Playing Politics in the GOP, the Honorable Way

[nate895]

First of all I want to thank spacehabitat on his excellent post entitled "To Stealth or not to Stealth." Also, thanks to specially blend for another excellent post about a GOP meeting in Colorado. Many do not see a connection between these posts, but I will make one and give some suggestions on how to move forward.

In "To Stealth or not to Stealth" spacehabitat made an argument that it is best to simply come out and show our support for Ron Paul and explain, in a calm and rational manner, why you are a zealot for his cause. Not doing so has led to a backlash among mainstream GOP activists. Any plot the RNC has would be ignored if it weren't for the fact that many of the activists in the GOP felt betrayed. The way they feel right now is understandable , and you would feel the same way if someone did this to you. Let me frame it this way: If a McCain supporter showed up at an RP meetup and portrayed himself as the most loyal Paulite, or simply as a "liberty-minded" individual and managed to be put on the National Delegate Slate, how would you feel? You would feel back stabbed and want everyone in America to know that this person is a liar and cheat. Why should a Huckabee supporter feel different or not take action to prevent this from happening in the future?

The best "fix," if you will, for this situation we have put ourselves in is to come out as proud, liberty-loving, Ron Paul supporters and simply tell the other delegates why. They'll (the GOP base) eventually solve the equation (which is much more complicated than 2+2=4), whether in the moment you tell them or years down the road. Also, we need to actually reach and ask for forgiveness for trying to "force the Party's hand" or backstabbing. Actually, we are forcing the GOP to call our bet with this open-and-honest strategy. They have a weaker hand, and they know it, that will have to be played at some point down the road.

Another thing we should do is to broadcast issue ads in the year or two after the elections. We must do this to appeal to the broad base of the party. We cannot win without their support, and they would support us if we lead them to the water.

We can win the GOP nod in '12 (even against an incumbent McCain) if we simply make a sensible argument. GOP voters respond to honesty and reason when they are put forth, we simply haven't done so yet.

 

[tomveil]

First of all I want to thank spacehabitat on his excellent post entitled "To Stealth or not to Stealth." Also, thanks to specially blend for another excellent post about a GOP meeting in Colorado. Many do not see a connection between these posts, but I will make one and give some suggestions on how to move forward.

In "To Stealth or not to Stealth" spacehabitat made an argument that it is best to simply come out and show our support for Ron Paul and explain, in a calm and rational manner, why you are a zealot for his cause. Not doing so has led to a backlash among mainstream GOP activists. Any plot the RNC has would be ignored if it weren't for the fact that many of the activists in the GOP felt betrayed. The way they feel right now is understandable , and you would feel the same way if someone did this to you. Let me frame it this way: If a McCain supporter showed up at an RP meetup and portrayed himself as the most loyal Paulite, or simply as a "liberty-minded" individual and managed to be put on the National Delegate Slate, how would you feel? You would feel back stabbed and want everyone in America to know that this person is a liar and cheat. Why should a Huckabee supporter feel different or not take action to prevent this from happening in the future?

The best "fix," if you will, for this situation we have put ourselves in is to come out as proud, liberty-loving, Ron Paul supporters and simply tell the other delegates why. They'll (the GOP base) eventually solve the equation (which is much more complicated than 2+2=4), whether in the moment you tell them or years down the road. Also, we need to actually reach and ask for forgiveness for trying to "force the Party's hand" or backstabbing. Actually, we are forcing the GOP to call our bet with this open-and-honest strategy. They have a weaker hand, and they know it, that will have to be played at some point down the road.

Another thing we should do is to broadcast issue ads in the year or two after the elections. We must do this to appeal to the broad base of the party. We cannot win without their support, and they would support us if we lead them to the water.

We can win the GOP nod in '12 (even against an incumbent McCain) if we simply make a sensible argument. GOP voters respond to honesty and reason when they are put forth, we simply haven't done so yet.

I agree with this. I know we want to have a presence at the convention, but time spent talking to GOP memebers about WHY you're a Ron Paul supporter is time better spent.

 

[WRellim]

Much MUCH better strategy that the "Parent Trap" idiocy.

And after McCain completely TANKS and takes the GOP into total minority party status along with him...

Something tells me the GOP *might* just be looking for some new blood and fresh ideas... they might finally be over their drunken binge and want to come home.

 

[leonster]

I've been on the fence about this issue before, but I think you just convinced me.

Show up well-dressed, and to anyone you start chatting politics with, *calmly* and rationally discuss why you think the Republican party's gone astray, and why the good doctor has some great ideas on how to get it back on track.

 

[rancher89]

This has been my opinion from the begining. The more we "stealth" the more they "react" with horror. It's hard, tho, when you see the results in NV....

 

[torchbearer]

There is no honor in dealing with thieves.
Intellectual enlightenment always dies between two thieves.
Regret of the past and fear of the future.

 

[spacehabitats]

Excellent post.

Thank you, Nate, for putting this in human terms that we can all relate to.

I have believed from the beginning that there has been way too much bashing of Ron Paul's opponents AND THEIR SUPPORTERS.

People don't seem to realize that these good people (because most of them ARE good, honest, well-meaning people) could be and must be our allies in taking our country back.

That is the reason the MSM has been working so hard to marginalize us. Even more than Ron Paul winning the presidency, what the Conspiracy REALLY fears is that we will be able to identify with and AWAKEN the sleeping majority. The more irrelevant "wedge" issues and petty squabbles they can brew between us and the rank-and-file GOP the happier They will be.

Even many of the Democrats (Obama and Edwards supporters in particular) could be freedom lovers if they were given half a chance.

By the way, I don't necessarily consider episodes like the NV convention to be setbacks. As long as we continue to take the moral and ethical high ground and comport ourselves with dignity, courtesy, and honesty; we will win the respect and support of the majority.

Our opponents would love to frustrate us to the point where we give up and leave the GOP entirely, or react in an immature and irrational manner.

Either way THEY WIN, no matter how satisfying it may make us feel temporarily.


But we do have a major education task ahead of us.
Issue ads could be one approach.
Other opportunities include the campaigns by the "Ron Paul Republican" candidates for Congress.

We are in it for the long haul, or we might as well quit now.

 

[IPSecure]

So, we Honorably disobey the rules like the NeoCons?

So, we Honorably disobey the rules like the NeoCons?

Lie down and take it?

When in Rome...

ARGH!

 

[nate895]

There is no honor in dealing with thieves.
Intellectual enlightenment always dies between two thieves.
Regret of the past and fear of the future.

We aren't dealing with thieves (except at the high echelons of the GOP and DNC) and to put all people who don't support Dr. Paul into that category is both ignorant and it doesn't advance the cause, especially considering only about 1.25-1.5 million people support Ron Paul to begin with. There will be no future for our movement if we don't "make friends and influence people."

 

[spacehabitats]

bump