Topic: Presidential Campaign 2008
The Ron Paul Money Bomb Haul, The Media, And The Big Ironic Fatty Now That The Money Is In The Bank, Why Give It To An Antagonistic Media?by Scott from Oregon
(libertarian)
Monday, December 17, 2007
The "Big Ironic Fatty" is a term used to describe the very unfair fact that the people who have given Ron Paul the prickly shoulder while he worked tirelessly to build up his campaign, are the very same people who will benefit from his latest windfall. These are the media folks who scoffed and laughed and did what they could to dissipate any notion of a Ron Paul Presidency.
They mock you and ignore you, and then they take your money.
Big Ironic Fatty.
With six million dollars added to the Ron Paul coffers, it must indeed be tempting to make commercials and get them aired on TV. This is what a traditional candidate does. They buy air time and attempt to create recognition and the illusion that they are the perfect fit for voters. This is how Romney got the early numbers. This is Hillary’s machine all oiled and greased and rumbling along. But is Ron Paul’s campaign traditional?
Ummm… I don’t think so. Ron Paul’s candidacy has been created for him, up to this point, in very untraditional ways. Some of his appeal is his underdog status, and a feeling that we common folk CAN actually rally, be innovative, and make change happen.
Why reverse those tactics and hand the cash over to those who were openly antagonistic to you since the beginning? Why succumb to the urge to play the old game, the old way? It feels like you are buying your way into an old club, does it not? It’s the makings of a fairy tale where the poor unheralded candidate is misled to think that succeeding is in the joining of the successful.
I say stay away from that mentality.
I urge those who are planning the next set of moves to consider how you got here. I urge those in the meet-up groups and on the idea forums to indulge in your imaginations and create new and extraordinary ways to promote the message of smaller government and peace. I urge the spenders of Ron Paul’s new abundance of cash to consider the people and ideas that got you here. Ask your supporters where the cash needs to go. Not the media moguls.
For example, which do you think will draw more curiosity to the average voter, a BLIMP above your head or a thirty second TV spot sandwiched between reruns of "Gomer Pyle" and "I Love Lucy"? I say more blimps, (hot air balloons too?) less TV.
This old carpenter, who believes in fair play and righting wrongs and possesses the moral ideology of a small town band of brothers (a little more taking it to the streets than the courts) is throwing out this fisticuff of thought to the Ron Paul campaign-- why go with THOSE GUYS? Why sell out? Why not make a point of pointing out the snubbing and the unfair treatment (ala free market rhetoric and rationale) and find alternative ways to spend that campaign cash? The snubbing of the elite and the traditional will solicit free publicity (which is the best kind, anyway) and the innovation will demonstrate that Ron Paul is no ordinary candidate. He is a man on the outside of the box.
The money is now in the coffers in a big way. The imaginations of Americans are ready for primetime. Let the ideas flow!
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The views expressed in this
article are those of Scott from Oregon only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Scott from Oregon is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
"I urge those in the meet-up groups and on the idea forums to indulge in your imaginations"
Seconded!
Provoke debate with an outrage(ous) metaphor. Raise a 100' tall American sacred cow (take your pick) roll it down Wall Street and slaughter it before an astonished nation.
Shock! Provoke! Don't pussy out to the corporate media.
I agree, in a way. The only issue with your suggestion is that there are still a lot of zombies trapped in their gaze. Spending a minimal amount of money on media is a good thing. The message needs to get to as many people as possible. There are voters out there who still pick their candidates based on the "old" ways, and the only way to reach them is to use those tactics. It's not selling out, it's a necessary evil.
Agreed, but then again, I am not really one to be taking campaign advise from; it is certainly not my area of expertise.
We need to do something, however, to make the media accountable for their phony excuse for journalism. I was so angry I could eat a rock this morning as I drove to work listening to the (supposedly) all-news KCBS report about the bought and paid for McCain's measly 3 or 4 endorsements he picked up over the weekend where not a peep was mentioned about the 58,000 individuals who endorsed Ron Paul on Sunday. From this day forward, I will only listen to this sorry excuse for a news radio station long enough to learn who their advertisers are so I can boycott them.
Every Ron Paul supporter who is travelling by airplane for the holidays should put a Ron Paul bumpersticker on each of their checked bags.
Everyone else will see a bunch of Ron Paul bumperstickers slide past while waiting to get their bags back at the end of their flight.
Inexpensive advertising to a large semi-captive audience and it's simple to do. Plus it's FUN.
Spread the word. The more people who check into Ron Paul's campaign, the more supporters we will gain.
Just my thoughts on the matter.
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