"Translate into votes" BS. I'm sick of it!

[JPFromTally]

I am so sick of reading things like "Will this web-based enthusiasm translate into real votes?" (From http://www.ronpaulforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2)

The guy raises 9 million dollars in 6 weeks and they don't think it can translate into votes??!?!?! Wouldn't it make more sense to say "It remains to be seen if Huckabee's/Thompson/McCain's low support online and in donations will translate into the votes that the polls predict."

Most MSM stories have this caveat and it pisses me off. If an alien came from outer space and didn't turn a TV on they would surely think RP was going to be the winner.

 

[joshuastjohn]

Someone had brought that up to me online. I told him that if this movement can organize over 4 million in donations for one day, then organizing votes for the primary should be easy.

 

[Oliver]

I am so sick of reading things like "Will this web-based enthusiasm translate into real votes?" (From http://www.ronpaulforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2)

The guy raises 9 million dollars in 6 weeks and they don't think it can translate into votes??!?!?! Wouldn't it make more sense to say "It remains to be seen if Huckabee's/Thompson/McCain's low support online and in donations will translate into the votes that the polls predict."

Most MSM stories have this caveat and it pisses me off. If an alien came from outer space and didn't turn a TV on they would surely think RP was going to be the winner.

I also thought about it. In a country with about 150 million adults and more then
half of them does have an internet-connection, the 9 million bucks suggests that
it's still a lot of work we have to do...

I mean it surely is a lot of money, but just imagine all these 75 million "internet-
adults" would spend only one Dollar each...

 

[BillyDkid]

I am so sick of reading things like "Will this web-based enthusiasm translate into real votes?" (From http://www.ronpaulforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2)

The guy raises 9 million dollars in 6 weeks and they don't think it can translate into votes??!?!?! Wouldn't it make more sense to say "It remains to be seen if Huckabee's/Thompson/McCain's low support online and in donations will translate into the votes that the polls predict."

Most MSM stories have this caveat and it pisses me off. If an alien came from outer space and didn't turn a TV on they would surely think RP was going to be the winner.

I guess the real issue is whether or not all that money came from GOP voters who can and will vote in the early primaries. We could have the support of 90% of the American people and still lose due to the votes of a relative handful of voters in the small, but very important early primary states.

 

[Hope]

I guess the real issue is whether or not all that money came from GOP voters who can and will vote in the early primaries. We could have the support of 90% of the American people and still lose due to the votes of a relative handful of voters in the small, but very important early primary states.

Exactly. There are a lot of people donating who keep "forgetting" to change their registration if they're in a closed primary state. There are a lot of young people in this campaign which means their chances of turning up for their primary elections is a coin toss. And then there are a bunch of people who like RP and even donate to him, but are convinced "he can't win," and don't lack the motivation to show up to vote.

We need to light a fire under their asses. That means taking down the contact info of RP supporters in our local areas, getting them registered, emailing them 72 hours before the vote, offering them rides, marking their names off the list as they come into the voting centers and calling them throughout the day if they're no-shows. Elections are srsbizness, folks. Waving signs, posting on forums and going to rallies just isn't enough.

 

[PrimarilyPaul]

I'm not sick of it, in fact I wish people mentioned it more. It doesn't matter how much money Ron Paul raises, unless the people who donated ACTUALLY GO AND VOTE. Money != votes! No one talks about this, no one talks about the primaries, instead everyone seems to expect all this online and monetary support will magically make Ron Paul president without anyone leaving their computer chair.

It's not going to happen. People need to actually do something if they want Ron Paul as president - register as Republican and vote in their state's primary.

Remember how much money Howard Dean had in 2004? Everyone just patted themselves on the back and said he was a shoe-in then got all angry when he didn't get the Democrat's nomination. Don't let Ron Paul be the Howard Dean of 2008.

 

[Cindy]

If there is a comment section to such articles, I post a link to his starw poll results or mention them in the ones where you can't post links.

All the more reason too get RP signage out there EVERYWHERE They will start looking really dumb saying that, when every town across America is decorated with Ron Paul for President, and it becomes more widely known that has has won more GOP Straw Polls then any other Republican candidate.

We have to show America through our signage, ads, comercials , bill boards, sign wavings, lit hand outs, banners, shirts, donations ( anything that is not an internet poll) that we are actually out there everywhere in strong numbers and will turn up for the primary elections.

 

[mport1]

I am so sick of reading things like "Will this web-based enthusiasm translate into real votes?" (From http://www.ronpaulforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2)

The guy raises 9 million dollars in 6 weeks and they don't think it can translate into votes??!?!?! Wouldn't it make more sense to say "It remains to be seen if Huckabee's/Thompson/McCain's low support online and in donations will translate into the votes that the polls predict."

Most MSM stories have this caveat and it pisses me off. If an alien came from outer space and didn't turn a TV on they would surely think RP was going to be the winner.

Yes, if we can have a grassroots effort that gets almost 40,000 individuals to donate money on a single day, what makes them think we aren't going to vote?

 

[J Free]

I am so sick of reading things like "Will this web-based enthusiasm translate into real votes?" (From http://www.ronpaulforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2)

The guy raises 9 million dollars in 6 weeks and they don't think it can translate into votes??!?!?! Wouldn't it make more sense to say "It remains to be seen if Huckabee's/Thompson/McCain's low support online and in donations will translate into the votes that the polls predict."

Most MSM stories have this caveat and it pisses me off. If an alien came from outer space and didn't turn a TV on they would surely think RP was going to be the winner.

I think the caveat is very real. Money that comes from people who aren't GOP WON'T translate into votes. You wanna SHOW people that it will translate into votes? Then declare that you are a Ron Paul Republican - http://goprising.com/ft/campaigns/newGOP/

Otherwise, the media is correct to rely on polls and assume that RP only has support from people who aren'tgonna vote for him because they can't if they don't become Republican

http://goprising.com

BTW - Does anyone know how to embed the Flash map that I use on the front page post of GOPrising.com?

 

[Cindy]

Remember, a lot of states have open primaries and the registered Dems, who support Paul, don't need to switch to vote for him in their states Republican primaries.

The ones in closed states need to do this.

Can anyone get stats on how many new regsitered Republicans the closed states have picked up since last March?

 

[J Free]

Even in open states, unless people become Republican they will have zero influence on delegates. And the more people waffle back and forth talking about open states, the more it creates an impression nationwide that people don't need to do anything.

And the easiest thing for the GOP to do if RP actually becomes a threat in open states is to close them. When it is too late to change.

 

[K1RBY]

well they have been right in the past about this.
i know a lot of people who talk shit..but they still have not changed their registration to republican.

so, i hope they are wrong in a big way...but im worried about this too.

 

[seapilot]

This is a watershed moment in politics as no president has won a primary with a large internet based support. Howard Dean was the test bed and the Media have nothing to go on but that. All the people that support Ron Paul could change this perception and render the old polling process as worthless. There will be a new measurement put in place by amount of online support = winning elections. Lets prove them wrong. GO VOTE RON PAUL REPUBLICAN!

 

[PrimarilyPaul]

Yes, if we can have a grassroots effort that gets almost 40,000 individuals to donate money on a single day, what makes them think we aren't going to vote?

You see, this is exactly what I'm talking about. People just pat themselves on the back and tell themselves there's nothing to worry about. "I'm sure all the people who donated, read stories, and watch videos will all vote in the primary, they're just as dedicated as I am and know all about the primaries, when they are, and how they work. No need to talk about it or mention it, everything will just work out in the end." Everyone just assumes it will work out in the end instead of doing the work to ensure it will work out in the end.

 

[Johncjackson]

Sorry, but the votes are the only thing that really matter. That is the goal. Everything comes down to this. It is perfectly rational for the media to question whether passionate support and low traditional poll numbers will translate.

There are still people who can't believe Kerry lost. And there is still the whole idea of Howard Dean as the only "internet candidate." Movements based on the support of young (non) voters have a bad track record.

It's still a Landline, Only Old people vote, dialup type of World- until actual votes show otherwise.

 

[me3]

I am so sick of reading things like "Will this web-based enthusiasm translate into real votes?" (From http://www.ronpaulforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2)

The guy raises 9 million dollars in 6 weeks and they don't think it can translate into votes??!?!?! Wouldn't it make more sense to say "It remains to be seen if Huckabee's/Thompson/McCain's low support online and in donations will translate into the votes that the polls predict."

It's been said earlier in this thread. Money and internet support is not equal to votes.

How many people online have signed up at ronpaul2008.com as a volunteer? How many have watched the training videos and know exactly how the campaign is trying to win?

It's great to run ads, sign wave, hand out lit. etc. but if it isn't followed up on, turned into (R) voters, delegates and getting people to the polls, it ain't gunna happen.

So the criticism is somewhat legit. If money won the presidency, Ross Perot would have pulled it off. If media attention wins the presidency, then Shillary is a shoe-in.

 

[PrimarilyPaul]

well they have been right in the past about this.
i know a lot of people who talk shit..but they still have not changed their registration to republican.

so, i hope they are wrong in a big way...but im worried about this too.

I hope you're wrong and I'm wrong too.

But when everyone expects everyone else will do something, it never gets done. If we want people to do something, we HAVE TO TELL THEM TO DO IT. The primaries, primary dates, registering as Republicans all need to be talked about on blogs and mentioned in YouTube videos. A small fraction of Ron Paul supporters read this forum, we need to reach out to the casual supporter who likes his ideas and just watches the occasional video or reads the occasional article by a supporter.

 

[spivey378]

buddy system is needed for registering and voting

 

[J Free]

buddy system is needed for registering and voting

That is precisely what my site http://goprising.com/ft/campaigns/newGOP/ is intended to do. You show that you are a Ron Paul Republican (with one/two clicks to the forms if you haven't done it yet). And then put pressure on your friends to do the same.

The more successful you are, the more you can show how successful you are. And we'll go local before the primaries.

 

[spivey378]

you should post that page on myspace/youtube/facebook etc

good work