This irritated me about the Maine GOP

[thompsonisland]

At the York County caucus yesterday, both in the general assembly and then in my town, the party leaders were ecstatic at the turnout and practically begging the young folks and newcomers to stay active in the party after the election.

Then, Judd Gregg gets up (or whomever it was) and says it is a two-person race, three if you count Huckabee (who came in LAST in the straw polls, and had about 4 signs), the back of the room is all mumble grumble during the Ron Paul presentation (after being totally rapt for the political hacks who had already spoken - felt orchestrated to me), and the vote counts are being gently massaged away from Ron Paul.

So, the GOP, at the state and national level, has shown ZERO respect for the candidate who has brought all these voters out (who are busily funneling $25/per in registration fees for the convention that will try to marginalize them), and zero respect for the views and ideals of this generally disenfranchised remnant, and now they are asking for FAVORS? Once this is done, or maybe even now, there had better be some letters to the GOP about that. I'll be writing one, that's for sure.

[subdefective]

Are you sure you weren't at the Penobscot caucus? Because that's EXACTLY how mine went down, too. It is irritating, I agree.

[virginiakid]

This is why the Republican party is falling apart and will lose in 08.

[thompsonisland]

Well, the whole thing got me to thinking that maybe the Republican party isn't the place for this movement. It is the party of Lincoln (did anyone else get sick of hearing that yesterday), not the party of Washington. I think the next several years should be spent getting the rules changed to make it easier for third parties. The voters are clearly ready for this type of message, but we have to get it outside the box.

[noztnac]

3rd party run time.

[subdefective]

The two-party system has been nothing but a source of frustration for me, because I do not completely agree with either of them. I've usually leaned more towards republican anyway, because they tend to emphasize personal freedoms more (though not lately!), but I just can't get behind the ultra-conservative values that dominate the party. We either need to make other parties more accepted, or obliterate the party system overall and come up with something better.

[MrCobaltBlue]

During the RP Surrogate speech in the Portland Caucus, the romneybots and some of the GOP leaders decided to make a ruckus in the back by moving a bunch of metal chairs around to create lot of loud noise.

[FreeTraveler]

Try something like this for the head of the Maine GOP:

Dear Mr. Duncan,

I respectfully suggest you start looking for another job.

As you read this, tens of thousands of Ron Paul supporters across the country are making plans to attend county Republican Executive Committee meetings and replace the leadership in those counties with individuals who recognize the value of the Constitution in relation to the old-boy cronyism that has been directing local politics.

Those leaders, in turn, will be attending state GOP conventions, where once again, they will choose leaders who respect the Constitution and the power of We, The People.

When those state activists meet at the next Republican National Convention, you're going to have a snowball's chance in hell of retaining your position.

So, as I mentioned in the first sentence... it's probably time to start looking for a new line of work. Your days as a shill for the current crooks in power are numbered.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Republican

[angelatc]

IF you were more active in the GOP perhaps you would have been speaking too.

People, our money talks. The GOP is in shambles. It is ripe for change, our change. THe laws in the various states are already tipped in favor of a two party system. Even though reclaiming the GOP will be a rough ride, it is far easier than starting from scratch.

[angelatc]

During the RP Surrogate speech in the Portland Caucus, the romneybots and some of the GOP leaders decided to make a ruckus in the back by moving a bunch of metal chairs around to create lot of loud noise.

Then the speaker should have politely indicated he would wait until everybody was comfortably settled.

THey are trying to rattle us.

[virginiakid]

IF you were more active in the GOP perhaps you would have been speaking too.

People, our money talks. The GOP is in shambles. It is ripe for change, our change. THe laws in the various states are already tipped in favor of a two party system. Even though reclaiming the GOP will be a rough ride, it is far easier than starting from scratch.

Your right. After the 08 elections and they lose big, change will happen. We are in the perfect position to take over.

[Stealth4]

This is why the Republican party is falling apart and will lose in 08.

Neo-Cons cant keep young people. They will lose if they dont embrace us and Ron Paul's positions and if we dont make an effort to be part o fthe party leadership. Part of the change is on our end.

[thompsonisland]

The party is busy trying to get Constitutional amendments against gay marriage while mumbling quietly about maybe lowering taxes a little if the bills are all paid. This is not a group of people that I necessarily want to be more active with!

[raiha]

Infuriating??? I'd be apoplectic! And if you don't get on the streets and fight this thing (non-violently) we'll all soon be apocalyptic. What I'm afraid of is that everyone will just feel more and more helpless, saying "oh well thats the way it is is, who am I? One person." This is outrageous! Your country is down the crapper...soon you'll be spychipped or trying to cook slugs and snails to get a meal, whilst living in a tent in a californian suburb.
Mr Colbert had the situation nailed :)

You could call it a Back to the Constitution March and start having them reguarly.

Buy a megaphone.
Get permission from your local council and the police department to have a March. Organize your meet-ups. After Super Tuesday if you must.
Give yourselves at least a good 10 days to organizce it so you can co-ordinate with other cities.
Delegate people in your meet-ups with various skills. Someone who will be good at fronting the media - (not a belligerant person...intelligent, articulate and confident)
Get the local newspapers to cover it as the MSM will not. But you obviously send out a press-release three days before the event to ALL MSM.

In marches you have big donation buckets and it is a fantastic way to keep educating people as you can hand out DVD's and slim jims to people who look at you.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

[FreeTraveler]

The party is busy trying to get Constitutional amendments against gay marriage while mumbling quietly about maybe lowering taxes a little if the bills are all paid. This is not a group of people that I necessarily want to be more active with!

Yep, then get your meetup group together with some of your friends who haven't been active so far and attend your next county Republican Executive Committee meeting. You'll probably be in the majority, if not, it will be close. After a little work, you can be the majority, and pro-Paul candidates can take over the county. The state is the next to fall, then National GOP. They CAN NOT beat us in numbers if attacked at the grassroots. Local groups are shrinking every day, and WE ARE GROWING!

[FreeTraveler]

Okay, let's talk about "rage at the machine."

A bus breaks down on the side of the road. One group makes up signs, marches around the bus, shouts platitudes, and gets attention.

Another group tells the driver to get out of the way, crawls under the machine, and does the dirty work needed to fix it... then climbs in, one of them takes the wheel, and they go where the want to go.

Which group made the real difference in the final analysis?

If you're NOT attending Republican Executive Committee meetings in your county, you're raging against the machine, not fixing it.



Infuriating??? I'd be apoplectic! And if you don't get on the streets and fight this thing (non-violently) we'll all soon be apocalyptic. What I'm afraid of is that everyone will just feel more and more helpless, saying "oh well thats the way it is is, who am I? One person." This is outrageous! Your country is down the crapper...soon you'll be spychipped or trying to cook slugs and snails to get a meal, whilst living in a tent in a californian suburb.
Mr Colbert had the situation nailed :)

You could call it a Back to the Constitution March and start having them reguarly.

Buy a megaphone.
Get permission from your local council and the police department to have a March. Organize your meet-ups. After Super Tuesday if you must.
Give yourselves at least a good 10 days to organizce it so you can co-ordinate with other cities.
Delegate people in your meet-ups with various skills. Someone who will be good at fronting the media - (not a belligerant person...intelligent, articulate and confident)
Get the local newspapers to cover it as the MSM will not. But you obviously send out a press-release three days before the event to ALL MSM.

In marches you have big donation buckets and it is a fantastic way to keep educating people as you can hand out DVD's and slim jims to people who look at you.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

[LinearChaos]

THey are trying to rattle us.
And this hubris is what is destroying them. The Republican Party dies when Ron Paul is no longer with it.

[jasonhlasvegas2008]

Patiently remind them time and time again that what is motivating the Ron Paul volunteers is his message, his platform, and that if the Republican Party wants to be successful it must return to its roots.

[raiha]

Okay, let's talk about "rage at the machine."

Can't honey, I'm in NZ. I know raging against the machine is not a terribly 'Republican' strategy but truly there is need for both actions. If you are invisible, get visible!!

[stevedasbach]

Try something like this for the head of the Maine GOP:

Dear Mr. Duncan,

I respectfully suggest you start looking for another job.

As you read this, tens of thousands of Ron Paul supporters across the country are making plans to attend county Republican Executive Committee meetings and replace the leadership in those counties with individuals who recognize the value of the Constitution in relation to the old-boy cronyism that has been directing local politics.

Those leaders, in turn, will be attending state GOP conventions, where once again, they will choose leaders who respect the Constitution and the power of We, The People.

When those state activists meet at the next Republican National Convention, you're going to have a snowball's chance in hell of retaining your position.

So, as I mentioned in the first sentence... it's probably time to start looking for a new line of work. Your days as a shill for the current crooks in power are numbered.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Republican

Don't write a letter. Don't warn them. If you are going to organize and vote them out, organize and vote them out. If you let them see you coming they will organize and/or change the rules to try to stop you.

[Staupostek]

The Republican Party of 2008 is either going to be the Republican Party of 1976, which paved the way for Ronald Reagan, or the Whig Party of 1856, which paved the way for another party (Republican Party) to rise as it died. Either way, the party we have now will not survive as it is.

[CorkyAgain]

Don't write a letter. Don't warn them. If you are going to organize and vote them out, organize and vote them out. If you let them see you coming they will organize and/or change the rules to try to stop you.

Agreed. What's the point of sending a letter?

To give them one last chance to change? Isn't it already clear that they're dead-set against us, and will never come around to our side?

To gloat over them, the way bullies do when they taunt their victims? "You can't stop me, neener neener"? Isn't that how they treat us? Why should we want to copy their behavior?

I really don't understand why people go on writing these kind of letters to party hacks --- or the MSM, now that I think of it. It makes sense to register a complaint or protest the first time something happens. But when those complaints and protests are not only ignored, but met with even more blatant violations?

Steve's right. Organize! When you see liberty being trampled, share the information with others in the movement, and use it to recruit newcomers to the cause.

But don't waste your time trying to shame or intimidate the miscreants. They have no shame, and threats just play to their psychopathic tendencies. They love their little domination games. Don't we all know that by now?

[Naraku]

The Republican Party of 2008 is either going to be the Republican Party of 1976, which paved the way for Ronald Reagan, or the Whig Party of 1856, which paved the way for another party (Republican Party) to rise as it died. Either way, the party we have now will not survive as it is.

Well hopefully they're not like the Federalists of 1816.

[Crickett]

At the York County caucus yesterday, both in the general assembly and then in my town, the party leaders were ecstatic at the turnout and practically begging the young folks and newcomers to stay active in the party after the election.

Then, Judd Gregg gets up (or whomever it was) and says it is a two-person race, three if you count Huckabee (who came in LAST in the straw polls, and had about 4 signs), the back of the room is all mumble grumble during the Ron Paul presentation (after being totally rapt for the political hacks who had already spoken - felt orchestrated to me), and the vote counts are being gently massaged away from Ron Paul.

So, the GOP, at the state and national level, has shown ZERO respect for the candidate who has brought all these voters out (who are busily funneling $25/per in registration fees for the convention that will try to marginalize them), and zero respect for the views and ideals of this generally disenfranchised remnant, and now they are asking for FAVORS? Once this is done, or maybe even now, there had better be some letters to the GOP about that. I'll be writing one, that's for sure.

Seems to me like you should have jumped out of your seat, interrupted, and said that exact thing.

[Crickett]

Then the speaker should have politely indicated he would wait until everybody was comfortably settled.

THey are trying to rattle us.

Yep..for sure. They are taking cues from RP when he lets people walk on him, but we are not running and can stick up for ourselves. I LOVED that GOP letter, by the way, but all are right. We should not warn them, we should just get even and then GLOAT.

[FreeTraveler]

Don't write a letter. Don't warn them. If you are going to organize and vote them out, organize and vote them out. If you let them see you coming they will organize and/or change the rules to try to stop you.

I didn't actually send this. It was actually written to show ourselves what we're capable of. :)

[familydog]

IF you were more active in the GOP perhaps you would have been speaking too.

People, our money talks. The GOP is in shambles. It is ripe for change, our change. THe laws in the various states are already tipped in favor of a two party system. Even though reclaiming the GOP will be a rough ride, it is far easier than starting from scratch.

QFT

[literatim]

You wouldn't have that problem if you become the party leaders. That is what it takes to take back the GOP. Simply showing up once and caucusing won't do much to change the internal workings of it.

It is impossible for a 3rd party to rise up because the Democrats and Republicans are in collusion to maintain power. The only thing thing this movement can do is work on slowly taking back the GOP by becoming an active part in it. Simply crying about it won't get anyone anywhere. You want the chairman to be fair? You become the chairman, have all the Ron Paul supporters show up and vote you into the chair. No one said this would be easy.

[nc4rp]

gop=yucky

[FreeTraveler]

gop=yucky

Congratulations! That won the election for us. We can all go home now. Thanks for all your hard work and commitment to the cause. How would we ever have done it without you?

[CJLauderdale4]

Two ways to look at this, should Dr. Paul not get the nomination of course:

- Spend the next 2-4 years getting all of your likeminded friends/family/neighbors to join you at your county Republican Committee meetings. In Broward County, FL, the attendance is only 2-300 members max each month. With the meetups we have, we could easily takeover the place, and elect Ron Paul Republicans as executive committee chairpeople for our county. We here just got in the game too late (November 2007 was delegate signup deadline for us). Trust me - there is such a distaste for politics in this country, that the Ron Paul Revolution could takeover politics in a second. Just look at all of the candidates amazed at OUR turnout at rallies, the money WE raised, the creativity WE showed in this revolution. We would easily be the majority in the local Republican parties (which is where it all starts), and the movement would continue. And the good thing: the media still won't cover us so we'll REALLY be covert!!

- OR, start from scratch, and start a new party. Trying to get on the ballot, be taken seriously by the media, and get voters to switch to you will all be HUGE tasks! Being a member of the Constitution Party has proven this to me. They have a similar message to Ron Paul, but people just don't care enough to act. People won't unplug until the fire under the kettle gets so hot they can't stand it (soup lines, 30% unemployment, gas lines around the corner, etc.).

To me, I honestly believe that we could easily outnumber all of the active local Republican Party members, and vote Ron Paul Republicans in as chairs locally in the next 2 years. Then, use the 2 years after that getting Ron Paul Republicans into the Statewide positions in the Party (the ones who help choose or actually designated as delegates).

This revolution may take more time than we want. In a nation that is accustomed to fast-food, we all want real change now! However, if we're really committed to this revolution, it will not stop with Ron Paul. The cards are seriously stacked against any third-party starting over at this point, so the easiest path that I've seen and tested is the takeover of the Republican Party, starting from the ground up!!

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Then the speaker should have politely indicated he would wait until everybody was comfortably settled.

THey are trying to rattle us.

Yeah, and sometimes the best way to deal with that is to play dumb a little bit. For instance, when someone's doing something shady, it's usually a pretty good tactic to just get them to explain it and watch them fumble over themselves.

[ItsTime]

you are assuming that the neo-cons care if you vote dem or rep


Neo-Cons cant keep young people. They will lose if they dont embrace us and Ron Paul's positions and if we dont make an effort to be part o fthe party leadership. Part of the change is on our end.

[thompsonisland]

Okay, so some of this is getting snarky. It is a long trip for me from anarcho-capitalist to active in Republican party, and I can't just put on a pointy hat and sign up! There are things that the current crop of Republicans find fundamental to the party, that are at profound odds with my values. Since the ends don't justify the means, I can't just smile uncomfortably while the party pushes social legislation.

We have been united under Dr. Paul, but we all have a lot of differences.

[noztnac]

IF you were more active in the GOP perhaps you would have been speaking too.

People, our money talks. The GOP is in shambles. It is ripe for change, our change. THe laws in the various states are already tipped in favor of a two party system. Even though reclaiming the GOP will be a rough ride, it is far easier than starting from scratch.

Starting from scratch makes far more sense. The reputation of the Republican Party is finished. You cant polish a turd.