Ron Paul Blimp Questions??? I have answers.

[macdee]

Thanks Mark... good points.

Thank you Mark. You have good points and I personally appreciate you concern. It keeps everyone on track and honest!

We have to get all the pledges fulfilled now for this project. I'm good to go when the Google transaction page is corrected for the minutes purchased. I'm good for 2,500.

The Ron Paul Blimp management team is dedicated to this project and are personally taking time off from their regular jobs to get it done. I for one am not expecting them to suffer financially in their support for Ron Paul. Their helping US for God's sake!

The primaries are just weeks away and we need the media exposure! It's worth millions! Everything is set up... and were doing it now. Make your contributions to The Ron Paul blimp... the R3VOLUTION is NOW!

 

[Mckarnin]

I still don't quite understand. I mean yeah, the GPS tracking and updated website with live video will be awesome for all of us online Ron Paul supporters. But that's not what this blimp is for. This blimp is for the people who haven't heard of him or who have heard of him but haven't yet been convinced to find out more. It's for the sake of increased name-recognition.

I don't see why a person would see the blimp, wonder who Ron Paul is, and then go online to the blimp website to watch it in real time when it is right outside their house. It is unnecessary for our goals, in my honest opinion. Again, I think only if we have a surplus of funds AFTER we're airborne, should we begin talking about doing anything extra. Oh well, this is the last time I'll bring this issue up, I promise.



Nope, that's all I wanted to know. I had a feeling that was true, but wanted to hear you say it publically. Hehe.

I can certainly look into this further but the GPS and related goodies make up a very small portion of operating expenses compared to the return they will generate for our sponsors, who will be able to see their advertisement live. I also think we will be encouraging the media and other blimp lovers to get hooked on where the blimp is. I'm sure YouTube's will spring up to help us with that.

Don't worry, bring stuff up until you are satisfied. If you still have questions about this my job isn't finished.

 

[Mckarnin]

Just one more question...


So when did you guys decide to turn this into a for profit business? Before or After the pledges were raised?

Not 100% sure but I think the transition occured when we realized that this wasn't happening as a PAC and we were going to have to bring in a crew to run a business.

 

[OferNave]

I, like everyone else, was taken by surprise as the project started evolving in the last few days into its current incarnation. But I see where you guys are going with this, and the level of professionalism you are shooting for is not quite doable grassroots style. Grassroots is powerful, but it's good at some things, and bad at others.

I think perhaps more people might understand the difference, and why it's important (and why the expenses are what they are), once they start seeing the results after the 10th.

 

[BlueGecko]

Like WTF man...

I think your great volunteering so with all due respect...this is crazy

Why no post "Need Cameramen, Publicists, Lawyers" before you hire people, there are thousands of members on here many qualified to help, several members have already offered why not hire them since they'll work for Expenses or FREE. Especially webmaster 1000k a week? What the hell ? First ask for volunteers then discounts from paid RP fans. LAST hire full time workers.

I know you are forming a company but if you want to start if off RP name then follow RP mantras. The originally 350k for staff with pilots, ground crew, ect. covered essential costs. This is insane the amount of overhead. Cameramen not in short supply if you noticed their is a writers strike in Hollwood so lots of series/ shorts/ tv movies are on hold. There could be a RP fan that would have done it for expenses, same for many positions.

Cut the fat or you probably will get burned to be honest.

All I ask before you hire, look for FREE help!!!!! That's the point of grassroots were more than a piggy bank, we have skills, abilities, we can do things beside fund companies !!


Katherine you have so far said that you are volunteering and that is commendable however if you feel that you cannot continue to work for free please POST in order to see if someone will take the job for free or expenses before you think that you are irreplaceable...no offense.

I know I can choose not to donate and I might get flamed for posting but I want to see this blimp and if I thought it would fly under this present scheme I would keep my mouth shut, but you know how many meetups/ local ads/ slim jims a million or two can fund ?

 

[pointe]

Thanks for taking questions.

I see that they have a stop listed to "Dump tea into harbor from the blimp". I thought earlier it was listed that they were NOT going to throw anything out of the blimp. Will they?

(I can't find the original post stating they would not.)

 

[Drknows]

Not 100% sure but I think the transition occured when we realized that this wasn't happening as a PAC and we were going to have to bring in a crew to run a business.

I remember when it was!

It was when elijah switched the pledges around from 2,300 to 5,000 to 10,000 on the site about 3 weeks ago. He kept saying the details are coming but he never said anything about this until you were able to collect real money.

I

 

[Mckarnin]

Just a link you may find interesting: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=48

Look at the scores for different percentages of money spent on administration. As it currently stands, at a rate of $400,000 for a month of sponsorship there is $50,000 left after the blimp itself is paid for. That means the total percentage of incoming money spent on lawyers, employee pay, computer and web technology, extras like media packets and flight jackets comes to 8%. If we were a charity we would be getting stellar ratings.

I am not telling anyone not to ask questions. I am just pointing out that we are well within the administrative cost guidelines for highly rated charities.

 

[Mckarnin]

I, like everyone else, was taken by surprise as the project started evolving in the last few days into its current incarnation. But I see where you guys are going with this, and the level of professionalism you are shooting for is not quite doable grassroots style. Grassroots is powerful, but it's good at some things, and bad at others.

I think perhaps more people might understand the difference, and why it's important (and why the expenses are what they are), once they start seeing the results after the 10th.

We certainly hope so.

 

[pointe]

In the FAQ you list this as not being a "commercial flight":

"We have been told that the blimp will fly over the Super Bowl and Times Square for New Years. Has the proper research been done to get the security clearance for these incredibly restricted regions of air space?

Those spaces are restricted for commercial and pleasure flights. This flight is neither."​

Since you are now a for profit advertising LLC selling timeshares, couldn't this be construed as a "commercial flight"?

Thanks...

 

[Man from La Mancha]

Why wouldn't you except people including lawyers that would be willing to work for free or for $1, to replace the paid for jobs?

.

 

[tremendoustie]

The problem is, this was started, and pledges were taken, as a grassroots effort. To then convert this project into a launching pad for a private company is disingenous. The idea was that the organizers would help organize the project because they supported Ron Paul, not because they wanted to make profit off of Ron Paul supporters.

If the organizers want to start a company, they should do so independently of the grassroots. If the grassroots decided that a private company was worth hiring and chose it that would be one thing, but to start a project as a grassroots effort, take pledges, and then co-opt it for profit and to launch a company is highly immoral in my opinion.

Also, the current plan is very wasteful. We have many, many people who produce videos for free and post them online. There is no need for "videographers". Many grassroots supporters would immediate create videos of the blimp and rallies on their own. Why do we need two managers??!? Why do we need a full time web tech when many people would volunteer for the job? What exactly will Trevor and Elijah working on for 40+ hours a week, because media interviews sure aint it.

The original plan was to rent a blimp for the month. That is what people signed up for, and that is what should be done. Maybe one person to coordinate volunteer efforts could get living expenses, but this is wasteful.

We did not donate money to help launch a company, we donated it to pay for the blimp and to promote Ron Paul!!!

 

[BlueGecko]

ust a link you may find interesting: http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...t.view&cpid=48

Look at the scores for different percentages of money spent on administration. As it currently stands, at a rate of $400,000 for a month of sponsorship there is $50,000 left after the blimp itself is paid for. That means the total percentage of incoming money spent on lawyers, employee pay, computer and web technology, extras like media packets and flight jackets comes to 8%. If we were a charity we would be getting stellar ratings.

I am not telling anyone not to ask questions. I am just pointing out that we are well within the administrative cost guidelines for highly rated charities.

OK but why not ASK if anyone can do for free?

If there was a post looking for volunteer cameraman that is experienced and has film credits that will volunteer for expenses paid for a month ? I would say you would get however many you need. I for one know a few documentary workers who are RP fans that could do this for expenses and small stipend (probably a 1/4 or 1/5 of there 1000 a week.

Listen to Ron Paul let the free market decide, offer the option

 

[Drknows]

The problem is, this was started, and pledges were taken, as a grassroots effort. To then convert this project into a launching pad for a private company is disingenous. The idea was that the organizers would help organize the project because they supported Ron Paul, not because they wanted to make profit off of Ron Paul supporters.

If the organizers want to start a company, they should do so independently of the grassroots. If the grassroots decided that a private company was worth hiring and chose it that would be one thing, but to start a project as a grassroots effort, take pledges, and then co-opt it for profit and to launch a company is highly immoral in my opinion.

Also, the current plan is very wasteful. We have many, many people who produce videos for free and post them online. There is no need for "videographers". Many grassroots supporters would immediate create videos of the blimp and rallies on their own. Why do we need two managers??!? Why do we need a full time web tech when many people would volunteer for the job? What exactly will Trevor and Elijah working on for 40+ hours a week, because media interviews sure aint it.

The original plan was to rent a blimp for the month. That is what people signed up for, and that is what should be done. Maybe one person to coordinate volunteer efforts could get living expenses, but this is wasteful.

We did not donate money to help launch a company, we donated it to pay for the blimp and to promote Ron Paul!!!

i will speak my mind freely now, This exactly why elijah held off telling us about this for profit business venture 3 weeks ago when he raised the amount you could pledge. and its also why you took down the transparency page from the main site. until all the emails went out and the pledges were fulfilled.

You guys knew the grassroots would never promote this bullsh&t idea if we knew we had to pay a EXTRA 150k for a advertising agency.


AM I RIGHT? or am i right?


*edit this another reason they both avoided posting here and answering questions.

 

[BlueGecko]

PS love the way you hide the TRANSPARENCY PAGE

 

[Mark]

I am not telling anyone not to ask questions. I am just pointing out that we are well within the administrative cost guidelines for highly rated charities.

It might help if all employees pledged not to be paid until the blimp is flying.

No "retroactive" pay, just, start getting paid once the promise has been fulfilled to have a Ron Paul blimp in the air.

And also, pledge not to spend any money on the business as a whole except for whatever is needed for the blimp.

Is that possible? I know you can't speak for others now without asking, but,

a pledge from everyone to not make any money from this until the blimp actually flys would be nice.

Would you ask all involved to put off getting paid until we see real results first?

 

[Mckarnin]

I think your great volunteering so with all due respect...this is crazy

Why no post "Need Cameramen, Publicists, Lawyers" before you hire people, there are thousands of members on here many qualified to help, several members have already offered why not hire them since they'll work for Expenses or FREE. Especially webmaster 1000k a week? What the hell ? First ask for volunteers then discounts from paid RP fans. LAST hire full time workers.

I know you are forming a company but if you want to start if off RP name then follow RP mantras. The originally 350k for staff with pilots, ground crew, ect. covered essential costs. This is insane the amount of overhead. Cameramen not in short supply if you noticed their is a writers strike in Hollwood so lots of series/ shorts/ tv movies are on hold. There could be a RP fan that would have done it for expenses, same for many positions.

Cut the fat or you probably will get burned to be honest.

All I ask before you hire, look for FREE help!!!!! That's the point of grassroots were more than a piggy bank, we have skills, abilities, we can do things beside fund companies !!


Katherine you have so far said that you are volunteering and that is commendable however if you feel that you cannot continue to work for free please POST in order to see if someone will take the job for free or expenses before you think that you are irreplaceable...no offense.

I know I can choose not to donate and I might get flamed for posting but I want to see this blimp and if I thought it would fly under this present scheme I would keep my mouth shut, but you know how many meetups/ local ads/ slim jims a million or two can fund ?

I respect your opinions on this matter and understand where you are coming from. Pretty much everyone (besides the high end lawyers) came into this project for free. No one was expecting or promised money. It became legally necessary to do this as a business and not a PAC or pure grassroots effort. Those who are working on this project have proven themselves to be loyal, reliable and talented. Payments legitimize those who do this work as workers at a business and also guarantees that we can keep those who are already keeping pace and excelling at this project with us instead of having to gamble with a revolving door of untested volunteers.

I do not consider myself to be irreplaceable but I have a unique combination of skill sets that make me very well suited as far as talent and temperment go for this job. Liberty Advertising may exist well into the future but for now we are dealing with a one-month long project. Coming up with a group of effective and commited people this fast who form a good team and who are working very well together is rare. We don't fight, we respect eachother's ideas, we don't waste time with egos. This is a solid group of ethical people and the free market will decide. If one of us fails to hold up our end of the bargain a replacement will be found.

Please continue to communicate your concerns to us.

 

[macdee]

You keep repeating yourself Mark. Your question has been answered. Again... again... and yet again!

 

[Mckarnin]

Thanks for taking questions.

I see that they have a stop listed to "Dump tea into harbor from the blimp". I thought earlier it was listed that they were NOT going to throw anything out of the blimp. Will they?

(I can't find the original post stating they would not.)

I think it may be tied to exercising our 1st Amendment rights. We have a 1st Amendment lawyer.

Edited because I don't write amendment often.

 

[Mckarnin]

I remember when it was!

It was when elijah switched the pledges around from 2,300 to 5,000 to 10,000 on the site about 3 weeks ago. He kept saying the details are coming but he never said anything about this until you were able to collect real money.

I

If you could state more clearly what you are implying it would help me to reply. I can answer one part and that is that we were unable to collect real money until we had set things up legally and that didn't happen until we were an LLC, Liberty Advertising.