Topic: Ron Paul
The True Delegate Process I showed up at the Delegate Caucus in Clearwater Florida to learn more about the process.by Paul from Clearwater Florida
(Libertarian)
Monday, April 7, 2008
The True Delegate Process.
There are a few in the Ron Paul camp that are speaking of a Brokered Convention. The say that Ron Paulites will take over the Convention and Ron Paul will be the next President of the United States. Well, don't hold out hope for that, it isn't going to happen.
OK, with most of the Ron Paul supporters new to politics, it's easy to believe in what other people say about politics and the political process. I'm not a political junkie, I needed to find out for myself exactly what happens if you want to be a delegate at the National Convention. Read on.
OK, first you have to fill out an application, not too bad. The deadline was about 2 months ago. They want to know your credentials. Fair enough.
Later on, they announce a caucus date. That's right, they caucus (vote) on who will go to the National Convention based on their credentials.
Hmmmm, this could be interesting.
I was told that committee members could vote in this caucus. That was my first mistake. I got about 30 Ron Paul meetup members to join and become Commmittee Members for the Local Republican Party. We would vote and hopefully get a delegate or 2 in the National Convention.
So, Selection day comes around and I am ready to vote and select some Ron Paulers into the big Party in Minnesota.
We get there, roll call is taken. We each individually introduce ourselves. The Chairmen of our county and surrounding counties are there. Voting time comes around and THEY DO ALL OF THE VOTING. No one else. And of course they vote themselves in and it is over. Done with. Process finished. That's it. No magic, very anti-climatic.
The heads of the county are going to the Convention.
It actually makes sense that they would vote for themselves. If you could vote yourself in, wouldn't you? They are bound to vote for John McCain regardless. They were all for either Giuliani or Romney but must vote for McCain at the Convention now. And no Ron Paulers are going from this area.
How does this help the Ron Paul Campaign? It doesn't. Neocons have taken over the Republican Party.
With all of the new Committee Members, we will educate the Party. We speak at the meetings. We remind them that there is a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. We educate them on the Non-Intervention Policy. We acknowledge that the Republican Party is the party of lower taxes and smaller government. We ask them to act like it. So far, they are not.
In surrounding counties we are being fought and ridiculed. Geurilla tactics are being used to not let us join. Ron Paul's people bum rushed by GOP
Join us in continuing forward to return sanity and the original ideals back to the Republican Party. They may not want it now but the majority will thank us later. If it's not too late.
I do hope that the situation is different in other states. As you all know, Florida politics is so dirty that there is constant controversy.
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2008 Paul from Clearwater Florida, all rights reserved.
Published: Monday, April 7, 2008
Last modified: Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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Keep up the message at the local level, it is all about education. I would recommend first off that you all educate yourselves on "Robert's Rules of Order" 10th edition, then I would definitely investigate the constitution and/or by-laws of the party. It sounds like they breached the rules, unless there are specific rules in the organizational structure that allowed them to proceed as they did. If you have a majority you will be able to change the by-laws, it may take a few years to do it, so be it. Knowledge of parliamentary procedure is a must. If no one is there to object to a breach of the rules silence is considered consent. Keep in mind that if you begin to enforce the rules you will be resisted, that is why numbers on the local level are so important. Try and find a parliamentarian that is Jeffersonian to join the ranks and help. DO NOT BECOME DISILLUSIONED, the fight for liberty requires eternal vigilance.
Posted By: No Name Supplied
Date: 2008-04-07 17:46:17
I know the feeling, have trouble even finding out what to do in Broward County. Don't be discouraged. Florida is one the states that has gone out of its way to make it extremely hard to change anything. That is why we are one of the dumbest states.
Damn you Libertarians for attempting to speak up for true Republicans and bumbling every step of the way. You quitters have already given up on Dr. Paul because you have no sense of attachment to the party Ron Paul *is in*. He is not in your party, so you've resolved to lose.
Ron Paul for over 20 years has been screaming the same messages to the deaf ears of at Congress about us being involved in undeclared wars where victory is not achievable because it has not been defined. The definition of victory for Ron Paul for President is to attempt to get him seated as president. This is a well defined goal and we should be keeping our eye on the prize. Not conceding loss, not getting involved in marches or protests. The goal is to *win* the convention in an unconventional way -- and to win the general election.
I went to my caucus, and we got several delegates elected. The ideals that got them won were *conservative Republican ideals*, and not the neo-con garbage that you believe is running the show.
Dr. Paul has stated that the Republican party has lost its way -- and he is correct. You are too damn lazy to work within the bounds of the only viable vehicle to actually get him a chance at the convention you are a Naysaying Loser.
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford.
Posted By: Aaron B. Walker
Date: 2008-04-09 14:13:41
Paul from Clearwater - You did a great job of describing the delegate process in one state in America and within just one country (or senate district... depending on your situation). It sounds as though you all were railroaded by party insiders who know the process because they've been around the block a few times... they may also have been part of the early 1990's "Pat Robertson" group who "took over the party" in that era and if so... they know exactly what we're up to because they did then exactly what we are trying to do now.
All hope is not lost on the national level because fortunately, not all senate district, county, and state party rules are the same concerning how delegates are selected, or in the level of commitment to a particular candidate delegates are required to hold (bound vs. unbound delegates).
In reality, there will be many "Ron Paul backers" (seems to be the new media buzzword for us) present at the national convention. John McCain will absolutely fail to get the required number of delegate votes in the first round of voting (that's a FACT, crunch the numbers yourself... McCain does not have 1191 BOUND delegates who are legally obligated to vote for him). With a failed first round election at the convention, some state rules will then un-bind their delegates and we move on to a second round of voting. Presumably, during that election, McCain will receive even less of a percentage of the delegate votes and will fail to reach 1191 again. Then, more states will un-bind, a new vote taken, McCain falls further short and then ALL states will be officially un-bound. (Also keep in mind that GOP rules and parliamentary procedures do allow for a vote to be taken to go ahead and unbind all delegates after just the first round... but we'll see how it goes.)
There is a very real possibility that Paul or some other person may rise up during the convention as the better choice for the Republican nominee. We obviously are bucking for Paul, but quite frankly, once the first few rounds of voting have taken place, literally ANYONE can be put forth as the party's potential nominee (how about THAT for an X factor...).
Bottom line... McCain does not have the nomination in the bag. He knows it... the "establishment" knows it... and we (the Paul backers) know it. We'll see how the floor fight plays out.
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2008 Paul from Clearwater Florida, all rights reserved.