It Was Ours For The Taking

[Bossobass]

We attended our county convention which revealed the truth of this election. That truth is so simple it makes one cry. It was pointed out to us by a member of our meet up who is familiar with the process and has been a republican for many years.

There ended up being many more slots for county delegates than there were people who attended. This means that all who attended and those who filed absentee forms were all made delegates as a simple matter of procedure.

We voted to recommend 2 delegates to the national convention. Our people lost.

Of the 157 members in our meet up, only 40 showed up, plus a few probable absentee applications. 30 of them were not registered to vote. 40 of them were registered Dem or Indy. (These are round numbers)

Had all of them been registered R and showed up, we would have completely dominated our convention. Our 2 people would be headed to national and we would have more than a 2/3 majority.

Had every precinct done the same, then at the state convention, all delegates chosen to the national convention would be RP delegates. We would also have a 2/3 majority of delegates in our state.

This means that any one of them could stand up and motion to change the rule so that all delegates be unbound in the first round of the national convention. No one would be able to stop that motion from being adopted, nor could anyone motion for in any other way to negate this rule change.

If every county did the same thing, we would hold the majority at national and enough states, one by one, would stand and declare RP the nominee. There would have been nothing anyone could do about it.

Yes, it would have been that easy.

A few people who knew this have been screaming it from the rooftops for months. Grassroots did not listen. We didn't organize to take the election this way, which would have required no money, no rallies, door to door, no phone calls, no national ads and no HQ.

There is still a chance for us to sway the votes of enough people to vote for our people at the state convention next month, but it will be an uphill battle. Rest assured that I have already begun to do just that, but the sad reality is that our own people didn't register R and s-h-o-w u-p. which is all it would have taken.

113 people in our district is all that was needed. 157 in our meet up alone would have done the job with room to spare. We have 40, and we can't change that now.

To all the whiners against the campaign, the ads, the money and whatever the hell else you have been whining about for the past months, read it and weep. It would have been that easy.

I now wonder how many of our group chose not to show up Saturday because so many 'supporters' told them not to waste their time because 'it's over, we lost, stay home'.

F-U-C-K.

Bosso

[Aratus]

rules are rules...
regs are regs...

[nate895]

We attended our county convention which revealed the truth of this election. That truth is so simple it makes one cry. It was pointed out to us by a member of our meet up who is familiar with the process and has been a republican for many years.

There ended up being many more slots for county delegates than there were people who attended. This means that all who attended and those who filed absentee forms were all made delegates as a simple matter of procedure.

We voted to recommend 2 delegates to the national convention. Our people lost.

Of the 157 members in our meet up, only 40 showed up, plus a few probable absentee applications. 30 of them were not registered to vote. 40 of them were registered Dem or Indy. (These are round numbers)

Had all of them been registered R and showed up, we would have completely dominated our convention. Our 2 people would be headed to national and we would have more than a 2/3 majority.

Had every precinct done the same, then at the state convention, all delegates chosen to the national convention would be RP delegates. We would also have a 2/3 majority of delegates in our state.

This means that any one of them could stand up and motion to change the rule so that all delegates be unbound in the first round of the national convention. No one would be able to stop that motion from being adopted, nor could anyone motion for in any other way to negate this rule change.

If every county did the same thing, we would hold the majority at national and enough states, one by one, would stand and declare RP the nominee. There would have been nothing anyone could do about it.

Yes, it would have been that easy.

A few people who knew this have been screaming it from the rooftops for months. Grassroots did not listen. We didn't organize to take the election this way, which would have required no money, no rallies, door to door, no phone calls, no national ads and no HQ.

There is still a chance for us to sway the votes of enough people to vote for our people at the state convention next month, but it will be an uphill battle. Rest assured that I have already begun to do just that, but the sad reality is that our own people didn't register R and s-h-o-w u-p. which is all it would have taken.

113 people in our district is all that was needed. 157 in our meet up alone would have done the job with room to spare. We have 40, and we can't change that now.

To all the whiners against the campaign, the ads, the money and whatever the hell else you have been whining about for the past months, read it and weep. It would have been that easy.

I now wonder how many of our group chose not to show up Saturday because so many 'supporters' told them not to waste their time because 'it's over, we lost, stay home'.

F-U-C-K.

Bosso

Do you know what happened in other counties?

[Banana]

Good precautionary tale.


Hope that other takes heed and resolve to show up, no matter the odds.

Even if God himself agreed that HQ screwed up royally (I don't think so), delegates is grassroots, ours to lose, not HQ.

[nate895]

Good precautionary tale.


Hope that other takes heed and resolve to show up, no matter the odds.

Even if God himself agreed that HQ screwed up royally (I don't think so), delegates is grassroots, ours to lose, not HQ.

I think God does agree HQ screwed up royally, that database in Iowa was entirely their fault and prevented us from getting a strong third and knocking out Freddy Thompson in time to knock McCain out of the sole front runner position.

[Hook]

You are saying that half the meetup didn't even bother to register R to vote in the primary?
What a crock.

Why even join a meetup if you can't take the 5 minutes to register R?

[Banana]

I think God does agree HQ screwed up royally, that database in Iowa was entirely their fault and prevented us from getting a strong third and knocking out Freddy Thompson in time to knock McCain out of the sole front runner position.

I'm not all up and up on all problems, but my point remains:

Delegates is OUR to lose.

[pinkmandy]

Good reminder, Bosso. I hope others heed your warning and get off their arses. Our local party votes next week and you can be sure I'll be there.

[AJ Antimony]

bump

[kigol]

:cool:

[Cowlesy]

I feel like the point of Bossobass's post is that we could really get a lot more done if we'd stop saying "it's over we can't do anything more, how about 2012?"

There's nothing wrong with planning, but there is still PLENTY we can accomplish in 2008!

[brooklyn]

Heads up people! Let this be a lesson not to be repeated. This is ours to win or lose so lets stay focused. Leaders at the GOP office in my state were saying to everyone who came in that RP dropped so dont be fooled. Commit and execute. Delegates, Delegates, Delegates!

[puppetmaster]

Show up folks at your conventions....PERIOD.
You will feel horrible if you don't

Think of how those lazy folks in NC feel about not showing up. They will sit and complain about the injustice but they had the chance to change history and they sat still. Disgracfull to say the least.
Our government loves folks who don't show up.

[WilliamC]

I know some on here have been pounding away at the delegate situation for months, but most supporters seem to think donating a few bucks during a money bomb or voting in a few online polls or sign waving or simply going to some meetup meetings or just voting is enough.

Fortunately in Mississippi our delegates aren't chosen until April. I'll do what I can to be one of them. I'm registered Republican, will be paying the dues to my local Republican Party tomorrow night, will be working the polls Tuesday, and am in this for the long haul.

Yes it is sad to think of the 100,000 + meetup members who could have done so much if most of them thought of this more as a legitimate political campaign and less as a social club.

[amonasro]

You are saying that half the meetup didn't even bother to register R to vote in the primary?
What a crock.

Why even join a meetup if you can't take the 5 minutes to register R?

That's what I was thinking. Craziness!!

[Bradley in DC]

I think God does agree HQ screwed up royally

Many Ron Paul supporters are NOT members of our Meetup groups (and many of us are in more than one). We need to do everything we can. Obviously, follow Bosso's advice and mobilize the known Ron Paul supporters in Meetup groups, etc.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=72640

In addition, there is still a large staff at HQ doing He only knows what besides cashing checks. If you need their assistance for GOTV, do everything you can--including going straight to HQ and telling them what needs to be done (at a minimum, sending out an email the week of the primary/caucus--which they wouldn't even do for us in DC). Give HQ time to make happen what you want but don't be afraid to shine some light on them when they're dropping the ball: be polite, clear with your request, and direct. Name names, post the stories here, etc., when they fail to do their jobs.

If we all work together, including HQ, we can achieve great things.

[nate895]

Many Ron Paul supporters are NOT members of our Meetup groups (and many of us are in more than one). We need to do everything we can. Obviously, follow Bosso's advice and mobilize the known Ron Paul supporters in Meetup groups, etc.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=72640

In addition, there is still a large staff at HQ doing He only knows what besides cashing checks. If you need their assistance for GOTV, do everything you can--including going straight to HQ and telling them what needs to be done (at a minimum, sending out an email the week of the primary/caucus--which they wouldn't even do for us in DC). Give HQ time to make happen what you want but don't be afraid to shine some light on them when they're dropping the ball: be polite, clear with your request, and direct. Name names, post the stories here, etc., when they fail to do their jobs.

If we all work together, including HQ, we can achieve great things.

I am included in those non-meetup people, though I do contact them on occasion, and neither are my parents, grandmother, grandpa is a McCain supporter. I can understand that given they served on the same aircraft carrier and probably had at least some contact, lucky for us I didn't tell him anything about how we were planning on winning like I do to my family members who may support him.

[hawks4ronpaul]

I feel like the point of Bossobass's post is that we could really get a lot more done if we'd stop saying "it's over we can't do anything more, how about 2012?"

There's nothing wrong with planning, but there is still PLENTY we can accomplish in 2008!

Yes, and some people enjoy street protesting but never absorbed our still current plan to be as many delegates as possible at the national convention.


http://hawks4ronpaul.blogspot.com/

[AlbemarleNC0003]

Um. The State convention isn't until June.

However, if Charlotte can't get their crap together, the rest of us have no chance in NC. There are three of us in Stanly County. Three. All three of us are going to the district convention next month.

[gerryb]

This should be stickied.

[jointhefightforfreedom]

Well , We dominated our precinct 4 out of 4 delegates for Ron paul!
unanomously!

[c0unterph0bia]

Bump

[Banana]

Um. The State convention isn't until June.

However, if Charlotte can't get their crap together, the rest of us have no chance in NC. There are three of us in Stanly County. Three. All three of us are going to the district convention next month.

Maybe alert the meetups to his story? This should give them the kick in ass.

[AlbemarleNC0003]

Maybe alert the meetups to his story? This should give them the kick in ass.

Mecklenburg county was this past weekend. There were some precincts that did okay I think. Stanly county held both precinct and county convention on the same day. Everyone that showed up became a delegate for our district convention later this month. Those chosen will move on to the state convention in June. Our primary isn't until May 6.

[RonPaulVolunteer]

Befriend the delegates!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!

[Banana]

Befriend the delegates!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!

Great idea- invite them for a beer. Be courteous and start off with weather or sports or whatever then find out what is most important to them and show them that Paul actually would do whatever issue they really want to see.

And don't forgot someone's suggestion- If Paul can't win, a vote for Paul is a vote against McCain and thus sends a message to McCain that his nomination shouldn't be taken for granted. Nobody can argue against that, especially if the delegate isn't very happy with McCain.

(I've yet to met a happy McCain supporter...)

[BigRedBrent]

WE MUST FIGHT HARDER NOW THEN EVER BEFORE. They will not expect this and we could actually turn the tables. Since they think it is not likely, they will be caught off guard, but since it is still possible then nothing short of everything we got is acceptable.

If we could have won if we had only done as much as we can do, then we will have no one but ourselves to blame if we lose. What we need to endure to win will be nothing compared to what we will endure if we lose.

[SWATH]

Yes I think the new strategy for getting votes is to say the following:

"Since McCain has the nomination locked up/is the nominee, voting for him is a wasted vote. So vote for Ron Paul to send a message to the Republican party that we want more conservative candidates and the party to shift to the right and not the left"

[nate895]

Yes I think the new strategy for getting votes is to say the following:

"Since McCain has the nomination locked up/is the nominee, voting for him is a wasted vote. So vote for Ron Paul to send a message to the Republican party that we want more conservative candidates and the party to shift to the right and not the left"

Irony is filling the campaign today.

[american.swan]

Quote and I would like to say exactly why Ron Paul won't win the nomination.


We attended our county convention which revealed the truth of this election. That truth is so simple it makes one cry. It was pointed out to us by a member of our meet up who is familiar with the process and has been a republican for many years.

There ended up being many more slots for county delegates than there were people who attended. This means that all who attended and those who filed absentee forms were all made delegates as a simple matter of procedure.

We voted to recommend 2 delegates to the national convention. Our people lost.

Of the 157 members in our meet up, only 40 showed up, plus a few probable absentee applications. 30 of them were not registered to vote. 40 of them were registered Dem or Indy. (These are round numbers)

Had all of them been registered R and showed up, we would have completely dominated our convention. Our 2 people would be headed to national and we would have more than a 2/3 majority.

Had every precinct done the same, then at the state convention, all delegates chosen to the national convention would be RP delegates. We would also have a 2/3 majority of delegates in our state.

This means that any one of them could stand up and motion to change the rule so that all delegates be unbound in the first round of the national convention. No one would be able to stop that motion from being adopted, nor could anyone motion for in any other way to negate this rule change.

If every county did the same thing, we would hold the majority at national and enough states, one by one, would stand and declare RP the nominee. There would have been nothing anyone could do about it.

Yes, it would have been that easy.

A few people who knew this have been screaming it from the rooftops for months. Grassroots did not listen. We didn't organize to take the election this way, which would have required no money, no rallies, door to door, no phone calls, no national ads and no HQ.

There is still a chance for us to sway the votes of enough people to vote for our people at the state convention next month, but it will be an uphill battle. Rest assured that I have already begun to do just that, but the sad reality is that our own people didn't register R and s-h-o-w u-p. which is all it would have taken.

113 people in our district is all that was needed. 157 in our meet up alone would have done the job with room to spare. We have 40, and we can't change that now.

To all the whiners against the campaign, the ads, the money and whatever the hell else you have been whining about for the past months, read it and weep. It would have been that easy.

I now wonder how many of our group chose not to show up Saturday because so many 'supporters' told them not to waste their time because 'it's over, we lost, stay home'.

F-U-C-K.

Bosso

[nate895]

I must say that if we are one delegate short, I will make a trip to North Carolina.

[Banana]

Quote and I would like to say exactly why Ron Paul won't win the nomination.

Relax, it's not end of the world. There's still more victories to be won. Everyone should consider this a wake up call and break clean from the groove in their couch.

Besides, someone already suggesting befriending the delegates, and there's a chance that they still can take the state convention, but that's all up to each and every of us to show up.



Hmm, this probably should get circulated in the meetups all over- to make it clear that it's OUR to lose.

[Penners]

Just for the record... quite a few of the people who signed up as precinct leaders on RP site were also not registered as Republicans... some not registered to vote at all.

[kimo]

I don`t get it.
Everybody are yielding how f**k up everything is.. we need more effort. blah blah blah.
..or I keep reading "reasons" why somebody casted their vote to McCain..
Now I know why things goes as they do.

[LibertyIn08]

Just for the record... quite a few of the people who signed up as precinct leaders on RP site were also not registered as Republicans... some not registered to vote at all.

I'm not old enough to vote. Didn't have a choice on that one. However, I did my best to canvass and get out the message.

[Matthew P.]

You're so right - it would have been that easy. All it would have taken was a little effort with the meet-up groups.

Hindsight is 20/20, but I'm afraid this hindsight is going to cost. I'm not saying it's over, because nothing is over yet, but it is indeed a battle!

[Matthew P.]

I don`t get it.
Everybody are yielding how f**k up everything is.. we need more effort. blah blah blah.
..or I keep reading "reasons" why somebody casted their vote to McCain..
Now I know why things goes as they do.

It gets worse than that - I talked with one guy who said that he like Ron Paul's message but didn't think he would win so he decided to vote for Hillary - not because he agreed with her policies but because he had never voted for a woman president before and thought it would be fun. "Plus," he said, "primary votes don't really count anyway. I won't vote for her in November." What a crock!

[Cowlesy]

bump for grassroots educational thread