Wired: Paul Supporters Hack Campaign Finance Law with Blimp
By Sarah Lai Stirland | 12.10.07 | Wired
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's supporters are set to take off into uncharted political territory this week with the launch of a giant airship that will fly up and down the East Coast advertising their candidate's name.
But the Ron Paul blimp project is more that just a way for supporters to win more exposure for the Texas congressman's White House run. It's also a daring end run around U.S. campaign finance laws, amd it might set a new course for election fundraising, or blow up like the Hindenburg.
"We created a business plan that allows any U.S. citizen to buy as much blimp as they want, without having it count towards their current campaign contributions," reads an explanation on the Ron Paul blimp fundraising site. "This updated legal arrangement offers the best of both worlds, no limits and virtually no regulations."
It's called grassroots organizing....
And as far as I know from actually reading a thing or two on it, it's legal.
Wired, congrats. You just scored one jacka$$ point.
Obama has a Blimp too - Oprah Winfrey
If the Ron Paul Blimp LLC is violating campaign finance laws, then so is Obama's "blimp", Ophra Winfrey. She is spending lots and lots of money to get Obama's word out, and I don't hear anybody complaining about that.
Vote Freedom
Vote Liberty
Vote RON PAUL
I looked up her profile on
I looked up her profile on myspace one time (her e-mail addy is stirland @gmail.com) and she has John Edwards or someone like that on her friends list.
Word 'round the campfire is
Word 'round the campfire is that Ron is aware that they'll try and shut his whole campaign down, but we wont let that happen, will we?
By clicking the little
By clicking the little letter symbol next to Stirland's name you can write a letter to the editor or just give general feed back. But here's the addy to the page just in case:
http://www.wired.com/serv...
xm radio wants to broadcast from the blimp
I have been listening to potus on xm radio. There has been a lot of Ron Paul discussion today. They were discussing the blimp and said they would broadcast from the blimp for the tea party if invited...
Oh the Blimp
.
When the blimp idea was first "floated" on this site, there were a lot of people poo-poohing the idea. I thought it was pretty good. I guess Michael did too since he gave it a little wind himself.
Now it's off and running, creating attention and - once again - it's another miracle for the Paul campaign. They just keep coming and I imagine there will be another miracle or two down the road. This is all just great.
If we have learned anything in the past few months is that the press is full of damnable party-poopers. The Wired author is another one. There's a long list of writers and journalists, in the pay of the Establishment, who mutter "Curses!" when Ron Paul or his campaign does something out-of-the-ordinary and good.
You're right...
The Establishment is TERRIFIED of the Ron Paul/Freedom movement. NeoCons, evil bankers, crooked politicians, and corporate bigwigs all stand to lose much when a very large group of people begin to realize what evil webs they've been weaving.
This election season is much like "Lord of the Rings" American style. We stand against very dark, very strong, forces. They are entrenced, and are not going to be easy to uproot. Keep pressing on!
Vote Freedom
Vote Liberty
Vote RON PAUL
Not being a "Die-Hard"
Not being a "Die-Hard" Christian, but God does work in mysterious ways?
As do the grassroots! ;)
As do the grassroots! ;)
good move
I think I heard Ron Paul to say that he does not endorse the blimp.
This is good because in a way , a financial way, he has technically severed himself from the blimps organizers. It is not something that Ron Paul or his campaign is doing. It is a private venture launched by free thinking Americans not directly affiliated with the campaign. Not even a free speech thing. Just the right to paint your blimp any color you want.
It works.
Ciao!
Go Ron Paul!
Thanks Mike
You know I was going to post this as a major article but I was so angry at this Stirland woman for her attitude in this piece, it's as if they are so jealous and upset over the wonderful organization of volunteers and supporters that they are trying to suggest some illegality in what they are doing, that I merely posted it in another section in the comments. What a crock! I could not find contact info for her... but she is the one who's caused trouble before.
Conde Nast Bias?
I'm starting to think Conde Nast, which owns Wired, is anti-Ron Paul. They keep running these hit pieces on him.
Wired Lacks Credibility
Wired lost all credibility with their stupid and verifiably false libel against Ron Paul supporters when they claimed we operated a botnet that spammed about Ron Paul. This has been part of a pattern of lies and distortions against Ron Paul that shames an otherwise good magazine. Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson seems sharp, but ultimately he looks bad when this stuff goes out with his name on it.
All of the major MSM networks do it
and I love that blimp.com is beating them at their own game!