January 5

All is well here. Tremendous experience, lots of hard work, for 8-10 hours every day, I spend time selling Ron Paul on the phone, and truly - nearly anyone who takes the time to learn about Ron Paul comes around. 1 of 2 or maybe 2 of 3 people that I encounter over the phone, I am able to convince to vote for him in 10 or 20 minutes. I usually have atleast 1 or 2 one hour discussions every day as well. Such an amazing experience. I started a meetup group in chicago today, I can't wait for the vote Tuesday. Hopefully, RP will again pull out double digits and send him with momentum on to Michigan South Carolina and Nevada.

Every single day, many people say to me and almost everyone around me is told the same thing by someone that we talk to over the phone, or whose door we knock on: "I would just like to let you know how much it means to me that you have come so far, and spent your own time to call me and educate me about these issues." I really do feel that this is a tremendous excercise in democracy, and I really do feel that we are saving our republic. I very much believe that we are doing that exactly. Every day, I leave with a collection of people that I have shared my email addresses with, with a list of books that people, over the phone, have told me about, with a list of items to further look into: international organizations, Congressional bills, quotes, voting records.

I am also beginning to realize how very shallow some people's viewpoints are on politics. By that I would like to reference every Obama and Clinton supporter that I have met so far. I met four Obama supporters from Illinois today. They are the first Chicagoans I've seen since coming here. They were on a street corner waving signs. It gave me great pleasure to offer some very detailed complaints of our senator. They are things that none of them had ever heard. It was not done aggressively, it was done only informatively. I asked them questions and they asked me questions. It was a fine way to spend our ten minute break away from the phones.

The constant circulation of ideas makes for an excellent atmosphere.

Today, at 8 pm, the phone banks were shut down and we were all forced to watch the debates. The debates were such nonsense, but I was pleased when they all ganged up on Ron Paul. It tells me that this man is a very real threat.

Allan
(writing from New London, NH)