Topic: Ron Paul
Redouble Canvassing Efforts or Ron Paul's Message Dies Along with Hope for America There is only ONE lesson to be taken from Iowa. Canvassing must be increased. Nothing else matters.by Jahfre Fire Eater
(Libertarian)
Friday, January 4, 2008
First, my quick assessment of the candidates/results from Iowa:
1. Huckabee - He is a great example of how far left the Christian majority has gone. They are trying to elect Bill Clinton. He will nose-dive before March. Winning Iowa is the kiss of death. Iowan's NEVER pick the winner.
2. Romney - This guy paid something like $10M to win Iowa and he came in second. Who could confuse him with a fiscal conservative? (He spent $4M on the freaking straw poll…what a loser. See my comments on straw polls below.)
3. McCain - Clearly the winner overall because his strategy is working. He understands the relative importance of Iowa and played it beautifully into his recent surge. I agree with Rush Limbaugh’s assessment of McCain’s liberalism and his media support.
4. Thompson - This guy was done before he started. His political shoe laces are tied together, he is too slow to realize and the people behind him can’t see because they are behind him. He supported McCain-Feingold. ‘nuf said about him right there. Not Conservative.
5. Paul - Wonderful. Sure we wanted 3rd but the % is more important than the rank because of the information it conveys to his supporters.
6. Giuliani - His strategy is working too, for now, because he wasn’t involved. I think Rudy is counting on the vote of the city-folk and those who have retired to Florida from the Northern cities. I think this is not a winning strategy but he is still in play with it intact for now.
What next?
We needed to see Iowa. Finally we have a real measurement of Ron Paul's support and the effectiveness of the grass roots movement. His Iowa results are not good or bad. It is just information. How we, his supporters, react to that information will determine the next result, and so on.
It isn't necessary to analyze the situation much. Iowa isn't important as far as the nomination result, its only importance is in how campaigns move on past Iowa or if they do. Obviously Dr. Paul's campaign would move on even if he didn't gain a single vote in Iowa so it just wasn't very important in that regard.
Canvassing your local neighborhood is the most effective tool for earning party nominations for ANY office. Ron Paul supporters didn't do enough of this in Iowa. There may be ten thousand very good reasons for that but the fact is, more canvassing would have turned out better support. This isn't rocket science. It is very simple and it always works. The question is: "Do Ron Paul supporters have the savvy to do it?" Not so much so far. They still think if we blog like the wind and write nasty email to anyone who opposes us, we will win.
The absurd attention that Ron Paul fans pay to straw polls is one great example of useless venting of indignant outrage.
There are only 4 kinds of people who care about straw polls but they care in different ways for different reasons.
1. Political Parties. The purpose of a straw poll is to serve as a catalyst for local fund raising. Politics is boring like baseball. 95% of the time nothing happens in either sport but people hang in there for the 5% when things are very exciting and results are determined. Straw polls give the locals something more exciting than the typical, extremely boring, activities that comprise their monthly GOP county meetings.
2. The Media. Duh. Americans love a horse race. The media intentionally blurs the priorities among important and meaningless events because it brings them more mindless viewers.
3. Campaign Strategists. They can get a boost in momentum by touting good straw poll results.
4. The politically naive. This group includes a huge portion of Ron Paul supporters. They are inexperienced and gullible. They are trained to believe what they are told by the TV. They are not well equipped to determine relative priorities. They want to believe straw polls are important and they go to great lengths, creating ridiculous public spectacles over these meaningless activities. This is such a horrifying glimpse of the ignorance that abounds in America today that I do not believe it is surmountable in the time we have left.
The only thing any of us need to take away from Iowa is an urgency to put on some nice clothes, put away our fear mongering public spectacle ranting and raving and go talk to our neighbors. Learn how to canvass, don't wing it. This isn't about your personal glory this is about results. Do it right.
Thank you,
Jahfre Fire Eater
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2008 Jahfre Fire Eater, all rights reserved.
Published: Friday, January 4, 2008
Last modified: Friday, January 4, 2008
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Politically naieve Christians (me) have much to learn from the savvy irreligious (you) about achieving our common goal (Liberty!)
I just wanted you to know that I appreciate your taking time today to help teach me. We're both clearly on the same page when it comes to a passion for getting the federal monkey off our back. Thanks! :)
"Iowa results are not good or bad. It is just information. How we, his supporters, react to that information will determine the next result."
I agree with you 100%. You may have already seen my column this morning, but for those who haven't, if you want a break down of what Iowa taught us about Ron Paul follow this link.
http://www.nolanchart.com/article922.html
Iowa is neither good (as some Paulites are saying) nor bad (as the pundints will say) for Ron Paul. It is information. And as I demonstrated in my column, this information tells us that if the national convention were today we would not win. We are merely about 700,000 strong (that's an educated guess based on Iowa's results). That is not enough!
How we react to this information, as emphasized beautifully in this column, is what will determine whether or not we win our freedoms back. Blogging and commenting will not raise our numbers now (I am guilty right now, but in my defense I am going out canvassing for most fo the day today), but canvassing will reap enormous benefits. All of you who have read this column, heed it's call to action.
Yours is the best advice anyone could give. For some terrific guidelines for canvassing, go to http://www.ronpaulreveres.com/. Its time to spend less time on the Internet and more time putting our boots on the streets. Tomorrow, 25 to 35 RP supporters will be braving the frigid temperatures and attending a sign-waving / horn honking gathering at a major intersection in the NW suburbs of Chicago. Get out there, folks. The freedom you are fighting for is your own!
Posted By: Jahfre Fire Eater
Date: 2008-01-04 13:20:56
There are good canvassing materials online. I'm most familiar with the version my wife published several months ago. People in every corner of the country have downloaded it and given us feedback about how simple and effective the techniques are.
We conduct presentations and workshops on canvassing in Colorado. We also know several others who conduct similar sessions in our area. Check with your local meetup groups because if they are doing anything useful they will have someone who knows this stuff and is willing to teach it. If no one in your area is already doing this kind of instruction, step right up. Now is the time for leaders to self-select.
Grass roots is fine when all you want to do is make a lot of noise and vent your frustrations but right now we have a very specific task and a well proven means of acheiving it. All it takes is the hard part...doing it. No one has to do anything. This is all purely individual activism. You don't need a group or a leader. All you need is a doer...you.
My wife's material is available from the Ron Paul Live tool bar and also on the groups.ronpaul2008 at yahoo under the "files" link. If you have any trouble finding or downloading it let me know and I can get it to you via email.
I have seen several other good sources of material but I cannot vouch for them specifically. Ours is targeted specifically to canvassing for apathetic conservatives because they are the most powerful untapped group for our needs.
As usual, your talent serves a useful, constructive purpose. Good soldiers need basic training, maybe the occasional kick in the butt. Well done!
"ignorance abounds in America today" and that's precisely why people like you are desperately needed to help the cause of Liberty. Generals don't win wars, soldiers do. And they don't have to be smart, just well trained.
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2008 Jahfre Fire Eater, all rights reserved.