Romney Buying Votes in Iowa

[Bryan in Iowa]

Mitt Romney will be purchasing tickets for the Iowa Straw Poll and giving them away to people who pledge to vote for him. The tickets cost $35 each. The Ron Paul campaign will not be purchasing tickets for participants voting for him at the straw poll. Romney is not the only candidate doing this, so far I know of two others....Brownback and Huckabee. The organization FairTax is also giving away free tickets.

Here is the flyer I received advertising Mitt Romney for the Iowa Straw Poll.

Click on image for higher resolution:

 

[ctb619]

take the free ticket and vote for Ron Paul

 

[RonPaulCult]

Take the free ticket - take the bus up with them and convince others to vote for Ron Paul. Hand out info and talk to people.

 

[UtahApocalypse]

This is what the Iowa straw poll is. The candidates pamper there guests in exchange for a vote.

 

[Nash]

take the free ticket and vote for Ron Paul

Exactly.

Bryan I posted a question about how I can buy tickets for some friends in another post. Do you have any insight on this matter? I'm from out of state.

 

[Dave]

Tommy Thompson is also providing free tickets and transportation.

 

[damijin]

I also vote that you take the free ticket and vote Ron Paul, if he's giving away his money that's his own damn problem. If you already intended to vote for Ron Paul, take the free ticket and give the money you intended to spend to another voter for Ron Paul.

 

[tacitt]

Has Paul's campaign stated that they will not be buying any tickets?

I'm only asking because he stated in an interview that the straw poll is one of the things he would actually spend a decent amount of campaign funds on.

 

[spacebetween]

Is there anything to stop you from taking the free ticket and voting for someone else??

 

[UtahApocalypse]

Wouldn't it be awesome if Mitt gives out some 5000 tickets, then announces that he will win the Ames Straw poll.... then after all the votes are tallied........

Ron Paul Wins!!!

Thats right, they want to give free tickets. lets use them

 

[Dave]

Is there anything to stop you from taking the free ticket and voting for someone else??

Just your conscience and wondering if Ron Paul would endorse such a thing.

 

[spacebetween]

Just your conscience and wondering if Ron Paul would endorse such a thing.

Well, unless he offers some legally binding contract, then it shouldn't hurt anyone's conscience. You could just change your mind temporarily and want to vote for Mitt Romney. He flips around a lot -- why not his "supporters?"

EDIT: I'm speaking tongue-in-cheek in case anyone wants to take me too seriously. ;-)

 

[RPR-omaha]

I am not sure how honorable that is. I imagine the campaign would have safeguards to prevent fraud. The Iowa straw poll has been around for a long time. A part of me also thinks if they are dumb enough to give tickets to folks who won't vote for them its their fault. I don't think I could do it.

 

[Bryan in Iowa]

Exactly.

Bryan I posted a question about how I can buy tickets for some friends in another post. Do you have any insight on this matter? I'm from out of state.

At this time I'm not sure how tickets can be purchased before the event. Dave?

 

[anewvoice]

One has to wonder if lying to someone who is attempting to bribe you is in fact wrong? Okay, so two wrongs don't make a right.

But one Ron Paul elected, for me, does.

Honestly though, you'd think the ability to purchase a vote would be banned at this point, or at a minimum made a touch more subtle.

 

[rockfree33]

We have to do what we can to get Ron Paul in the lead at the straw poll. That's the only way for the mass media to take him seriously and start covering him more.

 

[Bryan in Iowa]

Has Paul's campaign stated that they will not be buying any tickets?

I'm only asking because he stated in an interview that the straw poll is one of the things he would actually spend a decent amount of campaign funds on.

Unless there is a complete 180 in the campaign, Ron Paul will not be purchasing tickets for voters, it's against his principles. This might be detrimental to us, but how can we argue with it? When I think of what Ron Paul would do, I come to only one conclusion, he would purchase his own ticket and not be 'bought' by a candidate he did not feel comfortable with. I also don't think he'd accept a free ticket and then vote for someone else. I'm sure some will do this, but not all.

The other way to get a ticket, and not commit to a particular candidate is through the FairTax people. We will be working this angle.

 

[PatriotOne]

Mitt Romney's Signup for the Iowa Straw Poll

http://iowa.mittromney.com/signup

 

[ChicagoLawyer]

Bryan in Iowa- How many Iowans do you guys have scouted-out for going to Ames and voting for Ron on their own dime? With 4 other campaigns buying votes, other than massive Ron Paul fever I just don't see how Ron is going to get enough votes to come in first or second. Is there still any chance that a few of us could pool our resources to buy some tickets for Ron Paul attendees?

Short of that, how much help will you guys need in giving people rides? Could an army of out-of-staters in vans come and help people get to Ames?

 

[TheLibertyTree]

I would recommend people paste the links to the Romney site into a new browser window, or better yet Google it yourself. If the Romney webmasters notice this weird pattern of people signing up for the straw poll coming from the Ron Paul forums....