point of no return

I hope you are wrong... or else, we are sc***ed.

Yes, I am 99.999% certain we are already far beyond the point of no return --- even if Ron Paul wins the election (and is re-elected for 8 years total). The only hope I can imagine requires RP agree to permit extremely aggressive government programs to lock up traitors --- where traitors include everyone who seriously proposes the government violate individual rights. The fact is, the entire USSA has already been overthrown without a revolution - individual rights have been utterly and totally destroyed, and virtually every living american has habituated the corrupt mental processes of anti-liberty authoritarians. Unless extremely aggressive self-protecting institutions are established during his terms to arrest and imprison traitors, the country will almost certainly revert to authoritarianism soon after his terms end. I mean really, no people in the history of the universe (as far as we know) have ever had a more pro-liberty intellectual infrastructure to live and work within --- yet americans totally pissed it away. The changes I mention above must be a part of a compete overall policy of "honesty", which has been utterly destroyed in the USSA (and world-wide for the most part). For example, "let the buyer beware" must be replaced with "every executive of every company that issues ANY clearly false or misleading information (about their products or in their contracts) must be immediately jailed for 10~20 years minimum upon conviction. In other words, the recognition and prosecution of fraud ***must*** be reinstated in the USSA and understood to be necessary, otherwise no long-term hope is remotely possible. I am 100% clear and certain about that. But how likely is it that RP would allow one of his appointees to establish a thoroughly ethical and sufficiently aggressive justice department like this? I suspect he is not "strong enough" (in a certain manner of speaking) to fully and strongly-enough reverse the trend in only 8 years. Obviously I hope I am wrong about how serious he is, and of course he could not mention this yet!

Uhhh.... ummm... it was a fellow forum member's idea - Lucid American. Yeah, that's right... HE DID IT!.

Uh, huh... Well, tell him a free ticket to Maui awaits him. Is "surfboarding" considered torture?

Renting (or perhaps leasing is the term they are using). The company who owns the blimp allowed Liberty Advertising to start using it if they could put 200k down -- which was accomplished on Friday afternoon at 11:15 AM Eastern. So it flys with Ron Pauls name on it as soon as the weather permits. We (the grassroots effort) still need to come up with another 150K +/- to secure the blimp for 30 days. Of course, it would be nice to continue to fly it as long as it would be of value to our efforts but we need to continue to promote the project if we want that to happen.

Well, if you are correct about everything, it does sound okay enough. Wish it wasn't a little fishy looking, but I'm satisfied now, pending information to the contrary.