Devon, just make your suggestions. Those who are working on the ad will see it.
-symmetry is powerful, and the main part of the ad is very symmetrical, save the piece of text to the right of RP's photo. Either add something to the left for balance, or remove the part to the right to increase focus on his picture and "we the people." I prefer removing the part to the right, because I think that simplicity in that section is stronger.
I agree. Here's one idea: move the Ron Paul text to the left side, and on the right side (where the Ron Paul text currently is) add the quote from the "Ron Paul: A New Hope" video currently on YouTube: "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of massive growth. - George Washington."
I'm an English major myself, so hopefully I can make a couple of useful suggestions on phrasing:
- Don't change the phrase "concerned American" to "worried American." Don't listen to the idea that the ad is now "too watered down" to get people's attention.
- I agree that the "Donate Now!" command is unnecessary and redundant. Do away with it.
- I agree that too many websites are listed below. If they're interested, they need only go to RonPaul2008.com and they'll eventually find their way to the other websites. Personally, I would only list RonPaul2008.com and teaparty07.com.
- I want to work on the opening sentence, currently reading: "In 1776 our Founding Fathers risked their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" to set up a free and prosperous nation. They warned us that it was our responsibility to keep it that way, but we have strayed from their wise counsel." First, there should be a comma after In 1776. Secondly, I think you should remove the quotes around "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor," and instead bold and italicize that phrase. It will look better and will clearly indicate that you're referencing a historic quotation. Change the words "set up" and replace it with "create."
I would also like to change that opening paragraph a bit. I think this would be better:
"In 1776, our Founding Fathers risked their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to create a free and prosperous nation. Yet in the years since, we have allowed our nation to be overtaxed and overrun by bureaucrats and politicians who believe the people exist to serve the government, NOT the other way around." I think that would be a far more direct and to-the-point thesis for the points that follow.
As for the points themselves, if there's any way you can squeeze them in a little bit, it would look better aesthetically. I.E., change them from taking up the middle 80% of the ad to the middle 70% of the ad. It's a minor detail, but it will help.
In point 1, the point that Ron Paul will keep us out of "foreign alliances" is made in point 6. Instead of that phrase, change the phrase at the end of point 1 to read, "Ron Paul will bring our troops home NOW and END the interventionist, preemptive war policies of the neo-conservatives."
Point 2, change it to read: "...warned us to follow the Constitution because power corrupts. Now a secretive government spies on us and detains its citizens at will under the guise of "National Security." Ron Paul will restore civil liberties and habeas corpus and work to make the government transparent."
Point 3: change "taxes at all levels" to "a myriad of taxes" and change "groans beneath this cruel burden" to "groans beneath the burden."
Point 4: italicize "nine trillion dollars."
Point 6 should not say "we submit to the UN global authority," IMO, because we don't, really. We went to war with Iraq without UN approval, we don't participate in Kyoto, we don't allow our President to be tried by international tribunals, etc. We are in the United Nations, true, but we don't really play by those rules. For the average American, our involvement in the UN is not really an issue that voters have a problem with at this time, so there's really no reason to mention it. That's the way I see it, anyway. Point 6 should focus on American sovereignty and our security HERE AT HOME. Not sure how to rephrase it right now, probably because I'm falling asleep.
Hope that helps!