A guide to Florida GOP's Presidency 5 event Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stori

[sailingaway]

Who are the P5 delegates?

About 3,100 were chosen by their county Republican parties, after paying a $175 registration fee. Another 300 or so were selected by the state party chairman, and overall the delegation is supposed to represent the geographic makeup of the state.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/63842.html#ixzz1YQ4HLYwY

so, that is a pretty big insider advantage.

[JS4Pat]

About 3,100 were chosen by their county Republican parties.

Not exactly.
They were randomly drawn by the local REC. Any RP supporter who signed up had just as good a chance of being a delegate as one of the "insiders".

That said - because of the $175 fee and the dates and hoops you had to jump through - it will definitely favor the GOP establishment in Florida.

[D.A.S.]

$175 is INSANE!! What's driving such high cost to participate? Trying to roadblock Paul out of the game by money?

[Working Poor]

Florida has done some pretty bad stuff to Ron Paul supporters.

[hubze]

Well my wife and I both paid, as did some people in our area and we will be there to support Ron. DAMN I hate politics and the whole game of it. Perry is going to slip in here with his mega bankroll and most likely BUY the votes, yet canceled in Texas because they do not do it that way there and he KNOWS he would lose in his own State...but none the less, we are all going to be there screaming for Dr. Paul so even if he loses they will sure as hell know who has the deepest support!

[D.A.S.]

Well my wife and I both paid, as did some people in our area and we will be there to support Ron. DAMN I hate politics and the whole game of it. Perry is going to slip in here with his mega bankroll and most likely BUY the votes, yet canceled in Texas because they do not do it that way there and he KNOWS he would lose in his own State...but none the less, we are all going to be there screaming for Dr. Paul so even if he loses they will sure as hell know who has the deepest support!

Wow. Kudos! +rep

[Royksopp]

$175 is INSANE!! What's driving such high cost to participate? Trying to roadblock Paul out of the game by money?

I'm saying this not intending to insult in any way- but I think that these sort of conspiracy based thoughts are holding us back somewhat when it comes to attracting new people to the campaign.

Not everything the media, GOP, Dems, Companies do is an attempt to attack Ron Paul and make his campaign weak. With a heavy heart, I say that looking at us in nationwide polling (not just post-debate online polls), there isn't all that much to fear from us at the moment.

We have to start really appealing to new voters and getting the word out. And I don't think it helps when we start shouting that the Republicans setting their prices for their straw polls (which I assume have always been high, going back almost every election) is just some bizarre hit-campaign to precisely target the voters of our candidate.

Get out of the conspiracy mindset and let's start appealing to the masses.

[JS4Pat]

We still need RP supporters to show up - even if it is just sign waving on International Drive as people enter the Debate and Straw Poll. They can also see Ron Paul at CPAC Florida (Same Venue) on Friday if they register for $45.

Daily Paul Post on P5:
http://www.dailypaul.com/179184/next-florida-presidential-5-gop-straw-poll-sept-22-24-are-you-gonna-be-there

CPAC Florida Agenda:
http://cpacfl.conservative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Se...

CPAC Florida Registration:
http://cpacfl.conservative.org/registration/

[hubze]

We still need RP supporters to show up - even if it is just sign waving on International Drive as people enter the Debate and Straw Poll. They can also see Ron Paul at CPAC Florida (Same Venue) on Friday if they register for $45.

Daily Paul Post on P5:
http://www.dailypaul.com/179184/next-florida-presidential-5-gop-straw-poll-sept-22-24-are-you-gonna-be-there

CPAC Florida Agenda:
http://cpacfl.conservative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Se...

CPAC Florida Registration:
http://cpacfl.conservative.org/registration/

We have registered for both. Please visit our site at http://socialmediamarch.org if you would like to coordinate to meet.

[D.A.S.]

I'm saying this not intending to insult in any way- but I think that these sort of conspiracy based thoughts are holding us back somewhat when it comes to attracting new people to the campaign.

Not everything the media, GOP, Dems, Companies do is an attempt to attack Ron Paul and make his campaign weak. With a heavy heart, I say that looking at us in nationwide polling (not just post-debate online polls), there isn't all that much to fear from us at the moment.

We have to start really appealing to new voters and getting the word out. And I don't think it helps when we start shouting that the Republicans setting their prices for their straw polls (which I assume have always been high, going back almost every election) is just some bizarre hit-campaign to precisely target the voters of our candidate.

Get out of the conspiracy mindset and let's start appealing to the masses.

My point is that the amount seems exorbitant. It certainly seems to favor the well-connected with strong establishment ties. Can you imagine an average Joe buying a 175-dollar ticket to go voice their support at the convention when that money is needed elsewhere in a family budget. Maybe an extremely devoted Joe who makes it his life's work to promote his candidate but not an average Joe. So you tell me -- does this not favor the establishment candidates? What conspiracy is there in saying so?

[XTreat]

I am going as well and I did have to jump through some hoops to get my ticket. If I had not known a member of the county GOP board I would have been SOL. Its still gonna wind up costing me 500 bones when its said and done

[D.A.S.]

I am going as well and I did have to jump through some hoops to get my ticket. If I had not known a member of the county GOP board I would have been SOL. Its still gonna wind up costing me 500 bones when its said and done

:eek: why 500 and why is it so difficult to get a ticket????

[Aratus]

if the grand hotel event up on mackinac island has $125 tickets but you have to
to take a ferry too, and the total costs are easily $300 to $500 bucks soas to
not to be stranded on that little ole island between the two sections of michigan,
given that florida has twice the electoral votes, i can see why the remoteness
of the migop event in tandem with the 3 florida events has drawn gov.mitt romney
up there on the 24th for a dinner speech. both polls have one paying thru the nose.
michigan's is even difficult for michiganites! florida looks like if the auld GOP types
have an advantage for we all may be new blood all told!!! rick perry will be drawn
to florida, CEO herman cain may bus people again from place to place as ms. michele
hopes to stay in florida and place top 3 or 4 up in michigan? i do not envy the job of
all making decision calls as newt does his gladhanding up in mackinac's grand hotel!!!

[XTreat]

:eek: why 500 and why is it so difficult to get a ticket????

Well the ticket alone was 175 dollars, add in 2 nights hotel stay plus feeding myself, gas, and incidentals and I am easily over 500 dollars. The tickets were difficult to get because you had to register in May for a July drawing and you were supposed to attend multiple county GOP meeting in the mean time to qualify, on top of that paying your $175 didn't even guarantee you a ticket, it only guaranteed you a spot in the drawing.

For me it was made even worse because I am active duty Army and stationed in GA. So I had to make several calls to plead my case that I should be allowed to participate without making multiple trips to Florida for the GOP meetings. I am after all a registered Florida voter.

[libertybrewcity]

well the governor of Florida is saying the winner of this poll will win the nomination. he probably expects Perry to win. I don't know if Ron Paul can pull a win on this one because of the connection between cost and insider connections.

We'll see. We can still win Iowa, NH, and many other states. This won't be an end all straw poll. It sounds like we have support going already, so that is a very good sign.

[Aratus]

herman cain had a bout of the flu yesterday and was cancelling events