Convincing Baby Boomers and UP
I have personally had a really hard time with this demographic.
I will use my own parents as an example because they seem to represent the consensus that I have found.
My parents are retired. Dad collects a comfortable pension. They think that RP is TOO radical. I feel that they feel this way because they are retired and want to NOT sweat the world. They want to be comfortable and enjoy life. RP represents change. Unsettling for them. My Father also was in the Navy for 30 years and doesn't want to believe he was being lied to and that everyone is not to be trusted, as he puts it. They want to believe the status quo and believe that everything will work out in the end. My parents lean between Edwards and Huckabee. Huckabee because he seems so earnest and Edwards because he's for the middle class. I told them that Edwards is a lawyer. He learned the "middle class" speech in law school. You see that all the time in TV ads. Lawyers telling you that they'll bust their butt for the "little guy". Bogus! Huckabee earnest as a snake.. My parents MAIN interest is immigration reform. Which we know is not REALLY in either of those candidates agenda. I've sent them everything I know to email them. To shake them up, but they remain steadfast towards destruction.
I get so frustrated with them because they don't see the forest for the trees. I really thought that they were intelligent people. But they're as shallow as everyone else. Appearances are so important to them. RP, as they describe him, is an angry little man with a whiny voice that wouldn't be taken seriously by the big wigs around the world, less alone Congress. Help!!
A side note** My Dad being in the Navy 30 years is very black & white thinking (affirmative or negative...he actually uses those terms) and consequently so is my Mom. I don't think RP sounds assured of himself enough to be president to them. They wants to hear the facts DIRECT.
The time and energy I have wasted on my parents is insane!
I feel your pain. My dad watches Fox news every night. My dad was a fiery political activist in his day. He is 77 now and in a very comfortable time in his life. They want for nothing. I can not seem to get him off of McCain. His main argument is that McCain is a war hero. Seriously. That and "If they had listened to McCain 3 years ago and sent more troops, this war would be over."
He went so far as to laugh at me, after ignoring me, at Christmas by chuckling "This is the first Presidential Election that you are really into huh? It's fun isn't it?" Actually dad, it is not fun. It is not fun at all. It is a hell of a lot of work.
Mind you, my Dad is a retired college professor and a real true academic scholar. He is not an idiot. I have voted his way for YEARS! because I respect his opinion so much. Not this time.
The really disheartening thing about all of it that my dad believes in just about everything Ron Paul believes in, or he did at some point not too long ago.
So, I feel for you man. I am going through the same thing. I am not done with him yet, but I need to have a real throw down with his Irish ass and give him a little bit of my "straight talk"
ITS THE ECONOMY ! Paul is an economist - thats how we win
RP has to make the economy and spending the main campaign theme
The grassroots need to do the same. Lets all align behind this message.
Please support this message here. http://www.dailypaul.com/node/24147
Interesting to hear..
that a lot of Gen Xs like myself (age 41) are having difficulties with this generation (parents 60 and 59). My parents put everything into possessions. They worked hard (at the sake of the children) but they have something to show for it. Now they live in there 6000 sq ft house driving a new Lexus, bragging about their 60 inch TV for their bedroom and wonder why I'm bitching about the government. All the while, I'm realizing what I have inherited. They want to vote for who looks and speaks the MOST presidential and wonder why I'm pounding on the door re: RP ! HELLLOOOOOOOO!! WE know YOU'RE comfy but we're screwed ! Now go back and watch Bill OReilly and be a good war lovin' American.
You just described my parents
well, only Mom @66 still alive. They seem to feel they owe us nothing and it's up to us to fix what we feel is wrong. Meanwhile, national healthcare is something we need to do and, of course we can afford it since we are such a rich nation. I could get further banging my head against the wall!
Boomers
This relates to my thread Talking Points Makeover
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/23872
AARP says it's concerns for the future include:
Spending Health Dollars Wisely
Improving the Quality of Health and Long-Term Care
Promoting Better Preventive Care
Creating a National System for Home- and Community-Based Care
Investing in Livable Communities
Keeping Social Security Solvent
Helping Americans Build More Retirement Assets
Helping Americans to Work Longer
Restoring the Federal Revenue Base
All US concerns/priorities are:
1 Terrorism / Iraq
2 Economy
3 Health Care
We need to address all of these issues while nailing the boomers/AARP's
(They vote more)
action plan
1. What are RP's positions on these 3 issues?
2. Why should I support them?
3. What will this mean to me and my family?
"None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." - Goethe
"None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." - Goethe
Someone already posted one video
but David Walker, our head accountant, has no political ax to grind ad therefore does a good job with the over 50 set informing them that the promises made won't be kept and it's time for a radical shakeup. Google vid has two short clips and a long (almost an hr) one of him speaking to this. They then wonder why, as a country, we are embracing programs like National Healthcare, on both sides of isle we obviously can't afford.
Socialism is alive and well in the USA
Although most people would take offense at being labeled as socialist, most people are, even people who consider themselves far to the right of the political spectrum.
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drug coverage, etc. etc., etc, are almost sacred features of government to a distressingly large portion of the population.
Even though Ron Paul is the ONLY candidate running for office who has a plan to save these programs for those who are dependent, and phase them out in the long term, most older people only seem to hear the part about wanting to end these programs, and the income tax that allegedly pays for them.
I get a little sick when I hear the term "greatest generation", even though they fought bravely in WWII, they voted for and supported the vast expansion of the welfare state and the destruction of our currency, (don't forget that silver dollars were in circulation until the early 1960's), and they supported aggressive pre-emptive wars.
The greatest generation so far has been those who instigated and fought in the American Revolution of 1776.
I'm a 50 y/o Boomer. US Army DAV.
The main reason I am so active in this campaign is for my 20 something kids and my 2 y/o grandkid.
We all got behind Ross Perot and he disheartened many of us. Then the Bush/Clinton era started.
There are many Boomers in my meetup group and they are just as active as our younger folks. I just changed the mind of my 73 y/o Dad to RP. He's a Korean War Vet, ex-McCain supporter.
It's all about getting RP's TRUE message and background out to others. That's why he is being marginalized and ignored. The powers that rule us do not want the true RP to be seen or heard! THey know if his TRUE MESSAGE was realized by the masses, there would be no contest, RP would take this country by storm!
Stay diligent, keep campaigning, keep talking, keep stuffing those slim jims and wallet cards everywhere you can. We are fighting for the ignorant and they don't even know it!
Being ignorant of ones ignorance is the malady of the ignorant.
Inform them that the
Inform them that the retirement of their age demographic and them collecting social security ALONE is going to bankrupt america over the course of the next 20 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-16u9x3tfE
This is coming from the Comptroller General, the head accountant of the United States of America, David Walker. He is agreeing with Ron Paul. What are the other candidates speaking about? Absolutely NOTHING! More warfare/welfare state. It is time the generation that wrought this disaster upon us with their ignorant voting patterns and lack of proper retirement investment own up and make a f**cking difference for the generations that are coming after them, like me and my kids.
Why blame boomers
"the retirement of their age demographic and them collecting social security ALONE is going to bankrupt america "
That socialist program started in the 30's before any baby boomers were even born. FDR was the one that started the big government era that we have been in. LBJ expanded on it with his great society before the baby boomers could vote.
Social Security is a ponzi pyramid scheme that was doomed to fail from the beginning. To blame the boomers is laughagble, in light of the fact that 15% of their wages have been funding SS for decades.
Social Security is a bad plan devised by politicans. Let's not blame non politcians for its failings.
That is indeed the tactic to use and which has been used, or
a derivative of it, successfully by Democrats in elections that date back generations. Their message (particularly useful in Florida) has always been (it will be this year too) that Republicans are going to take away your social security and medicare. (They are also going to starve children, but that's only a sideline for republicans.) The economics message RP should be delivering is that the monetary policy (endorsed by the Democrats as well as the conventional Republicans) is going to take away your social security, your medicare and any savings or dollar-denominated investments that you may have been able to put aside in order to support yourself during the autumn of your lives. He has already made a hint of this, during one of the 30 second sound bite periods that he's been given to address the issue. (Social Security reform in 30 seconds or less)
BTW, I do understand the inclination to blame a previous generation. I'm a baby boomer and I asked the same questions of my parents as well.
He's got to polish his
He's got to polish his speaking skills... he's good when he heats up, but he needs work on his steady state delivery...
You can buy into the blame-the-baby boomers if
you choose, and certainly there is no small amount of guilt there (I'm one of them), but the social and economic destruction, which younger generations will face, began and prospered in the time of my grandparents who were adults and raising families during the time of the so-called Great Depression. That's not to say that the blame should be shifted onto them. Be careful in trying to single out one collective group over another for blame. That method is, to a large degree, the same method that has allowed this failed socio-economic system to grow.
Show them this:
Show them this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjZBOCAgR64
It's Dave Walker, head of the U.S. Controller's office talking about the destruction of our economy.
It will make anybody's hair stand on end, and since Paul is the ONLY candidate addressing this issue, it should have an impact.
www.paulforronpaul.com
The Baby Boomers need to understand, that
it is mostly their voting that has put us in the position. Bill Clinton, George Bush's, these are all choices of the Baby Boomer Generation. This same generation that rebelled against it's elders needs to pass the torch. When I speak to my parents, and grandparents, I simply ask for them to do this for me, to do this for our children. We are the ones who have to live with these decisions for the next 60 or 70 years.
According to AARP
The percentage of voters in the 2004 election were:
55+ 35.3%
45-54 21.3%
35-44 19.5%
25-34 14.5%
18-24 9.3%
So, most of the voters are in the baby boomer range with some in the WWII and Korean vet range. If you want to influence them, you guys better get busy.
Healthnuttie for Ron Paul
Healthnut4freedom
The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment...Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight. Prov 12:19,22
Senior Citizens Letter.
Please sign up to send letters to senior citizens. You can also send the following letter to your relatives (send them anonymously if necessary).
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HERE IS AN EXAMPLE
Dear ____, Greetings from Boston! My name is Kay and I am a homemaker and mother of four and I am worried about the future of this country. I am writing to ask you to consider voting for Dr. Ron Paul. Dr. Ron Paul is my hero because he is a true, old-fashioned conservative Republican like my dad, in the tradition of Goldwater and Reagan.
Ron Paul believes in limited government, a sensible foreign policy, and a strong national defense to protect our borders here at home. Ron Paul is a man of integrity. He always keeps his word.
A 10-term Texas Congressman, Ron Paul never once voted for a tax increase or for an unbalanced budget. Ron Paul is honest and genuine.
Dr. Paul has been married to his wife Carol for 50 years and they have 5 children and 18 grand-children. Dr. Paul is an Air Force veteran who served for five years in Korea and Vietnam. As a medical doctor, he has delivered 4000 babies. Ron Paul is a good man.
Ron Paul is the only man I trust to uphold and defend the US Constitution. He is the kind of dignified gentleman I trust to respectfully represent our economic interests when talking to other heads of state because he believes in a policy of friendship and free trade with all nations.
Ron Paul has promised to save Social Security by cutting billions of dollars in overseas spending. He has a clear plan to restore value to our dollar. As a doctor, he understands the problems in our health care system and believes you should have the freedom to choose quality care.
Please consider voting for Ron Paul in the primary on ___________, 2008.
If you'd like to learn more, call 1-877-RONPAUL or visit ronpaul2008.com
Yours Sincerely in the Cause of Liberty,
________________________
From cnn exit poll
The cnn NH exit polls this week showed this
65+ 15%
50-64 34%
40-49 23%
30-39 15%
18-24 9%
Not much change really (different age ranges, but it shows the same pattern.
Being a Baby Boomer Myself
Hello. I have two sons that are very active (one more so) in world events. They are very vocal about wanting change and seeing the problems that are going on. One is 30 and the other is 25. One of the reasons that they are the way they are is because I raised them. So, don't put your folks down too much. They raised you so they must have done something right.
I don't know how old you are and your parents are but one of the hardest things for parents it to see their children as adults. We have been telling you what to do for so long that when you finally get smart enough to teach us something, it is a hard thing to do. At first we think, how can this young whipper snapper that I raised teach me? But, if we are mature enough and smart enough, the light goes on. Wow! Of course they are smart enough to teach me something. I raised them. You have to appeal to your parents' ego. "Mom, Dad, you raised me to think and to not just take something at face value. You raised me to do my homework on issues and to be passionate about my country. I have done my homework and I truly believe Ron Paul is the man, etc, etc."
Now, I just read in AARP magazine yesterday several articles that talked about the exact same things that Ron Paul talks about. They didn't have his name on them but they were addressing the same concerns he brings up. You need to find out what Ron Paul says about seniors on his ronpaullibrary.org site. Find out everything he has said and done about Social Security compared to the other losers. Exactly what are your parents' concerns? Just like anyone we canvas, we need to find out what is important to them. Then, we give them the facts about that issue, not our issues.
Also, I have met him and he is the sweetest, most thoughtful and most brilliant man out there. He makes people feel at ease and he knows what he is talking about. He is incredibly brilliant. Give your dad his book on "Foreign Policy and Freedom." It is a great history lesson and will tell him why this man knows foreign policy. The library is full of his articles and statements on these issues.
You also have to emphasize that he is not going to turn the world upside down, he can't. In his capacity as president he can only implement small changes that work toward his goal of getting us out from under.
By the way, my sons are very passionate and talk a lot but I have yet to get them involved in really making things happen. I am the one involved in a meet up and a precinct captain and making plans to be a delegate. They aren't doing these things. So, you be sure and walk your talk all of you young whipper snappers, ;0)
Healthnuttie for Ron Paul
Healthnut4freedom
The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment...Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight. Prov 12:19,22
Kudos for you.
For doing the right thing, family wise. I mean that sincerely. My sister and I were "Latch Key Kids." My mom was too busy "finding herself" (was she lost? best not answer that) and declaring bankruptcy after buying hot red firebirds she couldn't afford. That's how we learned about monetary policy. And why I like a politician that talks about Gold Standards and National Debt, such as Dr. Paul. That might not represent the whole of America, but that was my story. But now I'm straying off topic. (BTW - No luck with my own parents with the liberty message.)
Life, Liberty, Property
Unfortunately,
There are a lot of people in my generation that had this problem of "finding myself." Too much of the psychology of the day promoted selfishness but I didn't buy it. Perhaps it was because my parents didn't buy it, either.
I see a lot of young people, though, with the same problem. They are terrible with money and have gotten themselves into terrible debt. This has to change.
Healthnuttie for Ron Paul
Healthnut4freedom
The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment...Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight. Prov 12:19,22
Irresponsible parents create responsible kids
Latch key kids know that there isn't anyone out there who will get you a band aid when you scratch your knee. They end up cooking dinner for mom. That's the kind of kids support Ron Paul. Do it your self types.
Bang the Inflation Drum
And keep hitting it. Boomers & older lived through the sixties and seventies. Keep reminding them that what happened to our money then is happening to our money still. If they are approaching retirement and don't want to see their nest eggs disappear in a puff of vapor, ask them what's going to protect the value of their pension if it's still denominated in Federal Reserve Account Units of Debt. Ask them if they think a dollar backed by gold and silver is more or less trustworthy than a dollar backed by political integrity.
Viva Agora!
Professor Bernardo de la Paz
www.citizenduquesne.org
LXXI BC: Ego sum Spartacus // MDCCCLVII: I am Dred Scott // MCMVL: Ich bin Anne Frank // MMX: Je suis Assange // MMXI: Ik ben von NotHaus
This is important
Our generation is blown away by how much a house costs, education costs and medical care costs. My dad didn't have a college education. He was a truck driver. Yet, in the 50s he was able to buy a house for his family and his wife stayed home and that was in the San Francisco Bay Area. Can a man do that today? No way! My friends and I discuss this a lot. We need to know why this has happened so this is a good subject to bring up.
Healthnuttie for Ron Paul
Healthnut4freedom
The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment...Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight. Prov 12:19,22
"It's all about me"
Tough to convince those too selfish, self-absorbed or ignorant.
This applies to all generations
R3VOLUTION - Secret Crowds
Do you remember which video
Do you remember which video it was?
Boomers Busting
I am at the tail end of that era. A couple suggestions:
1) Don't give up: MY son (age 27) kept sharing info about RP until I viewed the YouTube vid he forwarded just to shut him up. That was 6 weeks ago. Instead, MY eyes were opened. Now he and I are volunteering together in our area on the campaign's behalf.
2) Send them other info that says the same things RP is saying so you can help dismiss the notion of his being a "rogue" or "alarmist." Example: the YouTube vid posted last night re: the nation's economic tsunami as aired on the Glenn Beck program. Excellent!!!
Best to you.
In the name of freedom,
Dan Blanchard, M. Ed.
Director of Counseling Services
Evergreen CCC, LLC
Dan Blanchard, M. Ed.
Director of Counseling Services
Evergreen CCC, LLC
BABY BOOMERS=SELFISH GENERATION
That generation is one of the reasons our country is in the mess that it is in now.
Speak bluntly right back to your dad.
Tell your dad bluntly,....'you know I figured out why you are for Huckabee and Edwards b/c they are POSERS and intellectually lazy."
The intellectually STRONG and COURAGEOUS are going to vote for Paul. They are not the sheeple and you dad unfortunately are. Do your research dad, if you are for them after REALLY reading about Paul then you will disappoint me.
There are times when some battles are not worth fighting and then there are BATTLES that must be engaged. Don't shrink from the battle of FALSE MINDSETS. Once your dad realizes that he just might loose your respect b/c of this decision it might get him to reconsider his vote.
Jesus is the saviour of the WHOLE WORLD, "As in Adam all die, so too in Christ ALL shall be made alive." (ICor.15:22) All means all. The pagan 'hell' of literal fire & eternal torment is a lie and is SPIRITUAL TERRORISM. http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/blog
"How to win friends and influence people"
Guess you didn't read that book, huh? Blaming everyone and not taking up the responsibility together is not the way to move forward. Perhaps everyone does have a shared responsibility to get us out of the mess we're in.
..................
"The main thing that I learned about conspiracy theory is that conspiracy theorists actually believe in a conspiracy because that is more comforting. The truth of the world is that it is chaotic..." —Alan Moore
Oh Please!
"That generation is one of the reasons our country is in the mess that it is in now."
There is plenty of blame to be spread out amoungst all generations, young and old.
IMO the reason our country is in the mess it is in is because of the growth of government over the last 50 years. You can blame it on a two party system, liberalism, politicans, but to blame it on baby boomers is laughable.