Ron Paul Blimp Questions??? I have answers.

[Man from La Mancha]

Sacrifices have been made and will continue to be made. One point that is more emotional than business oriented is the fact that all those who were involved in this project (way before it became an LLC) were constantly bombarded with threatening emails and PM's or people who didn't like some little item who bombed their email from multiple addresses with hate mail, or those who posted rude messages on forums repeatedly. There is a lot of pressure when you take this much responsibility. That is what those involved with this have done, take on a lot of personal responsibility and put their reputations on the line to get this blimp into the air.

I hope you realize they are probably trolls or people that are haters of Ron just trying to derail all your efforts.


.

 

[Mckarnin]

Fair enough. It is true, though, that in a grassroots situation oftentimes one person or a few people agree to take the lead in developing a particular idea, with the support of others. My point is that it is dishonest to those people who supported the leaders in developing an idea, if those leaders turn around and use their position to do something entirely different. If they had been clear about their intentions from the beginning, people would have the option of choosing different leaders. Moreover, this case is especially flagrant, because many of the people who pledged based on the earlier idea will go ahead and donate money without realizing the whole plan has changed.

That said, it's good to hear that Trevor et al are working so hard, and I thank them for their efforts. I still don't agree with using this as a platform to launch a company, but it's good to have some transparency. I think it is very important that on the website a clear description of what the responsibilities for each position will be, and what will occupy those 40+ hours be included. Also, I think there are definitely positions that could be eliminated. A clear business case should be outlined for each position, and salaries should be commensurate with the duties performed. A clear reason should be given why the particular position could not be handled by the grassroots, if it cannot.

We should have a discussion about each position and whether we need it to be a paid staff position, or if it should exist at all. Normally, as a private company, the leaders would have the right to run it as they see fit, but since this was started by co-opting a grassroots effort, I think at the very least you have a responsibility to let the supporters have some control over what functions should and should not be performed by paid staff.

Look back a few posts and you'll see a much more eloquent post than what I am capable of right now explaining how the changes had to be made to comply with FEC laws.

 

[Mckarnin]

I was cooking my diner. Did I miss anything?

Me drooling on the keyboard. I am going to bed in a minute.

 

[Mckarnin]

I expect that you already plan to do so, but do you plan to include the responses to questions you're answering on the official Liberty Advertising website? I don't mean immediately as I realize some of the answers are still developing and that you're making this effort by delaying sleep. But it would be nice.

Kudos for your public web forum diplomacy. A skill that must not be underrated.

I am taking notes as I read questions of things that need to be answered and we very well might include some of them in the FAQ section. We have been so busy writing the essentials that we haven't had much time for extras yet.

 

[BlueGecko]

Me drooling on the keyboard. I am going to bed in a minute.


Get plenty of rest and sweet dreams

Thank you for everything your doing. If anything now you have the most important job as communication and understanding will lead to support and funding.

Thanks for replying to our questions

 

[BrianK]

Man up!

Me drooling on the keyboard. I am going to bed in a minute.

Sleep when the blimps up!!

I KEED, I KEED. I'm also quite envious as I have to go start the work day, having wasted my entire night chatting on the forums.

 

[Mckarnin]

I'm leaving. Will try to catch up on questions this afternoon.

 

[voytechs]

I sleep better each night knowing that people like Trevor et al exist, that they have the desire, imagination, spark, ambition and the pure ability to attempt something like this.

More power to them.

The decision to create a new company in order to put the blimp in the air, to put it in real simple terms, is brilliant.

I totally agree. A full time professional advertising company that is going to come up with new innovative ways to promote Ron Paul on massive scale. Its unbelievable, I'm so excited.

Guys think of it this way. We're evolving our grassroots efforts to a higher plane of professionalism. Our competition already uses these kind of for-profit advertising companies, but they spend dozens of millions of dollars more on them with much smaller results. We may have a better advertising company then Ron Paul's campaign itself.

 

[Mark]

Got it and I'll ask.

Thanks Mckarnin, I just personally feel that the blimp flying asap is most important.

If I see a blimp flying, I'll be much more likely to donate than before it flys.

You know, no one pays for a pair of jeans before the factory is making them.

 

[Dutch]

It is absolutely absurd to question the motivations of those running the blimp project.

The consistent complaint here is based on ignorance of campaign finance law. I have years of experience with PACs. Anyone can check the facts I'll recite below at fec.gov

The ignorance of those who seek to belittle the Liberty Advertising people simply is stunning. A PAC CANNOT donate more than 5,000.00 to the Ron Paul campaign. A PAC CANNOT accept more than 2,300.00 per donor, AND, depending on which kind of PAC was formed, the money given could COUNT AGAINST money which otherwise could be donated to Ron Paul's campaign.

The reason(s) for the change in media messages, the logos on the blimp, also is caused by federal campaign law. Law dictates that one CANNOT list Ron Paul's campaign website and say it is not an ad for the campaign. It IS. The law sees it that way.

What those involved with Liberty Advertising have done, what they are offering, is a brilliant solution to a problem all of us have. They've got a kick-ass team over there. Bringing Brad Smith on board is simply the BEST way to proceed.

All those questioning motives because Liberty Advertising is a for profit company ought to ask themselves a basic question. If people wanted to fleece supporters, couldn't they do so by posing as a non profit?

OF COURSE THEY COULD. PACs pay money too...salaries, bonuses, etc, anything is allowed, as long as it is reported.

Those who have criticized the blimp project should read something, learn something before they speak.

American campaign finance laws make it very difficult for people to get together and throw the bums out. That is the whole point of campaign finance law, to protect those in power.

I sleep better each night knowing that people like Trevor et al exist, that they have the desire, imagination, spark, ambition and the pure ability to attempt something like this.

More power to them.

The decision to create a new company in order to put the blimp in the air, to put it in real simple terms, is brilliant.

This post needs to be a sticky.
Welcome to the forums, sir. You are most welcome.

Dutch

 

[moberley]

Fair enough. It is true, though, that in a grassroots situation oftentimes one person or a few people agree to take the lead in developing a particular idea, with the support of others. My point is that it is dishonest to those people who supported the leaders in developing an idea, if those leaders turn around and use their position to do something entirely different. If they had been clear about their intentions from the beginning, people would have the option of choosing different leaders. Moreover, this case is especially flagrant, because many of the people who pledged based on the earlier idea will go ahead and donate money without realizing the whole plan has changed.

I understand this point and I wasn't really responding to that part of your earlier comment. I disagree but frankly my disagreement appears to stem from a different choice of base principles and therefore I see nothing either of us can gain from arguing it in this forum.

We should have a discussion about each position and whether we need it to be a paid staff position, or if it should exist at all. Normally, as a private company, the leaders would have the right to run it as they see fit, but since this was started by co-opting a grassroots effort, I think at the very least you have a responsibility to let the supporters have some control over what functions should and should not be performed by paid staff.

This seems like a reasonable request, and is probably good politics. I have seen several people make a similar point, and I suspect that Liberty Advertising will discuss it. I'm a third party observer (and as a foreigner I'm not legally allowed to do business with them anyway) so I can't speak for them. I am glad to see that some of the disputes are being aired more peaceably as this project develops.

 

[orion846]

i don't have the patience to read this entire thread, but i need to say that as a professional webmaster, someone who puts food on the table through this trade... the idea that you're paying someone $1000/week to make updates to what i see at www.ronpaulblimp.com seems to be the absolute dream job of a life-time. let's forget for a second taht a ton of people here would do it for free... the idea that that site requires $1000/week of work is LUDICROUS... INSANE... RIDICULOUS! until you axe at least THAT position, you cannot possibly expect any of us to take you seriously and think this has anything to do with ron paul as opposed to making someone $

 

[tremendoustie]

*redundant, deleted

 

[vodalian]

i don't have the patience to read this entire thread, but i need to say that as a professional webmaster, someone who puts food on the table through this trade... the idea that you're paying someone $1000/week to make updates to what i see at www.ronpaulblimp.com seems to be the absolute dream job of a life-time. let's forget for a second taht a ton of people here would do it for free... the idea that that site requires $1000/week of work is LUDICROUS... INSANE... RIDICULOUS! until you axe at least THAT position, you cannot possibly expect any of us to take you seriously and think this has anything to do with ron paul as opposed to making someone $

Exactly, that's the problem. It appears like they are bloating almost every cost.. over $1,000 for jackets?! give me a break.

I'm also a webmaster on the side and boy, what I'de give to make 4k per month...

Just imagine if this 4k per person/month was all spent on Ron Paul rallies and other various events..

 

[BlueGecko]

It seems to me that if they would OFFER the positions ASK for volunteers that would help immensly in solving this division.

Let's leave the no-bid contracts to Bush and Halliburton especially when some people want to get paid $1 for helping (silly rules make you take a salary but it can be a dollar)

 

[Man from La Mancha]

Exactly, that's the problem. It appears like they are bloating almost every cost.. over $1,000 for jackets?! give me a break.

I'm also a webmaster on the side and boy, what I'de give to make 4k per month...

Just imagine if this 4k per person/month was spent on Ron Paul rallies..

I can see the jackets, it's not a bad price for 30. I want one too. They should give out exclusive jackets for different levels of giving. But the web thing?

.

 

[RP4Pres2008]

Why hasn't Trevor posted on the forums to explain why he used the grassroots to start a business?

Does he feel ashamed?

 

[jcims]

i don't have the patience to read this entire thread, but i need to say that as a professional webmaster, someone who puts food on the table through this trade... the idea that you're paying someone $1000/week to make updates to what i see at www.ronpaulblimp.com seems to be the absolute dream job of a life-time. let's forget for a second taht a ton of people here would do it for free... the idea that that site requires $1000/week of work is LUDICROUS... INSANE... RIDICULOUS! until you axe at least THAT position, you cannot possibly expect any of us to take you seriously and think this has anything to do with ron paul as opposed to making someone $

It's more than just updates...they are planning live GPS feeds, streaming video through load-balanced EVDO connections, etc. In all seriousness, if you started today, how long would it take you to get that developed, QA'd, load tested and stabilized on production systems? How much babysitting would a system like that take, and what do you do when suddenly the hosting provider opens the trap door on you? Remember all the venom in the TeaParty threads when GoDaddy was going limp on Trevor? Think how bad it would be here? Full time webmaster is an insurance policy against embarrassing outages, and i don't know many capable ones that would earn much less than $50K in a commercial setting.

If a competent webmaster offered to do the work for the Blimp project for less money, i'm sure they wouldn't force the full salary upon them.

 

[Ozwest]

RP4Pres2008.

Stop playing the fool.

 

[jcims]

Why hasn't Trevor posted on the forums to explain why he used the grassroots to start a business?

Does he feel ashamed?

Possibly because the answer has already been provided a number of times.