Jeez...

[basejumper]

I just returned from my first precinct meeting here in NC and man I felt like I had 3 heads or something. The people in my district would not even talk to me because I support Ron Paul. They asked who I supported because they 'heard' Ron Paul supporters were going to start a revolution at the meeting. I said I did support him but there was not underhandedness going on, I just wanted to be a part of the republican party and have a say in who our elected officials are. One guy got all pissy when he found out and called Ron Paul and me a nutcase:confused: I asked him to back up his statement with some facts and he wouldn't speak to me after that. He would just wave his hand and say there is no point. This guy was so closed minded, along with all of the people sitting around him. They would not debate ANY issues at all.
They also were passing around a few forms to volunteer for certain duties which everyone wanted me to be the district chairman but when they found out who I supported the one guy who had called me a nutcase rescinded his nomination of me and said he would NOT stand behind a RP supporter. Also, when the form to volunteer to be a delegate came around they tried to keep me from filling it in. They changed their mind about the other volunteer positions and tried to push those on me instead because they knew what the important positions were. They really made me feel welcome and glad I was in the Republican party :(
GOOD news:
There was a straw poll for the 50-60 attendees and it turned out that Ron Paul came in 2nd. here are the numbers from my district...
Romney - 29
Paul - 10
Huck - 4(don't remember but I think this is right)
McCain - 3
Undecided - 3

[phill4paul]

It's sad. Man, i dunno, why is Dr. Paul treated this way.
( I do know so please don't preach to the choir.)
It is so sad!:(

[Zarxrax]

Wow, thats really sad :(
Which area are you in?

[hueylong]

It is happening this way because Dr. Paul is a THREAT to the establishment.

Understand that now.

[chudrockz]

That's too bad about your experience.

Minnesota went WELL for me and Ron Paul!!

As far as I can tell, Ron Paul swept the delegates in my precinct. I'm one!

Straw poll results:

Romney: 6
Huckabee: 12
McCain: 18
Paul: 26

[AlbemarleNC0003]

NC has little pockets of support mostly from ex-mil types. I'm finding small business owners really like him too. It might be more helpful to concentrate on getting them to spread the word too. Flyers or posters in their windows.

Stanly County here.

[MooCowzRock]

NC has little pockets of support mostly from ex-mil types. I'm finding small business owners really like him too. It might be more helpful to concentrate on getting them to spread the word too. Flyers or posters in their windows.

Stanly County here.

the fact that he gets almost as much money as every other candidate COMBINED from active duty servicemen says a lot about his military support...;P

[suzypotaka]

Basejumper, may I ask why you even responded to their question on who you supported?? You are a caucus state & your response needed to be "undecided or uncommitted". I hate to tell you, yet the straw poll means nothing. It is about DELEGATES.

The only way any of these Caucus states are going to get delegate in by going incognito/stealth mode. You guys are ongoing I believe? Need to go to a State Convention? Guess what. You need to be in stealth there too.

I hope someone out there can give you all better coaching on caucus procedures. :(

I know probably 90% of us have never done this before. Yet, hindsight is what will do us in if people don't understand the principles of caucusing in their own state. Plus how delegates are elected at their state levels.

[evandi]

You need to read "How to win friends and influence people".

Armed with whatever that book says, suddenly all their bias will go away, some inspirational music will start playing in the background, and you and they will be part of a really cool montage.

[Zarxrax]

Basejumper, may I ask why you even responded to their question on who you supported?? You are a caucus state & your response needed to be "undecided or uncommitted". I hate to tell you, yet the straw poll means nothing. It is about DELEGATES.

Actually, NC is a primary state, though it looks like we had a caucus in 2004.

[slacker921]

NC is a primary state.. and most likely Paul will not be on our ballot in May (unless there's a big push to get signatures to get him on it..).

who will be on the NC ballot:
"The list must be compromised of candidates whose candidacy is generally advocated and recognized in the news media throughout the United States or in North Carolina, .." from here (http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/Cand/Facts/facts_pres.html)

(edited to add.. nevermind.. just saw this http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=112383 )

[joelfarm]

Basejumper, may I ask why you even responded to their question on who you supported?? You are a caucus state & your response needed to be "undecided or uncommitted". I hate to tell you, yet the straw poll means nothing. It is about DELEGATES.

The only way any of these Caucus states are going to get delegate in by going incognito/stealth mode. You guys are ongoing I believe? Need to go to a State Convention? Guess what. You need to be in stealth there too.


I know probably 90% of us have never done this before. Yet, hindsight is what will do us in if people don't understand the principles of caucusing in their own state. Plus how delegates are elected at their state levels.

My take on basejumpers delimma is this;
Just as in any other social contact that we have with people, we can not expect to go in to these meetings the first time and announce our agenda and who we are supporting and what we want to do. After all, some of these individuals have been working for and supporting the party for a lifetime and are very commited to it. They are going to feel very protective of 'their' turf and will get very defensive if you come on too strong.
It will take a lot of effort, but we are just as determined as them and it will take time and thought to get our points heard and implimented. Some will embrace us and some will fight us to the death, so perservere and we WILL win.

[Ex Post Facto]

Maybe the GOP is lost forever. Maybe there is no chance getting involved, unless we have sheer numbers.

[lisajames96]

Our experience wasn't too bad at the precinct meeting. Paul came in 2nd at our straw poll too. Some in the room were like huh?what? But it opened up good discussions. Some of us lingered and talked until they were closing the meeting down. It wasn't just Paul's name being thrown around. It was the ideas moreso. The conversations were full of constitutional values, limited gov't, and cutting spending. We signed up as delegates.

[nc4rp]

I just returned from my first precinct meeting here in NC and man I felt like I had 3 heads or something. The people in my district would not even talk to me because I support Ron Paul. They asked who I supported because they 'heard' Ron Paul supporters were going to start a revolution at the meeting. I said I did support him but there was not underhandedness going on, I just wanted to be a part of the republican party and have a say in who our elected officials are. One guy got all pissy when he found out and called Ron Paul and me a nutcase:confused: I asked him to back up his statement with some facts and he wouldn't speak to me after that. He would just wave his hand and say there is no point. This guy was so closed minded, along with all of the people sitting around him. They would not debate ANY issues at all.
They also were passing around a few forms to volunteer for certain duties which everyone wanted me to be the district chairman but when they found out who I supported the one guy who had called me a nutcase rescinded his nomination of me and said he would NOT stand behind a RP supporter. Also, when the form to volunteer to be a delegate came around they tried to keep me from filling it in. They changed their mind about the other volunteer positions and tried to push those on me instead because they knew what the important positions were. They really made me feel welcome and glad I was in the Republican party :(
GOOD news:
There was a straw poll for the 50-60 attendees and it turned out that Ron Paul came in 2nd. here are the numbers from my district...
Romney - 29
Paul - 10
Huck - 4(don't remember but I think this is right)
McCain - 3
Undecided - 3

im sorry to hear that your county GoP is unwelcoming. Many GoPers are very closed minded and sheepish to what they hear on TV.

did you manage to get on the delegate list? thats the whole point at this stage.

[nc4rp]

what county?

[basejumper]

I think it was obvious to them who the RP supporters were. They seemed to know everyone there except for a few people... the younger attendees, which they most likely correctly guessed as RP fans. I didn't come out and say 'hello I'm here to vote for RP" they just knew the new people weren't there to vote for their candidate (Romney).
I did talk at length to a woman who knew them for many years and said they had been involved with the GOP since Reagan, so I can understand that they were threatened by this movement. They feel they are loosing grip. Also, the woman I spoke with was a lot nicer than the other group. She at least told me she has looked at all the candidates and their stances on all the issues. She wouldn't say who she was for but I gathered it was Huckabee. She did encourage me to continue the fight and stand up for what I believe is right. My county is Wake Co. and yes, I did sign up to be a delegate although I'm not sure if I qualify for the position. I read a thread in this section saying I had to be affiliated with the party since Jan. 1... I switched on the 25th of Jan.

[nc4rp]

yep it looks like Wake County has its own amended Party Plan - http://www.ncgop.org/getactive/join.asp

its states that
Every Republican registered within a precinct 30 days prior to the precinct meeting and in attendance at said meeting shall be entitled to cast one vote, http://www.wakegop.org/textorg.htm

so it looks like you got shut out of the delegate process. doh. I think thats why people have been posting to check your own county rules. you can still apply your wieght canvassing and stuff to get your 'vote' applied in different ways.

i suspect we may get enough delegates anyway, unless this situation occurs in many NC counties. Jan 30th deadline was the NC GoP Plan rules. I tried to get the word out about the deadline, but it was impossible to check every detail of every county.

are there others you know of from Wake county that registered after Jan 7th?