The Positive, Constructive Response & New Direction Thread

[Bowie]

This thread is for people who have decided to wash out the bitter herbs we have just been fed, move on and begin to really analyse why we are in the position that we are, and what we can do to change that.

Please do not get offended or defensive by the constructive criticisms people may write.

As I said in another thread, Ron Paul is coming 5th because he is not charming, which was what people voted for, even in "libertarian" New Hampshire, and our expectations of success between NH and IA were reversed.

Turnout is also diluting the fervent Paul voters.

Anyway, 3 states down, 47 to go. (Edwards is stupid.) We have the resources to pull this together. People are fickle and can change their minds pretty quickly, and most make their minds up in the booth: we have the money and the man to make the right changes necessary to boost our numbers; all it takes is that painful extra ounce of dedication and supportive criticism that groupthink may have stifled.

And who knows, the losses here may be the best things to ever happen to the campaign.

Whatsayyou? Think! Reflect! Speak! Realise!

Disclaimer: I am an Aussie who is obsessed with Dr No. I have been following every moment of his campaign since his spar with Julie Annie. Please don't call me a troll.

 

[RonPaulFTW08]

Winning The Election AND THE REVOLUTION

Please do not get offended or defensive by the constructive criticisms people may write.

I am only annoyed by 1) trolls - it is obvious that there are many anti-Ron trolls on this forum! 2) People who criticize the campaign. I HIGHLY doubt any of these people who are criticizing know *anything* about the campaigns strategies.

As Ron Paul said TONIGHT in his closing speech at the NH Primaries, he plans on continuing and trying to win the election, BUT that this is also just the beginning of something a lot bigger. Win or lose Ron Paul has set himself apart from the rest of those in "the rat race" from the very beginning. I really do believe that this IS The Ron Paul Revolution.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oGY8Te6DhMk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z2hPBCirgsA

 

[AircooledVW]

my one vote is tallied and the polls are closed. Keep on Keepin on!

 

[RonPaulFTW08]

bump for Ron Paul, bump for The Revolution, and bump for Freedom & Liberty.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=83299

 

[RonPaulFTW08]

and one more bump with a big *middle finger* to all the trolls owning the NH Primaries forum

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=83299

 

[RonPaulFTW08]

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

Amen, Thomas Paine

 

[christagious]

Please do not get offended or defensive by the constructive criticisms people may write.

People on this forum not get offended by constructive criticism?

Dream on, I've seen people get torn apart on here for doing just that.

I realize that there are a lot of trolls on here, but if RP can handle getting ganged up on at ABC debate, we can handle a little bit of criticism and advice on here.

 

[Bowie]

People on this forum not get offended by constructive criticism?

Dream on, I've seen people get torn apart on here for doing just that.

I realize that there are a lot of trolls on here, but if RP can handle getting ganged up on at ABC debate, we can handle a little bit of criticism and advice on here.

Well, I meant specifically in this thread, but yeah, we don't have the time (or frankly, the energy at the moment) to worry about the trolls and weak-minded fools in other threads wherever.

This is a place where we can harness the right kind of criticism, that which will bolster our success, and where we can outshine the wrong kind of criticism, that which is aimed to suck out our energy, rather than generate it.

 

[chilledfresh]

Well, the only thing I have to say is we need less mobs chasing people like Sean Hannity, even if he does deserve it. At least do it a bit more discreetly. These kinds of antics might fire up the hardcore crowd, but the average Republican just sees their hero being accosted by goons holding Ron Paul signs.

 

[Dave Pedersen]

About newspaper ads each person can buy in places like South Carolina I think if we can create some simple cartoons we can get the message into all the lunkheads a lot lot better than text.

Let's find a cartoonist. Anybody here a cartoonist? And then we can have a brainstorm thread on coming up with simple concepts which can serve as metaphors to convey to casual readers of small town newspapers.

A picture is worth a thousand words and few are willing to read more than two lines of text promoting a political candidate. A cartoon is a challenge most people like to see if they can understand. It engages the mind and leaves a clear impression which many reasoned words often fail to do. We need to communicate to the visual mind concepts which can reach deeply into the cluttered crevices of the brainwashed and stir something long dormant:

The love of freedom.

 

[Lars]

Totally agree with chilledfresh. See comments on this other thread.

 

[Channing]

If we don't figure out what the real cause of the problem is, then we will continue to get the same results.

Just guessing what the problem is - eg. his "his appearance", "the campaign", etc. - isn't going to do it.

We need to do our *own* research and keep an open mind to what the problem may be.

 

[dvictr]

setting up for independent run.. JULY 4th REVOLUTION MONEY BOMB! 20m one day?

 

[Change]

I suggest that you target demographics of women, mom (soccer mom). Ron Paul on Education on Informed Consent and the public school and the teaching materials, more curriculum reviews through local controls vs special interest groups and political parties.

Don't keep saying you are going to eliminate the IRS, or the public schools, but say smaller government, less spending. REFORM word should be used. WEED out poor programs.

Release the Union hold on the Books selection in schools, allow more diversity in materials within the schools

Retool the education system to teach about the way our government works and the US CONSTITUTION at a younger age, not about pass Presidents politic positions.

Unions should be about work related problems, not dictating what our children should be taught

A new "ad" should feature, creative way to present a -Transition Presidential Team - that introduces RP policies with new team faces. Like RP Media spokesperson, RP Foreign Expert Spokesperson. Get a team approach out there vs, RP Homegrown look. He has moved passed that level. But it could be young and theme related. Like a James Bond, or mission impossible music like with then a professional intro to new key people that the Country would be seeing to deal with implementing his policies.

My thoughts

 

[pmbug]

Having discussed Ron Paul with a few lifelong Republican voters, the big problem IMO is that Ron Paul has not won the debate on:

• non-interventionism vs. interventionism - The cold war may be over, but many Republican voters that I'm talking to see Ron Paul's platform to completely withdraw the military and foreign aid as emaciating the USA's ability to influence world affairs. Ron has talked about blowback and such, but it has not convinced older folk who believe the USA's interventionist history has largely been the correct course.
• Keynesian economics vs. Austrian School/gold standard - The Republicans voters I have talked to believe that Keynesian economics has been proven better than the gold standard which was in use during several depressions leading up to the Great Depression.
• 100% individual freedom/property rights vs. "some" social program safety nets - Everyone likes to rail against the cost of entitlement programs, but I think most secretly believe that government should not stand by and let people starve to death. Ron Paul's stance on strict property rights is seen as tolerating/supporting racism.

Unless the message from the campaign changes, I think Ron Paul has likely hit the ceiling of his support. The issues I outlined above are deal breakers for the Republican voters that I have encountered. I'd like to hear from anyone else who is talking to long time Republican voters.

Added: Also, most of the people I talk to see Ron Paul as an extremist. He really needs to communicate that he is (or can be) pragmatic - ie. that the changes he wants may not be 100% possible solutions, but he will move in those directions. I have heard him intimarte this in a few interviews, but he needs to communictae it clearly, forcefully and often IMO.

 

[rancher89]

Having discussed Ron Paul with a few lifelong Republican voters, the big problem IMO is that Ron Paul has not won the debate on:

• non-interventionism vs. interventionism - The cold war may be over, but many Republican voters that I'm talking to see Ron Paul's platform to completely withdraw the military and foreign aid as emaciating the USA's ability to influence world affairs. Ron has talked about blowback and such, but it has not convinced older folk who believe the USA's interventionist history has largely been the correct course.
• Keynesian economics vs. Austrian School/gold standard - The Republicans voters I have talked to believe that Keynesian economics has been proven better than the gold standard which was in use during several depressions leading up to the Great Depression.
• 100% individual freedom/property rights vs. "some" social program safety nets - Everyone likes to rail against the cost of entitlement programs, but I think most secretly believe that government should not stand by and let people starve to death. Ron Paul's stance on strict property rights is seen as tolerating/supporting racism.

Unless the message from the campaign changes, I think Ron Paul has likely hit the ceiling of his support. The issues I outlined above are deal breakers for the Republican voters that I have encountered. I'd like to hear from anyone else who is talking to long time Republican voters.

Added: Also, most of the people I talk to see Ron Paul as an extremist. He really needs to communicate that he is (or can be) pragmatic - ie. that the changes he wants may not be 100% possible solutions, but he will move in those directions. I have heard him intimarte this in a few interviews, but he needs to communictae it clearly, forcefully and often IMO.

I agree with most of your points. The message will remain the same, but the message needs clarification/more impact.
1) he needs to let everyone know that if Congress declares war, he will take our troops there. He needs to explain over and over again what our intervention has cost us, in money and in lives. We are not the world's policeman and we should have never started down that path. Get the military more involved in the campaign, we have the most support there--why not use it to the fullest advantage??? A few men who have been there speaking the truth would bring some attention to this point.
2) sound monetary policy, don't spend it if you don't have it, pure and simple. Stop spending on stuff that we don't really need, explain why we don't need the Dept of Education telling us what we teach our children. We did much better before they got involved.
3) he needs to reassure people, again and again, that he will not allow people to starve in the streets.....he has said this numerous times, but it needs to be said again and explained. Allowing young people to opt out is not enough, he needs to continue the conversation about those already dependant, again and again.

I do not know how his stance on strict property rights translates into tolerance/supporting racism???? Maybe you can explain this one to me???

He needs to keep saying that all of the planks in his platform will take time to enact, some will never happen unless we elect like minded Reps and Congressmen.

The racist stuff has come up again in the news and will be left to rot where it deserves to.

HOWEVER RP does need to hire more minorities on his staff, I see a lot of people of color supporting him, but where are they on his staff, at least on his traveling staff?? He is catching some flack about this and I do think it will help him if he does hire a few more minorities. (I know that he has one Hispanic guard, any others??)

 

[santopia]

Ron Paul is coming 5th because he is not charming

I agree. Ron Paul needs a makeover. Ron Paul supporters need a makeover.

Image is everything.

 

[pmbug]

I do not know how his stance on strict property rights translates into tolerance/supporting racism???? Maybe you can explain this one to me???

Strict property rights means that business owners should be free to discriminate as they see fit and the free market should punish them, not government.

 

[rancher89]

Strict property rights means that business owners should be free to discriminate as they see fit and the free market should punish them, not government.

Thanks for the prompt reply, I am still getting used to my "libertarian skin." I agree that the government has no right to tell me who I should sell or buy my goods from.

Common sense tells me that if you really want to sell to me or buy from me, you/I better have the best/cheapest product available. I don't see how this is discrimination????

 

[pmbug]

This is getting off topic from the intent of this thread, so this is my last post on the subject. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss it futher.

Strict property rights means that a business owner owns that business and is free to decide, for example, that he won't hire or do business with people of a certain skin color, religeon or sex as s/he sees fit.