The day ahead
Tomorrow will bring a breakfast with a bunch of friends of my uncle’s – goal - get the hardcore McCain supporter to think twice. At the end of the day, I am to sit down with him and his wife again for dinner. I think I won’t even mention politics, but will wait and see if he raises any issues again.
It’s 10:30 pm and I just got back from headquarters. For the second night in a row, I’ve been able to sneak past the sleeping watchdog who barks at me and wakes up the whole house.
Early start tomorrow, and hopefully, I will be able to canvass one and a half precincts. That would then bring my total canvassed to three in three days. The first day, I got off to a bit of a slow start.
I miss the group energy of New Hampshire, and really do wish that I had a partner in crime to feed off of and to share energy with as I canvassed these soulless streets.
Tonight, a guy who was in New Hampshire with me and I called together for 30 minutes. Even there, I could feel that synergy. It was good stuff. The more he smooth talked, the more I smooth talked. I took his lines, he took mine, and we ended up with two pretty good improve scripts by the third or fourth call.
As I was leaving, I was told by one of the organizers of the campaign – “Every delegate you bring us is worth at least $1,000 in advertising and mailing that it would take to get that delegate to show up, at least a thousand dollars.”
“It’s estimated that the cost of a volunteer on a presidential campaign per day is $500.” is what one of the phone bankers in NH would say several times/day on the phone to people who would doubt the success of Ron Paul’s campaign.
If I can pull off one and a half precincts tomorrow, I will go into headquarters on Friday from early morning until late in the night, giving that extra push to get folks out to their precincts on Saturday to caucus.
Allan
(in Las Vegas)
Saturday, January 19, 2008
January 17 - update
A dirty tricks operation today in Nevada:
Machines are robocalling ALL registered GOP voters in New Hampshire and saying “If you support Ron Paul press 1,” and going forward from there the message says “Be sure to show up at the polls at 9:30 am on Saturday to vote in the GOP caucus fro Ron Paul.” The problem is that you should be at the caucus at 8:30 am, it should begin at 9 am and will be over by 9:30 am. A scramble now to spread the word about that not being true.
Allan
(writing from Nevada)
Machines are robocalling ALL registered GOP voters in New Hampshire and saying “If you support Ron Paul press 1,” and going forward from there the message says “Be sure to show up at the polls at 9:30 am on Saturday to vote in the GOP caucus fro Ron Paul.” The problem is that you should be at the caucus at 8:30 am, it should begin at 9 am and will be over by 9:30 am. A scramble now to spread the word about that not being true.
Allan
(writing from Nevada)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Do not be dismayed
To all of you in Europe, I just want to say, please do not be dismayed by low primary numbers. The speed with which Ron Paul’s message is spreading is simply amazing. When the media is against you – 30% is hard to obtain. On the ground, I am seeing some really amazing things happening. I too get frustrated when it doesn’t happen more quickly. We have many years of this ahead of us, but it will be filled with sweet victories!
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
A letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun
A Letter to the Editor of the Las Vegas Sun on Tonight’s Debates (sent 16 January)
I will not be voting for Dennis Kucinich, but how outraged the people of Nevada should be
1. That their Supreme Court thinks a corporation is entitled to freedom of speech under the Constitution.
2. That MSNBC, owned by GE, a military contractor, has censored Kucinich from the debates.
3. That, as a result, the only opinions being put forth in the debate are essentially “it’s inevitable that we remain in Iraq.”
4. That this method of censorship went forth without the 3 candidates boycotting the debate.
I am a regular visitor, now in Las Vegas, from Blue Island, IL.
Allan Stevo
P.S. The decision from the Sup Ct was handed down in a less than timely manner, right before the debates, allowing for no further recourse on Kucinich's part. Bastards.
- Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
I will not be voting for Dennis Kucinich, but how outraged the people of Nevada should be
1. That their Supreme Court thinks a corporation is entitled to freedom of speech under the Constitution.
2. That MSNBC, owned by GE, a military contractor, has censored Kucinich from the debates.
3. That, as a result, the only opinions being put forth in the debate are essentially “it’s inevitable that we remain in Iraq.”
4. That this method of censorship went forth without the 3 candidates boycotting the debate.
I am a regular visitor, now in Las Vegas, from Blue Island, IL.
Allan Stevo
P.S. The decision from the Sup Ct was handed down in a less than timely manner, right before the debates, allowing for no further recourse on Kucinich's part. Bastards.
- Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
January 15 - pt. 2
I’m in bed right now because one of the local organizers of the Ron Paul campaign who has shown such a tremendous amount of ability, enthusiasm, and lack of general dipshitness that I trust him, told me “There is so much that needs to get done, but it’s 9 pm and I think you really ought to just get to bed, get a good night’s rest, and be ready to hit that precinct hard in the morning. We have a lot ahead of us, but we’re done for tonight.”
I canvassed the neighborhood around my aunt and uncle’s house today. It was a good neighborhood with a handful of Ron Paul supporters. I walked the list of Republican voters. There is expected to be a 5% voter turnout on Saturday. Basically, getting 8 or 10 people from this precinct to vote will be enough to get Ron Paul to carry the precinct. I’m so very disappointed with the tremendous apathy and lack of understanding that I find in this place.
I’ve never thought favourably of Las Vegas, and perhaps that image is shading my outlook on things. I really do hope that I am proven wrong.
Today as I walked mile after mile of houses in this precinct, each house in the entire precinct with the exception of one, the exact same color. Every house, including that one, made of the exact same material. As I did that, I realized how smug some people seem to be about Petrzalka, about the horrific site that the communists created. I thought about the similarities here. This neighborhood is built with a mindset little different from Petrzalka. How fucking soulless, how fucking mindless have we become? How much further will we continue down this ruinous road?
There is the silver lining to this though, every house, every door, opened revealed a beautiful unique interior. How long before that too becomes a thing of the past? As government attacks the 4th and 5th amendments, technology eats away at our concept of privacy.
After nightfall at about 5 pm, something that brought an end to my canvassing, I headed to have a delicious meal with my aunt and uncle and then off to HQ where I made a few phone calls to Ron Paul supporters trying to get them to be delegates on Saturday. Without delegates, Ron Paul will not win Nevada. Unless you are going to be a delegate for him on Saturday or to show up to the caucus to vote for those delegates at 9 am, your support for Ron Paul is largely meaningless at this point. Those are two thoughts that I must, on the phone, get through to people who “Really love Ron Paul” but “are just too busy this weekend.”
A new day ahead. A good day to all of you.
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
I canvassed the neighborhood around my aunt and uncle’s house today. It was a good neighborhood with a handful of Ron Paul supporters. I walked the list of Republican voters. There is expected to be a 5% voter turnout on Saturday. Basically, getting 8 or 10 people from this precinct to vote will be enough to get Ron Paul to carry the precinct. I’m so very disappointed with the tremendous apathy and lack of understanding that I find in this place.
I’ve never thought favourably of Las Vegas, and perhaps that image is shading my outlook on things. I really do hope that I am proven wrong.
Today as I walked mile after mile of houses in this precinct, each house in the entire precinct with the exception of one, the exact same color. Every house, including that one, made of the exact same material. As I did that, I realized how smug some people seem to be about Petrzalka, about the horrific site that the communists created. I thought about the similarities here. This neighborhood is built with a mindset little different from Petrzalka. How fucking soulless, how fucking mindless have we become? How much further will we continue down this ruinous road?
There is the silver lining to this though, every house, every door, opened revealed a beautiful unique interior. How long before that too becomes a thing of the past? As government attacks the 4th and 5th amendments, technology eats away at our concept of privacy.
After nightfall at about 5 pm, something that brought an end to my canvassing, I headed to have a delicious meal with my aunt and uncle and then off to HQ where I made a few phone calls to Ron Paul supporters trying to get them to be delegates on Saturday. Without delegates, Ron Paul will not win Nevada. Unless you are going to be a delegate for him on Saturday or to show up to the caucus to vote for those delegates at 9 am, your support for Ron Paul is largely meaningless at this point. Those are two thoughts that I must, on the phone, get through to people who “Really love Ron Paul” but “are just too busy this weekend.”
A new day ahead. A good day to all of you.
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
January 15
January 15 – 10:30 pm
I wish I could come up with a good way to break out of my usual “Respect everyone’s viewpoint and learn from what others have to say to you” attitude. Because there is something that I know to be true. It goes something like this, and I’m really having trouble selling it because of the before-mentioned characteristic of mine: We are all being hoodwinked. Every goddamn player in the game is hoodwinking us. Our country is being stolen away from us by powerful forces in the world. Our currency is being destroyed. Our savings are being stolen from us. Our airwaves have been hijacked. Half of our cars all have tracking chips in them that register at the local secretary of state’s office each time they pass through a checkpoint. Our army is used to cause mischief throughout the world. It’s done without a declaration of war at that, as if Congress can be expected to behave any better than the President. We are being fucked every single day, and what do I get. I get a bunch of fucks who sit here and watch TV, being cooed into a stupor by whatever piece of shit it is that gets the right ratings or fits the right demographic to be on the screen for that shot or that hour or that week or decade.
Then there are phony debates as if Edwards or Hillary or Obama or McCain or Huckabee or Giuliani actually have any fucking difference of opinion on 4/5 of issues. My good God, what the fuck is going on here. I feel like I’m in a land of fucking zombies and I don’t know what the fuck to do, because I know that it won’t be any better anywhere else that I go.
How the hell do I express that?
“Hello ma’am, our country’s being destroyed and I paid my way all the way from fucking Slovakia so that I could come here and ask you to please vote for Ron Paul so that you and I can take back our government and live the life of freedom that our founding fathers envisioned for us….oh, yes, sure ma’am, I’ll surely let you get back to that program on TV, perhaps I could leave you with this campaign material about the champion of the Constitution to read for the four minutes that you are sitting on the toilet during commercial break.”
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas, Nevada)
I wish I could come up with a good way to break out of my usual “Respect everyone’s viewpoint and learn from what others have to say to you” attitude. Because there is something that I know to be true. It goes something like this, and I’m really having trouble selling it because of the before-mentioned characteristic of mine: We are all being hoodwinked. Every goddamn player in the game is hoodwinking us. Our country is being stolen away from us by powerful forces in the world. Our currency is being destroyed. Our savings are being stolen from us. Our airwaves have been hijacked. Half of our cars all have tracking chips in them that register at the local secretary of state’s office each time they pass through a checkpoint. Our army is used to cause mischief throughout the world. It’s done without a declaration of war at that, as if Congress can be expected to behave any better than the President. We are being fucked every single day, and what do I get. I get a bunch of fucks who sit here and watch TV, being cooed into a stupor by whatever piece of shit it is that gets the right ratings or fits the right demographic to be on the screen for that shot or that hour or that week or decade.
Then there are phony debates as if Edwards or Hillary or Obama or McCain or Huckabee or Giuliani actually have any fucking difference of opinion on 4/5 of issues. My good God, what the fuck is going on here. I feel like I’m in a land of fucking zombies and I don’t know what the fuck to do, because I know that it won’t be any better anywhere else that I go.
How the hell do I express that?
“Hello ma’am, our country’s being destroyed and I paid my way all the way from fucking Slovakia so that I could come here and ask you to please vote for Ron Paul so that you and I can take back our government and live the life of freedom that our founding fathers envisioned for us….oh, yes, sure ma’am, I’ll surely let you get back to that program on TV, perhaps I could leave you with this campaign material about the champion of the Constitution to read for the four minutes that you are sitting on the toilet during commercial break.”
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas, Nevada)
NEVADA CAUCUS
Here’s how the caucus process works:
Show up at 8:45 am on a Saturday for a meeting that will begin at 9 am.
You receive a ballot.
The temporary chairperson, asks for a permanent chairperson. If none show an interest, the temporary chairperson becomes the permanent chairperson of the meeting.
Everyone from your precinct gets into a room. For every 50 registered Rebpublicans in your precinct, you are entitled to elect 1 delegate to go to the county-wide caucus. People nominate themselves, each may give a 2 minute speech about why he or she should be chosen. Votes are cast secretly, counted openly, the paperwork is done by the chairperson.
Next there are ballots for the “straw poll” or “presidential preference poll” as they are sometimes called. The delegate process decides who the Nevada voters will select, the presidential preference poll process is meaningless except as a set of numbers to release to the media, that will then be used by them to skew other primaries. Prior to voting, each candidate may be talked about positively for 2 minutes by someone in the room. The votes are cast in secret, the ballots are counted in public, by the people in the caucus.
The Democrats will generally meet in the same building and will start their caucuses at 11 am.
Information on where to caucus was sent out over these last few days by the local GOP in a non-descript mailer. The Democratic party is fighting to have caucuses in the casino’s themselves because there are so many strongly democratic voters who will be working at that time, and who are members of the powerful Las Vegas Culinary Workers Union. That union (something Johannes will be happy about, and I scratch my head over) has publicly endorsed Sen. Obama.
I really would like to attend a caucus as an observer. Hopefully that can happen. Perhaps afterwards, I could even go to one of those such meetings in one of the casinos to observe. So far 9 meeting places will be in casinos.
January 19 will be Nevada and So Carolina. Today, January 15 is Michigan. We may see Thompson confirmed or denied as a Red State candidate, and we may see Romney confirmed or denied in the state where he has so much name recognition built on his father’s political career. So far, Thomspon seems like a candidate who could pull something off. The fact that the Club for Growth backs him so strongly tells me that we have not yet seen what Fred Thompson can deliver in elections.
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas, Nevada)
Show up at 8:45 am on a Saturday for a meeting that will begin at 9 am.
You receive a ballot.
The temporary chairperson, asks for a permanent chairperson. If none show an interest, the temporary chairperson becomes the permanent chairperson of the meeting.
Everyone from your precinct gets into a room. For every 50 registered Rebpublicans in your precinct, you are entitled to elect 1 delegate to go to the county-wide caucus. People nominate themselves, each may give a 2 minute speech about why he or she should be chosen. Votes are cast secretly, counted openly, the paperwork is done by the chairperson.
Next there are ballots for the “straw poll” or “presidential preference poll” as they are sometimes called. The delegate process decides who the Nevada voters will select, the presidential preference poll process is meaningless except as a set of numbers to release to the media, that will then be used by them to skew other primaries. Prior to voting, each candidate may be talked about positively for 2 minutes by someone in the room. The votes are cast in secret, the ballots are counted in public, by the people in the caucus.
The Democrats will generally meet in the same building and will start their caucuses at 11 am.
Information on where to caucus was sent out over these last few days by the local GOP in a non-descript mailer. The Democratic party is fighting to have caucuses in the casino’s themselves because there are so many strongly democratic voters who will be working at that time, and who are members of the powerful Las Vegas Culinary Workers Union. That union (something Johannes will be happy about, and I scratch my head over) has publicly endorsed Sen. Obama.
I really would like to attend a caucus as an observer. Hopefully that can happen. Perhaps afterwards, I could even go to one of those such meetings in one of the casinos to observe. So far 9 meeting places will be in casinos.
January 19 will be Nevada and So Carolina. Today, January 15 is Michigan. We may see Thompson confirmed or denied as a Red State candidate, and we may see Romney confirmed or denied in the state where he has so much name recognition built on his father’s political career. So far, Thomspon seems like a candidate who could pull something off. The fact that the Club for Growth backs him so strongly tells me that we have not yet seen what Fred Thompson can deliver in elections.
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas, Nevada)
January 14
15 January 4:30 am.
I’m jet lagging a bit. And while I like being up this early, I really can’t visit anyone’s house for another 5 hours.
Today, I will canvass the neighborhood that my Aunt and Uncle live in. This means that I have become the local precinct captain. My job will be to get out the vote for Ron Paul in this precinct. When I have finished doing that for the day, I will head to the Las Vegas office and will make some phone calls for a few hours.
Yesterday was my first night in town and I felt it a good idea to spend the evening hours with my Aunt and Uncle. I arrived at the airport, dropped off some things, spoke to my uncle for a bit and then head to the Las Vegas HQ where they were happy to have me. I did some cold calls on local republicans. They really seem to have their stuff together in this office. They have lists of Ron Paul supporters that are automated, so you would hook up to them through a wifi connection on your laptop, log in to the system and then you have the numbers appear in front of you. The cold calls are on paper. I did well there turning a few ambivalent voters. The folks at this office don’t seem able to turn a no into a yes like the Operation Live Free or Die folks. In the cold calls, I concentrated on Republican (since it is a closed primary and only registered Republicans are welcome on the day of the caucus) supervoters (those who have voted in three of the last elections). Of course I would love to have some big time job, but sometimes you’ve got to lead and sometimes you’ve got to follow, and good campaigns need lots of footsoldiers.
This is the second time that the Nevada GOP has had a caucus. The first time was when W was running for re-election, so no one went that time. This time, there is a turnout of about 5% expected. I wonder if even that percentage will show based on what one voter said to me yesterday (he happened to be a real estate agent and in the event that any of you would want to buy a house here, I have his contact info, and I’m sure he’d be happy to help out). What he said was “No one knows where to go, no one knows why they are going, and in a 24 hour town where the idea of time has become meaningless, there’s only 30 minutes to vote.” Yeah, George also suggested to me that if I encounter any of the many Republican voters who have not made up their minds, I should just ask “Well, who do you feel real strongly about?” The likely answer, he believes will be “No one.” George believes that is a sure sign that the person has not yet heard enough about Ron Paul, and as a result has been left “passionately, furiously, ambivalent” like him.
The guy next to me phone banking in NH claimed that he decided to call the toll free number that we were giving everyone, the toll free number to HQ. A girl picked up the phone and answered a few of his questions without trouble, but then the guy asked “What is it that you like about Ron Paul?” and she responded “I don’t like Ron Paul at all, I’m just paid to answer the phones.”
This was a story that I told yesterday during a discussion with two guys from the National Headquarters who are here in the Las Vegas office. One of the guys was so shocked by the story that he made a phone call right away and then had me do the same. The explanation I received was that that phone line was being answered by a company.
This was pretty shocking for me to hear, perhaps even more shocking than the original story. I think when I return to the Las Vegas office later today, I’m going to ask the folks to address the following – the inability of the paid staff to harness the energy of the volunteers, a lack of passion from the national that the grassroots have, an inability to communicate with the grassroots effectively.
One of the ladies that I was on the phone with last night quoted her husband from the dinner table the night before “I really love lots of Ron Paul’s ideas, but I could never vote for him because he’s a 9/11 truther.” This is absolutely incorrect. To my disappointment, Paul absolutely denies being a 9/11 truther, and does so regularly.
Another person said to me that everyone out there was deceived about the political process and what was really going on with the economy and the money supply, and he told me to tell Dr. Paul “we intelligent people know what’s going on.”
The Constitution Bomb project is at a “we’ve got to get this done now” point. We need to put in an order for many in the next few days because we have already generated a demand that is much much greater than the available supply. There is this question now, and one that has always been there, about whether or not we can get the Constitution to people by Super Tuesday.
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
I’m jet lagging a bit. And while I like being up this early, I really can’t visit anyone’s house for another 5 hours.
Today, I will canvass the neighborhood that my Aunt and Uncle live in. This means that I have become the local precinct captain. My job will be to get out the vote for Ron Paul in this precinct. When I have finished doing that for the day, I will head to the Las Vegas office and will make some phone calls for a few hours.
Yesterday was my first night in town and I felt it a good idea to spend the evening hours with my Aunt and Uncle. I arrived at the airport, dropped off some things, spoke to my uncle for a bit and then head to the Las Vegas HQ where they were happy to have me. I did some cold calls on local republicans. They really seem to have their stuff together in this office. They have lists of Ron Paul supporters that are automated, so you would hook up to them through a wifi connection on your laptop, log in to the system and then you have the numbers appear in front of you. The cold calls are on paper. I did well there turning a few ambivalent voters. The folks at this office don’t seem able to turn a no into a yes like the Operation Live Free or Die folks. In the cold calls, I concentrated on Republican (since it is a closed primary and only registered Republicans are welcome on the day of the caucus) supervoters (those who have voted in three of the last elections). Of course I would love to have some big time job, but sometimes you’ve got to lead and sometimes you’ve got to follow, and good campaigns need lots of footsoldiers.
This is the second time that the Nevada GOP has had a caucus. The first time was when W was running for re-election, so no one went that time. This time, there is a turnout of about 5% expected. I wonder if even that percentage will show based on what one voter said to me yesterday (he happened to be a real estate agent and in the event that any of you would want to buy a house here, I have his contact info, and I’m sure he’d be happy to help out). What he said was “No one knows where to go, no one knows why they are going, and in a 24 hour town where the idea of time has become meaningless, there’s only 30 minutes to vote.” Yeah, George also suggested to me that if I encounter any of the many Republican voters who have not made up their minds, I should just ask “Well, who do you feel real strongly about?” The likely answer, he believes will be “No one.” George believes that is a sure sign that the person has not yet heard enough about Ron Paul, and as a result has been left “passionately, furiously, ambivalent” like him.
The guy next to me phone banking in NH claimed that he decided to call the toll free number that we were giving everyone, the toll free number to HQ. A girl picked up the phone and answered a few of his questions without trouble, but then the guy asked “What is it that you like about Ron Paul?” and she responded “I don’t like Ron Paul at all, I’m just paid to answer the phones.”
This was a story that I told yesterday during a discussion with two guys from the National Headquarters who are here in the Las Vegas office. One of the guys was so shocked by the story that he made a phone call right away and then had me do the same. The explanation I received was that that phone line was being answered by a company.
This was pretty shocking for me to hear, perhaps even more shocking than the original story. I think when I return to the Las Vegas office later today, I’m going to ask the folks to address the following – the inability of the paid staff to harness the energy of the volunteers, a lack of passion from the national that the grassroots have, an inability to communicate with the grassroots effectively.
One of the ladies that I was on the phone with last night quoted her husband from the dinner table the night before “I really love lots of Ron Paul’s ideas, but I could never vote for him because he’s a 9/11 truther.” This is absolutely incorrect. To my disappointment, Paul absolutely denies being a 9/11 truther, and does so regularly.
Another person said to me that everyone out there was deceived about the political process and what was really going on with the economy and the money supply, and he told me to tell Dr. Paul “we intelligent people know what’s going on.”
The Constitution Bomb project is at a “we’ve got to get this done now” point. We need to put in an order for many in the next few days because we have already generated a demand that is much much greater than the available supply. There is this question now, and one that has always been there, about whether or not we can get the Constitution to people by Super Tuesday.
Allan
(writing from Las Vegas)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Trainpaigning
"Trainpaigning" was what my neighbor on the Albany to Chicago "Lake Shore Ltd" called my canvassing of the train to distribute campaign info and to answer questions for people interested in Ron Paul.
The kitchen staff spoke of the New World Order, the man reading the WSJ called him an isolationist, someone planning on picketing a few abortion clinics hoped he'd be against abortion. All of them had a better understanding of Ron Paul's viewpoints when we'd finished talking and I left each of them with my email address too, in case further questions came up, or perhaps even just an interest to continue the discussion.
The ROTC senior at IIT, the documentary film student at Columbia, the youth-minister-to-be heading to his first semester at North Park - all were ready for a little debate and that we did. Damn do I love riding the train - no one forces you to remove clothes before boarding, no prohibitions against standing at the bathroom, and a great atmosphere that just welcomes talking to others.
Johannes and Fabio, I thought of the two of you when I saw a journeyman carpenter from Kiel in his full dress taking the Amtrak through the US - I wanted to photograph him with an RP sign, but he seemed to have been overly photographed and I figured I could just convince you guys to use your imagination about how he would look as I told him about RP and the Tea Party and Europe4Paul.
Dozens of RP 10 minutes DVDs, copies of the US Constitution, slim jims on topics from farms to immigration were all handed out. I'm so happy to sit and talk with my fellow Americans about what they think about the economy, about fiat money, about Iraq, and politics in general.
Johannes, Dan, Ben, and Aminka, thank you for the encouraging comments.
Allan
(writing from Blue Island, IL)
The kitchen staff spoke of the New World Order, the man reading the WSJ called him an isolationist, someone planning on picketing a few abortion clinics hoped he'd be against abortion. All of them had a better understanding of Ron Paul's viewpoints when we'd finished talking and I left each of them with my email address too, in case further questions came up, or perhaps even just an interest to continue the discussion.
The ROTC senior at IIT, the documentary film student at Columbia, the youth-minister-to-be heading to his first semester at North Park - all were ready for a little debate and that we did. Damn do I love riding the train - no one forces you to remove clothes before boarding, no prohibitions against standing at the bathroom, and a great atmosphere that just welcomes talking to others.
Johannes and Fabio, I thought of the two of you when I saw a journeyman carpenter from Kiel in his full dress taking the Amtrak through the US - I wanted to photograph him with an RP sign, but he seemed to have been overly photographed and I figured I could just convince you guys to use your imagination about how he would look as I told him about RP and the Tea Party and Europe4Paul.
Dozens of RP 10 minutes DVDs, copies of the US Constitution, slim jims on topics from farms to immigration were all handed out. I'm so happy to sit and talk with my fellow Americans about what they think about the economy, about fiat money, about Iraq, and politics in general.
Johannes, Dan, Ben, and Aminka, thank you for the encouraging comments.
Allan
(writing from Blue Island, IL)
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The intellectual struggle
For those who haven't seen it yet: This Message from Ron: Onward! is pretty powerful stuff. Well thought out, well written, and very upbeat. Beyond the actual campaign, Ron Paul here focuses on the intellectual battle, it being a long struggle, and a reason why we should be optimistic.
And in fact there is lots of room for being upbeat. Take all those mainly young people who are getting accustomed to a set of ideas that are a breath of fresh air compared to the current conventional wisdom which in turn is so narrow and seems to have an exclusive hold on what is being said on major news outlets in the US right now! This wonderful piece Young and in Love on TNR gives a good feel of what the ongoing enthusiasm within this movement has triggered: E.g. some university majors intending to write their thesis on Ron Paul or ideas related to the campaign. That indeed is the way to go.
In the end, we should be the ones who are better informed, who have the in debth knowledge that allows us to challenge things. Rudy's reading list is great, and it is just the beginning.
- Johannes
And in fact there is lots of room for being upbeat. Take all those mainly young people who are getting accustomed to a set of ideas that are a breath of fresh air compared to the current conventional wisdom which in turn is so narrow and seems to have an exclusive hold on what is being said on major news outlets in the US right now! This wonderful piece Young and in Love on TNR gives a good feel of what the ongoing enthusiasm within this movement has triggered: E.g. some university majors intending to write their thesis on Ron Paul or ideas related to the campaign. That indeed is the way to go.
In the end, we should be the ones who are better informed, who have the in debth knowledge that allows us to challenge things. Rudy's reading list is great, and it is just the beginning.
- Johannes
Operation Live Free or Die
Good post on Operation Live Free or Die. - Allan
http://www.sacbee.com/838/story/609313.html
http://www.sacbee.com/838/story/609313.html
Average Day
I'm back in Chi-town and just want to share a video of the average day in the Ron Paul headquarters in Concord, NH. Thank you to Frank. - Allan
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
January 8
I can't say that I'm all that pleased about the percentage results of today's primary. It shows how far we have to go. After the primaries closed, we gathered in a ballroom of a hotel in Concord, where Ron Paul gave a great speech. We watched the results come in, we discussed details of future plans, and we turned down the opportunity to party in a mansion along the Atlantic coast. What we, the group of people I grew closest to and I, did afterwards, was to go back to our place and to start a meeting at about midnight. It ended up being a two hour meeting, after a very long week (as some of you may have noticed based on some of the times that I've posted these messages), in which we talked about what would come next, what went wrong, what went right. Some of our discussion about the future was based on Johannes's concept of building a broader base for the movement - educating ourselves. This race is not over, and this movement is young.
There were plenty of long faces about this evening. The loss might even be a good thing, because it will cut some of the less committed fat from the movement. It is important to encourage a necessary civic virtue at this moment, however. That civic virtue is resilience, persistence. We really must never give up in spreading this message of individual freedom, and that most certainly includes now.
I wish you all well. Time to return to Chicago to help push along organizing my congressional district with another gentleman, who happens to study at the University of Chicago. From there, Nevada, then back to Chicago. Then I will see how things are going post-Super Tuesday.
Allan
(writing from New London, New Hampshire)
There were plenty of long faces about this evening. The loss might even be a good thing, because it will cut some of the less committed fat from the movement. It is important to encourage a necessary civic virtue at this moment, however. That civic virtue is resilience, persistence. We really must never give up in spreading this message of individual freedom, and that most certainly includes now.
I wish you all well. Time to return to Chicago to help push along organizing my congressional district with another gentleman, who happens to study at the University of Chicago. From there, Nevada, then back to Chicago. Then I will see how things are going post-Super Tuesday.
Allan
(writing from New London, New Hampshire)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
January 8
The election is upon us. Will write with details of this day and yesterday when I come home. If hurting for update, check out You Tube. Good stuff there. - Allan
Monday, January 7, 2008
January 7
The motto as we go into the phone banks and the canvassing runs tomorrow will be
"20%+1" because tonight, Frank Luntz, walked out of his after-debate focus group, and into my friends and I. I introduced myself to him. He stopped. I told him how dishonourable I found it that Ron Paul was excluded from the elections, and a few folks started getting their questions in. 10 minutes later, Frank Luntz had said to one of us "If Ron Paul gets more than 20% on Tuesday, I will pay you one thousand dollars..."
That was pretty interesting. Also interesting was that one from among our ranks was invited, by mistake, to the Frank Luntz focus group. You will one day be able to find his tale of that on Lew Rockwell. Bob Novak was also inside of the room that we picketed outside of. You can see us picketing in the background of the Fox News Frank Luntz after-debate broadcast.
After Ron Paul spoke in a townhall meeting tonight - about 350 people packed into a space made for 150 people, a friend of mine from his district introduced me to Mrs. Paul. I passed Ben Novak's message to her from the Strasbourg Tea Party. She told me how much she liked Bratislava when her and Dr. Paul were there. I met the rest of the family who was here in town, even one of the 18 grandchildren. A few minutes later, even though many people were surrounding Dr. Paul to take a picture with him, or to get their Constitutions signed, Mrs. Paul cut through the crowd and pulled him over to me, to meet the young man who came from Bratislava. He held out his hand, and asked me about my libertarian affiliations in Slovakia, and we talked for a few moments about the movement in Europe. A very polite man. Barry Goldwater Jr. and I also met tonight.
He said tonight "I was sitting in Arizona, hearing all our fine Republicans talking about how they are Goldwater Conservatives and I got mad...if anyone is a spokesman for Goldwater Conservatism, it's Ron Paul."
A few minutes after the TownHall meeting came to an end, the Fox debates began. Those hundreds of Ron Paul supporters flooded out of the place and disappeared. There were hundreds of others around Manchester. Two guys and I decided to poke our heads into the legendary Ron Paul hangout in New Hampshire - Murphy's. (It's only been there for 10 months, but the owner is a Ron Paul supporter) We went there, it was rented out for the night. So, we headed back down the street, where we encountered that hoard of Ron Paul supporters leaving the hotel where ABC executives were all camped out. We caught up to the horde, and for a number of hours, Ron Paul supporters covered all 4 corners of a busy intersection with easily a hundred signs out there. We chanted, and chanted, and the police came. TV cameras came from all over, even BOSTON! ! We appeared on news broadcasted to the west coast, LA. We were live on CNN. "Ron Paul Revolution - Reinstate our Constitution" and "Revoke Fox's License" were things that we shouted for those hours at that intersection.
We were happy to learn that Frank Luntz was conducting his focus group in a restaraunt on that intersection. I was happy to run into many ABC employees. Each one of them I told "You are just as big of a problem as Fox is, you deserve the same criticism, and you ought to be ashamed for telling Dennis Kucinich yesterday that he wasn't welcome at the debate."
It really is a shame.
Charlie Gibson was said to have come through the crowd, and I really wish that I would have met him, because I really would have told that corporate shill what I think of his belief that ABC should have the right to decide what candidates we get to hear on our public airwaves, using bogus polls as support for their opinions on what candidates ought to be heard. ABC does not have the high ground over Fox and doesn't deserve to have it.
In all of this, something that I still cannot really believe is, I kid you not, as follows.
Today, a mob of Ron Paul supporters chased Sean Hannity from the restaraunt where he ate his dinner to his hotel on foot. As he pulled away from the group, one of the members of the mob threw a snowball at him.
A mob actually pursued Sean Hannity through the streets of Manchester, NH today.
Penn and Teller would have been proud, as the legendary "Fuck you Frank" was also delivered to Luntz today.
All in all, it was an excellent day of listening to Dr. Paul speak, meeting folks, being on TV, waving signs to many cars with supportive horn honks that drove by, spending time at the phone bank, and shows of civil disobedience that at times descended into less than polite moments.
I do believe that this revolution is unstoppable. It is a matter of whether or not we have enough time to get the message to the many people that we need to without the help of our traditional media.
It is time to get to bed, and to prepare for my last day on the phone banks. I will be at a polling place all day following that. As I write this, Dr. Paul is flying across the continent, readying himself to appear with Jay Leno tomorrow.
Wishing you all well.
Allan
(writing from New Londond, NH)
"20%+1" because tonight, Frank Luntz, walked out of his after-debate focus group, and into my friends and I. I introduced myself to him. He stopped. I told him how dishonourable I found it that Ron Paul was excluded from the elections, and a few folks started getting their questions in. 10 minutes later, Frank Luntz had said to one of us "If Ron Paul gets more than 20% on Tuesday, I will pay you one thousand dollars..."
That was pretty interesting. Also interesting was that one from among our ranks was invited, by mistake, to the Frank Luntz focus group. You will one day be able to find his tale of that on Lew Rockwell. Bob Novak was also inside of the room that we picketed outside of. You can see us picketing in the background of the Fox News Frank Luntz after-debate broadcast.
After Ron Paul spoke in a townhall meeting tonight - about 350 people packed into a space made for 150 people, a friend of mine from his district introduced me to Mrs. Paul. I passed Ben Novak's message to her from the Strasbourg Tea Party. She told me how much she liked Bratislava when her and Dr. Paul were there. I met the rest of the family who was here in town, even one of the 18 grandchildren. A few minutes later, even though many people were surrounding Dr. Paul to take a picture with him, or to get their Constitutions signed, Mrs. Paul cut through the crowd and pulled him over to me, to meet the young man who came from Bratislava. He held out his hand, and asked me about my libertarian affiliations in Slovakia, and we talked for a few moments about the movement in Europe. A very polite man. Barry Goldwater Jr. and I also met tonight.
He said tonight "I was sitting in Arizona, hearing all our fine Republicans talking about how they are Goldwater Conservatives and I got mad...if anyone is a spokesman for Goldwater Conservatism, it's Ron Paul."
A few minutes after the TownHall meeting came to an end, the Fox debates began. Those hundreds of Ron Paul supporters flooded out of the place and disappeared. There were hundreds of others around Manchester. Two guys and I decided to poke our heads into the legendary Ron Paul hangout in New Hampshire - Murphy's. (It's only been there for 10 months, but the owner is a Ron Paul supporter) We went there, it was rented out for the night. So, we headed back down the street, where we encountered that hoard of Ron Paul supporters leaving the hotel where ABC executives were all camped out. We caught up to the horde, and for a number of hours, Ron Paul supporters covered all 4 corners of a busy intersection with easily a hundred signs out there. We chanted, and chanted, and the police came. TV cameras came from all over, even BOSTON! ! We appeared on news broadcasted to the west coast, LA. We were live on CNN. "Ron Paul Revolution - Reinstate our Constitution" and "Revoke Fox's License" were things that we shouted for those hours at that intersection.
We were happy to learn that Frank Luntz was conducting his focus group in a restaraunt on that intersection. I was happy to run into many ABC employees. Each one of them I told "You are just as big of a problem as Fox is, you deserve the same criticism, and you ought to be ashamed for telling Dennis Kucinich yesterday that he wasn't welcome at the debate."
It really is a shame.
Charlie Gibson was said to have come through the crowd, and I really wish that I would have met him, because I really would have told that corporate shill what I think of his belief that ABC should have the right to decide what candidates we get to hear on our public airwaves, using bogus polls as support for their opinions on what candidates ought to be heard. ABC does not have the high ground over Fox and doesn't deserve to have it.
In all of this, something that I still cannot really believe is, I kid you not, as follows.
Today, a mob of Ron Paul supporters chased Sean Hannity from the restaraunt where he ate his dinner to his hotel on foot. As he pulled away from the group, one of the members of the mob threw a snowball at him.
A mob actually pursued Sean Hannity through the streets of Manchester, NH today.
Penn and Teller would have been proud, as the legendary "Fuck you Frank" was also delivered to Luntz today.
All in all, it was an excellent day of listening to Dr. Paul speak, meeting folks, being on TV, waving signs to many cars with supportive horn honks that drove by, spending time at the phone bank, and shows of civil disobedience that at times descended into less than polite moments.
I do believe that this revolution is unstoppable. It is a matter of whether or not we have enough time to get the message to the many people that we need to without the help of our traditional media.
It is time to get to bed, and to prepare for my last day on the phone banks. I will be at a polling place all day following that. As I write this, Dr. Paul is flying across the continent, readying himself to appear with Jay Leno tomorrow.
Wishing you all well.
Allan
(writing from New Londond, NH)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
January 6 - some videos from NH
The Liberty Forum is happening in Nashua, NH this weekend. The man who mints the liberty dollar appeared there. Here is some footage from that.
Also, for anyone interested in videos of some of the things the folks that are operating as part of Operation Live Free or Die are doing here, you may watch these videos filmed by Frank. The first is what most of us are doing all day from early until late.
The second is at a place called "Murphy's Tap Room," which has become the haven of Ron Paul supporters in New Hampshire, it's a video of the Iowa results coming in.
It's Sunday morning now. We will canvas some churches - there is a real split among Christians over Paul v. Huckabee. A young lady on the project here from Tennessee with here husband and baby daughter put together a great little pamphlet on Ron Paul's record v. Mike Huckabee's record and things a Christian may want to consider before voting. It's good stuff, and I look forward to using it all over the states of Nevada and Illinois on Sunday mornings. Wishing you folks well. Time for breakfast here in the Shaker house, then off to another day of hitting the phones and getting Ron Paul supporters, just by doing what the main stream media refuses to do in America - tell them about his electoral principles (the Constitution) (which by the way was paid lip service to many times last night) and telling them about his consistent record and plans for election. His message really resonates with alot of folks that I have come across on the phone. Last night was the night, I'm very sad to say, that ABC told the American people, outright, on the airwaves that belong to the American people, what candidates they would be allowed to hear debate. Today, Fox will do the same thing. Iowa voters were allowed to decide what electors New Hampshire voters were allowed to listen to. Folks that I encounter here are angry about that. The NH GOP even pulled out of the Fox debate and issued a great press release: http://www.dailypaul.com/node/21321
A great day to you all.
- Allan
Also, for anyone interested in videos of some of the things the folks that are operating as part of Operation Live Free or Die are doing here, you may watch these videos filmed by Frank. The first is what most of us are doing all day from early until late.
The second is at a place called "Murphy's Tap Room," which has become the haven of Ron Paul supporters in New Hampshire, it's a video of the Iowa results coming in.
It's Sunday morning now. We will canvas some churches - there is a real split among Christians over Paul v. Huckabee. A young lady on the project here from Tennessee with here husband and baby daughter put together a great little pamphlet on Ron Paul's record v. Mike Huckabee's record and things a Christian may want to consider before voting. It's good stuff, and I look forward to using it all over the states of Nevada and Illinois on Sunday mornings. Wishing you folks well. Time for breakfast here in the Shaker house, then off to another day of hitting the phones and getting Ron Paul supporters, just by doing what the main stream media refuses to do in America - tell them about his electoral principles (the Constitution) (which by the way was paid lip service to many times last night) and telling them about his consistent record and plans for election. His message really resonates with alot of folks that I have come across on the phone. Last night was the night, I'm very sad to say, that ABC told the American people, outright, on the airwaves that belong to the American people, what candidates they would be allowed to hear debate. Today, Fox will do the same thing. Iowa voters were allowed to decide what electors New Hampshire voters were allowed to listen to. Folks that I encounter here are angry about that. The NH GOP even pulled out of the Fox debate and issued a great press release: http://www.dailypaul.com/node/21321
A great day to you all.
- Allan
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)
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)
Saturday, January 5, 2008
A Video from NH HQ
In this video you can see the phone bank at headquarters and some of the many volunteers who are here in Concord, New Hampshire. Today, a local politician on the phone with me said "I think that even you Ron Paul supporters will be surprised by how well he will be doing in New Hampshire." That was something inspiring to hear. With so much money in the bank, I think that fourth or up will be enough to give us the momentum that we need. Wyoming up tomorrow. Debates as well. It is clear that the focus of the nation has shifted to here. Many more people have appeared here and much attention has suddenly been focussed here. - Allan
Friday, January 4, 2008
From the Ron Paul March in Chicago on 31 December. - Allan
http://myfellowamericans2008.com/blog/2008/01/02/on-the-march-with-the-pauliacs/
http://myfellowamericans2008.com/blog/2008/01/02/on-the-march-with-the-pauliacs/
Thursday, January 3, 2008
January 2
What a very contented feeling came over me as a result of the two last phone calls from today's phone banking - a total of an hour spent on those two phone calls. And when the day was over, both produced two votes for Paul, two interested votes for Paul. We're working large lists and will move from the to focussing on smaller groups. Today spent at HQ in Concord, NH was such a worthwhile time.
Anywhere I go, I lead with a copy of the constitution. "May I give you a copy of the Constitution." Almost no one says no to that. In the diner this morning, at the toll booth, at the rest stop, at the gas station.
The morning will be sign waving, then phone banking, then sign waving, then a meeting back at home.
After tonight's meeting a guy said something that I think anyone in the room might have agreed with "This trip was worth spending the last of my life savings on this campaign." He talked about the fascinating people that Paul attracts.
Later in the night, my brother called, he told me a number of things, but as soon as he told me that oil hit a hundred, closing at 99, that gold closed at 860, and silver 15.60, I repeated those numbers to the group around me. This is a group of people that find significance in such things. A very well-versed, dedicated group of people. These are people that I am most proud to fight next to.
As our meeting came to an end, and a few sat around waiting for RP to come onto Larry King Live (the only grouping of 20 people anywhere in the world watching Suze Orman at that moment, as one group member said)we pulled out our stamp and our fiat currency and stamped "RON PAUL for President" on the front and back of each bill.
We talked strategy all night, shared our stories from the day - successes and failures, and slowly the evening wound down. A day of success after success that so significantly overshadowed the failures of the day. In the morning we lose group member Jordan from Denton, Texas, a leader who got us all comfortable with the situation we were all getting ourselves into. Texas gets him back, ready to spread the energy of the revolution on the ground in New Hampshire.
5:30 am start. A good night to you all.
Allan
(writing from New London, New Hampshire)
Anywhere I go, I lead with a copy of the constitution. "May I give you a copy of the Constitution." Almost no one says no to that. In the diner this morning, at the toll booth, at the rest stop, at the gas station.
The morning will be sign waving, then phone banking, then sign waving, then a meeting back at home.
After tonight's meeting a guy said something that I think anyone in the room might have agreed with "This trip was worth spending the last of my life savings on this campaign." He talked about the fascinating people that Paul attracts.
Later in the night, my brother called, he told me a number of things, but as soon as he told me that oil hit a hundred, closing at 99, that gold closed at 860, and silver 15.60, I repeated those numbers to the group around me. This is a group of people that find significance in such things. A very well-versed, dedicated group of people. These are people that I am most proud to fight next to.
As our meeting came to an end, and a few sat around waiting for RP to come onto Larry King Live (the only grouping of 20 people anywhere in the world watching Suze Orman at that moment, as one group member said)we pulled out our stamp and our fiat currency and stamped "RON PAUL for President" on the front and back of each bill.
We talked strategy all night, shared our stories from the day - successes and failures, and slowly the evening wound down. A day of success after success that so significantly overshadowed the failures of the day. In the morning we lose group member Jordan from Denton, Texas, a leader who got us all comfortable with the situation we were all getting ourselves into. Texas gets him back, ready to spread the energy of the revolution on the ground in New Hampshire.
5:30 am start. A good night to you all.
Allan
(writing from New London, New Hampshire)
Interesting perspective from Iowa - Tomorrow the primaries begin
Interesting perspective from Iowa. - Allan
Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee on the block
by Jason George
DES MOINES – It's a tale of two HQs.
In one corner – literally, the corner of 6th and Locust streets – you have the downtown headquarters of Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Republican frontrunner who leads here in Iowa, according to nearly every recent poll. Next door, you have the HQ of Rep. Ron Paul, who lags in those same polls, usually in 4th or 5th place.
Based on those rankings, you might guess that Huckabee's main Iowa office space and Des Moines presence would dwarf that of Paul's, but you'd be wrong. In fact, it's Paul's place that continues to grow and spread, looking for more space and larger areas to accommodate the waves of volunteers that arrive daily.
Huckabee's operation, in contrast, works out of an area a fourth the size of Paul's, with only a fraction of people as well. Also, while Paul's camp has a 15-person phone bank operating 12 hours a day, Huckabee's office has trouble even answering their phones. On more than one occasion recently this reporter has called Huckabee HQ only to find the telephone line -- the main line that a prospective voter or volunteer could call -- picked up by voicemail or not answered at all.
So what does it all mean?
It all goes to organization and ground game, which Huckabee has struggled with for months, while Paul seems to be build a bit each and everyday.
Does it mean that Paul can beat Huckabee?
Probably not, if you believe the polls, but walking down 6th Street surely gives one pause.
Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee on the block
by Jason George
DES MOINES – It's a tale of two HQs.
In one corner – literally, the corner of 6th and Locust streets – you have the downtown headquarters of Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Republican frontrunner who leads here in Iowa, according to nearly every recent poll. Next door, you have the HQ of Rep. Ron Paul, who lags in those same polls, usually in 4th or 5th place.
Based on those rankings, you might guess that Huckabee's main Iowa office space and Des Moines presence would dwarf that of Paul's, but you'd be wrong. In fact, it's Paul's place that continues to grow and spread, looking for more space and larger areas to accommodate the waves of volunteers that arrive daily.
Huckabee's operation, in contrast, works out of an area a fourth the size of Paul's, with only a fraction of people as well. Also, while Paul's camp has a 15-person phone bank operating 12 hours a day, Huckabee's office has trouble even answering their phones. On more than one occasion recently this reporter has called Huckabee HQ only to find the telephone line -- the main line that a prospective voter or volunteer could call -- picked up by voicemail or not answered at all.
So what does it all mean?
It all goes to organization and ground game, which Huckabee has struggled with for months, while Paul seems to be build a bit each and everyday.
Does it mean that Paul can beat Huckabee?
Probably not, if you believe the polls, but walking down 6th Street surely gives one pause.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
January 1
Just got into Manchester, New Hampshire a few hours ago. I had a wait in the airport in which I had a great talk with a TSA employee that made me feel like I was in the Live Free or Die State. She was just great, and wasn't filling an official capacity as much as she was just talking a little with the guy from out of town. After hearing her opinions, I asked her to please vote in the primaries. She'd even once screened Mrs. Paul. : ) I hooked up with a couple from Fort Worth, Texas, newly married. They were interested to hear about Ron Paul's popularity in Europe. Had a very nice time talking to them hearing about their passion for Ron Paul. We waited for luggage with a lady from the Edwards campaign. "We represent men who could be the future leader of the free world, you'd think they'd get our luggage to us." she joked. She spoke to me as if I was "with the campaign." There is no with the campaign or not with the campaign - we're just all volunteers. The suit, tie, and RP button must have deceived her. I rode upstate an hour or so to New London, where we will stay. I travelled with a pair of supporters from RP's district in Texas. Really great guys (which makes for 4 great RP supporters so far out of 4, what an impressive group of folks these are that are part of this campaign). We talked what we liked, what we disliked, and it was challenging at times, supportive at other times. We threw around the names of books, of writers that the other had not heard of. This will be educational indeed.
We set up shop in the rented house. 25 of us will live here. Such a mixture of strong accents, Texas, Cali, up and down the east coast, throughout the midwest. What an interesting mixture of personalities we seem to have here as well. Time for bed. 6 am - 10 am sign waiving, 10 am - 5pm canvassing. It sounds like that's the schedule January 2-7. A rally or two shoved in the middle. Maybe a few hours at a phone bank, and poll watching on the day of the primary. Lots of good circulation of ideas in this big living room right now. A good night to you all.
- Allan
(writing from New London, New Hampshire)
We set up shop in the rented house. 25 of us will live here. Such a mixture of strong accents, Texas, Cali, up and down the east coast, throughout the midwest. What an interesting mixture of personalities we seem to have here as well. Time for bed. 6 am - 10 am sign waiving, 10 am - 5pm canvassing. It sounds like that's the schedule January 2-7. A rally or two shoved in the middle. Maybe a few hours at a phone bank, and poll watching on the day of the primary. Lots of good circulation of ideas in this big living room right now. A good night to you all.
- Allan
(writing from New London, New Hampshire)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
December 31
A quick brief, hopefully more to follow
We had a march for Ron Paul today in Chicago. It was great to introduce the candidate to so many people by talking to them or just handing out flyers. Also there were alot of his supporters along the way who honked horns or cheered or whatever. I really am having a hard time believing how little coverage the guy actually gets in the media. Well, tomorrow, I will head off to New Hampshire to volunteer on the campaign there. So far there are 405 volunteers under operation live free or die in the state of new hampshire. 1000 is the goal. Hope all is well in BA and environs : ) - Allan
We had a march for Ron Paul today in Chicago. It was great to introduce the candidate to so many people by talking to them or just handing out flyers. Also there were alot of his supporters along the way who honked horns or cheered or whatever. I really am having a hard time believing how little coverage the guy actually gets in the media. Well, tomorrow, I will head off to New Hampshire to volunteer on the campaign there. So far there are 405 volunteers under operation live free or die in the state of new hampshire. 1000 is the goal. Hope all is well in BA and environs : ) - Allan
Sunday, December 30, 2007
RP on ORF
Thank you to Johannes for pointing out that Ron Paul has appeared on ORF ! - Allan
click here
click here
Writing Letters - New States are ready to hear from you
I just want to thank everyone in the group for working on those letters. Our group sent out a total of 180 letters to "no party" voters in Iowa. The move to get out handwritten letters to independent voters continues. It is one of the most effective things that an American Ron Paul supporter abroad can do right now for the campaign. If you are not American, you could also get together with an American to write the letters and it could be quite effective as well. Send me an email at AmericansInEuropeForRonPaul@gmail.com to learn more about how it might be effective for those who are not American citizens. Check out this quote below from the Daily Paul that highlights the importance of those letters. - Allan
http://www.louislogan.com/letters/index.asp
We just received new addresses for the following groups. Order online today by clicking here!:
* Republicans in Martin County, Florida (north of Miami from Jupiter to Port St. Lucie)
* Republicans in Wyoming (GOP Precinct Committee Members)
* Republicans in South Carolina (voters focused on immigration/border security issues)
Wyoming is the most pressing since their County Convention is next Saturday, January 5. All NH letters need to be in the mail no later than 12/31 (January 2 for Northeastern states).
I also just added on the site a ranking of letter distribution for all states per million in population. This takes out the population effect of larger states: http://www.louislogan.com/letters/stats.asp
Great quote on Daily Paul yesterday: "My son is canvassing in Iowa. He knocked on a door and the person said that they had just received a letter from someone in Arizona and he had some questions ... 30 minutes later, he had himself a convert ... Please help with this, it really does work and makes the job of our boots in Iowa all that more effective." -- ljrdxyh on Daily Paul
Thanks for all your efforts!
Ron Shimshock
Ron Paul Letter Writing Campaign
My son is canvassing in Iowa. He knocked on a door and the person said that they had just received a letter from someone in Arizona and he had some questions ... 30 minutes later, he had himself a convert ... Please help with this, it really does work and makes the job of our boots in Iowa all that more effective.
http://www.louislogan.com/letters/index.asp
We just received new addresses for the following groups. Order online today by clicking here!:
* Republicans in Martin County, Florida (north of Miami from Jupiter to Port St. Lucie)
* Republicans in Wyoming (GOP Precinct Committee Members)
* Republicans in South Carolina (voters focused on immigration/border security issues)
Wyoming is the most pressing since their County Convention is next Saturday, January 5. All NH letters need to be in the mail no later than 12/31 (January 2 for Northeastern states).
I also just added on the site a ranking of letter distribution for all states per million in population. This takes out the population effect of larger states: http://www.louislogan.com/letters/stats.asp
Great quote on Daily Paul yesterday: "My son is canvassing in Iowa. He knocked on a door and the person said that they had just received a letter from someone in Arizona and he had some questions ... 30 minutes later, he had himself a convert ... Please help with this, it really does work and makes the job of our boots in Iowa all that more effective." -- ljrdxyh on Daily Paul
Thanks for all your efforts!
Ron Shimshock
Ron Paul Letter Writing Campaign
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Home schooling
A study group? We probably have way to go there, but o.k., why not call it a study group. On a basic level, my intent was simply to use our time more efficiently, to get more out of all the intellectual capacity constituted by our members, and also to provide a long-term perspective for the group.
When you, Allan, quote me on the impact we have on the ongoing election, I want to add the following: I am not so much worried about the limited effect that our Vienna gatherings have on the Ron Paul campaign, I am more concerned about the impact that the campaign may have on us and all the other groups, in the sense that, what happens when things don’t turn out as rosy as some people imagine. Will that be like deflating a balloon? Will all the excitement simply evaporate? Some of you might dismiss asking such questions as needless defeatism, and yes, not a single vote has been cast yet, and we still hope for an upset victory or at least a memorable fight, however small the odds may be. Yet the dim scenario might happen, if people see the movement simply in terms of the race for the presidency.
Getting Ron Paul elected is one part of the story. The other one, and I might add, the more profound one, is, that this is about ideas. And no matter what happens to the Ron Paul campaign these ideas are here to stay: strong defence of personal liberties and a profound reflection on what the proper role of government ought to be, the meaning of national sovereignty in an increasingly globalized world and the function of international organisations, the over-reaching of the state at home and abroad, non-interventionism as opposed to interventionism with all its unintended consequences, a fundamental understanding of the current monetary system and how it affects people’s lives. For me personally, Ron Paul has provided me with lots of food for thought on all of these. In my case it is not that I suddenly started to see the light, but rather a process that I have entered instead, kind of an intellectual journey that has just begun. And now I simply want to carry on. I want to educate myself on those issues, and what would be more apparent than doing that together with the other people in the group.
I, for one, have been interested in international politics ever since and – like so many others - even more so in the post 9/11 world of the last seven years. I have assembled a small but fine reading list (that features some of the titles on Rudy’s list) which I’d be happy to share with the others. Stefan on the other hand has started digging into Viennese economics. I’d be glad to learn more from him on this. And there is Ben, who as an American lawyer has a better insight on many of the implications of the war on terror etc.
Where is all that heading in a practical political sense? What are our goals for the future? We’ve discussed that in depth in our last meeting and inadvertently we ended up once again with the basic question, that is, what does a European Ron Paul movement really mean? What is it about? The result was hardly surprising. We said that, if there is something like a European Ron Paul movement (and Strasbourg just recently proved that such a thing does exist), we should focus on the European Union and the ongoing process of integration. There are different levels of Euro-scepticism to be found among the members of our group. What we all agreed on was that there is, additionally to the many questionable things already in place, a worrying tendency to further interference that gives us as liberty minded Europeans great cause for concern. One major characteristic of how these things are being put forward, is, that much of it happens under the radar. And there we are again with the “study group”. We see it as a logical starting point for us to get ourselves better informed, gain the necessary technical knowledge, check out for possible watchdog groups already in place, and become active. This we see as our most likely long-term perspective as a European political movement and this should feature prominently in our next European wide gathering.
In the meantime we are going back to school. It is a small school still, made up only by the few of us, and it's not too sophisticated yet, sort of a home school. Small but fine, completely detached from any department of education: this, our Vienna school of Ron Paulitics.
- Johannes
When you, Allan, quote me on the impact we have on the ongoing election, I want to add the following: I am not so much worried about the limited effect that our Vienna gatherings have on the Ron Paul campaign, I am more concerned about the impact that the campaign may have on us and all the other groups, in the sense that, what happens when things don’t turn out as rosy as some people imagine. Will that be like deflating a balloon? Will all the excitement simply evaporate? Some of you might dismiss asking such questions as needless defeatism, and yes, not a single vote has been cast yet, and we still hope for an upset victory or at least a memorable fight, however small the odds may be. Yet the dim scenario might happen, if people see the movement simply in terms of the race for the presidency.
Getting Ron Paul elected is one part of the story. The other one, and I might add, the more profound one, is, that this is about ideas. And no matter what happens to the Ron Paul campaign these ideas are here to stay: strong defence of personal liberties and a profound reflection on what the proper role of government ought to be, the meaning of national sovereignty in an increasingly globalized world and the function of international organisations, the over-reaching of the state at home and abroad, non-interventionism as opposed to interventionism with all its unintended consequences, a fundamental understanding of the current monetary system and how it affects people’s lives. For me personally, Ron Paul has provided me with lots of food for thought on all of these. In my case it is not that I suddenly started to see the light, but rather a process that I have entered instead, kind of an intellectual journey that has just begun. And now I simply want to carry on. I want to educate myself on those issues, and what would be more apparent than doing that together with the other people in the group.
I, for one, have been interested in international politics ever since and – like so many others - even more so in the post 9/11 world of the last seven years. I have assembled a small but fine reading list (that features some of the titles on Rudy’s list) which I’d be happy to share with the others. Stefan on the other hand has started digging into Viennese economics. I’d be glad to learn more from him on this. And there is Ben, who as an American lawyer has a better insight on many of the implications of the war on terror etc.
Where is all that heading in a practical political sense? What are our goals for the future? We’ve discussed that in depth in our last meeting and inadvertently we ended up once again with the basic question, that is, what does a European Ron Paul movement really mean? What is it about? The result was hardly surprising. We said that, if there is something like a European Ron Paul movement (and Strasbourg just recently proved that such a thing does exist), we should focus on the European Union and the ongoing process of integration. There are different levels of Euro-scepticism to be found among the members of our group. What we all agreed on was that there is, additionally to the many questionable things already in place, a worrying tendency to further interference that gives us as liberty minded Europeans great cause for concern. One major characteristic of how these things are being put forward, is, that much of it happens under the radar. And there we are again with the “study group”. We see it as a logical starting point for us to get ourselves better informed, gain the necessary technical knowledge, check out for possible watchdog groups already in place, and become active. This we see as our most likely long-term perspective as a European political movement and this should feature prominently in our next European wide gathering.
In the meantime we are going back to school. It is a small school still, made up only by the few of us, and it's not too sophisticated yet, sort of a home school. Small but fine, completely detached from any department of education: this, our Vienna school of Ron Paulitics.
- Johannes
Friday, December 28, 2007
News from the Vienna group - the Study Circle
News from the Vienna group - the Study Circle
At our last meeting on Friday, Johannes proposed that the group take a more structured format: “We cannot have a drastic impact on the American elections, but we can have a drastic impact on ourselves. The purpose of the group, therefore, will be to educate ourselves, while building on the momentum generated by Ron Paul’s candidacy.”
While I disagree with Johannes’s first comment – that we cannot have an impact - I absolutely agree with the concept of educating ourselves, and doing that as a group. There are many things related to Ron Paul’s candidacy that I am curious about, yet I would never have the time to research all of them. Johannes, has proposed an important next step for the Vienna group – a lecture from a group member at every meeting, on a topic that is important to him or her, or a topic in which he or she is already particularly well-versed.
Members have already agreed to speak on areas of interest to them – Israel, monetary policy, American media. Presentations at each meeting will be expected to last up to an hour, with Question and Answer to follow, perhaps a moderated discussion, and social time after that.
We will be looking for talented and educated speakers to come present to the group as well. Any suggestions? Please leave a note in the comments, or contact us at AmericansInEuropeForRonPaul@gmail.com.
In a decision arrived at during the previous meeting of the Vienna group – Johannes will be the organizer of the Vienna group. There are good ideas circulating about how to expand that group. Also, the group will probably find a more quiet place to meet and one more conducive to a group discussion than 1516.
- Allan
At our last meeting on Friday, Johannes proposed that the group take a more structured format: “We cannot have a drastic impact on the American elections, but we can have a drastic impact on ourselves. The purpose of the group, therefore, will be to educate ourselves, while building on the momentum generated by Ron Paul’s candidacy.”
While I disagree with Johannes’s first comment – that we cannot have an impact - I absolutely agree with the concept of educating ourselves, and doing that as a group. There are many things related to Ron Paul’s candidacy that I am curious about, yet I would never have the time to research all of them. Johannes, has proposed an important next step for the Vienna group – a lecture from a group member at every meeting, on a topic that is important to him or her, or a topic in which he or she is already particularly well-versed.
Members have already agreed to speak on areas of interest to them – Israel, monetary policy, American media. Presentations at each meeting will be expected to last up to an hour, with Question and Answer to follow, perhaps a moderated discussion, and social time after that.
We will be looking for talented and educated speakers to come present to the group as well. Any suggestions? Please leave a note in the comments, or contact us at AmericansInEuropeForRonPaul@gmail.com.
In a decision arrived at during the previous meeting of the Vienna group – Johannes will be the organizer of the Vienna group. There are good ideas circulating about how to expand that group. Also, the group will probably find a more quiet place to meet and one more conducive to a group discussion than 1516.
- Allan
Day 4 on the Road to February 5th
December 27 – Day 4 on the Road to February 5th
I have sat in on a RP volunteer conference call for the first time. It was not organized by the national headquarters. During the time that I was on, (which was considerably later than I should have gotten on) nothing important was discussed, but it was upbeat, and it seems that national efforts are moving along quite successfully. From the conference call, I have gathered the following bits of wisdom:
Some of the Ron Paul volunteers here in the US consider the people at the Ron Paul national headquarters to be jackasses.
Just like in Europe, there are some really quality people active in this movement in the US.
Ron Paul has started to be recognized as a legitimate force, so it is now time for the dirty stuff to begin. In the face of opposition, we must never become discouraged, but instead, we must REDOUBLE our efforts ! !
- Allan, writing from Chicago
I have sat in on a RP volunteer conference call for the first time. It was not organized by the national headquarters. During the time that I was on, (which was considerably later than I should have gotten on) nothing important was discussed, but it was upbeat, and it seems that national efforts are moving along quite successfully. From the conference call, I have gathered the following bits of wisdom:
Some of the Ron Paul volunteers here in the US consider the people at the Ron Paul national headquarters to be jackasses.
Just like in Europe, there are some really quality people active in this movement in the US.
Ron Paul has started to be recognized as a legitimate force, so it is now time for the dirty stuff to begin. In the face of opposition, we must never become discouraged, but instead, we must REDOUBLE our efforts ! !
- Allan, writing from Chicago
Day 3 on the Road to February 5
December 26, 2007 – Day 3 – The road to February 5
A good friend of mine, in his 50’s, in all of his Ron Paul support has taken up the phrase “What have you done for the Constitution today?” It’s something he asks people regularly now. He will not be voting Ron Paul in the Illinois primaries, because he is a lifelong member of the Democratic party in Illinois. His voting on a Republican ballot in the primaries would surely be noticed by others.
- Allan (Writing from Chicago)
A good friend of mine, in his 50’s, in all of his Ron Paul support has taken up the phrase “What have you done for the Constitution today?” It’s something he asks people regularly now. He will not be voting Ron Paul in the Illinois primaries, because he is a lifelong member of the Democratic party in Illinois. His voting on a Republican ballot in the primaries would surely be noticed by others.
- Allan (Writing from Chicago)
Day 2 - on the Road to February 5
December 25 – Day 2 on the Road to February 5th
It seems to me that either Ron Paul is riding the trends in popular opinion in the US or his candidacy is helping to shape popular opinion. Either way, I am hearing pro-Paul viewpoints from people who I would not have expected to have heard them from just a year ago.
Today, I sat with a teacher at a local high school. The man is near retirement, is a sweet guy, loves his students. He sees that it’s becoming common-practice for 14 year olds to start welfare themselves with their own food stamp card. It’s sort of a monthly “allowance,” not from your parents (who must also be on welfare), but from the State of Illinois. The teacher was worried about when such a person would ever be able to learn the joy of taking care of herself when the state is teaching from the age of 14 that it will take care of her. 12 months ago, this man would not have asked me that rhetorical question.
- Allan (writing from Chicago)
It seems to me that either Ron Paul is riding the trends in popular opinion in the US or his candidacy is helping to shape popular opinion. Either way, I am hearing pro-Paul viewpoints from people who I would not have expected to have heard them from just a year ago.
Today, I sat with a teacher at a local high school. The man is near retirement, is a sweet guy, loves his students. He sees that it’s becoming common-practice for 14 year olds to start welfare themselves with their own food stamp card. It’s sort of a monthly “allowance,” not from your parents (who must also be on welfare), but from the State of Illinois. The teacher was worried about when such a person would ever be able to learn the joy of taking care of herself when the state is teaching from the age of 14 that it will take care of her. 12 months ago, this man would not have asked me that rhetorical question.
- Allan (writing from Chicago)
Day 1 on the Road to February 5th
Day 1 – The Road to February 5
I proudly displayed my “Ron Paul r3VOLution” button from Fabio as I went through the Zurich airport and as I waited in line, a US citizen, born in India, approached me to tell me
1. ) He saw Ron Paul on CNBC last night
2. ) He’s an independent, but plans on voting for Paul in Illinois
3. ) He doesn’t understand why we are spending so much energy and money abroad when we can’t protect our own borders.
4. ) Why the US needs foreign creditors to cover its debt
When I said to him “What I want to know is why he doesn’t get more coverage in the media?” we both gave each other sort of a knowing look, in which we locked eyes for 5 or 10 seconds before we proceeded. He went on talking about the issues further, but not answering the question I had presented about the media.
As we got on the plane, he took a business class seat while I continued to economy. I gave him my business card in hopes that he would contact me pre-February 5 and we could work together campaigning for RP.
I sat down in my chair with the copy of the Harold Tribune that I grabbed on the way in because of its 9/11 CIA article on the front page. On page 2 was a column entitled “In Presidential Stakes, Watch the Early Money” by Albert R. Hunt.
Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Romney, McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee, Thomas all present and with at least a paragraph about each.
The man who’s going to have a $20 million quarter and raised the most money in one day ever, for a presidential candidate, Ron Paul, was not mentioned in this column.
On the plane, you could choose from 16 possible movies that you could start, stop, pause, fast-forward and rewind on command and could have any one of 45 mixed drinks, but you may not, under new US regulations, stand up from your chair and wait in line for the bathroom.
I watched Bourne Ultimatum on the plane and am curious – do such movies exist to blur the line between reality about CIA and fiction so that we, as individuals can easily be told “don’t believe everything you see in the movies” or does it exist because Americans are hungry to know more about what our government does in our name, so even if it is fact and speculation mixed, directors present as much of a story as they can without going into an all-out editorialized attack on the CIA.
There’s this strong theme of man against government present in the movie, which leads to this question of – can we educate enough, can RP educate enough, with one month to Super Tuesday, to lead this massive group of people against the government through the ballot box?
Can we give enough Americans reasons to look at Ron Paul to vote for Ron Paul?
I ask today, that ever person who reads this, write every American they know and ask their vote for Ron Paul – if you don’t want to write, you can You Tube it like this guy and DO IT NOW.
Please ! ! Every one of us spreading the enthusiasm can literally spread the enthusiasm to thousands of other people. Let’s say that only 1 in 10 people are enthused by what you’ve written, if you send it to 100 people, that means there are 10 people doing the same things, so if they contact 100 people each with the same results, that means 100 in 1000 people have become enthused. In the next round 1,000 of 10,000 people have been enthused about Ron Paul. After two or three weeks, you could have started a wave in your network was responsible for thousands of people hearing about Ron Paul.
After only a few hours of being in America, I am already noticing that a HUGE problem with Ron Paul’s candidacy is that it gets so little coverage in the media that so few people know anything about the man. We, from Europe, from Asia, from Canada, from America, from wherever it is that we are, can help change that.
I ask you, like me, to step forward today and to contact every American you know with a message about why you like Ron Paul, and to ask that person to consider voting for him as well.
- Allan, writing from Chicago
I proudly displayed my “Ron Paul r3VOLution” button from Fabio as I went through the Zurich airport and as I waited in line, a US citizen, born in India, approached me to tell me
1. ) He saw Ron Paul on CNBC last night
2. ) He’s an independent, but plans on voting for Paul in Illinois
3. ) He doesn’t understand why we are spending so much energy and money abroad when we can’t protect our own borders.
4. ) Why the US needs foreign creditors to cover its debt
When I said to him “What I want to know is why he doesn’t get more coverage in the media?” we both gave each other sort of a knowing look, in which we locked eyes for 5 or 10 seconds before we proceeded. He went on talking about the issues further, but not answering the question I had presented about the media.
As we got on the plane, he took a business class seat while I continued to economy. I gave him my business card in hopes that he would contact me pre-February 5 and we could work together campaigning for RP.
I sat down in my chair with the copy of the Harold Tribune that I grabbed on the way in because of its 9/11 CIA article on the front page. On page 2 was a column entitled “In Presidential Stakes, Watch the Early Money” by Albert R. Hunt.
Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Romney, McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee, Thomas all present and with at least a paragraph about each.
The man who’s going to have a $20 million quarter and raised the most money in one day ever, for a presidential candidate, Ron Paul, was not mentioned in this column.
On the plane, you could choose from 16 possible movies that you could start, stop, pause, fast-forward and rewind on command and could have any one of 45 mixed drinks, but you may not, under new US regulations, stand up from your chair and wait in line for the bathroom.
I watched Bourne Ultimatum on the plane and am curious – do such movies exist to blur the line between reality about CIA and fiction so that we, as individuals can easily be told “don’t believe everything you see in the movies” or does it exist because Americans are hungry to know more about what our government does in our name, so even if it is fact and speculation mixed, directors present as much of a story as they can without going into an all-out editorialized attack on the CIA.
There’s this strong theme of man against government present in the movie, which leads to this question of – can we educate enough, can RP educate enough, with one month to Super Tuesday, to lead this massive group of people against the government through the ballot box?
Can we give enough Americans reasons to look at Ron Paul to vote for Ron Paul?
I ask today, that ever person who reads this, write every American they know and ask their vote for Ron Paul – if you don’t want to write, you can You Tube it like this guy and DO IT NOW.
Please ! ! Every one of us spreading the enthusiasm can literally spread the enthusiasm to thousands of other people. Let’s say that only 1 in 10 people are enthused by what you’ve written, if you send it to 100 people, that means there are 10 people doing the same things, so if they contact 100 people each with the same results, that means 100 in 1000 people have become enthused. In the next round 1,000 of 10,000 people have been enthused about Ron Paul. After two or three weeks, you could have started a wave in your network was responsible for thousands of people hearing about Ron Paul.
After only a few hours of being in America, I am already noticing that a HUGE problem with Ron Paul’s candidacy is that it gets so little coverage in the media that so few people know anything about the man. We, from Europe, from Asia, from Canada, from America, from wherever it is that we are, can help change that.
I ask you, like me, to step forward today and to contact every American you know with a message about why you like Ron Paul, and to ask that person to consider voting for him as well.
- Allan, writing from Chicago
Canvassing Videos from Nevada
These are some videos that I have been instructed to watch about Canvassing in precincts. They are good techniques that I expect we might one day be using in Europe in the future of our movement. Regardless, they explain elections a bit, and the two short videos are good general - "go talk to your neighbor" techniques. - Allan
"Visit http://ronpaul.corehook.com (password is "ronpaul4prez"). View the short training videos from Nevada."
"Visit http://ronpaul.corehook.com (password is "ronpaul4prez"). View the short training videos from Nevada."
Proclamation of the Strasbourg Tea Party
Proclamation of the Strasbourg Tea Party
15-16 December 2007
On December 16, 2007, Ron Paul supporters from the United States and seven European nations (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, and United Kingdom) assembled in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, for the purpose demonstrating the broad base of international support that Dr. Ron Paul inspires by joining with their brothers and sisters in America celebrating the famous “Boston Tea Party” of 1773. On the previous day, many the participants attended a conference held to discuss ways to help Ron Paul’s campaign for president of the United States, and furthering the Ron Paul Revolution in Europe. The following statement was adopted by the participants:
We Proclaim:
Never before has a candidate for president of the United States inspired people around the world as Ron Paul has done.
Ron Paul has cured our apathy and inspired the enthusiasm of youth throughout Europe, just as he has in America. He has given us hope in limited government, and restored faith that democracy can work.
We thrill to his message of liberty and personal responsibility, which is so different from that of normal politicians, who see the people they are supposed to serve as little but helpless clients to be managed by the state.
We no longer wish to have our lives interfered with and controlled by bureaucrats.
We share Ron Paul’s concern for the stability of our financial system, and believe that sound money is essential for the economic health and financial stability of not only America but also of Europe and the rest of the world.
We share Ron Paul’s insight that our bloated governments and financial managers are controlled by special interests who are neither responsible nor responsive to the people. We applaud Ron Paul for bringing these issues into the public consciousness, and dedicate ourselves to educating people about them.
We believe that Ron Paul’s call to return to the original principles of the United States Constitution, and of America’s Founders, is the best route to world peace and security.
We believe that Ron Paul’s foreign policy principles of respect for sovereignty and non-interventionism are as applicable to the European Union and to our own nations as they are to the United States.
Ron Paul has been called an “isolationist” by his opponents. We want Americans to know that Ron Paul is inspiring an international movement, and that he is the only candidate who is making friends for America and gathering broad-based international support.
We believe that Ron Paul has sparked a revolution of friendship between all those in Europe and America who share his values, and that this friendship and this Revolution will continue to grow in strength and depth.
We dedicate ourselves to supporting Ron Paul in his election campaign this year, supporting his goals when he is elected president, and bringing his message of liberty and personal responsibility to our own nations in Europe.
Adopted in Strasbourg by the participants of the Strasbourg Tea Party on the 15th and 16th days of December, Anno Domini 2007.
Ben Novak, Bratislava, Slovakia
Allan Stevo, Bratislava, Slovakia
Fabio Bossi, Munich Germany
Patrick Ryf, Berne, Switzerland
Peter-Willem Vanden Broucke, Ghent, Belgium
Stephan Eckert, Frankfurt, Germany
Nicole Bless, Frankfurt, Germany
Johannes Maierhofer, Vienna, Austria
Philipe Huhardeaux, Brussels, Belgium
Igor Uszczapowski, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Michael Bienek, Reimsbach, Germany
Michael Bauwens, Ghent, Belgium
Thomas Waschko, Hamburg, Germany
Tim Wessels, Hamburg, Germany
Laura Harth, Ghent, Belgium
Denis Clijsters, Antwerp, Belgium
Lukas Mauch, Munich, Germany
Nicholas Serr, Munich, Germany
Rafael Kraft, Rotweil, Germany
Michael Neral, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Scotland)
J. Blättermann, Munich, Germany
Janine Schleicher, Rotweil, Germany
Laura Hegedus, Munich, Germany
Ira Katz, Paris, France
Johanna von Seckendorf, Munich, Germany
Karl Stritzinger, Munich, Germany
Roger Buchschacher, Basel, Switzerland
Felix Klee, Baden-Baden, Germany
Norman Thiel, Munich, Germany
15-16 December 2007
On December 16, 2007, Ron Paul supporters from the United States and seven European nations (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, and United Kingdom) assembled in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, for the purpose demonstrating the broad base of international support that Dr. Ron Paul inspires by joining with their brothers and sisters in America celebrating the famous “Boston Tea Party” of 1773. On the previous day, many the participants attended a conference held to discuss ways to help Ron Paul’s campaign for president of the United States, and furthering the Ron Paul Revolution in Europe. The following statement was adopted by the participants:
We Proclaim:
Never before has a candidate for president of the United States inspired people around the world as Ron Paul has done.
Ron Paul has cured our apathy and inspired the enthusiasm of youth throughout Europe, just as he has in America. He has given us hope in limited government, and restored faith that democracy can work.
We thrill to his message of liberty and personal responsibility, which is so different from that of normal politicians, who see the people they are supposed to serve as little but helpless clients to be managed by the state.
We no longer wish to have our lives interfered with and controlled by bureaucrats.
We share Ron Paul’s concern for the stability of our financial system, and believe that sound money is essential for the economic health and financial stability of not only America but also of Europe and the rest of the world.
We share Ron Paul’s insight that our bloated governments and financial managers are controlled by special interests who are neither responsible nor responsive to the people. We applaud Ron Paul for bringing these issues into the public consciousness, and dedicate ourselves to educating people about them.
We believe that Ron Paul’s call to return to the original principles of the United States Constitution, and of America’s Founders, is the best route to world peace and security.
We believe that Ron Paul’s foreign policy principles of respect for sovereignty and non-interventionism are as applicable to the European Union and to our own nations as they are to the United States.
Ron Paul has been called an “isolationist” by his opponents. We want Americans to know that Ron Paul is inspiring an international movement, and that he is the only candidate who is making friends for America and gathering broad-based international support.
We believe that Ron Paul has sparked a revolution of friendship between all those in Europe and America who share his values, and that this friendship and this Revolution will continue to grow in strength and depth.
We dedicate ourselves to supporting Ron Paul in his election campaign this year, supporting his goals when he is elected president, and bringing his message of liberty and personal responsibility to our own nations in Europe.
Adopted in Strasbourg by the participants of the Strasbourg Tea Party on the 15th and 16th days of December, Anno Domini 2007.
Ben Novak, Bratislava, Slovakia
Allan Stevo, Bratislava, Slovakia
Fabio Bossi, Munich Germany
Patrick Ryf, Berne, Switzerland
Peter-Willem Vanden Broucke, Ghent, Belgium
Stephan Eckert, Frankfurt, Germany
Nicole Bless, Frankfurt, Germany
Johannes Maierhofer, Vienna, Austria
Philipe Huhardeaux, Brussels, Belgium
Igor Uszczapowski, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Michael Bienek, Reimsbach, Germany
Michael Bauwens, Ghent, Belgium
Thomas Waschko, Hamburg, Germany
Tim Wessels, Hamburg, Germany
Laura Harth, Ghent, Belgium
Denis Clijsters, Antwerp, Belgium
Lukas Mauch, Munich, Germany
Nicholas Serr, Munich, Germany
Rafael Kraft, Rotweil, Germany
Michael Neral, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Scotland)
J. Blättermann, Munich, Germany
Janine Schleicher, Rotweil, Germany
Laura Hegedus, Munich, Germany
Ira Katz, Paris, France
Johanna von Seckendorf, Munich, Germany
Karl Stritzinger, Munich, Germany
Roger Buchschacher, Basel, Switzerland
Felix Klee, Baden-Baden, Germany
Norman Thiel, Munich, Germany
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Vienna for Ron Paul - After Party - Getting ready for '08
This meetup's main goal will be getting to know each other, and getting members of the group together with each other to discuss the future of our group, and how we can build on the energy generated by Strasbourg.
We will be presenting a plan on bringing in local businessmen to the group. Another plan will be discussed on also building the group bringing more Viennese libertarians into the group. Imagine the stength of such a group - libertarians in Vienna and businessmen in Vienna. Also, we will discuss what role press releases can play in the success of our group and of this movement as a whole.
This will be our first meeting in Vienna after the highly successful Strasbourg Tea Party. It is time for sharing some details of the event in Strasbourg, and news of the movement throughout Europe. Perhaps more importantly it will be time for the Vienna group to ask the question - "Who are we?" and share their long term prospects for this group.
As always, I look forward to seeing all of you there, on this, my last meeting before others take my place here, and I head to New Hampshire, Illinois, and Nevada, to tell organizers there about the movement in Europe.
- Allan
PS 6:30 reservations for 12 people on the top floor of 1516 for 12 people under the name "Ron Paul"
We will be presenting a plan on bringing in local businessmen to the group. Another plan will be discussed on also building the group bringing more Viennese libertarians into the group. Imagine the stength of such a group - libertarians in Vienna and businessmen in Vienna. Also, we will discuss what role press releases can play in the success of our group and of this movement as a whole.
This will be our first meeting in Vienna after the highly successful Strasbourg Tea Party. It is time for sharing some details of the event in Strasbourg, and news of the movement throughout Europe. Perhaps more importantly it will be time for the Vienna group to ask the question - "Who are we?" and share their long term prospects for this group.
As always, I look forward to seeing all of you there, on this, my last meeting before others take my place here, and I head to New Hampshire, Illinois, and Nevada, to tell organizers there about the movement in Europe.
- Allan
PS 6:30 reservations for 12 people on the top floor of 1516 for 12 people under the name "Ron Paul"
Great Press
http://www.usadaily.com/article.cfm?articleID=199483
Thank you for Dan and Matej in Bratislava for getting this published. I have just gotten back on the internet after last night's return from Strasbourg. You can expect plenty of updates from me about this weekend's impressive event and how what what we did over the last two days is the start of something historical.
- Allan
Thank you for Dan and Matej in Bratislava for getting this published. I have just gotten back on the internet after last night's return from Strasbourg. You can expect plenty of updates from me about this weekend's impressive event and how what what we did over the last two days is the start of something historical.
- Allan
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Hungary 1956, Czechoslovakia 1968, Poland 1981
Past struggles for freedom are not often enough discussed. I felt it appropriate to quote the NY Times for today's anniversary. "On Dec. 13, 1981, authorities in Poland imposed martial law in a crackdown on the Solidarity labor movement. Martial law formally ended in 1983." - Allan
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Letters to Iowa
Sent in from California. What a great grassroots movement we are a part of. I think I'll be signing up for 10 by the 18th. Anyone care to join me? - Allan
Also, there's a great writeup of the whole thing on WaPo here.
Hello AGAIN from sunny California (and now Texas too),
Thank you for your support with the historic "Letters to Iowa" campaign.
We are in the home stretch now, with just 10 days to complete letter writing to the 700,000 no-party Iowa voters. Your support has gotten us THIS far, but the job is not finished yet.
There are still around 200,000 Iowans on the list who we need to write to, approximately the same number of commitments we obtained in the FIRST ten days of this campaign.
I'm asking now that you redouble your efforts to win Iowa for Dr Paul. In the remaining 10 days before the deadline, if you or your Meetup Group organizer can throw at least one 'letter writing party', the remaining no-party Iowa voters will be covered. These letters or postcards must be in the mail by December 18th to make a difference.
The LA meetup got through 1,500 of these short letters in one two-hour sitting last Monday, while listening to our organizers make announcements. This was accomplished by organizers giving everyone at the meeting just ONE SINGLE SHEET of labels and postage, with particularly energetic members writing more. Again, WE CAN DO THIS.
Something else we are suggesting at this late date is to make COLOR copies of your first handwritten letter. This seems to produce the desired effect and gets the point across.
The 'Letters to Iowa' team have developed a way of distributing the names and addresses of no-party Iowans via our new website:
http://www.rp-supporters.com/letters.html
Please go to that page, click "Request Now", follow the simple instructions and you will be sent your list of names.
As always feel free to write me at:
bshonka -at- gmail dot com
with any questions.
Without you all, this would not be possible! The nation and even the world thank you for your efforts as reflected by the thousands of supportive responses we have received.
The rEVOLution continues!
for true liberty,
Bryce Shonka, Ron Shimshock, John Hogan, Justin Garten, Paul Grasshoff and Eric Turner
The Ron Paul "Letters to Iowa" Team
Also, there's a great writeup of the whole thing on WaPo here.
Hello AGAIN from sunny California (and now Texas too),
Thank you for your support with the historic "Letters to Iowa" campaign.
We are in the home stretch now, with just 10 days to complete letter writing to the 700,000 no-party Iowa voters. Your support has gotten us THIS far, but the job is not finished yet.
There are still around 200,000 Iowans on the list who we need to write to, approximately the same number of commitments we obtained in the FIRST ten days of this campaign.
I'm asking now that you redouble your efforts to win Iowa for Dr Paul. In the remaining 10 days before the deadline, if you or your Meetup Group organizer can throw at least one 'letter writing party', the remaining no-party Iowa voters will be covered. These letters or postcards must be in the mail by December 18th to make a difference.
The LA meetup got through 1,500 of these short letters in one two-hour sitting last Monday, while listening to our organizers make announcements. This was accomplished by organizers giving everyone at the meeting just ONE SINGLE SHEET of labels and postage, with particularly energetic members writing more. Again, WE CAN DO THIS.
Something else we are suggesting at this late date is to make COLOR copies of your first handwritten letter. This seems to produce the desired effect and gets the point across.
The 'Letters to Iowa' team have developed a way of distributing the names and addresses of no-party Iowans via our new website:
http://www.rp-supporters.com/letters.html
Please go to that page, click "Request Now", follow the simple instructions and you will be sent your list of names.
As always feel free to write me at:
bshonka -at- gmail dot com
with any questions.
Without you all, this would not be possible! The nation and even the world thank you for your efforts as reflected by the thousands of supportive responses we have received.
The rEVOLution continues!
for true liberty,
Bryce Shonka, Ron Shimshock, John Hogan, Justin Garten, Paul Grasshoff and Eric Turner
The Ron Paul "Letters to Iowa" Team
WaPo Exchange on Constitution - Good Points
I really liked this exchange from a WaPo forum. - Allan
At the risk of angering the sea of Ron Paul supporters out there, I'm getting really tired of people talking about Ron Paul as the only one who "understands" the Constitution.
I guarantee you that 99.9% of these people developed their opinions about the Constitution based on their person political beliefs, and not the other way around. The Constitution and Constitutional theory are incredibly complex, and it's not as if seas of Constitutional scholars just aren't "understanding" the Constitution because they see it as a living document.
Posted by: ManUnitdFan | December 11, 2007 05:26 PM
Einstein often said that if you can't explain your theory to a man on the street then you probably have it wrong. The notion that government is too complicated for the average citizen to engage and that a special group of elites should be relied upon to interpret our Constitution for us flies in the face of the words of our founders. The Soviets tried to micromanage their economy and government and failed miserably. What makes you think that we can do the same thing and succeed? Einstein also said that to do the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result is the definition of insanity. Sorry for all of the Einstein quotes. I majored in Physics.
Posted by: jac6199 | December 11, 2007 05:34 PM
Isabel's next Project - Great Video
This is the next one that Isabel from Spain is going to add Spanish subtitles to. I thought it was just a darn good video that I posted it before the translation work was even finished. - Allan
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Let the Tea Parties BEGIN !
This is from the Paris Ron Paul meeteup group, the first European tea party event of Tea Party'07. - Allan
When:
Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 5:00 PM
Where:
Place du Trocadro
75008
Description:
To support a man who sets the US presidential campaign on fire
To stand behind Ron Paul and his message of peace and liberty
To commemorate the last American Revolution and greet the launch of the next one
To support the Boston Tea Party 07 initiative
http://www.teaparty07.com
Paris organises its:
PARIS TEA PARTY
Wednesday December 12
On the Esplanade of Trocadéro
(In front of the Eiffel Tower)
Starting at 5 pm
At this occasion Americans in France and French will meet to:
Drink tea
Tell about Ron to people around
Show a big banner ?Ron Paul for President?
Take photos and shoot a video
And show the world that Paris loves Ron Paul
http://www.ronpaul2008.com
**********************************
Pour soutenir un homme qui embrase la campagne présidentielle US
Pour soutenir le message de paix et de liberté de Ron Paul
Pour commémorer la dernière Révolution Américaine et lancer le début de la prochaine
Pour soutenir l initiative de la Boston Tea Party 07
http://www.teaparty07.com
Paris organise son :
PARIS TEA PARTY
Le Mercredi 12 décembre sur l?Esplanade du Trocadéro
A partir de 17h.
A cette occasion :
Des américains de France et des Français se réuniront pour:
Boire du thé (si quelqu?un en amène),
Parler de Ron Paul aux gens présents
Déployer une grande bannière « Ron Paul Président »
Prendre des photos et réaliser une vidéo
Et montrer au monde que Paris aime Ron Paul
http://www.ronpaul2008.com
When:
Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 5:00 PM
Where:
Place du Trocadro
75008
Description:
To support a man who sets the US presidential campaign on fire
To stand behind Ron Paul and his message of peace and liberty
To commemorate the last American Revolution and greet the launch of the next one
To support the Boston Tea Party 07 initiative
http://www.teaparty07.com
Paris organises its:
PARIS TEA PARTY
Wednesday December 12
On the Esplanade of Trocadéro
(In front of the Eiffel Tower)
Starting at 5 pm
At this occasion Americans in France and French will meet to:
Drink tea
Tell about Ron to people around
Show a big banner ?Ron Paul for President?
Take photos and shoot a video
And show the world that Paris loves Ron Paul
http://www.ronpaul2008.com
**********************************
Pour soutenir un homme qui embrase la campagne présidentielle US
Pour soutenir le message de paix et de liberté de Ron Paul
Pour commémorer la dernière Révolution Américaine et lancer le début de la prochaine
Pour soutenir l initiative de la Boston Tea Party 07
http://www.teaparty07.com
Paris organise son :
PARIS TEA PARTY
Le Mercredi 12 décembre sur l?Esplanade du Trocadéro
A partir de 17h.
A cette occasion :
Des américains de France et des Français se réuniront pour:
Boire du thé (si quelqu?un en amène),
Parler de Ron Paul aux gens présents
Déployer une grande bannière « Ron Paul Président »
Prendre des photos et réaliser une vidéo
Et montrer au monde que Paris aime Ron Paul
http://www.ronpaul2008.com
Methodist Bishops Show Support for Ron Paul's Stance
This is a now from Matej from the Bratislava group, a member from the beginning. Matej, good article, thank you for sending the article in. - Allan
US bishops from Bush's church (methodists) call for "immediate safe and full withdrawal" of the troops. We can say one of Ron Paul's agenda items has more support than the intended actions of all the other candidates. Usable info for our blog Allan? - Matej
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/bushs_bishops_get_out_of_iraq.html#more
A New Website for the MeetupGroup in Rome ! !
Hi Allan,
Thanks so much for posting the Meetup info. Anything you can do to disseminate this info would be a help as well. For instance, can you post it at Meetup.com? Here's my latest:
This is a new email, forwarded to my own regular email. I check it daily: italyforronpaul@gmail.com
Also, check out ItalyForRonPaul.blogspot.com
Let me know if you know of other interest for our Rome Meetup on Dec 16th. Best of luck w/ Strasbourg!
cheers,
John R
Thanks so much for posting the Meetup info. Anything you can do to disseminate this info would be a help as well. For instance, can you post it at Meetup.com? Here's my latest:
This is a new email, forwarded to my own regular email. I check it daily: italyforronpaul@gmail.com
Also, check out ItalyForRonPaul.blogspot.com
Let me know if you know of other interest for our Rome Meetup on Dec 16th. Best of luck w/ Strasbourg!
cheers,
John R
Monday, December 10, 2007
Spanish Subtitles - Bernake appears before the people's elected representatives
Thank you to Isabel in Spain for another translation of Ron Paul material into Spanish. The last video was a success on you tube and has, among other things, been used by people in Latin America to teach their non-English speaking parents about Ron Paul. What a cool international movement that we've become a part of.
- Allan
- Allan
The Campaign Finally Steps Out of Our Way
A hindrance on our raising of funds for the Ron Paul campaign has been that some of us Americans were simply forbidden to do so. The campaign website would not allow for it. We're most happy to see that the campaign has taken the necessary steps to welcome us to donate as well. Until this time, those of us in the group with credit card billing addresses in the US have had no trouble. Americans citizens with billing addresses in Slovakia or elsewhere outside of the US, were not able to donate. According to the following article, this policy has changed, and American citizens everywhere are now welcomed to donate. - Allan
Americans Living Overseas Can Join in Ron Paul's Tea Party Sunday
Good news to Americans living overseas. Up until now, if you did not have an American address you could not donate to the official Ron Paul website online at www.ronpaul2008.com. There was some kind of problem with who knows what, but just in the nick of time the folks at the Ron Paul campaign have ironed out the issues and now overseas Americans can donate to Ron Paul online just like the folks at home.
This is great news coming on the heels of the what hopes to be the biggest single donation day in history, December 16, 2007, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Think about it, now even Brits can join in the Boston Tea Party! From reports, in some countries it is not as easy as is here to just write a check or send a money order. Many overseas Americans who have every right to donate to the campaign have been having a hard time of it.
In fact, Ron Paul currently has over 84,000 Meetup members divided among over 1300 groups and those groups are being held in 29 different countries around the globe. Not only that but there are another 7,800 people on waiting lists wanting to start more groups. No other Presidential candidate even comes close to this kind of world wide support.
Prior to the November 5, 2007 donation drive many overseas Americans were saddened they could not participate. Well, this time they can all join in the New Boston Tea Party. Imagine a worldwide revolution against corruption and tyranny. For those of that will be joining in the fun be careful about the time zone issue. For donations to be counted as all coming in on December 16th for world record purposes, only donations that come in from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time will be counted as being donated on the 16th. Hopefully, this little time zone converter will do the job: http://www.timezoneconverter.com/ However, not being a trusting soul, please check to make sure you are donating on the correct day!
This is wonderful news for the Paul campaign and may give the line setters over at Sportsbook.com something to consider. The folks over there are taking prop bets as to whether or not Ron Paul will pull in more than six million dollars on December 16th. Now with the whole world being able to participate in the event, who knows how much money Ron Paul will pull in? Only time will tell.
If you want to watch the money come pouring in, you can view the live money counter on the front page of www.RonPaulforPresident2008.com along with other places, but do try to avoid the www.RonPaul2008.com page just to watch, save those servers for the donations.
The last time Ron Paul supporters pushed for a big donation day like this, November 5, 2007, Ron Paul received over $4.3 million dollars with an average of just $103 per person. On that day, people were asked to donate one hundred dollars each and over 38,000 persons rose to the challenge. This time people are pushing the envelope and asking for all anyone can afford. After all, it is now do or die time. Either Ron Paul wins the nomination from the Republican National convention or his campaign is over. He has stated many times that he does not intend to run as an Independent. So, for those of you planning on giving a little here and a little there, here is all you have left. Why hold a little back when the last few dollars may make all the difference.
The whole primary election will most likely be decided on or close to February 5, 2008, believe it or not that is only 2 months away. This is basically it. The last big drive before the primaries, there is nothing to hold back for, and now with the rest of the world joining in to help Ron Paul, December 16 will be an exciting day for sure. The last donation drive they had about 3 weeks to pull the concept together, this time it has been mentioned on national television news stations and people have been gearing up for this since about, well, November 6th. If Ron Paul can have a stupendous day, an absolutely over the top, people have to take him seriously now kind of day, this could well be the turning point of the election when he goes from a merely possible candidate to an absolute front runner. This is the only way to show them how wrong the polls have been all along.
Once again, Americans will be fighting for their freedoms, they will be fighting to have a leader that will follow a United States Constitution, one who will return this country to one of true economic power, not one that has to flex its muscles daily. Many Americans have felt oppressed for a long time as their savings lose its value, they work harder for less buying power, and they are afraid of what will happen to the dollar. Ron Paul, is not only a medical doctor, but he has been studying for years the kinds of economics needed to fix these ills. He wants to return America to the great land she was when she started. A land that others longed for so they too could have a chance at the dream. Sadly, that dream seems more like a distant whisper to many who have to have both parents working more than one job just to make ends meet. The idea of a forty hour work week with an hour off each day for lunch being enough to support a family of four has long ago past. Americans are now afraid to speak freely on the telephone after hearing that the government is listening in to virtually every call, and the FBI can knock down your door anytime they feel like without a warrant signed by a judge. Americans are tired of being on cameras at every corner and being treated like criminals if they can't take their shoes off fast enough at an airport. Ron Paul wants to bring our money, rights, and freedoms back to us.
So, if you are so inclined, once again, join a group of Americans who are trying to change history on December 16th. For more information about Ron Paul in general go to www.RonPaulLibrary.com or www.LewRockwell.com and look on the home page, top left corner. You may discover why so many people around the globe are watching him so closely. You may learn why many have called him the Thomas Jefferson of our time. There is also a website called www.RonPaulsTeaParty.com where you can sign up to pledge your support. But no matter what, always donate directly to the campaign website at www.RonPaul2008.com. You may learn why many have called him the Thomas Jefferson of our time.
If nothing else, aren't you curious why the big fellas are so afraid of him that they give him a fraction of time allotted during debates, keep his name out of the paper, and run relatively few news stories about him? If THEY are afraid of him, you can bet he must be good for YOU. And even though the media has now determined through scare story after scare story that Americans are now only worried about the economy, a great deal of people still want the troops to come home. The two issues are related, after all, it costs money to keep them over there. Ron Paul is the only President who will even talk about bringing home the troops when he gets into office instead of 6 years from now. If that war is going to continue, they are going to need soldiers from somewhere. Parents, the best present you could give your children this year is a large donation to Ron Paul to prevent an upcoming draft. Help make history and donate on December 16, 2007, this upcoming Sunday.
From: http://www.gambling911.com/Ron-Paul-121007.html
Americans Living Overseas Can Join in Ron Paul's Tea Party Sunday
Good news to Americans living overseas. Up until now, if you did not have an American address you could not donate to the official Ron Paul website online at www.ronpaul2008.com. There was some kind of problem with who knows what, but just in the nick of time the folks at the Ron Paul campaign have ironed out the issues and now overseas Americans can donate to Ron Paul online just like the folks at home.
This is great news coming on the heels of the what hopes to be the biggest single donation day in history, December 16, 2007, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Think about it, now even Brits can join in the Boston Tea Party! From reports, in some countries it is not as easy as is here to just write a check or send a money order. Many overseas Americans who have every right to donate to the campaign have been having a hard time of it.
In fact, Ron Paul currently has over 84,000 Meetup members divided among over 1300 groups and those groups are being held in 29 different countries around the globe. Not only that but there are another 7,800 people on waiting lists wanting to start more groups. No other Presidential candidate even comes close to this kind of world wide support.
Prior to the November 5, 2007 donation drive many overseas Americans were saddened they could not participate. Well, this time they can all join in the New Boston Tea Party. Imagine a worldwide revolution against corruption and tyranny. For those of that will be joining in the fun be careful about the time zone issue. For donations to be counted as all coming in on December 16th for world record purposes, only donations that come in from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time will be counted as being donated on the 16th. Hopefully, this little time zone converter will do the job: http://www.timezoneconverter.com/ However, not being a trusting soul, please check to make sure you are donating on the correct day!
This is wonderful news for the Paul campaign and may give the line setters over at Sportsbook.com something to consider. The folks over there are taking prop bets as to whether or not Ron Paul will pull in more than six million dollars on December 16th. Now with the whole world being able to participate in the event, who knows how much money Ron Paul will pull in? Only time will tell.
If you want to watch the money come pouring in, you can view the live money counter on the front page of www.RonPaulforPresident2008.com along with other places, but do try to avoid the www.RonPaul2008.com page just to watch, save those servers for the donations.
The last time Ron Paul supporters pushed for a big donation day like this, November 5, 2007, Ron Paul received over $4.3 million dollars with an average of just $103 per person. On that day, people were asked to donate one hundred dollars each and over 38,000 persons rose to the challenge. This time people are pushing the envelope and asking for all anyone can afford. After all, it is now do or die time. Either Ron Paul wins the nomination from the Republican National convention or his campaign is over. He has stated many times that he does not intend to run as an Independent. So, for those of you planning on giving a little here and a little there, here is all you have left. Why hold a little back when the last few dollars may make all the difference.
The whole primary election will most likely be decided on or close to February 5, 2008, believe it or not that is only 2 months away. This is basically it. The last big drive before the primaries, there is nothing to hold back for, and now with the rest of the world joining in to help Ron Paul, December 16 will be an exciting day for sure. The last donation drive they had about 3 weeks to pull the concept together, this time it has been mentioned on national television news stations and people have been gearing up for this since about, well, November 6th. If Ron Paul can have a stupendous day, an absolutely over the top, people have to take him seriously now kind of day, this could well be the turning point of the election when he goes from a merely possible candidate to an absolute front runner. This is the only way to show them how wrong the polls have been all along.
Once again, Americans will be fighting for their freedoms, they will be fighting to have a leader that will follow a United States Constitution, one who will return this country to one of true economic power, not one that has to flex its muscles daily. Many Americans have felt oppressed for a long time as their savings lose its value, they work harder for less buying power, and they are afraid of what will happen to the dollar. Ron Paul, is not only a medical doctor, but he has been studying for years the kinds of economics needed to fix these ills. He wants to return America to the great land she was when she started. A land that others longed for so they too could have a chance at the dream. Sadly, that dream seems more like a distant whisper to many who have to have both parents working more than one job just to make ends meet. The idea of a forty hour work week with an hour off each day for lunch being enough to support a family of four has long ago past. Americans are now afraid to speak freely on the telephone after hearing that the government is listening in to virtually every call, and the FBI can knock down your door anytime they feel like without a warrant signed by a judge. Americans are tired of being on cameras at every corner and being treated like criminals if they can't take their shoes off fast enough at an airport. Ron Paul wants to bring our money, rights, and freedoms back to us.
So, if you are so inclined, once again, join a group of Americans who are trying to change history on December 16th. For more information about Ron Paul in general go to www.RonPaulLibrary.com or www.LewRockwell.com and look on the home page, top left corner. You may discover why so many people around the globe are watching him so closely. You may learn why many have called him the Thomas Jefferson of our time. There is also a website called www.RonPaulsTeaParty.com where you can sign up to pledge your support. But no matter what, always donate directly to the campaign website at www.RonPaul2008.com. You may learn why many have called him the Thomas Jefferson of our time.
If nothing else, aren't you curious why the big fellas are so afraid of him that they give him a fraction of time allotted during debates, keep his name out of the paper, and run relatively few news stories about him? If THEY are afraid of him, you can bet he must be good for YOU. And even though the media has now determined through scare story after scare story that Americans are now only worried about the economy, a great deal of people still want the troops to come home. The two issues are related, after all, it costs money to keep them over there. Ron Paul is the only President who will even talk about bringing home the troops when he gets into office instead of 6 years from now. If that war is going to continue, they are going to need soldiers from somewhere. Parents, the best present you could give your children this year is a large donation to Ron Paul to prevent an upcoming draft. Help make history and donate on December 16, 2007, this upcoming Sunday.
From: http://www.gambling911.com/Ron-Paul-121007.html
Ron Paul in Rome
Hi Allan,
OK, we're doing it. I'm going to at least print out some Ron Paul stuff.
Ron Paul Meet-up on Sunday December 16th at 2pm at Caffe Greco near the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy.
Caffe Greco is Rome's most historic coffee bar and boasts illustrious visitors including Keats, Shelley, Goethe, Stendhal, Buffalo Bill, Dickens and now it will boast some avid Ron Paul supporters discussing world-shaping issues.
Like your other meetups, this will be an informal place to meet and discuss how we can help Ron Paul get nominated. Also, the 16th is apparently the big day to donate, so we can hopefully catch the eye of some idle rich American tourists relaxing in this posh cafe on this high end shopping street of Rome.
I don't want to make a scene, but it also would be cool to get some photos of Paul supporters at some monumental spots in this "Eternal City." America doesn't have to go the way of ancient Rome! I've got some experience with video editing so maybe we could upload some youtube clips.
Anyway, can you post this date/time/location to Meetup.com? Also, any tips you have or anyone you can send to bring some promo material etc would be awesome. I'm expecting 10-15 people or so. But maybe we can double that in 9 days! Anybody else you know in Italy? Apparently Matej was only visiting for a couple days on business. I'm going to talk to the American university programs that I know in Rome.
Thanks for all you're doing. I appreciate any help and advice you've got for me.
-John
OK, we're doing it. I'm going to at least print out some Ron Paul stuff.
Ron Paul Meet-up on Sunday December 16th at 2pm at Caffe Greco near the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy.
Caffe Greco is Rome's most historic coffee bar and boasts illustrious visitors including Keats, Shelley, Goethe, Stendhal, Buffalo Bill, Dickens and now it will boast some avid Ron Paul supporters discussing world-shaping issues.
Like your other meetups, this will be an informal place to meet and discuss how we can help Ron Paul get nominated. Also, the 16th is apparently the big day to donate, so we can hopefully catch the eye of some idle rich American tourists relaxing in this posh cafe on this high end shopping street of Rome.
I don't want to make a scene, but it also would be cool to get some photos of Paul supporters at some monumental spots in this "Eternal City." America doesn't have to go the way of ancient Rome! I've got some experience with video editing so maybe we could upload some youtube clips.
Anyway, can you post this date/time/location to Meetup.com? Also, any tips you have or anyone you can send to bring some promo material etc would be awesome. I'm expecting 10-15 people or so. But maybe we can double that in 9 days! Anybody else you know in Italy? Apparently Matej was only visiting for a couple days on business. I'm going to talk to the American university programs that I know in Rome.
Thanks for all you're doing. I appreciate any help and advice you've got for me.
-John
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Strasbourg Tea Party - Newest Ad from Dan
Thank you, Dan. I look forward to your future videos. - Allan
Saturday, December 8, 2007
From Verona
This was posted by Federico Pistono on his Verona Ron Paul meetup group. There are good details on Ron Paul's career. Thank you Federico. - Allan
I've been wanting to write a post about Ron Paul for a long time. Before I speak let us see a brief overview of his beliefs:
* He has never voted to raise taxes.
* He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
* He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
* He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
* He has never taken a government-paid junket.
* He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
* He voted against the Patriot Act.
* He voted against regulating the Internet.
* He voted against the Iraq war.
* He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program. He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
* Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress.
Not only he's the most valid candidate in the 2008 US presidential elections, but he also gained extreme popularity among the internet community, yet ignored by the mainstream media. Why is that? Because he is not the typical candidate who would not speak in politician, but instead about real things, directly to people and attacking those topics that are considered uncomfortable.
I've been wanting to write a post about Ron Paul for a long time. Before I speak let us see a brief overview of his beliefs:
* He has never voted to raise taxes.
* He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
* He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
* He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
* He has never taken a government-paid junket.
* He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
* He voted against the Patriot Act.
* He voted against regulating the Internet.
* He voted against the Iraq war.
* He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program. He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
* Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress.
Not only he's the most valid candidate in the 2008 US presidential elections, but he also gained extreme popularity among the internet community, yet ignored by the mainstream media. Why is that? Because he is not the typical candidate who would not speak in politician, but instead about real things, directly to people and attacking those topics that are considered uncomfortable.
Outcry on Iran
I am happy to hear outcry on Iran
and outcry on torture and the US Attorneys. - Allan
Here is George Carlin with viewpoints that sound in accordance with Paul's but from a different perspective than "hope for America."
and outcry on torture and the US Attorneys. - Allan
Here is George Carlin with viewpoints that sound in accordance with Paul's but from a different perspective than "hope for America."
Friday, December 7, 2007
The Federal Reserve Bank in 10 minutes
Very good lecture from Badnarik that helps to elucidate Ron Paul's Federal Reserve Bank complaints. - Allan
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Who would the world elect?
http://www.whowouldtheworldelect.com/ Good stuff. Thank you, Dan for passing on the information. - Allan
The Ron Paul Blimp
This sounds pretty interesting to me. I like the creative ideas that are thought up when you get a group of people together who are not centrally organized. - Allan
Greetings Organizers,
By now you have probably heard about the Ron Paul Blimp project. Liftoff of the inaugural flight is scheduled for December 10th in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. ABC News and AOL's Radar Magazine are scheduled to be at the launch. The Blimp promises to rally Ron Paul supporters and get great media exposure as it heads north to the TeaParty07 in Boston on December 16th.
The Blimp's appearance will help create a media buzz and could greatly enhance the effects of the December 16th event. Anticipated donations to the campaign could be enhanced as the Blimp gains in exposure creating yet another record provided by the "Ron Paul Army".
The Blimp needs the help of your members to take to the air. We need to meet the funding goals to get the Blimp airborne. Let's get the "Ron Paul Army" to launch the "Ron Paul Air Force" and sweep the elections.
Please contact your members and let them know their help is needed to meet the target dates. We want to get airborne on schedule and make it to the Teaparty07 in Boston. Please pass this information along to your members and ask them to sponsor the blimp with their monetary participation.
Here is the Ron Paul Blimp site.
RonPaulBlimp.com
Please contact your members ASAP... Time is growing short!
Thank you for your continued support of Ron Paul and your help with the Ron Paul Blimp project!
Greetings Organizers,
By now you have probably heard about the Ron Paul Blimp project. Liftoff of the inaugural flight is scheduled for December 10th in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. ABC News and AOL's Radar Magazine are scheduled to be at the launch. The Blimp promises to rally Ron Paul supporters and get great media exposure as it heads north to the TeaParty07 in Boston on December 16th.
The Blimp's appearance will help create a media buzz and could greatly enhance the effects of the December 16th event. Anticipated donations to the campaign could be enhanced as the Blimp gains in exposure creating yet another record provided by the "Ron Paul Army".
The Blimp needs the help of your members to take to the air. We need to meet the funding goals to get the Blimp airborne. Let's get the "Ron Paul Army" to launch the "Ron Paul Air Force" and sweep the elections.
Please contact your members and let them know their help is needed to meet the target dates. We want to get airborne on schedule and make it to the Teaparty07 in Boston. Please pass this information along to your members and ask them to sponsor the blimp with their monetary participation.
Here is the Ron Paul Blimp site.
RonPaulBlimp.com
Please contact your members ASAP... Time is growing short!
Thank you for your continued support of Ron Paul and your help with the Ron Paul Blimp project!
News from Maryland
This was sent in by Nathan from Maryland. Thank you for the inspiring information, Nathan. - Allan
Paul needs the delegates to win and the Congress critters to get
things done once elected. How is your state doing?
Please work on getting your delegates and see if anyone in your group
would be willing to run for Congress.
here is a local cartoon: The headline on the newspaper reads:
"Ron Paul supporters outnumber GOP on primary ballot"
http://www.politickermd.com/can-you-hear-me-now-232
The article:
http://www.politickermd.com/ron-paul-supporters-file-full-slate-delegates-6-cand\
idates-congress-213
Ron Paul supporters file full slate of delegates, 6 candidates for Congress
By Editor
Tags: Ron Paul, Collins Bailey
Supporters of Rep. Ron Paul's presidential campaign filed a full slate of delegates and will vie for the Republican nomination in six congressional districts, PolitickerMD.com has learned.
The movement was largely independent of Paul's national campaign
organization, comprised mostly of volunteers recruiting fellow
candidates.
Collins Bailey, a Republican candidate in the 5th District for
Congress and for RNC delegate, acted as State Captain.
"There were so many more persons wanting to be Ron Paul delegates than
what was actually needed," Bailey said. "Some were calling Ron Paul's
headquarters asking to be delegates. In the meanwhile someone
mentioned to the folks at headquarters that we were already way ahead
in getting to know each other in Maryland."
"I was the first in the state to file as a Republican delegate and had
been explaining the process to some others, so the Ron Paul
organization just started forwarding the requests they were getting to
me."
Now Paul's national campaign will receive a list of delegates, sign
off on it to the State Party and the Board of Elections and designate
the group "committed" Ron Paul delegates.
Maryland Republicans will select 68 delegates and alternates for their
party's 2008 convention in Minnesota's Twin Cities: 48 district
delegates and alternates elected in the February 12th primary and 20
at-large delegates and alternates to be selected at the Spring state
GOP convention.
Successful district delegates are bound to the Republican candidate
who wins their districts, while at large delegates are bound to the
winner of the state primary.
Maryland delegates can be "released" (free to vote for someone else)
by the candidate they are bound to, if their candidate receives under
35% in the first two rounds of balloting, or if the convention reaches
a third ballot.
Paul needs the delegates to win and the Congress critters to get
things done once elected. How is your state doing?
Please work on getting your delegates and see if anyone in your group
would be willing to run for Congress.
here is a local cartoon: The headline on the newspaper reads:
"Ron Paul supporters outnumber GOP on primary ballot"
http://www.politickermd.com/can-you-hear-me-now-232
The article:
http://www.politickermd.com/ron-paul-supporters-file-full-slate-delegates-6-cand\
idates-congress-213
Ron Paul supporters file full slate of delegates, 6 candidates for Congress
By Editor
Tags: Ron Paul, Collins Bailey
Supporters of Rep. Ron Paul's presidential campaign filed a full slate of delegates and will vie for the Republican nomination in six congressional districts, PolitickerMD.com has learned.
The movement was largely independent of Paul's national campaign
organization, comprised mostly of volunteers recruiting fellow
candidates.
Collins Bailey, a Republican candidate in the 5th District for
Congress and for RNC delegate, acted as State Captain.
"There were so many more persons wanting to be Ron Paul delegates than
what was actually needed," Bailey said. "Some were calling Ron Paul's
headquarters asking to be delegates. In the meanwhile someone
mentioned to the folks at headquarters that we were already way ahead
in getting to know each other in Maryland."
"I was the first in the state to file as a Republican delegate and had
been explaining the process to some others, so the Ron Paul
organization just started forwarding the requests they were getting to
me."
Now Paul's national campaign will receive a list of delegates, sign
off on it to the State Party and the Board of Elections and designate
the group "committed" Ron Paul delegates.
Maryland Republicans will select 68 delegates and alternates for their
party's 2008 convention in Minnesota's Twin Cities: 48 district
delegates and alternates elected in the February 12th primary and 20
at-large delegates and alternates to be selected at the Spring state
GOP convention.
Successful district delegates are bound to the Republican candidate
who wins their districts, while at large delegates are bound to the
winner of the state primary.
Maryland delegates can be "released" (free to vote for someone else)
by the candidate they are bound to, if their candidate receives under
35% in the first two rounds of balloting, or if the convention reaches
a third ballot.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Good Questions
Bartiromo asks Ron Paul some good questions, some tough questions, and if you really value a candidate's positions, you must value seeing them challenged as well. Some good stuff. - Allan
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_50/b4062021769214.htm?chan=rss_topStories_ssi_5
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_50/b4062021769214.htm?chan=rss_topStories_ssi_5
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
H.R. 1955 from Matej
This is sent in from Matej. The fact that the praise and criticism of the US comes from someone who is not American makes both of them more powerful for me. Thank you, Matej. - Allan
"Again, we're on the track right now. This is happening, folks. You're LIVING through an amazing chapter of history right now. You're actually witnessing the downfall of a free nation and the rise of a superpower fascist state. You're actually part of it."
heh, it looks like Ben has been right emphasizing all the time that "we live through amazing chapter of history right now" ... but I doubt this was they way he meant it... Author of the article mentions that this could be easily used against Ron Paul also.
http://www.newstarget.com/022308.html
Matej
"Again, we're on the track right now. This is happening, folks. You're LIVING through an amazing chapter of history right now. You're actually witnessing the downfall of a free nation and the rise of a superpower fascist state. You're actually part of it."
heh, it looks like Ben has been right emphasizing all the time that "we live through amazing chapter of history right now" ... but I doubt this was they way he meant it... Author of the article mentions that this could be easily used against Ron Paul also.
http://www.newstarget.com/022308.html
Matej
Monday, December 3, 2007
Thank you to Isabel
This was sent in from Isabel in Spain who has taken to putting Spanish subtitles on a number of Ron Paul videos on YouTube. - Allan
a VERY GOOD video! Thank you Dan.
This is an EXCELLENT video. I recommend all 10 minutes. Not because of the corruption that it demonstrates (something that honestly makes me really sad, because it makes all of my hard work from far away lands seem fruitless), but because of the fact that the makers of the video looked at what was happening and said that they were going to stand against it. Ron Paul will not win without our resilience. Thank you to Dan for sending this. Thank you to Ron Paul supporters in Clearwater, Florida for standing up for all of us who oppose tyranny!! - Allan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wjJieSib0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wjJieSib0
Peace for Real
Good luck to RP supporters in Norway! ! - Allan
December 10 is Nobel Day.
The world will have its eyes on Oslo, Norway, where the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize will be presented.
We will tell the world about the real formula for peace: Ron Paul!
http://peace-nation-for-ron-paul.blogspot.com/
December 10 is Nobel Day.
The world will have its eyes on Oslo, Norway, where the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize will be presented.
We will tell the world about the real formula for peace: Ron Paul!
http://peace-nation-for-ron-paul.blogspot.com/
On the ground in New Hampshire from Salon.com
Hej, Allan, you will love this! This is what you are going back to
join! Wow! - Ben
"Ron Paul is a baby elephant"
From around the country, Ron Paul's followers are descending on New
Hampshire to go door-to-door for their man. But what do they really want?
By Michael Scherer
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/12/03/ron_paul/index.html
join! Wow! - Ben
"Ron Paul is a baby elephant"
From around the country, Ron Paul's followers are descending on New
Hampshire to go door-to-door for their man. But what do they really want?
By Michael Scherer
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/12/03/ron_paul/index.html
Saturday, December 1, 2007
An absolute "ya gotta read it"
An absolute "ya gotta read it" - Ben
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/11/theronpaulconsp.html
--
A shocking report: Inside the Ron Paul conspiracy
Maybe you've heard rumors about an explosive newspaper expose on a major political figure that would rock the political world just as the presidential voting is about to begin.
We haven't either.
But we do know that today is when this newspaper blows the top off of the Ron Paul Conspiracy, that vast unorganized protest movement that has silently become one of the more interesting political phenomena of the current election season.
A Times reporter -- we'll call him James Rainey to protect his identity -- has managed to penetrate the Paul presidium.
In his story he recounts for the very first time the shockingly ordinary details of a movement of thousands of disparate, dissatisfied people, some of whom want an end to the Iraq war, an end to gun controls and the IRS, an end to laws banning marijuana and a return to the gold standard, whatever that means.
These Paulites believe the government has been hijacked by a bevy of big interests that threaten the freedoms of ordinary Americans. They're not going to take it anymore. Locally, they're even organizing a re-enactment of a brazenly defiant act, the BostonTea Party, except it'll be in Santa Monica and won't involve tea or white people dressed as Indians. And the protestors promise not to leave anything foreign floating in the water.
These committed partisans, bonded by their suspicion of authority and venal influences like the mainstream media that ignored them until they did something, have united behind a 72-year-old...
Air Force vet and ob-gyn from Texas who has managed to win 10 elections to the House of Representatives as a Republican with two first names and strongly libertarian leanings.
This man believes that U.S. sovereignity is threatened by many things, especially including consistently ignoring the Constitution and by a planned mystery superhighway that would unite with a ribbon of inexorable cement all three North American countries--Mexico, the United States and that other larger one on top that can only afford to have three downs in its football games.
Apparently he's not talking about I-15, which already does that.
"Rainey's" account describes how this man's followers appear to be ordinary citizens with jobs and family by day. But at night they gather openly in chat rooms and living rooms to plot how to promote a tiny unassuming man whom they call reverently Dr. Paul. With little central direction but tons of commitment, idealism and passion, Dr. Paul's followers do everything they can think of to mobilize voter support.
They patrol the internet day and night seeking Paul slights to right. They stand on windy interstate bridges holding inflammatory signs saying: RonPaul2008.com.
Even as you sleep at night some of the 1,200 Paul meet-up groups are handwriting letters to all 700,000 independent Iowa voters urging them to consider their long-shot leader. A couple of weeks ago Paulites raised $4.2 million on the internet in one day, a near-record, and a sum they intend to more than double on Dec. 16, the anniversary of that rebellious tea party. How's that for insignificance?
As one result, the ultra-lean Paul organization has been able to buy advertising in New Hampshire and to pump its poll numbers up near double-digits in some places. Rainey's story describes the commitment of one Ron Paul meet-up group in Southern California and the regular folks who drive it with their political beliefs and energies.
Few professionals -- well, to tell the truth, no one -- actually gives Paul any chance of winning the Republican nomination. But then up until Yorktown back in the 1700s, all the smart Vegas money was on the British.
--Andrew Malcolm
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/11/theronpaulconsp.html
--
A shocking report: Inside the Ron Paul conspiracy
Maybe you've heard rumors about an explosive newspaper expose on a major political figure that would rock the political world just as the presidential voting is about to begin.
We haven't either.
But we do know that today is when this newspaper blows the top off of the Ron Paul Conspiracy, that vast unorganized protest movement that has silently become one of the more interesting political phenomena of the current election season.
A Times reporter -- we'll call him James Rainey to protect his identity -- has managed to penetrate the Paul presidium.
In his story he recounts for the very first time the shockingly ordinary details of a movement of thousands of disparate, dissatisfied people, some of whom want an end to the Iraq war, an end to gun controls and the IRS, an end to laws banning marijuana and a return to the gold standard, whatever that means.
These Paulites believe the government has been hijacked by a bevy of big interests that threaten the freedoms of ordinary Americans. They're not going to take it anymore. Locally, they're even organizing a re-enactment of a brazenly defiant act, the BostonTea Party, except it'll be in Santa Monica and won't involve tea or white people dressed as Indians. And the protestors promise not to leave anything foreign floating in the water.
These committed partisans, bonded by their suspicion of authority and venal influences like the mainstream media that ignored them until they did something, have united behind a 72-year-old...
Air Force vet and ob-gyn from Texas who has managed to win 10 elections to the House of Representatives as a Republican with two first names and strongly libertarian leanings.
This man believes that U.S. sovereignity is threatened by many things, especially including consistently ignoring the Constitution and by a planned mystery superhighway that would unite with a ribbon of inexorable cement all three North American countries--Mexico, the United States and that other larger one on top that can only afford to have three downs in its football games.
Apparently he's not talking about I-15, which already does that.
"Rainey's" account describes how this man's followers appear to be ordinary citizens with jobs and family by day. But at night they gather openly in chat rooms and living rooms to plot how to promote a tiny unassuming man whom they call reverently Dr. Paul. With little central direction but tons of commitment, idealism and passion, Dr. Paul's followers do everything they can think of to mobilize voter support.
They patrol the internet day and night seeking Paul slights to right. They stand on windy interstate bridges holding inflammatory signs saying: RonPaul2008.com.
Even as you sleep at night some of the 1,200 Paul meet-up groups are handwriting letters to all 700,000 independent Iowa voters urging them to consider their long-shot leader. A couple of weeks ago Paulites raised $4.2 million on the internet in one day, a near-record, and a sum they intend to more than double on Dec. 16, the anniversary of that rebellious tea party. How's that for insignificance?
As one result, the ultra-lean Paul organization has been able to buy advertising in New Hampshire and to pump its poll numbers up near double-digits in some places. Rainey's story describes the commitment of one Ron Paul meet-up group in Southern California and the regular folks who drive it with their political beliefs and energies.
Few professionals -- well, to tell the truth, no one -- actually gives Paul any chance of winning the Republican nomination. But then up until Yorktown back in the 1700s, all the smart Vegas money was on the British.
--Andrew Malcolm
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