Rand Paul Digital: Apps/MicroSites for Next-Gen Grassroots

Not to be a negative nelly but more of a pragmatist, there seems to be less excitement towards the grass roots projects this round than 08 or 12.
I wonder why ?
 
Not to be a negative nelly but more of a pragmatist, there seems to be less excitement towards the grass roots projects this round than 08 or 12.
I wonder why ?

No. You are realistic. 99% of people here are not engaged in any activism connected to this forum.

"When all is said and done - more is said than done"

I monitored project metrics last night. Because of filibuster it was unique opportunity. Last night I had 20 tweets and people were donating. Project got 14 dollars per my tweet. If 20% of registered members that were online last night spent 10 min to post 20 tweets, Facebook posts etc. this project would be funded. I am sure of it. It is all about numbers.
Activism/activists on this forum will not make this project happen... if it reaches its funding goal it will be thanks to orenbus and RPF owner. It is all up to their mailing lists now. I am not bashing anyone either. Vast majority of people are coming here to chat and not to be engaged in activism on this forum. It is just reality. It is good to know it.


Still I have hope that this will work out.
 
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No. You are realistic. 99% of people here are not engaged in any activism connected to this forum.

"When all is said and done - more is said than done"

I monitored project metrics last night. Because of filibuster it was unique opportunity. Last night I had 20 tweets and people were donating. Project got 14 dollars per my tweet. If 20% of registered members that were online last night spent 10 min to post 20 tweets, Facebook posts etc. this project would be funded. I am sure of it. It is all about numbers.
Activism/activists on this forum will not make this project happen... if it reaches its funding goal it will be thanks to orenbus and RPF owner. It is all up to their mailing lists now. I am not bashing anyone either. Vast majority of people are coming here to chat and not to be engaged in activism on this forum. It is just reality. It is good to know it.


Still I have hope that this will work out.

Its not even about this forum its the country right now. People are directing their funds into different things, and the funding days of online activism are dragging its feels in the dirt. Yeah this isn't the same crowd as 08 and 12, most of them moved on from politics, what did that money get them last time this happened?

You're really not going to get any sort of traction by calling people slackers for not tweeting and spamming everyone they know. Most people I know did this last time spent themselves into oblivion donating every dollar they can into a campaign the seemed to give up in the third quarter last time around, and every one of them got deleted from their friends facebook for spamming.

If you really want to fund your activism in any meaningful way, you are going to have to do it with micro transactions, even Ron Paul got the hint and has his pay channel.
 
Its not even about this forum its the country right now. People are directing their funds into different things, and the funding days of online activism are dragging its feels in the dirt. Yeah this isn't the same crowd as 08 and 12, most of them moved on from politics, what did that money get them last time this happened?

You're really not going to get any sort of traction by calling people slackers for not tweeting and spamming everyone they know. Most people I know did this last time spent themselves into oblivion donating every dollar they can into a campaign the seemed to give up in the third quarter last time around, and every one of them got deleted from their friends facebook for spamming.

If you really want to fund your activism in any meaningful way, you are going to have to do it with micro transactions, even Ron Paul got the hint and has his pay channel.
Yea, I read good bye posts of many old posters...

I wasnt calling anyone slacker or even remotely tried to insult anyone. Just stating things as I see them. I get my self in this kind of situations often on RPF. Americans take things as insult/hostile/in a negative way too often compared to people in my country/cultural sphere. We are more blunt.


How could this project be financed with micro transactions? If orenbus and Dave are going to start doing it they need some assurance that they will not starve because they are quitting their jobs.
 
Its not even about this forum its the country right now. People are directing their funds into different things, and the funding days of online activism are dragging its feels in the dirt.

Agreed. Of the handful of grassroots leaders I've talked with from around the country, they are all reporting very low engagement... Beyond a 20 year low. Even tea party groups have suffered, the houston tea party didn't even bother to keep their website domain registered.

I stopped using fb in 2010 (after they went off the chain with anti privacy) but still drop in sometimes. In 2010 my feed was nearly 100% political, now it's nearly politically devoid and mostly filled with trivia memes and videos of things like silly cats.

Some activists are waiting for the next spark to get back in, maybe Rand will provide that...
 
I don't have Facebook or Twitter, this website and reddit probably the extent of my social network usage

Our group here in Greene County MO has dissipated. We went from having our own 501c3 for a Reach Liberty PAC, monthly get-togethers and lots of seats held in the Republican Central Committee, to nothing. I've sent some check up text messages to some of the organizers (usually during local elections) just to keep the bridge of communication from falling completely, but for the most part people feel done with the political process completely and want to just live out their lives how they see fit and I don't blame them. When it all boils down to it I'm not sure how much it all matters, really. Hillary or Rand or Jeb or whoever the fuck they cheat in there, I doubt my own world will end or change too much that I cannot adapt.

The really encouraging factor for the future that, to me, seemed extremely significant was the public outcry against any kind of conflict in Syria. It was full war drums beating and seemed to be the same media frenzied blitz from all sides of the spectrum pushing from some kind of war or the other, but the digital connection of most American Citizens allowed everyone to stand together and shout a resounding NO. This gives me hope that despite the normal apathy of day to day politics, when something major is on the line like War, people become active.
 
Agreed. Of the handful of grassroots leaders I've talked with from around the country, they are all reporting very low engagement... Beyond a 20 year low. Even tea party groups have suffered, the houston tea party didn't even bother to keep their website domain registered.

The "Tea Party" movement was co-opted, diluted and subverted by the neoconservatives and corporatists. They put up fake "Tea Party" candidates all over the nation, and once elected, they became RINOs just like Lindsey Graham. Marco Rubio and Kelly Ayotte are two prime examples. Then the establishment and neocon media worked to demonize the true, Constitution and liberty-oriented Tea Party people. Unfortunately, it sapped a lot of enthusiasm.
 
what did that money get them last time this happened?

A soap box that was national (international, in fact). A pulpit bigger than libertarians have literally ever had. That's all. Ron Paul's national debate performances opened new eyes, and his media appearances moved libertarian issues onto the main stage. That's all. All of this paved the way for the opposition to Syria among other things. That's all.

When it all boils down to it I'm not sure how much it all matters, really.
It matters because it shapes the debate over issues, and gets our sermon beyond the choir.

The really encouraging factor for the future that, to me, seemed extremely significant was the public outcry against any kind of conflict in Syria. It was full war drums beating and seemed to be the same media frenzied blitz from all sides of the spectrum pushing from some kind of war or the other, but the digital connection of most American Citizens allowed everyone to stand together and shout a resounding NO. This gives me hope that despite the normal apathy of day to day politics, when something major is on the line like War, people become active.
That is precisely BECAUSE of what Ron Paul's national presidential campaign did. If Ron Paul had not had national prominence, none of this would have been possible.
 
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The "Tea Party" movement was co-opted, diluted and subverted by the neoconservatives and corporatists. They put up fake "Tea Party" candidates all over the nation, and once elected, they became RINOs just like Lindsey Graham. Marco Rubio and Kelly Ayotte are two prime examples. Then the establishment and neocon media worked to demonize the true, Constitution and liberty-oriented Tea Party people. Unfortunately, it sapped a lot of enthusiasm.

there are 20 republican candidates running and most of them are doing it for the paycheck. The grass roots activists split between atleast 3 candidates and they are all using the same formula. Rand needs to unite these liberty minded activists, and the activists arent going to open their wallets unless they see something different and something they think isnt going to fizzle out before it comes to fruition. Rand is already changing minds a lot of people in the Cruz camp wavered during the filabuster. You see it in a lot of forums a lot of people just need to see Rand debate and see more of what he stands for people havent been listening to Rand for 30 years he has to earn a lot more trust, especially to the people his dad alienated.
 
How could this project be financed with micro transactions? If orenbus and Dave are going to start doing it they need some assurance that they will not starve because they are quitting their jobs.

You don't have to re-invent the wheel, even the campaign is focusing on selling merchandise for donations and not trying to bomb huge amounts in one day all the time, they make micro transactions when they sell stuff like that.
 
You don't have to re-invent the wheel, even the campaign is focusing on selling merchandise for donations and not trying to bomb huge amounts in one day all the time, they make micro transactions when they sell stuff like that.

I know how they work but how would you specifically implement it in this project?
 
I know how they work but how would you specifically implement it in this project?

you gotta rub sticks together before you can start a fire, since this isn't affiliated with the campaign there are a million different ways to run it. You can use satire sex and mud sling all you want and not hurt the campaigns image. You need to research specifically what groups of people you want to attract and market a product they would buy normally something that's in their budget that they would buy on a regular basis but wouldn't mind paying a premium for because of its brand or exclusiveness.
 
you gotta rub sticks together before you can start a fire, since this isn't affiliated with the campaign there are a million different ways to run it. You can use satire sex and mud sling all you want and not hurt the campaigns image. You need to research specifically what groups of people you want to attract and market a product they would buy normally something that's in their budget that they would buy on a regular basis but wouldn't mind paying a premium for because of its brand or exclusiveness.

Sorry I am still not seeing how that will work on this specific project. Can you be specific? How exactly?
 
Agreed. Of the handful of grassroots leaders I've talked with from around the country, they are all reporting very low engagement... Beyond a 20 year low. Even tea party groups have suffered, the houston tea party didn't even bother to keep their website domain registered.

I stopped using fb in 2010 (after they went off the chain with anti privacy) but still drop in sometimes. In 2010 my feed was nearly 100% political, now it's nearly politically devoid and mostly filled with trivia memes and videos of things like silly cats.

Some activists are waiting for the next spark to get back in, maybe Rand will provide that...

It's still pretty early in the election cycle too. It'll pick up after the media ramps up coverage and the debates start, assuming s-doesn't-h-t-f in the meantime.
 
I don't really wanna go down that road, but...

What if the target isn't met? Do you have a backup plan?

I'd be willing to give at least 100$ in an regular donation - and maybe more later for you and your team to work on these projects part time. (or maybe prioritize to do only the most critical parts) I see some hope in that the number of donations have almost doubled in a couple of days, but it's still a long way in dollars to reach the target.

So... everybody, just pledge - more than you normally would think responsible. I know, it might seem a foolhardy thing to do, but: (1) If the target amount isn't reached, nobody gets charged - so no real loss at all. (2) If the target amount is met - we all just did something amazing for the liberty movement - and for freedom and liberty in the most important, and trendsetting country on earth.

I'll be thinking long and hard tomorrow on how much I can afford. I Hope this inspires some others as well! ;)
 
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