The new Campaign for Liberty

[Jeremy]

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/

looks like they still have some things to fix, but there it is

 

[berrybunches]

It looks really good.
One thing:
I do not understand why we have to pay to be a precinct leader. I think I will just go ahead and not pay and I think I can figure out how to walk around my precinct on my own.
I can understand paying for extra perks to help the site raise money but paying for something that is an absolute staple to what we are trying to do seems counter productive. I don't have $35 to get the benefit of volunteering my time. A lot of the young people do not have credit cards. This has always been a grassroots volunteer movement than ran on donations.
To me something doesn't seem right, if we really want to advance the cause of liberty you would think they would make it as easy as possible for everyone, its not the $35 that bothers me, its the principle. Am I missing something here?

 

[constituent]

It looks really good.
One thing:
I do not understand why we have to pay to be a precinct leader. I think I will just go ahead and not pay and I think I can figure out how to walk around my precinct on my own.
I can understand paying for extra perks to help the site raise money but paying for something that is an absolute staple to what we are trying to do seems counter productive. I don't have $35 to get the benefit of volunteering my time. A lot of the young people do not have credit cards. This has always been a grassroots volunteer movement than ran on donations.
To me something doesn't seem right, if we really want to advance the cause of liberty you would think they would make it as easy as possible for everyone, its not the $35 that bothers me, its the principle. Am I missing something here?

small flow chart

PCC----->CFL

maybe i'm crazy, but i like to take the lessons of past experience and apply them to present reality.

i know that makes me a minority around here, but heh, it is what it is.

 

[afmatt]

It looks really good.
One thing:
I do not understand why we have to pay to be a precinct leader. I think I will just go ahead and not pay and I think I can figure out how to walk around my precinct on my own.
I can understand paying for extra perks to help the site raise money but paying for something that is an absolute staple to what we are trying to do seems counter productive. I don't have $35 to get the benefit of volunteering my time. A lot of the young people do not have credit cards. This has always been a grassroots volunteer movement than ran on donations.
To me something doesn't seem right, if we really want to advance the cause of liberty you would think they would make it as easy as possible for everyone, its not the $35 that bothers me, its the principle. Am I missing something here?

Yes you are missing something.

It pays for the cost of the voter databases they have to buy for the precinct leaders- but if you don't need (want) the data then the membership is free. As Debbie put it, this isn't a welfare system.

Of course they also have to pay for the national staff and other expenses.

That data isn't cheap.

 

[durden0]

It looks really good.
One thing:
I do not understand why we have to pay to be a precinct leader. I think I will just go ahead and not pay and I think I can figure out how to walk around my precinct on my own.
I can understand paying for extra perks to help the site raise money but paying for something that is an absolute staple to what we are trying to do seems counter productive. I don't have $35 to get the benefit of volunteering my time. A lot of the young people do not have credit cards. This has always been a grassroots volunteer movement than ran on donations.
To me something doesn't seem right, if we really want to advance the cause of liberty you would think they would make it as easy as possible for everyone, its not the $35 that bothers me, its the principle. Am I missing something here?

Beyond that, the way it's setup right now, you can't even comment on the blog posts without being a paid member. wtf?

I was honestly expecting more. Where's the education material people had been talking about? If i'd just dropped tons of money on this site i'd be pretty disappointed in the results.

 

[berrybunches]

Yes you are missing something.



That data isn't cheap.

I got it from his presidential site without having to pay anything.
Plus, why not offer this (precinct leader tools) for free and charge for something that is less of a staple? Certainly there are other ways to raise funds for the information, merchandise, donations, sponsorships ect... Really does not add up to me but its their prerogative, I don't think people are going to be happy though and it will most likely lose them support in the long run.

 

[Bill M DC]

It looks really good.
One thing:
I do not understand why we have to pay to be a precinct leader. I think I will just go ahead and not pay and I think I can figure out how to walk around my precinct on my own.
I can understand paying for extra perks to help the site raise money but paying for something that is an absolute staple to what we are trying to do seems counter productive. I don't have $35 to get the benefit of volunteering my time. A lot of the young people do not have credit cards. This has always been a grassroots volunteer movement than ran on donations.
To me something doesn't seem right, if we really want to advance the cause of liberty you would think they would make it as easy as possible for everyone, its not the $35 that bothers me, its the principle. Am I missing something here?

I'm with you on this one BB. I've been precinct leader for a long time and that's what it cost me time. I'm not gonna start paying for the "privilege" to volunteer.

 

[Dorfsmith]

I signed up for the free version. Cool stuff. I'll check it out closer when I get time.

 

[Mahkato]

Political organizations can neither function nor be effective without money. $35 is less than 10 cents a day. You can surely find a way to come up with that.

Also, the $35 charge keeps out a lot of the chaff (trolls, moles, etc.).

 

[Matt Collins]

It looks really good.
One thing:
I do not understand why we have to pay to be a precinct leader. I think I will just go ahead and not pay and I think I can figure out how to walk around my precinct on my own.
I can understand paying for extra perks to help the site raise money but paying for something that is an absolute staple to what we are trying to do seems counter productive. I don't have $35 to get the benefit of volunteering my time. A lot of the young people do not have credit cards. This has always been a grassroots volunteer movement than ran on donations.
To me something doesn't seem right, if we really want to advance the cause of liberty you would think they would make it as easy as possible for everyone, its not the $35 that bothers me, its the principle. Am I missing something here?

Because they have to recoup costs. It's expensive to gather this stuff and keep it on the Web. Plus they want to weed out those who are not dedicated and ensure that those who are in charge of their precinct are committed. $35 is one way to do that.

 

[berrybunches]

I can kinda see the point of charging to keep out people with bad intentions but I still think that in letting everyone become a precinct leader the good would outweigh the bad.
Hell, if money and trouble makers was the issue they could have different levels of precinct leaders, the higher up leaders could pay or something.

 

[0zzy]

I'm sad that the site sucks :[.

Where are the blogs like Daily Kos?
educational page by Thomas woods?
where can I find my fellow Paulites in my area?
and the design, eww.

 

[tonesforjonesbones]

There was another thread just like this one floating around. What happened to it? Tones

 

[constituent]

I can kinda see the point of charging to keep out people with bad intentions but I still think that in letting everyone become a precinct leader the good would outweigh the bad.
Hell, if money and trouble makers was the issue they could have different levels of precinct leaders, the higher up leaders could pay or something.

the kinda folks who would be motivated to spy on or try to disrupt the CFL establishment would not be stopped by a $35 fee.

thirty-five measley bucks (not that i've got a spare $35 to join a club... but c'mon.)

that's what's so ridiculous about it, imo.

granted they'll have to raise money to survive. truthfully, they'll have to raise money and prove that they can continue to raise money just to encourage big, repeat donors. this is the model they've chosen believing it to be the best method for proving themselves in this regard.

it's a bad strategy, i'll make no bones about it. the more this project takes a mlm/scientology vibe, the less it will find people open to contributing much in terms of both time and money.

the motivation for it is clear though, and i understand the thinking behind it. a frequent complaint during the campaign was "we gave this money, what have we gotten in return?" understanding that, it would be difficult to hit the grassroots up right off the bat w/out attempting to cater to the service/customer aspect of the whole deal.

one question would have been asked, "what do they need the money for?"

again, they've gone about addressing this issue, but in the wrong way.

it's nothing personal, and i want this thing to work out for them, but frankly, it's like watching a train wreck.


which is a disservice to ron paul and a disservice to the grassroots (without question). that's not to say the CFL is w/out their benefits/high points, so CFL people don't take it personally.

 

[kathy88]

I have no trouble with the $35.00, but what benefits does that include that non-paying members get? I know you guys need the cash. I'll even sponsor people who cannot afford it, but what does the $35.00 give us access to?

 

[Austin]

I have no trouble with the $35.00, but what benefits does that include that non-paying members get? I know you guys need the cash. I'll even sponsor people who cannot afford it, but what does the $35.00 give us access to?

Data on every single registered voter in your precinct, including their address, phone numbers, their most important political issues, and the ability to update this information. Essentially, a dynamic database of your entire precinct.

Also, you get training materials. As of right now, there are 3 (?) training materials available. The first is the notes from the Real Politics Training School, from the speaker himself. There are also videos that talk about how to take over the precinct, how to canvass, et cetera.

Hope that helps.

... Oh, and I may take you up on that offer here pretty soon. :o

 

[tonesforjonesbones]

Well, obviously you can't post on the forum with out giving them 35 bucks which I consider to be bull crap. I guess it's like one poster reminded us...the C4L isn't a "welfare" organization. Now, THAT really makes me want to support it. Geesh. T.

 

[kathy88]

It's only day one. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. We are all on the same team, after all.

 

[dr. hfn]

It's optional, not mandatory.

 

[dr. hfn]

I really liked the Eagle on the front page. I liked the look of the old site better.
I think they should incorporate some of the visuals of the old into thre new