My Signature Gathering at the 44th Ward Chicago Rebublican Group Meeting Last Night

[walt]

As I've stated previously, I live in a heavily Democratic area http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Democratic_Machine. But there are areas of Republican organization. Last night the 44th ward (97% 5th district IL) had it's monthly meeting and my goal was to go there, get signatures, engage the party leaders and make them nuetral towards us. I'm pleased to report that I succeeded in this task! :)

They told me about a variety of local issues which I think we could use to our advantage, including the fact that there is a Senate race. I also became advised of several open and material volunteer positions in the region. :cool:

So I got several committeemen and a state representative to sign petitions to get Ron on the ballot. Each person there was allowed a few minutes to speak. There was a Rudy and Fred person there signing petitions so that was my only competition. The Fred person's presentation was very weak. The Rudy person was decent in advocating his reasons for supporting him.

Then it was my turn. I started by stating I admired what Rudy did on a local level as mayor of NYC (I lived there during that time), but that he was the wrong man for our times as he wanted to continue our current foriegn policy.

I then stated that Ron was a real Republican in the traditional sense, just like them and made a short speech. It included why the war is a bad idea, how we can't afford it, how it affects our currency and how its it's historically been the end of world powers. I was scared as I did it. But I was quite surprised when I finished as there was applause! :D

I later asked someone why they had applauded only for me. They said while they didn't agree with Ron (on the war), I laid out a highly articulate statement of how Ron Paul was different than the other candidates and that they need to see more people passionate about Republicans. He also joked that I didn't bring a 9 foot Ron Paul sign and joked that he didn't want to give me his email address so I could spam him dozens of times a day. :D

They are said they would support him as the nominee if he was nominated.

Lessons:
1) All politics *is* local. :)
2) Question: How do we educate traditional Republicans *slowly* about how the anti-war thing? Some are very entrenched and don't have real reasons why when you ask. :confused:
3) These people aren't as scary as some make them out to be. They just need gentle engagement. :)
4) The data about how to execute on election day is here - experienced people will know this. If we engage we are less threatening. :)

[me3]

Great job Walt. You're a true patriot!

How did you make out with signatures (total)?

[Cindy]

I applaud you! Thank you for making the time, making Paul look good, spreading his message to that group, getting the signatures and for your courage!!!:)

[ronpaulyourmom]

walt, awesome job bro. I think we should all take a lesson from this, gentle engagement.

[American]

WOW, good job Walt.

I need to be doing this here, I might just do that now.

[Santana28]

good job walt. see what happens when you don't waste all your time criticizing people? :)

[Thomas Paine]

Awesome, Walt! The warhawks in the GOP will never be persuaded to support Ron Paul but there are a lot of folks who are not so gung ho on the Iraq War who are card carrying members of the GOP. I would estimate at least a third of those self-identified members of the GOP have misgivings about the Iraq War, its toll on human life and on our members of the armed services, and cost. I think if folks can respectfully agree to disagree over the Iraq War or whatever issue, then there is a real opportunity for Ron Paul to pick up some additional support from the rank and file members in the GOP who have been sitting on the fences waiting for a candidate with the zeal and idealism long discarded by the GOP establishment.

[Jobarra]

Thank you Walt for your efforts. Good job and good analysis :)

[Sematary]

As I've stated previously, I live in a heavily Democratic area http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Democratic_Machine. But there are areas of Republican organization. Last night the 44th ward (97% 5th district IL) had it's monthly meeting and my goal was to go there, get signatures, engage the party leaders and make them nuetral towards us. I'm pleased to report that I succeeded in this task! :)

They told me about a variety of local issues which I think we could use to our advantage, including the fact that there is a Senate race. I also became advised of several open and material volunteer positions in the region. :cool:

So I got several committeemen and a state representative to sign petitions to get Ron on the ballot. Each person there was allowed a few minutes to speak. There was a Rudy and Fred person there signing petitions so that was my only competition. The Fred person's presentation was very weak. The Rudy person was decent in advocating his reasons for supporting him.

Then it was my turn. I started by stating I admired what Rudy did on a local level as mayor of NYC (I lived there during that time), but that he was the wrong man for our times as he wanted to continue our current foriegn policy.

I then stated that Ron was a real Republican in the traditional sense, just like them and made a short speech. It included why the war is a bad idea, how we can't afford it, how it affects our currency and how its it's historically been the end of world powers. I was scared as I did it. But I was quite surprised when I finished as there was applause! :D

I later asked someone why they had applauded only for me. They said while they didn't agree with Ron (on the war), I laid out a highly articulate statement of how Ron Paul was different than the other candidates and that they need to see more people passionate about Republicans. He also joked that I didn't bring a 9 foot Ron Paul sign and joked that he didn't want to give me his email address so I could spam him dozens of times a day. :D

They are said they would support him as the nominee if he was nominated.

Lessons:
1) All politics *is* local. :)
2) Question: How do we educate traditional Republicans *slowly* about how the anti-war thing? Some are very entrenched and don't have real reasons why when you ask. :confused:
3) These people aren't as scary as some make them out to be. They just need gentle engagement. :)
4) The data about how to execute on election day is here - experienced people will know this. If we engage we are less threatening. :)

Great job, man. Keep up the good work.

[bolidew]

Thank you, Walt.

[freelance]

Congratulations Walt!

[USPatriot36]

2) Question: How do we educate traditional Republicans *slowly* about how the anti-war thing? Some are very entrenched and don't have real reasons why when you ask. :confused:

Ron Paul voted in favor of going into Afghanistan because al-qaeda was there. He introduced a bill to give the President up to 40 billion dollars to put as a bounty on the heads of those who attacked us on 9-11. We give 10 billion dollars to Pakistan and get nothing for it. We should only give Pakistan money AFTER they give us Bin Laden's head.

Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11. If we wanted to go to war with Iraq then congress should declare war, we should go in and win - and then LEAVE. No nation building! Its crazy to be building bridges in Iraq when ours are falling down. Iraq is a rich nation, they can afford to build their own bridges.

I think many republicans can agree with this.

[ChicagoLawyer]

This is a great example of how just showing up, saying a few nice words about your opponents within the party, and being sincere can go a long long way. With Ron's great stances on so many domestic issues a lot of GOP members really do want to like Ron and are looking for excuses to do so. It's only a minority of the party--the hard-core hawks--who dismiss him out of hand.

Let this be inspiration to all of you! Go out and make some friends with Republicans if you haven't already. The party is HUNGRY for new people, let's show them some love!

[DealzOnWheelz]

GREAT JOB WALT!!

Do you have a draft of what you said??

I think it may help me and others in preparing their own statement to use with the locals.

[walt]

GREAT JOB WALT!!

Do you have a draft of what you said??

I think it may help me and others in preparing their own statement to use with the locals.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the appreciation. :D

I went off the top of my head actually. I started with how we are similar. Then branched off into explaining Ron's logic. I then stated that Ron was a real Republican in the traditional sense, just like them and made a short speech. It included why the war is a bad idea, how we can't afford it, how it affects our currency and how its it's historically been the end of world powers. :cool:

Keep it simple and short focus on how he's just like them except in recent deviation from historical idealogy. Don't try to convert them to voting in your first time. Educate about why you support Ron. If done right that will eventually be infectious. :D

Of course all of this assumes that everyone is the campaign is trying to get him elected to the Republican nomination. Based on the recent actions of certain people, I'm not certain that is everyone's goal. This is sad to me. :(

[Chester Copperpot]

As I've stated previously, I live in a heavily Democratic area http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Democratic_Machine. But there are areas of Republican organization. Last night the 44th ward (97% 5th district IL) had it's monthly meeting and my goal was to go there, get signatures, engage the party leaders and make them nuetral towards us. I'm pleased to report that I succeeded in this task! :)

They told me about a variety of local issues which I think we could use to our advantage, including the fact that there is a Senate race. I also became advised of several open and material volunteer positions in the region. :cool:

So I got several committeemen and a state representative to sign petitions to get Ron on the ballot. Each person there was allowed a few minutes to speak. There was a Rudy and Fred person there signing petitions so that was my only competition. The Fred person's presentation was very weak. The Rudy person was decent in advocating his reasons for supporting him.

Then it was my turn. I started by stating I admired what Rudy did on a local level as mayor of NYC (I lived there during that time), but that he was the wrong man for our times as he wanted to continue our current foriegn policy.

I then stated that Ron was a real Republican in the traditional sense, just like them and made a short speech. It included why the war is a bad idea, how we can't afford it, how it affects our currency and how its it's historically been the end of world powers. I was scared as I did it. But I was quite surprised when I finished as there was applause! :D

I later asked someone why they had applauded only for me. They said while they didn't agree with Ron (on the war), I laid out a highly articulate statement of how Ron Paul was different than the other candidates and that they need to see more people passionate about Republicans. He also joked that I didn't bring a 9 foot Ron Paul sign and joked that he didn't want to give me his email address so I could spam him dozens of times a day. :D

They are said they would support him as the nominee if he was nominated.

Lessons:
1) All politics *is* local. :)
2) Question: How do we educate traditional Republicans *slowly* about how the anti-war thing? Some are very entrenched and don't have real reasons why when you ask. :confused:
3) These people aren't as scary as some make them out to be. They just need gentle engagement. :)
4) The data about how to execute on election day is here - experienced people will know this. If we engage we are less threatening. :)


When you speak from your heart you'll always come thru and people will wait on your every word.... that memorizing writing speech stuff is only for stuffed shirts.