Delegate Revolt in Minnesota!

[beachbum721]

This is so obvious that I had to post it.

Everyone, pls read the post from a RP supporter, below, whose name I will omit.

We have had very well-organized grassroots letter writing and phone calling efforts in the past for primaries and caucuses. Now we can target these same techniques once again on a slightly different group of people: the delegates to the national GOP convention to start a delegate revolt.

What I think we need is the names and contact info of every delegate to the national convention. Let's begin a concerted and powerful phone/email/letter campaign and, as the delegates are known, begin contacting every single one of them, including alternates, and pose our case for liberty, the Constitution, and Dr. Paul to them.

They are people. They have their own minds. They will feel 'bound' to do what is right.

Let's discuss.



"Several group members have discusssed the question of what it means when we say that delegates are "bound" to vote for a given candidate on the first round.

There is no legal requirement to vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged. Under all but extreme circumstances, they are bound by morality, ethics, and virtue. Otherwise, they cause harm to the candidate who has earned their votes; they undermine any trust that other people should have in them; and they discredit the dignity, unity, and strength of the Republican Party.

Are the circumstances this year extreme enough to violate their pledge? Let's look at each point.

Has McCain earned the nomination, or was he fraudulently given the nod? If he has earned the nomination, it would be an act of immorality toward McCain not to grant it to him.
Were the primaries fairly and honestly conducted? If so, the process was ethical, and a sense of ethics would demand that the delegates respect the results of that process.

Are the circumstances such that the Republican Party and the American Republic would be strengthened by honoring party rules in this instance? If so, voting against McCain would display a lack of virtue.

If the answer to these questions is "no," then morality, ethics, and virtue demand a delegate revolt. To do otherwise would be to abet evil. Not to revolt would be an affront to the dignity of the Republican Party and the security of the American Republic; a stain on the honor of the delegates to the convention; and a betrayal of the man who rightfully earned the nomination."

[smartguy911]

I like the idea of grassroots letter writing and phone calling. two thumbs up from me.

where is this list of delagates?

[mikeycapz]

We should never give out our delegates names or any info on them. But if your saying going after McCain's delegates and contacting them I don't see why not, but how could we do that?

[ItsTime]

maybe a good idea. But please if you call anyone, please only call if you are a Minnesota resident.

[CountryboyRonPaul]

I believe it would be best to simply convince the people that McCain was propped up by the liberal media and that he does not have traditional conservative values, without trying to convince them that Ron Paul does.

Throw out traditional Conservative values, and compare them with McCain's, but don't try and put Paul's name to it. If you strike a chord with people I believe they will find Ron Paul themselves. If you start out mentioning your a Paul supporter, people's ears will close to you, and turn them off to the Conservative message, because your just a kook, or at least that's what they're told to think about you. ;)

[beachbum721]

Wouldn't it be public knowledge, somehow?


I like the idea of grassroots letter writing and phone calling. two thumbs up from me.

where is this list of delagates?

[beachbum721]

I say we need every Ron Paul supporter in the U.S. involved. No different than other effective letter writing/calling efforts we have done.

What was your reason for saying so, anyway?


maybe a good idea. But please if you call anyone, please only call if you are a Minnesota resident.

[beachbum721]

And yeah, so, how do we get their names? I thought I heard somewhere they would be public knowledge, but, I'm not sure.


We should never give out our delegates names or any info on them. But if your saying going after McCain's delegates and contacting them I don't see why not, but how could we do that?

[jjank11]

My god, please don't blatantly we should go against morals and ethics. Morals and ethics are one of the few things that should be holding our inalienable rights together. If by shoving that aside you are simply letting the other side win. The people in power, the ones that go unnoticed, will use this to exert more power. They will try to go ahead and change the system or should I say the constitution. Don't let the mob take over anymore by acting like the mob.
I like ways of phone calls and letters but follow the morals and ethics that we should be using to uphold our constitution.
Just remember, if we lose we will continue to fight.

[tekrunner]

My god, please don't blatantly we should go against morals and ethics. Morals and ethics are one of the few things that should be holding our inalienable rights together. If by shoving that aside you are simply letting the other side win. The people in power, the ones that go unnoticed, will use this to exert more power. They will try to go ahead and change the system or should I say the constitution. Don't let the mob take over anymore by acting like the mob.
I like ways of phone calls and letters but follow the morals and ethics that we should be using to uphold our constitution.
Just remember, if we lose we will continue to fight.



You mentioned "morals and ethics" so many times I can only assume you're on the brink of proposing a new spending program! Universal health care I assume? Wrong forum pal.

[peters]

Allow me to make a summary of the points made so far, and add a few extra:

- This is not arguing to go against morals, ethics and virtue, but pointing out that it is the duty of the delegates to not vote for a candidate that is against these values. Simply, that it is the right thing to do. Also: "If his nomination is that certain, what harm can it make to vote according to your conscience?"

- 'revolt' may not be the best word to persuade the delegates.

- Many - if not most - delegates are still not appointed - meaning a) it's best to become them and b) their contacts will become eventually known

- Delegate hunting should be a sport reserved for the best argumentators, ideally those of the same state (bonus if they are also delegates or other party dignitaries). They have to be persuaded by the great followers of an even greater candidate; not spammed or swarmed by the fanatic hordes of some flake.

- Note that in New Hampshire, many voted for Mc despite being anti-war (similar statistics/reports may exist for other states). Proof that many had no idea who they were voting.

- Note all the strange associations and votes of the candidate; and who he is supported by. If applying dirt, try to do it in an elegant way.

- Not all bound delegates will be persuaded, of course, maybe most of them. At least make them open to other options, and the big holes in the "winner" story. There could be quite a few unwilling to vote for RP, but willing to let him speak at the convention. Argue that his voice needs to be heard - big tent, traditions, roots, conservativism, yada, yada. Is unity worth taking the least common denominator (or not even that) and suppress any trace of principle? Note the growing weakness of the party, and that for good or for ill, RP is the only one bringing new people in.

[pinkmandy]

I would not insert Dr. Paul's name. I'd instead speak of past conventions where delegates were not happy w/the "frontrunner" and at the convention kept their options open and actively looked for a better candidate to represent their party. President Garfield, Lincoln, and of course Goldwater's nomination.

PP is right, throw in Paul's name and local news stations will be on the air denouncing Paul and calling us loons trying to undermine the election. Mention no specific name and you are a concerned conservative.

[slacker921]

Unless you personally know these delegates you're probably going to just piss them off. They won't react well to tons of total strangers calling them and filling their inbox trying to convince them to do something when their friends and family (and the media..) are telling them to do the total opposite.

Who has more pull with them? Their neighbors, friends, and family who's vote their delegate vote represents, or the total stranger from another state?

[buffalokid777]

Unless you personally know these delegates you're probably going to just piss them off. They won't react well to tons of total strangers calling them and filling their inbox trying to convince them to do something when their friends and family (and the media..) are telling them to do the total opposite.

Who has more pull with them? Their neighbors, friends, and family who's vote their delegate vote represents, or the total stranger from another state?

There is still the hope they might listen to reason and vote for a true conservative.....other than the liberal McCain......I have no qualms who they might vote for....I prefer Ron Paul, but even Romney or Huckabee is a better choice than McCain......Romney and McCain may be partial conservatives unlike Ron Paul who is a TRUE conservative.....but any Republican who sees the light and realizes McCain is a liberal.....I urge them to vote their conscience for ANYONE BUT McCain....I hope any delegate would vote for Ron Paul......but if you can't take to a non interventionist foreign policy.......Romney and the Huckabee, are still wAYYYY more conservative choices than a liberal in conservative clothing like McCain.......I still am amazed how many SO CALLED Republicans were willing to pledge to a delegate chose by the liberal media like McCain.....what kind of Republicans are you choosing to pledge to a full fledged liberal like McCain....everyone of you that are willing to pledge to McCain should be ASHAMED of yourselves and start thinking to change your pledged support to a conservative rather than the the liberal McCain, the candidate the liberal media has chosen for you...........

[beachbum721]

Great points. How about a "Delegate Awakening" instead of "Delegate Revolt?"

Let me clarify.

From the official National GOP 2008 Convention website:

There will be "roughly 2,380 delegates and 2,230 alternate delegates (http://www.gopconvention2008.com/delegates/default.aspx)"

I think I can add that: that's 4,610 people. Continuing:



From the Ron Paul Letter Writing Campaign website:

Just look at these statistics (http://www.louislogan.com/letters/stats.asp).

New Jersey alone, the 12th highest state in letter writing, could send a letter to every national delegate and alternate. With 658,175 addresses distributed in total for all letter writing campaigns, that means all fifty states, together, could have mailed a letter to each delegate and alternate 142 times!!



C'mon, people! We've each walked on broken glass for Dr. Paul in the past. This is a stroll through a patch of daisies. Can anyone get behind me on this one?

Let's pls continue to discuss. Tic toc. Time's a-wastin'.

[beachbum721]

If you like this idea, pls help start the ball rolling right away!!

Maybe ask:

rshimshock@yahoo.com - The Ron Paul Grassroots Letter Writing Campaign

Who else can we contact to ask about getting this thing started??

Pls post!

[beachbum721]

Chuck Young in Austin set up Advokit for phone calling for Iowa and Texas primaries:
ccy@earthlink.net

Kamron K. set up Advokit for Ron Paul Friends, USA:
K@kamron.com

Jim Condit, Jr. set up many grassroots efforts:
votefraud@fuse.net

[boggie08]

If anyone gets this together, I will write letters.