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View Full Version : We NEED a delegates section!!!!




spacehabitats
04-04-2008, 02:27 PM
I'm not sure why, but no one (national campaign, forums, other websites) seems to be interested in providing a central clearinghouse for delegate support and information. Maybe it is our libertarian streak that resists central planning; but I'm telling you this could cost us.

Here in Iowa we have some of the same problems that they are facing in Nevada. In fact I cannot believe that we all would not have similar challenges in turning local precinct delegates into state delegates and (ultimately) national delegates.

I don't claim to be an "expert" in convention politics, but it is obviously not something in which success "just happens". Like almost everything else in politics, preparation and planning is crucial.

I have heard stories of Ron Paul delegates accidentally splitting their votes or voting against one another because they did not realize they were on the same "team". As we go to higher conventions we will be interacting with new supporters with whom we will need to coordinate. For example, we may need to decide before hand who we are going to vote for to go to national convention, decide on whether or not to try for a slate of RP delegates, decide on who will go "stealth", decide on platform resolutions, etc.

Everyone seems to be assuming that all RP delegates are in meetup groups. This is NOT the case.
In a county near us there were results published for a precinct caucus in which there were only two attendees. Both voted for Ron Paul. They would have automatically been delegates to their county convention. There is no meetup group in this area. We don't know who they are.

In areas with a clear majority of Ron Paul delegates, this might not seem to be a problem. Most conventions will not be that way and we will need to be organized or we will NOT be able to translate our numbers into state or national delegates.

Can anyone see a way of encouraging the National campaign into starting an online delegates section? Hopefully, any RP delegate would at least visit the website occasionally, and see an invitation to register as a delegate. They could have us all register like we did for precinct captain. They could designate county, district, and state leaders who could be given lists of delegates in their area. They could contact them to schedule pre-convention training sessions.

Failing that, the headquarters could at least send out an invitation to contact their area coordinator.

Of course it would also be nice if this forum had a delegates section. I know that each state has its own section, but there are some things that delegates could share nationally, and it would sure expedite things if we had a gathering place.

Any thoughts?

acptulsa
04-04-2008, 02:43 PM
Meetups are good. Very good.

I dislike the idea of giving away too much information. That said, I sincerely hope the campaign provides a way for delegates to national to coordinate. Otherwise, I hope some site like the provides a members-only forum for the purpose.

Sounds like a lot of work to confirm credentials, though. Any site that does it right I would take my hat off to.

mavtek
04-04-2008, 02:48 PM
Google domains are the freaking best IMHO

like the one I setup here. http://start.dfwgop.com

You get 500 email boxes where you can share multiple calendars, docs, websites, and more and you can make it public or private.

spacehabitats
04-04-2008, 03:55 PM
I don't think there would be a way of screening anyone's credentials very easily. In fact, it would probably be practically impossible. Fortunately, if we even had a list of possible delegates we could leave it up to the area coordinators to do that screening.

As far as sharing information, the problems associated with not having a good delegates list far outweigh the potential problems with the opposition getting a hold of our delegate's names. As far as I know there is no public list of delegates available. (I think you have to know someone in the GOP leadership to get the list.)

In fact, without a good list of delegates we will almost certainly have to blow our cover any way. The problem is still identifying all of the delegates and coordinating our votes. Even if we tell everyone to wear a button, we are only speaking to the ones we know about. Otherwise we will have to have a table to sign in at, and tell everyone that we know of to stay away from the table except for the person who is collecting the names. That person would then have to do a quick job of explaining who they were to vote for (and if someone from the opposition wanted to pretend to be a supporter they would find out our names and strategy anyway).

See what a problem not having a delegate's list will get you?

I am not sure what we are supposed to do with the Google domain. Am I supposed to set up a delegates website for everyone, our state or district?
I'm not sure I would know how to do this anyway.
That is why I was hoping somebody with some Internet savvy would take up the challenge.

Conza88
04-04-2008, 07:01 PM
Initially I was for it, -- but on second thoughts, I am against it.

Maybe as a place for collecting what the delegates have done (A LOT) and use it as such for morale etc. (reality checks against the MSM BULLSHIT)..

But I really don't think that anything should be discussed i.e all the delegates wear a bandaid to identify eachother... and such.

Those delegates will meet in person before hand, design the plan before and execute.
And you can BET YOUR bottom Dollar, the GOP higher ups will be looking to identify us.

Going underground baby.

Roxi
04-04-2008, 08:03 PM
too many shills here... someone needs to buy/do something with ronpauldelegates.com there should be a private forum on there about what the OP speaks of...

however it should be membership required...

requirements for membership should include some of the following

1)a current member refers you

2) you must have proof you were a precinct leader

3) you must have a picture of you either at a meeting/ron paul event or a picture of yourself with ron paul

also i think that initially once you are granted membership you should have limited access to posts at first. then current members can add a thumbs up or down to your posts once you recieve enough thumbs up you will be allowed further access to the more private information... too many thumbs down you go up for a "vote off the island"

:D maybe im being a bit facetious here but does anyone see what i mean? or have better/more ideas?

heartless
04-04-2008, 08:21 PM
i think there should be a freedom quiz with a lot of questions being Ron Paul's stances, if they pass then they can get membership. (if they pass they obviously know his stances and few people who actually know them disagree with them)

Conza88
04-04-2008, 10:44 PM
Pretty much all the precautions mentioned, could be infiltrated and bypassed - by some very determined people. Do you think there is anyone determined enough out there to do it.... ?

lol. The eg. of someone hacking dailypaul - I think thats a yes.

spacehabitats
04-05-2008, 07:45 PM
too many shills here... someone needs to buy/do something with ronpauldelegates.com there should be a private forum on there about what the OP speaks of...

however it should be membership required...

requirements for membership should include some of the following

1)a current member refers you

2) you must have proof you were a precinct leader

3) you must have a picture of you either at a meeting/ron paul event or a picture of yourself with ron paul

also i think that initially once you are granted membership you should have limited access to posts at first. then current members can add a thumbs up or down to your posts once you recieve enough thumbs up you will be allowed further access to the more private information... too many thumbs down you go up for a "vote off the island"

:D maybe im being a bit facetious here but does anyone see what i mean? or have better/more ideas?

However, I'm not really suggesting that we post a list of delegates online.
If they want to identify us as RP supporters, and we are concerned about being identified, then we shouldn't be posting on a RP forum in the first place.

I am really convinced that disadvantages of not knowing who our fellow RP delegates are far out weighs any advantage of "stealth".

1) Stealth only works if you can manage to keep it up to and through the voting process. Many of us have already "blown our cover" in the county conventions.

2) The party regulars don't need to identify us to keep us out. All they have to do is vote for the "old guard" RNC delegate candidates (which is probably what they are going to do anyway).

3) If you are trying to slide through as a random rank and file GOP newbie ("I may be new but I'm not one of those Ron Paul supporters, I'm for John McCain all the way.") You better make sure that all the RP delegates know that you are just blowing smoke or they'll vote against you.

In other words, stealth only works if all of your teammates know who you are and will vote for you. And like I said there may be a lot of Ron Paul delegates that we don't know about and won't know us either unless we can come up with a system.

I still think the national HQ could pull this off with a Delegate registration that wouldn't be any less secure than the precinct captain sign up procedure.

Or are you all so paranoid that you haven't signed up as precinct captains.:confused: