December 15, 2007
What an amazing mission you and I are on. What great ideas we uphold -- the legacy of the most important thinkers of liberty in our country's history, and the most important doers of liberty in America. At the top of that list are the donors and volunteers of this campaign.
I could spend all my time thanking personally you and everyone who has done so much for our country's future, and not scratch the surface of what justice demands. But I want you to know how much I owe you, and everyone dedicated to the real America. You and I know our real country -- the America of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, of economic, civil, and personal liberty, of strong families and communities, of great businesses and professions, of strong peace and low taxes and sound money-all of which are under assault by the politicians who occupy our nation's capital.
With your help -- and I can't do anything without your help https://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate/ -- I want to change all that. Together, we can restore our constitutional republic, and oust the mountebanks who violate the ideals of the Founders with income taxes, Federal Reserve inflation, deficit spending, preemptive wars, torture, secret prisons, and abolition of habeas corpus.
How thrilling too are all the great Independent efforts in this cause, involving so many tens of thousands of patriots. Of course, since they are Independent, the election laws to do not allow me to coordinate with them in any way. But I will mention that this Sunday, I am really going to enjoy my tea at a party!
We are making real progress. And goodness knows we need to. Help https://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate/ me keep our revolution going and growing. For freedom, peace, and prosperity, for the real America, all our
generosity and hard work are justified.
Sincerely,
Ron
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Paul: Bush no authority to rule world
Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:36:58
Presidential hopeful Ron Paul says President Bush has started empire-building by invading Iraq and Afghanistan and beating the drums of war with Iran.
The decision to invade Iraq in 2003 without a declaration of war by Congress was the most egregious violation of the Constitution in the last 20 years, Paul told Lahontan Valley News (LVN) prior to a campaign speech in Fallon.
He also rejected that there is any military threat to the US and said "to try to propose that the Iraqis were trying to attack us was ridiculous. Now they are doing it with the Iranians and they have proven wrong again."
During his campaign speech the Republican presidential candidate affirmed that no country has the power to control the world.
"There's no constitutional authority to rule the world," he said.
Regarding the threats the US is facing the Texas congressman said that the Chinese could bring the US to their knees with or without any other nation by just rejecting our dollar.
Paul believes financial problems, Washington's invasion of the US citizens' privacy and taxation are the major threats to the US.
Presidential hopeful Ron Paul says President Bush has started empire-building by invading Iraq and Afghanistan and beating the drums of war with Iran.
The decision to invade Iraq in 2003 without a declaration of war by Congress was the most egregious violation of the Constitution in the last 20 years, Paul told Lahontan Valley News (LVN) prior to a campaign speech in Fallon.
He also rejected that there is any military threat to the US and said "to try to propose that the Iraqis were trying to attack us was ridiculous. Now they are doing it with the Iranians and they have proven wrong again."
During his campaign speech the Republican presidential candidate affirmed that no country has the power to control the world.
"There's no constitutional authority to rule the world," he said.
Regarding the threats the US is facing the Texas congressman said that the Chinese could bring the US to their knees with or without any other nation by just rejecting our dollar.
Paul believes financial problems, Washington's invasion of the US citizens' privacy and taxation are the major threats to the US.
Paul would remove America from War
Many years ago President Ronald Reagan said Ron Paul was one of the outstanding leaders of our country, fighting for a stronger national defense.
As a former Air Force officer, he knew well the needs of our armed forces, and he had always put them first. Today, as Paul serves his 10th term in the U.S. House, his feelings have not changed one bit. However, he is totally against our involvement in Iraq because it is a no-win situation costing us thousands of lives for a war that is basically unconstitutional, because it is being fought without a declaration of war voted upon by the Congress.
Currently, as a Republican candidate running for president of the United States, Paul acknowledges the American people have spoken against the war as well. When asked how we end it, Paul says, "Why not exactly the way we began it? We just marched in, and now we can just march out."
Republican candidate for president, Paul, always has believed our founding fathers had it right when they argued for peace and commerce between nations and against entangling political and military alliances. Log on to acaseforronpaul.com and discover how Paul is our only hope for America in the 2008 presidential election. Discover his consistent voting record, his ideas on limiting governmental interference in private lives, his belief decisions with regard to our nation should be based on the U.S. Constitution, and why he was voted the taxpayers' best friend.
These and many other issues pertinent to the future of our country are on line for you to view and perhaps be a part of Paul's Hope for America Campaign.
As a former Air Force officer, he knew well the needs of our armed forces, and he had always put them first. Today, as Paul serves his 10th term in the U.S. House, his feelings have not changed one bit. However, he is totally against our involvement in Iraq because it is a no-win situation costing us thousands of lives for a war that is basically unconstitutional, because it is being fought without a declaration of war voted upon by the Congress.
Currently, as a Republican candidate running for president of the United States, Paul acknowledges the American people have spoken against the war as well. When asked how we end it, Paul says, "Why not exactly the way we began it? We just marched in, and now we can just march out."
Republican candidate for president, Paul, always has believed our founding fathers had it right when they argued for peace and commerce between nations and against entangling political and military alliances. Log on to acaseforronpaul.com and discover how Paul is our only hope for America in the 2008 presidential election. Discover his consistent voting record, his ideas on limiting governmental interference in private lives, his belief decisions with regard to our nation should be based on the U.S. Constitution, and why he was voted the taxpayers' best friend.
These and many other issues pertinent to the future of our country are on line for you to view and perhaps be a part of Paul's Hope for America Campaign.
Tea Party Rally Planned for Ron Paul
I got my information from http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=52638
Saturday, December 15, 2007 - FreeMarketNews.com
Hundreds of Ron Paul supporters are expected to peacefully converge in downtown Boston on Sunday, December 16th at 1:00pm on the State House steps for what is anticipated to be the largest one day fundraiser for a presidential candidate – ever.
The event, dubbed The BostonTeaParty07, will coincide with the 234th anniversary of the famous Boston Tea Party of 1773 which is widely recognized as helping to spark the American Revolution.
The event in Boston on December 16th also corresponds to the second planned “Money Bomb” that Paul’s supporters have organized independent of his official campaign.
Supporters of the ten term congressman will begin the rally at 1:00pm on the State House steps and walk the Freedom Trail to Faneuil Hall where the doors will open at 2:30.
Inside Faneuil Hall banks of computers will be set up ready to securely process online donations made directly to Ron Paul’s official campaign site. Tea will be served while participants listen to lectures from prominent figures regarding the historical significance of the Boston Tea Party, the origins of The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as well as commentary on current events. Dr. Rand Paul, the candidate’s son, is also slated to speak.
Ron Paul stands apart from the other GOP presidential contenders by vigorously opposing the war in Iraq. Citing the Constitution as his guide, Paul opposes law enforcement or anti-terrorism measures that encroach on civil liberties. His views on small government extend to eliminating the IRS and The Federal Reserve. He favors limiting immigration and strengthening border security while promoting a foreign policy of “non-intervention”.
Ron Paul’s campaign made headlines on November 5th with its first “Money Bomb”, a one day fundraiser which netted over $4.3 million. The December 16th event seeks to surpass that number.
=====
BostonTeaParty07 was planned by members of Boston Ron Paul MeetUp #68 and paid for by Liberty League PAC
www.LibertyLeaguePAC.org
The event is not authorized by the Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign
Saturday, December 15, 2007 - FreeMarketNews.com
Hundreds of Ron Paul supporters are expected to peacefully converge in downtown Boston on Sunday, December 16th at 1:00pm on the State House steps for what is anticipated to be the largest one day fundraiser for a presidential candidate – ever.
The event, dubbed The BostonTeaParty07, will coincide with the 234th anniversary of the famous Boston Tea Party of 1773 which is widely recognized as helping to spark the American Revolution.
The event in Boston on December 16th also corresponds to the second planned “Money Bomb” that Paul’s supporters have organized independent of his official campaign.
Supporters of the ten term congressman will begin the rally at 1:00pm on the State House steps and walk the Freedom Trail to Faneuil Hall where the doors will open at 2:30.
Inside Faneuil Hall banks of computers will be set up ready to securely process online donations made directly to Ron Paul’s official campaign site. Tea will be served while participants listen to lectures from prominent figures regarding the historical significance of the Boston Tea Party, the origins of The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as well as commentary on current events. Dr. Rand Paul, the candidate’s son, is also slated to speak.
Ron Paul stands apart from the other GOP presidential contenders by vigorously opposing the war in Iraq. Citing the Constitution as his guide, Paul opposes law enforcement or anti-terrorism measures that encroach on civil liberties. His views on small government extend to eliminating the IRS and The Federal Reserve. He favors limiting immigration and strengthening border security while promoting a foreign policy of “non-intervention”.
Ron Paul’s campaign made headlines on November 5th with its first “Money Bomb”, a one day fundraiser which netted over $4.3 million. The December 16th event seeks to surpass that number.
=====
BostonTeaParty07 was planned by members of Boston Ron Paul MeetUp #68 and paid for by Liberty League PAC
www.LibertyLeaguePAC.org
The event is not authorized by the Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign
Republican Mike Huckabee seeks to broaden his appeal
I found this at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-huckabee15dec15,1,6011085.story
GOP leader in Iowa is trying to win over N.H. and nation
By Jill Zuckman | Tribune national correspondent
9:28 AM CST, December 15, 2007
BOSCAWEN, N.H. - In Iowa, where he's leading the Republican field, Mike Huckabee bills himself as a "Christian leader." But here in New England, where voters are more taciturn about their religious beliefs, Huckabee is a "committed conservative," according to his television ads.
With his 14th visit to New Hampshire this weekend, Huckabee, a Baptist preacher and former Arkansas governor, is trying to build on his inordinate success in Iowa and pick up momentum against a more competitive Republican field. To remain in contention for the GOP presidential nomination, Huckabee needs to show that he can broaden his appeal not just to New Hampshire but nationally as well.
He's also trying to expand his campaign, which is suddenly under pressure from all the attention, to a more national operation. Friday, Huckabee announced that veteran Republican strategist Ed Rollins would take over as national chairman of his campaign in an attempt to do just that.
New Hampshire poses a special challenge for Huckabee, who is polling in the single digits in the state, trailing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
"It's going to be very, very difficult for him to get over the hump in a state like New Hampshire that has essentially no socially conservative voters to speak of," said Andrew Smith, a University of New Hampshire political scientist and pollster.
Iowa's strong contingent of Christian conservatives seems drawn to Huckabee's background as a folksy preacher. But if Huckabee can sell himself in this first-in-the-nation primary state, it is likely to be through sheer force of personality as a wisecracking candidate who feels voters' pain and is willing to say so in often-colorful terms.
"Live free or die -- I get the picture here," Huckabee on Friday told employees on the plant floor at Elektrisola, a manufacturer of magnetic wire, echoing the New Hampshire motto.
To those workers he sounded a populist appeal -- decrying jobs sent overseas, lambasting the federal tax system that eats up their paychecks, and underscoring his roots coming from a family of modest means. "It's not OK if you guys are invisible to the people who get elected to office," Huckabee said.
What he did not talk about was his ardent opposition to abortion or his support for a constitutional amendment banning the procedure. Nor did he discuss his support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
While he talks openly about faith and politics elsewhere, saying his religion drives his decisions, Huckabee did not mention it in Boscawen or at the New Hampshire Veterans Home in nearby Tilton.
Huckabee said he's not trying to obscure his faith or his social conservatism as he campaigns in a state where Republicans tend to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal.
"I've never downplayed or up-played it. More people have asked me questions about it than perhaps any other person running," he said at a news conference packed with a newly attentive media contingent. "What I'm playing up is the fact that I've got more executive experience actually running a government as a governor. That's what's important. People shouldn't vote for me or against me because of my faith."
Rollins, who helped guide Ronald Reagan into the White House, said Huckabee will work for New Hampshire votes by relating to ordinary people's problems. "We're going to be full-bore here," Rollins said. "We're not writing off this state."
While he has little infrastructure in New Hampshire compared to other candidates, Huckabee can point to a small but solid roster of well-known supporters. He's also a natural at the type of retail politics essential for success in this state.
At the Cheshire County Republican Christmas party recently, "he worked the room as well as I'd seen any candidate work a room all year," said Fergus Cullen, the New Hampshire state party chairman.
"I just find him to be very honest," said Dan Philbrick, Huckabee's Strafford County co-chairman, who signed on when the former governor was barely registering in the polls. "He's not scripted, he doesn't have a big staff telling him what to say and not to say. I think he's going to surprise everyone here in New Hampshire."
Still, Huckabee has a lot to overcome. He's up against Romney, a well-known former governor from next-door Massachusetts; McCain, who is still popular after winning the state's 2000 Republican primary; and Giuliani, lionized for his performance in New York after the Sept. 11 attacks.
David Carney, a longtime Republican strategist, said Huckabee's socially conservative views won't disqualify him, but that he's hurt by having a limited operation in place.
"In this year, anything is possible, but ... I don't think people should expect him to win New Hampshire if he wins Iowa," Carney said
For his part, Huckabee said he understands that it's his turn under the spotlight as the media scrutinize him and opponents criticize him. Most recently, he apologized to Romney for asking if Mormons believe Jesus and the devil are brothers.
"Lately I've been accused of just about everything including the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby and being complicit in ... the JFK assassination," he told the factory workers. "Don't tell me what they'll do next."
----------
jzuckman@tribune.com
GOP leader in Iowa is trying to win over N.H. and nation
By Jill Zuckman | Tribune national correspondent
9:28 AM CST, December 15, 2007
BOSCAWEN, N.H. - In Iowa, where he's leading the Republican field, Mike Huckabee bills himself as a "Christian leader." But here in New England, where voters are more taciturn about their religious beliefs, Huckabee is a "committed conservative," according to his television ads.
With his 14th visit to New Hampshire this weekend, Huckabee, a Baptist preacher and former Arkansas governor, is trying to build on his inordinate success in Iowa and pick up momentum against a more competitive Republican field. To remain in contention for the GOP presidential nomination, Huckabee needs to show that he can broaden his appeal not just to New Hampshire but nationally as well.
He's also trying to expand his campaign, which is suddenly under pressure from all the attention, to a more national operation. Friday, Huckabee announced that veteran Republican strategist Ed Rollins would take over as national chairman of his campaign in an attempt to do just that.
New Hampshire poses a special challenge for Huckabee, who is polling in the single digits in the state, trailing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
"It's going to be very, very difficult for him to get over the hump in a state like New Hampshire that has essentially no socially conservative voters to speak of," said Andrew Smith, a University of New Hampshire political scientist and pollster.
Iowa's strong contingent of Christian conservatives seems drawn to Huckabee's background as a folksy preacher. But if Huckabee can sell himself in this first-in-the-nation primary state, it is likely to be through sheer force of personality as a wisecracking candidate who feels voters' pain and is willing to say so in often-colorful terms.
"Live free or die -- I get the picture here," Huckabee on Friday told employees on the plant floor at Elektrisola, a manufacturer of magnetic wire, echoing the New Hampshire motto.
To those workers he sounded a populist appeal -- decrying jobs sent overseas, lambasting the federal tax system that eats up their paychecks, and underscoring his roots coming from a family of modest means. "It's not OK if you guys are invisible to the people who get elected to office," Huckabee said.
What he did not talk about was his ardent opposition to abortion or his support for a constitutional amendment banning the procedure. Nor did he discuss his support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
While he talks openly about faith and politics elsewhere, saying his religion drives his decisions, Huckabee did not mention it in Boscawen or at the New Hampshire Veterans Home in nearby Tilton.
Huckabee said he's not trying to obscure his faith or his social conservatism as he campaigns in a state where Republicans tend to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal.
"I've never downplayed or up-played it. More people have asked me questions about it than perhaps any other person running," he said at a news conference packed with a newly attentive media contingent. "What I'm playing up is the fact that I've got more executive experience actually running a government as a governor. That's what's important. People shouldn't vote for me or against me because of my faith."
Rollins, who helped guide Ronald Reagan into the White House, said Huckabee will work for New Hampshire votes by relating to ordinary people's problems. "We're going to be full-bore here," Rollins said. "We're not writing off this state."
While he has little infrastructure in New Hampshire compared to other candidates, Huckabee can point to a small but solid roster of well-known supporters. He's also a natural at the type of retail politics essential for success in this state.
At the Cheshire County Republican Christmas party recently, "he worked the room as well as I'd seen any candidate work a room all year," said Fergus Cullen, the New Hampshire state party chairman.
"I just find him to be very honest," said Dan Philbrick, Huckabee's Strafford County co-chairman, who signed on when the former governor was barely registering in the polls. "He's not scripted, he doesn't have a big staff telling him what to say and not to say. I think he's going to surprise everyone here in New Hampshire."
Still, Huckabee has a lot to overcome. He's up against Romney, a well-known former governor from next-door Massachusetts; McCain, who is still popular after winning the state's 2000 Republican primary; and Giuliani, lionized for his performance in New York after the Sept. 11 attacks.
David Carney, a longtime Republican strategist, said Huckabee's socially conservative views won't disqualify him, but that he's hurt by having a limited operation in place.
"In this year, anything is possible, but ... I don't think people should expect him to win New Hampshire if he wins Iowa," Carney said
For his part, Huckabee said he understands that it's his turn under the spotlight as the media scrutinize him and opponents criticize him. Most recently, he apologized to Romney for asking if Mormons believe Jesus and the devil are brothers.
"Lately I've been accused of just about everything including the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby and being complicit in ... the JFK assassination," he told the factory workers. "Don't tell me what they'll do next."
----------
jzuckman@tribune.com
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Paul group reserves booth at gun show
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul’s Quad-City 2008 Meetup group is sponsoring an informational booth Saturday and Sunday at the Big Bore Gun Show inside the Army Air National Guard Armory at the Davenport Mount Joy Airport.
People interested in learning more about Paul or more about the Quad-City Meetup activities can visit the booth from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday or 9 a.m to 3 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about the Meetup group, go to ronpaul.meetup.com/117 or call (563) 570-5395.
I found thi Info. at http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/12/12/news/local/doc4758e53b8497c796041827.txt
People interested in learning more about Paul or more about the Quad-City Meetup activities can visit the booth from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday or 9 a.m to 3 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about the Meetup group, go to ronpaul.meetup.com/117 or call (563) 570-5395.
I found thi Info. at http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/12/12/news/local/doc4758e53b8497c796041827.txt
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Ron Paul revolution: It has just begun to fight
I found this at http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/chi-paul11dec10,0,6882753.story?coll=chi_mezz
By Jason George | Tribune staff reporter
December 11, 2007
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Cheese pizza powers the Ron Paul revolution.
So do Doritos, Cheerios and beer. Junk food in general dominates the menu at this rented house, full of young people who’ve moved in from Seattle, South Florida and points in between to push for the Texas Republican’s long-shot presidential bid in the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary.
At first glance, the abundance of T-shirted youths with laptops gives this outpost the air of a fraternity or an Internet startup. Instead it represents a new type of political fundraising and may be a sneak peek at campaigns to come.
WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ... RONALD ERNEST PAUL
BORN: Aug. 20, 1935; Pittsburgh
EDUCATION: Gettysburg College, graduated in 1957 (BA, major in biology); Duke University School of Medicine, graduated in 1961 with a medical degree.
POLITICAL CAREER: U.S. House of Representatives, 1976; 1978-84; 1997-present. Defeated in GOP primary for U.S. Senate in 1984. Ran as Libertarian Party presidential candidate in 1988.
OTHER JOBS: OB-GYN
FAMILY: Wife, Carol Wells (married Feb. 1, 1957); five children: Ronald, Lori, Randal, Robert and Joy
RELIGION: Baptist
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: None
POLITICAL HERO: Sen. Robert A. Taft
FAVORITE FOODS: Tilapia, chocolate chip cookies
FAVORITE MODE OF EXERCISE: Tries to walk at least 3 miles in the morning and bicycle at least 10 miles in the afternoon.
FAVORITE BOOKS: "Human Action: A Treatise on Economics" by Ludwig von Mises and "The Road to Serfdom" by Friedrich A. Hayek
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Financial news
FAVORITE MOVIE: "Dr. Zhivago"
FAVORITE HYMN: "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
TELL US A JOKE: He doesn't joke.
Presidential contributions
Who gave what to whom.
Consider Trevor Lyman: Two months ago he lived in Miami Beach and ran a small online company that helped bands promote their music. Then he stumbled onto Paul’s campaign via a MySpace page—not from a newspaper article, television report or presidential debate. He liked what he saw, particularly Paul’s “out of Iraq now” stance.
Lyman knew he wanted to help. But instead of just giving money to the campaign, something he’d never done in his life, he created a Web site directing people to Paul’s campaign coffers on Nov. 5, a date other supporters had declared a day to “money bomb,” or send frequent and fast donations. They ambitiously aimed for $10 million.
Nov. 5 arrived and organizers fell well short of their goal, but they still made history by raising $4.2 million for Paul, a 10-term congressman. It was the largest 24-hour total for any Republican candidate this year.
The feat was even more impressive given that the Paul campaign had no direct involvement in the effort and that 95 percent of the donations were made through the Web, the largest online funding day ever.
“It was an amazing day,” said Lyman, who was immediately heralded as an online campaigning wizard—not a bad achievement for a 37-year-old who’s never voted.
“Sure, I had my part,” he added, sipping Corona out of a coffee mug. “But I didn’t do it. It’s the energy out there.”
That energy also streams through Lyman’s roommate Vijay Boyapati, a 29-year-old engineer who quit his job at Google to become a full-time volunteer for Paul, who polls nationally in the single digits.
“I think a lot of people think I’m a bit crazy,” Boyapati said, laughing. “But it’s very important to me.”
Boyapati rented the house that he, Lyman and up to five others will inhabit for the next month. He spends his days online, organizing a drive to get 1,000 out-of-state Paul supporters to New Hampshire for the primary (405 have signed up so far). He’s also raised $55,000, from roughly 3,000 donors, to provide housing for those volunteers.
When filled, each of these houses — soon to number 20 across the state—will have different people and missions. But all will share certain tools of success: new technology, little hierarchy, microdonations and a democratic delegation of work. You could call it wiki-paigning.
The fact that it’s coming from political neophytes and not seasoned Beltway bundlers makes sense, said professor Bruce Cain, director of the University of California, Berkeley’s UC Washington Center.
“Innovation often comes from outsiders. It’s the people who have to throw the long bomb,” Cain said. “If you’re a front-runner and try different things, it can backfire.”
The men in the house speak often of personal freedom, the Constitution and the idea of limited government—central Libertarian positions espoused by Paul, who ran for president as the Libertarian candidate in 1988. It’s a position that traditionally has attracted passionate adherents, but never in great numbers.
Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy at Fordham University, said the Paul phenomenon is the technological descendant of Howard Dean’s blogger base in 2004. That “revolution” also created excitement, but Dean quickly faded once the voting started.
Paul insists his fate will be different than Dean’s, and not just because online campaigning is more important today––YouTube, Facebook and MySpace are all sponsoring debates—but because he’s tapped into a deep public sentiment. How else could he raise so much money, he asks?
“The disgust with government and the spread of our message, plus the willingness of these individuals on the Internet to organize, is going to make a difference,” he said in interview.
The Internet fundraising crusade has given Paul a far bigger role than he would otherwise have. Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said the campaign is budgeting advertising buys through the Feb. 5 primaries, no matter what happens in earlier states.
At the Manchester house, Lyman is working on “Tea Party ’07,” a fundraising push scheduled for Sunday, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, which organizers hope can raise $10 million in 24 hours. Their goal is for 100,000 donors to each give $100.
Lyman is also working on the Ron Paul blimp, scheduled to fly along the Eastern Seaboard until the New Hampshire primary. The blimp will invite observers to “Google Ron Paul.”
Such original thinking came from hundreds of people, from attorneys to graphic designers to blimp pilots.
They all came together — where else?—online.
By Jason George | Tribune staff reporter
December 11, 2007
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Cheese pizza powers the Ron Paul revolution.
So do Doritos, Cheerios and beer. Junk food in general dominates the menu at this rented house, full of young people who’ve moved in from Seattle, South Florida and points in between to push for the Texas Republican’s long-shot presidential bid in the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary.
At first glance, the abundance of T-shirted youths with laptops gives this outpost the air of a fraternity or an Internet startup. Instead it represents a new type of political fundraising and may be a sneak peek at campaigns to come.
WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ... RONALD ERNEST PAUL
BORN: Aug. 20, 1935; Pittsburgh
EDUCATION: Gettysburg College, graduated in 1957 (BA, major in biology); Duke University School of Medicine, graduated in 1961 with a medical degree.
POLITICAL CAREER: U.S. House of Representatives, 1976; 1978-84; 1997-present. Defeated in GOP primary for U.S. Senate in 1984. Ran as Libertarian Party presidential candidate in 1988.
OTHER JOBS: OB-GYN
FAMILY: Wife, Carol Wells (married Feb. 1, 1957); five children: Ronald, Lori, Randal, Robert and Joy
RELIGION: Baptist
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: None
POLITICAL HERO: Sen. Robert A. Taft
FAVORITE FOODS: Tilapia, chocolate chip cookies
FAVORITE MODE OF EXERCISE: Tries to walk at least 3 miles in the morning and bicycle at least 10 miles in the afternoon.
FAVORITE BOOKS: "Human Action: A Treatise on Economics" by Ludwig von Mises and "The Road to Serfdom" by Friedrich A. Hayek
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Financial news
FAVORITE MOVIE: "Dr. Zhivago"
FAVORITE HYMN: "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
TELL US A JOKE: He doesn't joke.
Presidential contributions
Who gave what to whom.
Consider Trevor Lyman: Two months ago he lived in Miami Beach and ran a small online company that helped bands promote their music. Then he stumbled onto Paul’s campaign via a MySpace page—not from a newspaper article, television report or presidential debate. He liked what he saw, particularly Paul’s “out of Iraq now” stance.
Lyman knew he wanted to help. But instead of just giving money to the campaign, something he’d never done in his life, he created a Web site directing people to Paul’s campaign coffers on Nov. 5, a date other supporters had declared a day to “money bomb,” or send frequent and fast donations. They ambitiously aimed for $10 million.
Nov. 5 arrived and organizers fell well short of their goal, but they still made history by raising $4.2 million for Paul, a 10-term congressman. It was the largest 24-hour total for any Republican candidate this year.
The feat was even more impressive given that the Paul campaign had no direct involvement in the effort and that 95 percent of the donations were made through the Web, the largest online funding day ever.
“It was an amazing day,” said Lyman, who was immediately heralded as an online campaigning wizard—not a bad achievement for a 37-year-old who’s never voted.
“Sure, I had my part,” he added, sipping Corona out of a coffee mug. “But I didn’t do it. It’s the energy out there.”
That energy also streams through Lyman’s roommate Vijay Boyapati, a 29-year-old engineer who quit his job at Google to become a full-time volunteer for Paul, who polls nationally in the single digits.
“I think a lot of people think I’m a bit crazy,” Boyapati said, laughing. “But it’s very important to me.”
Boyapati rented the house that he, Lyman and up to five others will inhabit for the next month. He spends his days online, organizing a drive to get 1,000 out-of-state Paul supporters to New Hampshire for the primary (405 have signed up so far). He’s also raised $55,000, from roughly 3,000 donors, to provide housing for those volunteers.
When filled, each of these houses — soon to number 20 across the state—will have different people and missions. But all will share certain tools of success: new technology, little hierarchy, microdonations and a democratic delegation of work. You could call it wiki-paigning.
The fact that it’s coming from political neophytes and not seasoned Beltway bundlers makes sense, said professor Bruce Cain, director of the University of California, Berkeley’s UC Washington Center.
“Innovation often comes from outsiders. It’s the people who have to throw the long bomb,” Cain said. “If you’re a front-runner and try different things, it can backfire.”
The men in the house speak often of personal freedom, the Constitution and the idea of limited government—central Libertarian positions espoused by Paul, who ran for president as the Libertarian candidate in 1988. It’s a position that traditionally has attracted passionate adherents, but never in great numbers.
Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy at Fordham University, said the Paul phenomenon is the technological descendant of Howard Dean’s blogger base in 2004. That “revolution” also created excitement, but Dean quickly faded once the voting started.
Paul insists his fate will be different than Dean’s, and not just because online campaigning is more important today––YouTube, Facebook and MySpace are all sponsoring debates—but because he’s tapped into a deep public sentiment. How else could he raise so much money, he asks?
“The disgust with government and the spread of our message, plus the willingness of these individuals on the Internet to organize, is going to make a difference,” he said in interview.
The Internet fundraising crusade has given Paul a far bigger role than he would otherwise have. Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said the campaign is budgeting advertising buys through the Feb. 5 primaries, no matter what happens in earlier states.
At the Manchester house, Lyman is working on “Tea Party ’07,” a fundraising push scheduled for Sunday, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, which organizers hope can raise $10 million in 24 hours. Their goal is for 100,000 donors to each give $100.
Lyman is also working on the Ron Paul blimp, scheduled to fly along the Eastern Seaboard until the New Hampshire primary. The blimp will invite observers to “Google Ron Paul.”
Such original thinking came from hundreds of people, from attorneys to graphic designers to blimp pilots.
They all came together — where else?—online.
Bush: Iran Must Explain Hidden Nuclear Weapons Program
By Scott Stearns
White House
11 December 2007
President Bush says Iran must explain why it hid a past nuclear weapons program from United Nations inspectors. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Iran says it is enriching uranium only for a peaceful civilian program to generate electricity.
President Bush speaks about Iran during a meeting with Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano, not pictured, 11 Dec 2007
President Bush speaks about Iran during a meeting with Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano, not pictured, 11 Dec 2007
President Bush is trying to keep international pressure on Iran after last week's National Intelligence Estimate found that Tehran stopped its nuclear weapons program four years ago.
Mr. Bush says the U.S. intelligence report proves that Iran was lying to the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency.
"Iran must explain to the world why they had a program. Iran has an obligation to explain to the IAEA why they hid this program from them," he said. "Iran is dangerous, and they will be even more dangerous if they learn how to enrich uranium."
The president spoke following a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano during which the two men discussed the nuclear standoff.
Iran's Fars news agency says Tehran has begun a new round of talks with U.N. experts who are seeking information on past nuclear activities.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the latest U.S. intelligence report is a step forward. He told reporters if further such steps are taken, the way will be open for resolving regional and bilateral issues
White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino called this "fanciful thinking."
"It's a very opaque society in Iran," she said. "The president asked for more information from our intelligence community. He got more information. And it confirmed what he thought to be true, which is that Iran was a threat, is a threat, and will certainly continue to be a threat if we don't stop them from obtaining that capability to have a nuclear weapon."
The Bush administration is pushing for another round of U.N. sanctions against Iran. Officials from the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany are to discuss the draft of a new sanctions resolution Tuesday.
President Ahmadinejad says there is no legal basis for new sanctions against Iran.
White House
11 December 2007
President Bush says Iran must explain why it hid a past nuclear weapons program from United Nations inspectors. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Iran says it is enriching uranium only for a peaceful civilian program to generate electricity.
President Bush speaks about Iran during a meeting with Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano, not pictured, 11 Dec 2007
President Bush speaks about Iran during a meeting with Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano, not pictured, 11 Dec 2007
President Bush is trying to keep international pressure on Iran after last week's National Intelligence Estimate found that Tehran stopped its nuclear weapons program four years ago.
Mr. Bush says the U.S. intelligence report proves that Iran was lying to the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency.
"Iran must explain to the world why they had a program. Iran has an obligation to explain to the IAEA why they hid this program from them," he said. "Iran is dangerous, and they will be even more dangerous if they learn how to enrich uranium."
The president spoke following a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano during which the two men discussed the nuclear standoff.
Iran's Fars news agency says Tehran has begun a new round of talks with U.N. experts who are seeking information on past nuclear activities.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the latest U.S. intelligence report is a step forward. He told reporters if further such steps are taken, the way will be open for resolving regional and bilateral issues
White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino called this "fanciful thinking."
"It's a very opaque society in Iran," she said. "The president asked for more information from our intelligence community. He got more information. And it confirmed what he thought to be true, which is that Iran was a threat, is a threat, and will certainly continue to be a threat if we don't stop them from obtaining that capability to have a nuclear weapon."
The Bush administration is pushing for another round of U.N. sanctions against Iran. Officials from the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany are to discuss the draft of a new sanctions resolution Tuesday.
President Ahmadinejad says there is no legal basis for new sanctions against Iran.
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