Liberty Billboards

Education: Communicating Liberty Ideas

Liberty Billboards

Greg Howick February 2, 2016 at 7:50 pm

A few months ago I was driving through Montana and saw a a billboard advertising a pro-life message. During election, Sen. Max Baucus had signs up as well as Republican “alternatives”. I see politics as a dead end but spreading liberty never is. If those people can have signs, why can’t libertarians with apolitical messages? My thought was to use kickstarter to fund billboards with liberty quotes from classical thinkers around the country. How about a picture of Bastiat saying, “The State is the great fiction at which everyone attempts to live at the expense of everyone else.” When Ron Paul was running for president, he ran to spread a message. Supporters spread signs reading, “Google Ron Paul”. That is absolutely brilliant! Perhaps in subtext, put “Google Frederic Bastiat”. Or maybe a “Make Liberty Great Again.” This election is so unbelievable unpopular right now, I think the timing is right. The great thinkers like Hayek, Rothbard, Bastiat, Hazlitt, etc… all have established credibility. Until I found Woods on the internet, I had never heard of any of the great libertarians. I never knew there was even opposition to the status quo. Now I am alone in this world because nobody I know where I live has ever heard of these people so the principles I try to explain to those around me are completely foreign and weird. I took multiple economics courses, listened to talk, graduated high school, and did two enlistments in the military and not even heard mention of these economists. Can this be changed?
Goals:
#1. Spark curiosity and perhaps some people will look these people up.
#2. Stick it to the state. Maybe some people will get so darn upset at these apostate messages that it will get some media attention. Negative press is even better then good press!
#3. It would just be really cool to drive down the highway and see Bastiat or Rothbard.

The libertarian community is filled with greatness and I would value feedback if this is worth the effort or not. If so, what can be done better? If not, why?

Kickstarter allows up to two months for funding. Before I start asking various groups about it, I want to know if this is a good idea first.

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Rick Rule February 2, 2016 at 10:10 pm

why not test it here. How much do you need, and how much will you seed it with?

No commitment from me, yet

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  Greg Howick February 3, 2016 at 8:24 pm
  
  Yep, this is a great platform so its nice to see people reply. Before launching the funding page, I wanted to see if others thought it was worthwhile and to kick around ideas. No commitments are required. Once the kickstarter launches, people just donate however much they want and if the set goal is met, then the money is withdrawn and the order is made. Prices still need to be negotiated. I’ve never advertised before but Lamar Advertising quoted 1,300 a month in a relatively busy area. If the first sign is a success and people want to do more, then maybe advertisers would give discounts for multiple orders? I have never advertised before and will not pretend to be an expert. Now that I see people approving this idea, I can start asking other libertarian connections I have on facebook and other networks.
  Thankyou
  
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    . February 6, 2016 at 6:53 pm
    
    I can’t wait to see how this plays out. Thanks for bringing the idea forward 🙂
    
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. February 2, 2016 at 11:43 pm

Great idea! “Less Marx, More Mises” caught on in Brazil. Something along those lines?

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  Rick Rule February 3, 2016 at 10:18 am
  
  If we are to do this, we need to dumb it down, focus on “benefit to buyer” Sadly, many commuters know neither Marx nor Mises
  
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    Greg Howick February 3, 2016 at 8:15 pm
    
    A recent Tom Woods show was devoted to praising all the remarkable accomplishments of Murray Rothbard in protest of those who purposely ignore him. You are right, sadly most Americans have no idea who any of these people are, regardless of party affiliations. By putting up a provocative, yet simple quote (that a non-libertarian would understand), could give these icons more of the attention they deserve. These internet memes do this well.
    
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    - . February 4, 2016 at 10:01 pm
      
      @rrule Less state, more… pri-vate. Yeah that’s not gonna work haha
      
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    - . February 4, 2016 at 10:02 pm
      
      @rrule Less state, costs deflate!
      
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Peter L February 3, 2016 at 2:28 pm

I think this is a great idea. Spreading the message of liberty is always a good idea!

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Frank Maruschak February 3, 2016 at 2:55 pm

Yes this a good idea, but you should also run a contest to see who can coin the best new word or slogan for denouncing tyranny while promoting liberty. Then put the slogan on the Billboard along with other your other messages promoting liberty.

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  Greg Howick February 3, 2016 at 8:28 pm
  
  That is a good idea. Perhaps make a facebook page for the project that anyone can submit ideas too and also locations? The quote has to be simple and concise since readers are driving.
  
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    . February 4, 2016 at 10:06 pm
    
    Ooooh I’m in, I’ve already started above haha
    
    This is an excellent Liberty.me contest idea! @mikereid @josh @teamlibertyme
    
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Frank Maruschak February 5, 2016 at 12:20 am

How about Polityrantist for Politician

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  . February 6, 2016 at 6:51 pm
  
  I love this haha
  
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Peter L February 6, 2016 at 6:27 pm

The winner (if you choose their slogan) could get a month free at liberty.me perhaps. I’m sure someone would donate the five dollars for it.

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  . February 6, 2016 at 6:52 pm
  
  There could be a first, second, and third place prize!
  
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    . February 6, 2016 at 6:52 pm
    
    And perhaps there’ll be multiple winning slogans
    
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Marchella February 6, 2016 at 7:46 pm

Hey Greg, glad to see you’re being proactive about this.

I liked “Google Ron Paul” simple and easy to memorize. So, something like that. (Don’t let David know if you put “Google”) 😉

I said I would contribute some silver to the cause, if I’m gone before you start your fund let Ken know and I’ll send you some Ag.

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BRIAN BISHOP February 9, 2016 at 9:35 am

How about wrapping a boat and truck? I would love to ride around spreading the message, bringing some attention to the liberty movement and maybe direct some people here. It would be a considerably less expensive. I guarantee it will get more attention than a billboard. My boat is already a conversation starter without a wrap.

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  Rick Rule February 9, 2016 at 9:47 am
  
  My own variant on this theme would be to establish a fund, which would compensate liberty oriented writers ( propagandists) who got libertarian perspectives published in respected, general circulation publications. They would be paid according to the column inch they got published, according to the periodicals own display rate card.Another project for my declining years.
  
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    Blue Square February 9, 2016 at 11:39 am
    
    Count @LucyStag in. She just broke into Playboy.com with, I believe, a weekly column.
    
    🙂
    
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    - Rick Rule February 9, 2016 at 11:53 am
      
      fantastic! I was aiming lower, like letters to the editor.
      
      Early in my career, I noticed if I could get my views on a topic quoted in a general interest business publication ( Barrons worked best for me) that the benefits exceeded any other marketing efforts I made.
      
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BRIAN BISHOP February 9, 2016 at 10:10 am

That would be cool too. I do not write well enough to get published. For me it is just a way to vent. I however, have always dreamed of tournament bass fishing. The best I could hope is an article featuring my rig in magazine. I think that it would look super sweet. Baby blue, the liberty.me bird on the side, and “Liberty.me. Freedom lives here.” superimposed. Tell me you wouldn’t look as that rolled by you on the highway, pulled up next to you at the pump, or sat in the parking lot. I’m in the south. Wrapped bass boats attract people like flies. It is a awesome conversation starter allowing direct me to direct people to this site. Especially if I had a say, the proper pamphlet to give out and other swag.

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  Rick Rule February 9, 2016 at 11:17 am
  
  Brian
  
  These are all great ideas. The community needs to try ten or so, and continue to fund the ones that appear to work.
  
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    Greg Howick February 9, 2016 at 6:04 pm
    
    You mean putting a liberty meme paint job on your boat? That’d be great to see sponsored liberty boats in those big bass tournaments.
    
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BRIAN BISHOP February 9, 2016 at 8:19 pm

Exactly like that except it will be wrapped not painted. The cost of a wrap is just around 2k I think. I can see Liberty.me jerseys and everything too. I have a beautiful boat for it, and compete in several tournament trails already.

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Ken Jons-un March 6, 2016 at 9:52 am

Any status updates on this fine plan?

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  . March 9, 2016 at 3:27 am
  
  Fine indeed. I can see a billboard outside my bedroom window and I would love, love, love to see a Liberty.me message on it.
  
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    Greg Howick March 9, 2016 at 9:07 pm
    
    I have been busy with Guard and School, but I still want to do this. It seems people like the idea. Everyone has so many great ideas, how do we decide on what to post and where to post it?
    
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Luke Avedon March 6, 2016 at 10:23 am

I remember seeing illegal spray painted “Google Ron Paul” signs on the side of the highway in New Mexico back in 2008. I had never heard of Libertarian-ism then and was a pretty mainstream progressive. Definitely got me curious and helped lead me down the rabbit hole.

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  . March 9, 2016 at 3:25 am
  
  Proof of concept right here 😀
  
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  Ken Jons-un March 9, 2016 at 10:32 am
  
  I did one of those. Put it up on a three day weekend knowing that state workers would not come off holiday to pick it up. Use their weekness to your advantage.
  
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Roger Browne March 9, 2016 at 3:48 am

I will donate half a bitcoin to anyone who can make a liberty billboard happen. I will also donate half a bitcoin to a “column inches at advertising rates” fund as described by Rick Rule above.

Offer expires in three months (but only because I want to keep my life simple – contact me if you are doing this after three months).

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Starr March 9, 2016 at 10:44 am

I’d consider joining in on one that could get as close to voting booths as humanly possible to read: “Don’t Vote It Only Encourages Them!”

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