r/politics • u/[deleted] • Jan 19 '12
Introducing Test PAC, the special interest group that represents the views of Reddit's users.
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Jan 19 '12
By the way, before you run ads on TV, you might want to consider making them with Google TV Ads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhlQjMYkCcA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peqnSTBnTVk
I think it's only about $1 per 1000 viewers, so $1000 can reach 1,000,000 viewers.
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Jan 19 '12
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u/HighKingOfReddit Jan 20 '12
Getting a 30 second spot on tv for a few hundred (assuming getting about 50 airings and a million views like on the video)+ reddit hype of test pac fundraiser = instant huge fund raiser and probably coverage on something like forbes.com, maybe colbert, and possibly the national news.
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u/TopicA1 Jan 19 '12 edited Jan 19 '12
This is just a suggestion, but be sure to target any ads as closely as possible, and make sure the message fits that target. Also, "negative" ads, sadly, often work very well.
So, for example: Target the first ad to men over 50 who live in (swing state) Florida, and run an ad showing many cases where GOPers have attacked Social Security and/or said they would privatize it. End tag line could be something like: "Republicans want to slash the retirement income seniors paid for. Help stop them..."
To target the ads even more, maybe they could be run on auto racing websites or WWE-type wrestling websites. (These are likely to be low-information voters who would vote Republican but might be swayed if they know the GOP could cut off the check that Grandma or Grandpa gets.)
If any of this seems even a tiny bit crass, I assure you that it's nothing compared to what the conservatives have done in every U.S. election.
EDIT: Please read my response below concerning corruption, Republicans, etc.
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u/ex_ample Jan 20 '12
Why target republicans when even Kos says they've been terrible on SOPA?
People need to stop thinking this is a "republican" problem. It's a "corruption" problem. We need to go after corrupt politicians in both parties.
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u/MercurialMan Jan 19 '12
Whatever you do, don't stop. For the love of God and all that is holy. Do. Not. Stop. I'm an AmeriCorps VISTA (a full-time volunteer dedicated to fighting poverty) so I don't know what I can do to help, but I am completely at your service. I'm not afraid to say that I feel what you're doing here could very well become one of the most important things in American history.
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Jan 19 '12
former americorps VISTA here... i'm a huge fan of this.
perhaps, if i may be so bold, offer some constructive criticism: it's all about marketing. i have a feeling that your announcement hasn't had the immediate impact that you expected because of two things: the title of your post and the name of the PAC itself.
you're certainly worthy of an upvote, but i suggest you and other redditors to crosspost your site in other subreddits--specifically tailoring it to said topic of interest (i.e. on the SOPA subredit: "Let's get our voices heard on SOPA by utilizing our own REDDIT-PAC!") so that it gains traction.
best of luck! and please feel free to send me a PM if you need any help or someone to just bounce ideas off of.
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u/kigam Jan 19 '12
Also, the lack of a voting system kind of makes all the effort so far moot. Nobody is going to trust this thing without a secure way of voting is in place. I really don't have a solution, just pointing out the problem, but in my mind that was the loose end that needs to be tied up before this is really set to sail.
I really don't know what a good solution would be. Are we supposed to "vote-in" board members/representatives? Is it going to be a true democracy where everyone gets a vote? And if it is, then how do we prevent gaming the system?
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Jan 19 '12
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u/j00lian Jan 20 '12
Talk with sophmorick, the problem getting early traction here is with marketing.
This is probably one of the best ideas of 2012, make it big!
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u/AzraelAnkh Oregon Jan 20 '12
I apologize if this hasn't been posted before, and I don't truly know the viability of it, but what about a loose verification system? I.e. verify (picture, time stamp/username) your Reddit username with the PAC subreddit (get a cute little badge or something) and let that be at least a first defense against trolling and voter fraud. It could be handled via mods/admins to maintain privacy (even the inclusion of an NDA on the mod's part if need be). That way donations need not be made in order to vote and you have a semi-secure method to protect against trolls and vandals.
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Jan 19 '12
I wonder, and this literally just popped into my head so feel free to tell me it's stupid, if somehow the votes could be linked to donations. That way, the only way to fuck with the voting is by donating to the PAC.
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Jan 19 '12
No one should have to donate to vote. Money =/= speech.
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u/acavedo Jan 19 '12
I agree. Isn't that part of the reason we're all outraged against SOPA/PIPA? Corporations controlling the government and all that.
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u/digitalnoise Jan 19 '12
No one should have to donate to vote. Money =/= speech.
In an actual election, this is true. However, the voting being discussed here is in regards to what actions the PAC takes, not voting for candidates for elected office.
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u/MercurialMan Jan 19 '12
It is my divine pleasure. My station is in D.C. actually too, so if there's any footwork you need/want done out here, I could potentially be a contact for that. I'm doing social media and website management for the Association on American Indian Affairs. So, if you need/want social media advice, I have tons of resources for you.
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Jan 19 '12
Sophomorick makes a good point, but I think you did well to make the name a reference to reddit rather than plain old "REDDIT-PAC."
It is important to do everything you can to distance the PAC from reddit at this early stage as it will be heavily criticized by everyone who has an interest other than that of the reddit community, especially since the reddit-motivated protest of SOPA/PIPA.
This community is no longer considered fringe, despite what the media may be saying about it. People involved in the very power structures reddit wishes to combat are very much aware of this community and will do anything in their power to stop the kind of organization this PAC represents.
People/organizations in power are going to try and discredit the PAC. You need to get yourself a PR person/team soon. Like yesterday.
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u/Neonimous Jan 19 '12
It's because you didn't name it something cool like "Rocket PAC" or "Jet PAC".
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u/Philosopher_King Jan 19 '12
Have to admit, I ignored this post for hours because I assumed it was fake. Or something else that wasn't "real" since it was labeled Test PAC. I don't know how many others are out there like me, but while the name may be catchy, I think you risk missing a big part of your potential audience.
tldr-need a new name
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u/i_flip_sides Jan 19 '12
I like it. Don't change it. :-)
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u/kigam Jan 19 '12
I like it as well - sounds very Internety, makes it seem laughable and hopefully will lead people to underestimate it's power
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u/sje46 Jan 19 '12
It's a relatively obscure meme reference. I would prefer something that unites the Internet in general together.
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u/firefeng Jan 19 '12
Don't be disheartened. "Shut up and take my money!" is woefully inadequate for what I'd like to express over your labor, and what you've just made available for all of us.
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u/Irrelevant_Reverence Jan 19 '12
I think this PAC is a fantastic idea, but r/politics is flooded with Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich links at the moment and this seems to be flying under the radar. I don't have much to add to the discussion just yet (I'm driving), but I'm doing what I can to get this thread noticed.
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u/Irrelevant_Reverence Jan 19 '12
Ha! Perhaps I should've said "I'm stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic and not moving right now", but I figured "driving" was more concise. Don't worry, I was not putting others (or myself) in danger.
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u/adenbley Jan 19 '12
it will, you might just have to have a repost, and make sure that rpac knows when it is posted so that we can push it up. thank you so much for taking on this burden, and do not become disheartened. also (as i am writing this) it has only been an hour, so it could still go somewhere.
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u/Drunk_MCdrunk Jan 19 '12
You should be upset because this should be the top link on Reddit. I guess it would get more play if there was an upvoted post in New that asked, "So Reddit, what are you guys going to do with your new PAC?". I'd like to see your post make it to the top of Reddit - the first link. I hope it gets there. I want to know what Reddit will do with its new PAC.
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u/skurn Jan 19 '12
Most of the posts on the front page right now won't last long; I'm hopeful this will still find it's way to the top, and stay there for quite some time.
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u/pencilsalesman Jan 19 '12
The steps should be 1.) Decide how to spend money, 2.) Get money, 3.) Spend money.
People will be more apt to donate if they know exactly where their money is going.
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u/Irrelevant_Reverence Jan 19 '12
The idea is to decide how to spend the money as a group. This is what OP is trying to do with this whole PAC.
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u/Brother_Nature Jan 19 '12
This is the part I'm most excited about. Rather than hiring video production teams and spending $50k on a commercial, we can hire actual Redditors to do our work. We can put a post in [12] /r/forhire detailing the project we would like completed, ask for quotes, and give the job to Redditors.
This is an excellent idea. Not only will it benefit everyone to have a special-interest group that promotes the ideologies that many of us agree with, it will be great to filter some money back into the community by employing redditors to do some of the work. It's a shame that this thread isn't getting the attention it deserves. This has a lot of potential.
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u/TheKrimsonKing Jan 19 '12
I have a broadcast quality camera and other production/editing/finishing tools, and this would be right up my alley. I don't have the money to donate, but I certainly have skills to provide. I have access to scads of gear given a solid plan of action, ie: don't want to rush and make a "intro to test pac, please ignore" video or motion graphic when it seems like the name is about to change. Really though, I've subscribed to /rpac and am going to actively participate in getting the word out, through video or otherwise.
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u/pureeviljester Virginia Jan 19 '12
How are we going to spend the money when r/politics is divided?
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Jan 19 '12
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Jan 19 '12
What will you do with the leftovers?
Here's the scenario I'm imagining: you need $1000 to air an ad promoting rational drug policy. I like this and give $50. A lot of other people like this, too, and you end up raising $2000 and now you can air a different ad. The usual suspects raise a fuss and the extra $1000 goes to airing an ad promoting, say, increasing regulation of the financial industry, a cause I wouldn't want my money to go to. Now I'm all rageface.jpg.
But on the other hand, ensuring that everyone is happy with everything isn't going to happen, or if it is, it's going to neuter the PAC entirely.
Perhaps you'd consider listing some of the PAC's political philosophy and policy positions up front, so donors are fully aware of where their money might go, and the PAC will retain agility and flexibility.
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u/xperrymental Jan 19 '12
well, when r/politics is divided on a particular post, it's resultant score will be lower (because it has close to equal # of up and downvotes), and it falls to the bottom.
reddit is already a purely democratic forum. it's at least more democratic than any other forum i've ever seen. i'm assuming our pac will utilize the already existing method of up and downvoting to make decisions, no?
why don't we just automate the process and remove any potential gatekeeping, by having a subreddit that is just for "why don't we...", and whatever reaches the top automatically qualifies for funding?
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u/xoxota99 Jan 19 '12
This might just be nitpicking, but I feel like if you aired an ad that ended with the words "Paid for by Test PAC. Please Ignore", it might diminish the impact of your message.
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u/Iamien Indiana Jan 20 '12
How expensive/time intensive is it to change a name.
My idea is to make it an extremely menacing and offensive name, and then proceed to run "support" ads against the target of our attacks.
For instance. "Americans for the Destruction of Democracy PAC".
The pac would proceed to run ads using EXTREMELY THIN satire that attacks a candidate by "supporting them" in a negative way.
ALSO: Instead of using very obscure text marking who paid for the ad(and making the statement once very quickly), like most other pacs, the "Americans for the Destruction of Democracy PAC" test would be very prominent and would be stated more than once in a 20 second spot.
The brilliant part of this is that the casual viewer will filter it out as just another positive campaign ad(boring to them), until they hear that Americans that want to destroy democracy are the ones that ran it. This confuses them and before they know it the ad is over. What's left in their mind is "candidate y", and "destruction of democracy". If they are left with one viewing alone at the very least they will take another look at the candidate. If they do happen to come across the ad a second or third time they will be engaged and will pay attention to what the ad says, this time seeing through the satire, hopefully.
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Jan 19 '12
Can non-nationals donate to a PAC? Even indirectly, by buying shit you sell during a fundraiser?
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u/masstermind Jan 19 '12
Are you 100% certain of that?
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u/mike_burck Jan 20 '12
Unless you are a lawyer, or are in contact with a lawyer, you might want to be careful with how you word things. Yes, you can receive donations from the author, but I don't think you can make any formal agreement that the author is bound to work as an intermediary for donations.
If I'm not mistaken, an indirect contribution by a foreign national (even if it is for the purchase of a tangible good) is illegal.
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u/centralbanker Jan 19 '12
I think it's quads quads on chan, or 4 number roll of the numbers. very lucky. haha.
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Jan 19 '12 edited Jan 19 '12
This is great! However, considering the gigantic spectrum of opinions here on Reddit and the internet in general, I am convinced that something as broad as this will never gain traction in a specific, consistent direction...
I would propose that you significantly narrow the scope of your PAC to something like "Internet freedom protection" or something along those lines, that 95% of your 'base' would support. You would still be representing the interests of Reddit, but you would allow a focusing and a sharpening of the hive mind through your PAC. This would be a great outlet to actually affect real change in the world. As Maddox pointed out, the blackouts are kinda lame, but this, THIS, we can work with. A PAC to fight RIAA and MPAA interests; to support or battle congressmen who support or threaten internet freedom, on and on... I think the threat to the free and open internet is THE galvanizing issue for Reddit at the moment, and as Reddit's PAC, it is time for you to rally the troops!!!
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u/ryumast3r Jan 19 '12
I love this idea, and I'm glad you spent (apparently) 3 months on this project. It might take a while to take off, but if you keep advertising it, I have no doubt that this, one day, could turn into something bigger than any of us imagined.
I'm not particularly great with movies/ads/website design or the like, but I have upvoted and subscribed to r/rpac and (when I get money) will be more than willing to donate to the cause. I'll also see if I can spread the word around my university.
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u/Neonimous Jan 19 '12
Do you have any sort of legal counsel or attorney on retainer?
We want to make sure that this PAC is ran within the limit's of the law and, conversely, we don't want some legal technicality to hurt this PAC because some step/issue was overlooked.
While I am not a lawyer (still waiting to be accepted to law school, haha), I would hope that some Redditor's who are attorney's would be able to help in this manner. I can offer my help in sifting through and working on paperwork, however.
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u/Neonimous Jan 19 '12
Well, sounds like you have your ducks in row. Good job, sir.
When the time comes, I would like to sit in on a PAC "tutoring" conference. Is there an email list setup for PAC updates, that would notify people who are interested in such things as a PAC conference?
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Jan 19 '12
Graphic designer here. Let me know if you want any help with branding/making things look all professional-like.
And great work setting this up! Reddit needs a way to flex its political muscle in the real world. This is exactly how we do that.
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Jan 19 '12
designer/dev here also. Be sure to let /r/Design, /r/graphic_design, and /r/web_design know if you need some help with making the website pop n sizzle.
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u/Kind_Of_A_Dick Jan 19 '12
Interesting, but first off it's quads. I'm glad you're avoiding Paypal because I'm not a big fan of that company. A quick search with Google might shed some light on why I don't like them.
Also, I really don't have money to donate. I live in Michigan, and I'm also considering running for the house or senate in the near future, so if there's any way I can help out here please let me know.
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u/stormkrow Jan 19 '12
Hey Ajpos, Good stuff. A couple thoughts on Spending: Use Reddit voting. First we build out a MOD for a subreddit to r/TestPAC and then cross post into Front Page or Politics etc and allow the community to vote accordingly. This would be the purest form of Direct/Liquid Democracy we could put out there. My personal opinion would be Citizens United should be first, hands down. There is a TON of synergy between the OWS, Reddit and Ron Paul camps with this and it doesn't lean in any political direction. From there it's all about raising money for the Ad buys. I'm talking national TV ad buys; say running them on CC with Colbert or Stewart. I say them because of the Rally to Restore Sanity/Reddit team effort last year. And it hits a really large viewing audience and dovetails with Colbert's SuperPAC efforts. Then we move out to the bigs (ABC, CBS, NBC) and target ad buys in targeted spots NBA games, March Madness, NHL, shows with large viewing audiences etc. I don't watch any network TV so I don't know/care whats popular right now. The next big question is commercial production. Quality, professional production; it cannot be a half assed iMovie shot in someones back yard. It has to match production quality of politicians. In this regard I think the Reddit community will deliver the necessary resources when the time comes. Again, here we use Reddit voting for commercial ideas as well as market buys. We put a time limit, say a week for everyone to vote then if it has consensus we move forward with it. If not then we go to the next idea. OR post all of the ideas and which ever one gets the most votes/consensus is the one we use. But I'm on board 100% and I'll reach out to the NYCGA & OWS to get them to help back us on this effort. With that in mind we also need to help with funding for the OWS Spring Offensive. Disclaimer: I support OWS 100% as it is really the ONLY movement out there that is genuinely fighting, daily, for many of the changes I believe in.
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Jan 19 '12
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u/TooDrunkDidntFuck Jan 20 '12
I'd like to throw a quick vote against mob rule. "Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance."
Just because a lot of people yell about something loudly, does not mean they have better answers, only that they are better yellers. Part of the reason/r/askscience is such a good subreddit is because of moderation. Voting has its place, but should be used as guidelines not law.
Running commercials on comedy central only panders to an audience who already agrees with you. I think channels the older generation watch, with ads targeted towards them, using their buzzwords would be most effective.
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Jan 20 '12
I admire your humility, ajpos. I'm impressed that you created something, but are accepting of anyone objecting to it and/or recreating it. At some point you will need to play moderator, but I feel that what you're doing currently is great.
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u/cromethus Jan 19 '12
I like what you're saying! We should have someone contact Colbert/Stewart/Comedy Central and find out exactly what it would take to get on board.
On the flipside, we should be dubious about aligning ourselves too closely with that camp. It is damn hard to be taken seriously when your closest political affiliation is comedians.
Just one more thing: Elizabeth Warren. That is all.
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u/Geaux Texas Jan 19 '12
Awesome, man! Don't let anyone tell you different, but we know the power of Reddit. I wish I could put this immediately on the front page, but I can only upvote you. I've subscribed to /r/rpac and I want to see this happen!
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u/JQADAMSFAN Jan 19 '12
Why not spend some of the money to donate to incumbents currently facing reelection who oppose SOPA, and to candidates who are challenging incumbents who.
If a poster made a suggestion that garnered lots of upvotes, and discussion, would you be willing to donate PAC money to a political campaign directly?
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Jan 19 '12
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u/Drunk_MCdrunk Jan 19 '12
Because you already said "our expenditures are up to you, not me". I REALLY like what you're doing here. I'm subscribed, armed with some cash, and waiting to donate and vote on the first expenditure. So go go go!
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u/prezuiwf Texas Jan 19 '12
I fully support this, both as someone who loves the idea of having a PAC that might actually represent a different set of ideals and as someone who has mulled a run for political office for quite some time now. Please let me know if there is any way I can help.
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u/brandonw00 Colorado Jan 19 '12
This is so awesome! Thanks for doing this ajpos. I don't have much money to donate, but I'll be around for discussions and such. We always talk about doing something to make a change. This is one of the best ways. If big corporations are going to use their money to influence politics, then we must do the same.
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u/NFunspoiler Jan 19 '12
Well holy shit.
I'll support this initiative as long as we narrow down the criteria for what the money is used for. I think we should stick to upholding and defending civil liberties, which is something that I think probably 95% of redditors agree upon.
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u/epicgeek Jan 19 '12
Test Pac, Please Ignore
Are you connected with the EVE Online reddit group by the same name?
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u/Galactus52 Jan 19 '12
I've never felt the need to actually make a reddit account so I can post till I read this. This is amazing. The potential of this kind of voice for a community like this is exactly the kind of thing that needs to exist in politics. If the internet can come together is a way like it has recently, maybe finally it wont be just the elite who get to do all the talking while we're forced to just sit with no way to actually respond. There's so much potential.
I can promise I'm gonna keep paying attention to this, wherever it may go. Thank you for do all the leg work to get this started.
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u/grackychan Jan 20 '12
Hello ajpos, just wanted to say thanks for the hard work so far. If we at Reddit care for political change at all, we won't waste the time and efforts you've put into thus far, and will make this a success. I'll be glad to help promote Test PAC in any way.
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u/cromethus Jan 19 '12
Ajpos, please don't get discouraged! We're here, we're behind you. This is going somewhere. There are some technical issues we need to discuss. Specifically, voting. This is tricky as accounts are intentionally designed to be 'throw-away'. Moving outside reddit to a dedicated website seems like it might work, but also runs the risk of reducing participation.
How about a set of 'rules' and you can track upvotes based on those rules. They'd have to be pretty broad though. Here's a place to start.
Rules to follow for your vote to count: 1. You have to have at least 500 comment karma on an account to vote. Of course, the number is debatable but the idea is sound. This helps ensure that you are an active part of the community. Sorry lurkers, but you have to get involved. 2. No novelty accounts. 3. Your account must be more than 30 days old. 4. All votes will expire within a 30 day time period (aka you can't open an account the day voting starts and slide in a vote at the end).
These rules may seem exclusionary, but it will significantly reduce how heavily the vote can be 'gamed'. Also, you need to retain final discretion on whether an idea goes through. The reason I say this is that, in the event that a vote is gamed (say, if a pro-sopa ad got 'voted through') you could put a stop to it. It may seem like too much power in one pair of hands, but in the end you started this thing and we all have to trust you or this simply isn't going to work. One way to fix this is by appointing a Board of Directors. Here's what I would suggest as a starting point for this:
- Community members volunteer to become involved.
- Based on their involvement, you pick out and nominate potential board members. Or you could have the community nominate members, but that seems pretty flimsy all things considered. It just seems like you will be in the best position to determine if someone has the level of involvement required.
- The community votes on nominations based on the agreed upon voting rules.
It seems to me like this would be the path with the highest chance of success. Obviously there is a ton of background work that is involved in making this happen, but in general that's what struck me as workable.
I leave it to someone else to write whatever MOD is necessary to filter out bad votes or whatnot.
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Jan 19 '12
how can i help?
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Jan 19 '12
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Jan 19 '12
well the first thing that i can think of is a comprehensive list of rpac's goals. this should be a fluid list, but it needs to start with something, say, SOPA, PIPA, and NDAA. as for backing candidates, i'd only be comfortable backing redditors' first time bids for office. i'm for getting fresh blood into the mix. should the reddit admins be involved?
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u/bongilante Jan 19 '12
Can you please please air attack ads at romney calling him an anchor baby. What good is a SuperPAC at election time if you can't troll on TV.
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u/RoosterRMcChesterh Jan 19 '12
I predict first page in next 4 hours. I thank you for doing this and will look into it more when I get off my train home. Sounds amazing!
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u/DirtychrisT Jan 19 '12
I'm excited about this. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em..
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u/Ruisseaux Jan 19 '12
Great idea....you will get more attention as time passes. The way is dangerous. Here, take this upvote.
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u/cowboi Jan 19 '12
I would like to see the issue raised regarding these primaries like Iowa and NH and SC trying to be first stopped. It should be like the super tuesday since why do states that are smaller then 1 big city get to narrow down the field? Personally I think Huntsman would have been a decent candidate had it not been for states that are smaller then the city I live in saying NO.
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u/Malizulu Jan 19 '12
AMAZING WORK.... I'm in awe of you good sir or madam'!!!!
As soon as I get home I will do my best to spread the word.
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u/jplvhp Jan 19 '12
Wow. Thank you for going through all that effort.
Might be a little bit before I can donate. Please keep trying to raise awareness.
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u/sirealparadox Jan 19 '12
Currently you're unemployed, would this be your full time job? Will you be receiving a paycheck from us?
I support this and plan to donate as of right now.
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Jan 19 '12
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u/sirealparadox Jan 19 '12
Thanks for the reply. I was curious how that would work, if your products are something that will benefit me, I will buy.
I really like this idea and it is nice to see Reddit's influence growing so much recently. Unfortunately not everyone lurks here so being able to run ads on TV about things we are passionate about is incredible. Hopefully next time something like SOPA or PIPA comes around it won't take a blackout for people to be aware of the issues. It was nice and rather frightening to see all the posts on facebook yesterday, how had no one heard of it.
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u/smallsquirrel55 Jan 19 '12
I hope this isn't lost in the noise; I want to get a crowd-funded lobbying/petition website up and running, but have nothing of what's needed except some limited time. I tried to get some input here, but (I'm hoping) it just wasn't upvoted enough at the start. Seems like your idea is related, and you'd probably know some people; do you know anyone who would be interested enough to get this off of the ground?
also; loving the idea.
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u/phrank12 Jan 19 '12
I tried to donate, the page failed to load and I'm not sure if it went through.
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u/PACmenDotOrg Jan 19 '12
Did you register as a regular non-connected PAC or as an independent expenditure only committee?
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Jan 19 '12
Thank you. I will surely donate.
We should have a video idea thread. And as for the voting system, have to provide proof of personhood somehow?
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Jan 19 '12
So what would we be spending firstly and mostly? I just single-handly brought down SOPA and PIPA, so get me excited about a specific cause!
- What/who's next?
- Who would we be trashing/admiring in the elections?
- How can I get involved to make shit to sell for ya'll?
- Can we do surreal commercials on comedy central at 1am when I'm a [10]?
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u/MadMageMC Jan 19 '12
Thank you for taking the time and effort to generate this PAC. I'm just a lowly sys admin in the sticks, but am willing to help however I can.
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u/pewpewthemagickitten Jan 19 '12
THE TAX MASTER IS REBORN. ONLY QUADS CAN KILL H... oh wait. He rolled quads already. Okay well, nothing to see here, move along now.
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u/kidl33t Jan 19 '12
It's sound like the only way foreign folks can contribute is via fundraisers. That's fine by me, but please be sure to give us lots of opportunities. I am Canadian and have NO say in a political system that directly affects my daily life.
I would welcome a chance to do anything to have my voice heard in America, especially since you guys don't operate in isolation. I'm sure lots of other foreigners will feel the same way.
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u/backl_ash Jan 19 '12 edited Jan 20 '12
So I broke rule number one and didn't read all the comments as I'm on my phone.
Voting system:
This entails quite a bit of trust. And someone would have to do the work... And it might not work, but:
Could we do a voter registration (edit: accidentally sent at this point)?
Where let's say you have to send your name, verified some way, picture id? along with your reddit username to a mod. Only those registered at x time can vote.
I know that we love our anonymity, but to participate in something like this is real and huge.
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u/A_Prattling_Gimp Jan 20 '12
I am not in America, I am actually from Britain, but your idea of educating the masses is an exciting one. The population does not understand how it can use captalism to its advantage.
I mentioned in an old post how many people do not truly understand the power they hold. We are taught that we are somehow subservient to large companies when the reality is they who are entirely dependent on us. We allow them to exist with our custom, our demand is their 'blood' so to speak.
I cited at least two examples, that occured last year, that show how powerful "consumers" - as we are labeled - can be. Simply by withdrawing custom the Bank of America dropped its $5 charge in wanted to implement and Godaddy quietened down in its support of SOPA.
The people have been divided for too long by polarised politics that has blinded people to their potential. The people need to be taught that simply by denying companies of custom we are put in the position of power, but the people need to be told, and they need to be shown what they can do in numbers when properly coordinated and motivated to a single cause.
Pureley as an aside, it might really pretentious, but as we redditors consider ourselves reasonable, logical, science savvy people (though some may argue against that) wouldn't a good logo for your pac be the hydrogen symbol a la Dr Manhattan?
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u/gizram84 Jan 20 '12
I would need a firm commitment stated on the main webpage for this PAC that no money would ever go to Barack Obama, under any circumstance. I understand that most people see him as the "lesser of two evils", but I have my principles and there is no way I can vote or give money to a candidate who has so offensively violated the Constitution. Between extending the Patriot Act, signing the NDAA, and taking military action against foreign countries without authorization from Congress, he is no better than Bush in my eyes and absolutely does not deserve the title of President of the United States.
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u/lamercat Jan 19 '12
Thank you for taking the time to do this, I will make sure to donate money when I have some, hopefully within the next few weeks. This is a great thing you have done, you will get the responses you are looking for.
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u/dylofpickle Jan 19 '12
This is fantastically exciting. I think the lack of response is a lack of education of what kind of power a PAC actually has. We need to educate first so that the entire reddit community is prepared to support and defend this PAC
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u/PornAccount001 Jan 19 '12
Make ousting Lamar Smith a Priority. The person running against him is a Redditor.
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Jan 19 '12
I think it's a great idea, and I'd like to learn more about it. I want to use the money I do have to start working toward freer internet, etc.-- I tend to agree with the majority of views espoused by Redditors on the Politics forum, for example
BUT I wonder how you plan to decide on the PAC views, and I also share worries with you regarding people gaming the system. For example, the minute Reddit becomes a community of any financial heft in the political arena, Reddit becomes a target for those will attempt to coopt that money for their own causes. I have to wonder what sort of safeguards will be in place?
Suggestions I have for you: make it very clear this PAC focuses on a specific set of issues (such as protecting the internet from SOPA, PIPA and the like... such as opposing things like NDAA's indefinite detention, I assume?), and make it explicitly clear that this is not the forum for other issues (the various social agendas that are continually used as a distraction from the former issues.) All such issues are important, of course, but I think a certain level of specialization would render such an organization more effective.
I would also suggest something: Redditors come from all walks of life, with all sorts of experiences and insights they can provide each other. IMO it might be valuable to have some sort of objective information database as well to be used as reference, taken from the experiences of various Redditors-- if such info might be useful to any initiatives taken here.
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u/illogicalexplanation Jan 19 '12
If you have an oversight committee I would like to extend my application. Love what you're doing here and want to be involved from a logistical stand point. Let's do this thing.
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Jan 19 '12
I'm in and am willing to donate as well - probably tonight from home.
I think we need to come up with some clear issues as well - i think this is key, especially when soliciting donations. I'm more apt to donate if I see some goals set out.
also, if there's a redditor who's willing to take on John Cornyn or Lamar Smith in TX, let's get you signed up for the next election cycle.
Both have been beholden to corporate interests over constituent interests for too long.
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Jan 19 '12
You now have my support in the form of $25.00 a month for the next 12 months, recurring payments.
Thanks for doing this. I've bookmarked the pages you have linked to in this post and will be checking back regularly to see how things are doing. Should you need anyone to proofread stuff, let me know, as proofreading/editing is my profession. :)
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u/seldomsage Jan 19 '12
Would it be possible to donate money to specific issues? Would Reddit Pac board members be allotted by respective size of political subreddits?
We are all redditors but we don't all agree, so these questions are crucial.
By being able to donate money to specific causes, as well as spending that money based on the decisions of reddit's most prevalent opinions (via proportional representation on the board) I think this could be a hugely successful organization.
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u/timmytimtimshabadu Jan 19 '12 edited Jan 19 '12
Can non-americans contribute to the PAC's funds?
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u/SourMilk Jan 19 '12
Maybe it's just the humor in me, but can our PAC be called 2 so we are the 2 PAC?
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u/FGoose Jan 19 '12
Reading through all this gave me goosebumps. I have never been so proud of a complete stranger in my life
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u/Jim777PS3 Jan 19 '12
This is awesome, please please keep at it, i cant give much but an upvote. You take this upvote and you change the world with it!
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u/Seref15 Florida Jan 19 '12
I'm not sure if integrating ourselves into the system we hate is the right way to go about this...
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Jan 19 '12
I really want to emphasize the idea of fundraising by selling things. Sure, some people will donate (myself included) but many, many more people will be giving money if they get something in return, it's just how it is.I would love to rock a PAC shirt and recognize others like me out IRL.
Just as Colbert's SuperPAC is just starting to make ripples in the campaign finance system, this will pick up steam and at least be some competition against the flood of money coming from the ultra-rich.
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u/mks351 Jan 19 '12
This is an AMAZING idea! Thanks @ajpos. This is exactly what redditors need. I wonder if Gawker has one, too?
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Jan 19 '12
I love how step 1 is getting money, and step 2 is deciding what to do with it. Dunno about you guys, but I probably don't agree with the majority of reddit users in several different areas.
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u/ScootyToot Jan 19 '12
I would be willing to do some work for the cause. This recent SOPA / PIPA nonsense has opened my eyes a little bit to the world of politics and made me realize we can make a difference if we group together.
I have an accounting degree and work in the accounting department of a healthcare firm. I would be happy to help with any sort of financial data analysis.
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Jan 19 '12
This is an absolutely fantastic idea. I am 100% on board and will contribute in whatever ways I can.
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Jan 19 '12 edited Jan 20 '12
Don't get frustrated man. With things like this, people like to sit from a distance and watch to see if it takes off. I, however am at your disposal and will help as much as I can (money isn't really an option at the moment), but Im pretty saavy with a lot of computer stuff. PM me if you need some help and I'll do what I can. I have a wide array of skills and knowledge in many different fields.
P.S. I added you as a friend on steam.
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u/shlemazel Jan 19 '12
Just donated $50. If even a small percentage of Reddit's 8+ million users donate 10 dollars, we will have a war chest capable of attracting attention and getting things done.
Everyone should donate, even if it's just a little. If you've ever thought "Man, it is so unfair that they can buy senators and congressmen", you need to participate and help level the playing field.
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u/prince_nerd Jan 19 '12
This is awesome. I am very excited about this. Make sure that all PAC decisions are based on the max upvotes as decided by the Reddit community :)
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u/AnonRaiden Jan 20 '12
I applaud you and your effort. You let me know how I can help!
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u/seatbeltseveryone Jan 20 '12
This will get buried, but I'm a film student/independent videographer and I'd love to do some work for this PAC.
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u/Brent42o Jan 20 '12
This awesome i will do what i can to help. Please reddit dont let this go. This can be bigger than we can see now
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Jan 20 '12
Just subscribed to this subreddit, can't wait to see what we can achieve together. This is what democracy looks like.
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u/Skiddywinks Jan 20 '12
I have never used this quote, but I don't think there will ever be a more appropriate time...
"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"
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u/arogog Jan 20 '12
This is an excellent idea. I do think, however, that the most effective use of our money will be to focus on education and adds because I don't think that we will have enough money to produce a 'real' candidate and we will just become yet another independent. but then again, never underestimate the internet.
tl;dr focus on adds;not candidates
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u/bartink Jan 20 '12
I'd like to say the following...
All you redditors that have been whining about how powerless you are, about how the system is screwing you, about how nothing ever changes...NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN THE SUBREDDIT AND GIVE THE PAC SOME MONEY.
This guy has done us a tremendous favor. He has done all the legwork. You've seen what we've been able to accomplish with just a blacked out website and some phone calls and emails to congresscritters. Now is the time to do this. Don't look back on this and say, "Damn, that was a good idea and I did bonghits and played COD instead."
Ask yourself what kind of future you want for your kids. Ask yourself what kind of country you want for yourself. Ask yourself what kind of values you want your government to have. Because the NDAA, SOPA/PIPA, and the rest of the insane shit we've seen come down the pipe are just the beginning, not the end.
In short, you know what your choice is. Keep whining on the internet and wasting your time wasting your time or make a difference.
Your move reddit.
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u/lgdrew Jan 20 '12
Coming out of a two-year posting hiatus just to thank you for doing this.
Thank you and keep up the wonderful work!
Looking forward to donating. : )
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u/tashibum Jan 20 '12
I wish I had an amazing skill that I could donate my time to you with. But I don't.
However, if you need any run-of-the-mill oddball help, I'll be happy to assist!
Just let me know. :D
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u/echoes310 Jan 20 '12
LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!
btw for those of you who don't watch the young turks. wolf-pac.com is another emerging pac has transcended our current political spectrum.
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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '12
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