Ron Paul Blimp Email

[Mental Dribble]

I already donated myself... the amount i pledged. $50 bucks. But that does kinda seem like a lot to me (their weekly salary)... for something we are suppose to be working towards to better ourselves and our country.

I think they need to "cut spending". Show a true reflection of Ron Paul principles... hmmm this is tough for me though because I want it to fly so bad. I think this may be an example of some of the limits grass root support has... no centralized control makes it harder to be unified. But still, worth it.

 

[cien750hp]

i think 750 a week would be reasonable

 

[Paulitical Correctness]

I think more research should've been done before allowing the site and idea to go live.

The initial $350,000 is now more like 600k+

Regardless of intentions here, it does seem awful fishy.

 

[hillertexas]

I sent an email explaining that I will not be donating and to remove me thier email list. There are people up in NH right now giving thier time for free and these guys want $1K per week? I'm not going to be sheeped.

+1
too bad i already donated...i mean bought advertising space...i mean a timeshare...
Too bad about that no refund policy. I think I will see if they will refund my money regardless.

I would also like to voice another concern. I am wondering if Trevor is spreading himself too thin with the blimp and the TeaParty. Maybe someone else should take over the TeaParty website (not me, that's for sure) as I think there has been some concern about the Teaparty website not being updated often enough.

Also, I am uncomfortable with Trevor having all of this real or perceived power when it comes to the grassroots. This is merely my personal opinion but I think our strength is in that we have no leader. And I liked it that way.

I would rather see "TeaParty Money Bomb a huge success and the mastermind behind it is yet another unknown" RATER THAN "Trevor does it again".

I just don't like how this seems to be turning into the "Trevor Show"

That's all. I'm glad they sent out some additional information.

 

[Doriath]

i think 750 a week would be reasonable

It'll be about that, probably a bit less, after taxes.

Median annual household income in the US last year was a bit over $48k...we're talking about $52k for these guys. I don't see anyone getting rich on this.

 

[noumenon]

My Support

I support the Ron Paul Blimp.
I think that going through with this will have a very positive impact on Ron Paul's campaign and it will catch a TON of attention.
If we fail and people back out, it could have very negative consequences and the media will be all over it.

I don't think they are trying to scam anyone.

 

[ChrisV]

Can I get $1000 a week also? I voted in the poll when this whole thing was getting started.

 

[constituent]

i'm sorry everyone, i want to remain neutral.... but this is getting ugly.

please, just stop. or someone start up a new blimp project, or something.... but damn, please at the very least start a ronpaulblimp forum or something... please,


really, this is ugly.

 

[eric_cartman]

Questions:

1) Is the goal still to get the blimp to Boston in time for the tea party?

2) How much money needs to be collected to get the blimp off the ground? 350K? 500K?

3) By what date do we have to have this money collected by to have the blimp in Boston by the 16th?

4) If not enough money can be raised to get the blimp off the ground, either in time for the tea party, or ever... will people get a refund? will salaries to the blimp team still be paid?

5) Finance:

Total salaries for 1 week (7 people) = $6300
Total salaries for 1 month (7 people) = $25,200

Total Donated So Far = $25,950

6) After a few days of donations, we've raised enough to pay the staff, but nothing towards the blimp so far. Is it realistic to think we can get the blimp in Boston in time for the Tea Party?

7) If we can't get the blimp to Boston for the tea party, do we want a blimp?

In my opinion, i don't think you will raise the 350K + required to get the blimp off the ground, especially with 25K going down the drain every month. Though i totally support the idea, I am concerned that you will not get enough donation money in time to get the blimp to the tea party, and Ron Paul supporters will lose all or a portion of their donation to administrative costs, salaries for the blimp team, equipment that may never be used, etc.

Also, please provide a total cost breakdown for the blimp project. How much does it cost to fly the blimp for 1 month? Thank you for providing the salaries for the 7 people, but what about other costs? room + board, video equipment, flight suit jackets, spotlights, etc. Just a total cost breakdown of everything.

I would 100% support this project if it was agreed to give a 100% (or at least 95% +) refund of the donation if the blimp does not get to boston for the tea party or never flies for 1 month.

I think the blimp idea is great, but is only really practical and beneficial if we get it to the tea party. I think you should consider a cheaper alternative such as hot air balloons with giant ron paul signs attached or another suggested cheaper alternative advertising campaign in boston for the day.

if you can raise the .5 million per month... that would be great. i don't think you will be able too, but i might be wrong. I think a lot of the $5000 donations
pledges were pranks, and i know several supporters have dropped out because they don't like the 'who is ron paul' side or the for profit company. I am simply concerned that on the possibility that you fail, and don't raise enough money to ever have a blimp fly around the country... are ron paul supporters going to get a refund? If not, i'm not sure that's a risk many people want to be taking.

 

[Chibioz]

I've tried to be pretty supportive of this, but I don't see why they need to pay themselves so much for this. That was not the purpose of the project, I can understand maybe needing enough to subsist if they were spending all of their time on this but I didn't sign on to give these people a new job, their mission is pretty simple and straightforward. I already donated $100, this is the grassroots and we are VOLUNTEERS.. I'm pretty disappointed with them giving themselves $50k/year jobs at our expense..

 

[WachterZ]

I appreciate that you all are spending your time on this, but when so many others are doing just as much for free (like the RP riders, and all the folks flocking to NH!), so in my opinion those salaries are NOT justifiable (which is why I'm no longer donating to this project).

 

[jcims]

Folks, consultants typically bill $1000 per DAY to do work. Many of the folks posting here would be taking a pay CUT at $1000 per week. These guys are going to be on the road, having to live on fast food and hotels, to get this message out. If i had to say anything, it would be that the staffing is too deep, but you can't honestly tell me that these guys are being absurd with the base salary.

 

[Mental Dribble]

I just looked at it monthly.

With all of their salaries at a total of $28,000 for a month I guess thats not too bad. If they can bring in enough support to blow dec 16th out of the water it could be amazing. $378,000.00 isn't really that much more then the orginial amount asked.

It does cost money to make these things run. Being Disconnected from the hands on side of this makes it hard to get a grib on , but I am behind it!

I donated. I think its the right choice.

(P.S maybe they could cut their salaries just a little as a sign they are listening to our opinions and trying hard to make this work)

 

[steph3n]

Folks, consultants typically bill $1000 per DAY to do work. Many of the folks posting here would be taking a pay CUT at $1000 per week. These guys are going to be on the road, having to live on fast food and hotels, to get this message out. If i had to say anything, it would be that the staffing is too deep, but you can't honestly tell me that these guys are being absurd with the base salary.

I guess mostly I'd question the media consultant, can we see any work that is/has been done?

Videographers, i think they should make this open to a our grassroots.

 

[dcatman]

Folks, consultants typically bill $1000 per DAY to do work. Many of the folks posting here would be taking a pay CUT at $1000 per week. These guys are going to be on the road, having to live on fast food and hotels, to get this message out. If i had to say anything, it would be that the staffing is too deep, but you can't honestly tell me that these guys are being absurd with the base salary.

I bill $90/hr or $720/day for my steady work and 125+ an hour for my short term clients... $1000/week is nothing compared to that.

 

[hillertexas]

I just looked at it monthly.

With all of their salaries at a total of $28,000 for a month I guess thats not too bad. If they can bring in enough support to blow dec 16th out of the water it could be amazing. $378,000.00 isn't really that much more then the orginial amount asked.

It does cost money to make these things run. Being Disconnected from the hands on side of this makes it hard to get a grib on , but I am behind it!

I donated. I think its the right choice.

(P.S maybe they could cut their salaries just a little as a sign they are listening to our opinions and trying hard to make this work)

this is a good point. I am behind the blimp idea as well. I hope they lower their salaries as a sign of good will.

 

[McDermit]

Folks, consultants typically bill $1000 per DAY to do work. Many of the folks posting here would be taking a pay CUT at $1000 per week. These guys are going to be on the road, having to live on fast food and hotels, to get this message out. If i had to say anything, it would be that the staffing is too deep, but you can't honestly tell me that these guys are being absurd with the base salary.

Consultants have the experience and qualifications to be able to demand such salaries. These guys don't. Come on... a locksmith and a web designer who's only half a step above amateur?

 

[jcims]

I appreciate that you all are spending your time on this, but when so many others are doing just as much for free (like the RP riders, and all the folks flocking to NH!), those salaries are NOT justifiable.

Where are the capable volunteers stepping up to do the work?

 

[constituent]

1) $25,000 (normally $50,000-$100,000 but Airship Management Services gave us a discount)
Press Kits - We want to make a memorable impact on the press and give them something to remember their blimp ride, therefore we will be giving them a press kit consisting of.

2) Mylar Blimp Balloon, "Ron Paul Airforce" hat, "Ron Paul Airforce" T-shirt
$25
"Ron Paul Airforce Official crew" fleece jackets for the Blimp crew x 35 jackets
$30 each x $35 = Approx. $1,050

3) GPS tracking system to track the current location of the blimp.
$50 month

It will also provide a map with realtime gps coordinates of the blimp
$150 month
Videographer equipment

4) HD Tape
$200-$1000 month

5) Airfare to fly lawyers in and out and other individuals who are key to making this work, as well as back home for holidays or family emergency's.
To be determined

6) Food for staff and volunteers who come along to help
To be determined by number of volunteers

7) Room and Board for those of us who will travel with the blimp to make sure we get as much mainstream media attention as possible. We need individuals with the blimp at all times to coordinate the rides and attract even more attention.

feel free to ignore, just going to drop my opinion on a few things, take it or leave it.

1) $25,000 for press kits? who will be paid for making/printing/etc. these
press kits? is $25,000 at cost or cost-plus?

2)c'mon.

3) gimme a break

4) that's a pretty big range for HD tape it seems to me

5) so let me get this right; salary of 52K + airfare back and forth, " to fly
lawyers in and out and other individuals who are key to making this work,
as well as back home for holidays or family emergency's.
To be determined

Please define "other individuals who are key," what is a "family emergency," and for which holidays?

At this point I'm thinking, is it absolutely necessary that Trevor or Elijah babysit the blimp the whole time? Is that not the job of the Blimp Co. and the Crew?

6) "volunteers?" i can see where that's going (yea, i'll walk out on that assumption limb, this ain't in a vacuum after all)

7) well, i think the quoted area says it better than i could.... sums it all up really.

Anyway, if you want to smooth over the dead reputation and kissy kiss some grassroots PR together, you might want to consider some of the things listed above... if the sole motivation is renting a blimp for a month or two and getting the word out about ron paul, that is the sole motivation correct?

 

[steph3n]

Consultants have the experience and qualifications to be able to demand such salaries. These guys don't. Come on... a locksmith and a web designer who's only half a step above amateur?

They aren't getting $1000 a day either