Straw Poll Questions

[Ron Paul Fan Club]

O.K., I'm coming to the conclusions that I've had some misconceptions about the straw poll.

We were planning to go--meaning our family was planning to travel from out of state. Somehow, though, I was under the impression that only those voting needed tickets.

Now it not only seems that you must purchase tickets, but that you will only be able to listen to the candidates speak if you have a special ticket for Iowa residents.

If so, it means that it would cost our family of 6 $210 just to attend, and we wouldn't even be able to get out of the heat to hear the candidates--which seems pretty unrealistic. It's also my impression that it would be senseless to come up to show support if you aren't buying tickets. You would be holding up signs away from where everything was going on.

If anything I've suggested is incorrect, please correct me. Otherwise, I'm starting to think it would be better for us to stay home.

 

[Ron Paul Fan Club]

Any thoughts, comments?

 

[Richie]

To cut down the price a little, you could request a few tickets from the Ron Paul campaign. They bought a block of 500 of them.

 

[Bruehound]

Think of the straw poll as one big tailgate event in the parking lot where every candidate has a HQ tent. Candidates meet supporters at their tent and it is a big party. The more people that turn out for the pagentry and tradition of the 'parking lot' the better as it demonstrates enthusiasm and strength of support for the candidate.

While you won't go into the center to hear the stump speeches and vote you will most likely mingle with RP and thousands of your new closest friends

 

[Psyclone]

Well, you need a red ticket to get into Hilton coliseum to hear the candidates. I think this is available to anyone (even non-Iowans) but there are only 15,000 such tickets. The only tickets I've seen so far have been red, so I'm assuming that red tickets are still available. If you are from out of state and don't plan to vote, and don't want to hear the speeches in the coliseum, there is no reason to buy a ticket. You can hang out at the Ron Paul tent and stop by the other tents and hear their music and eat their barbecue for free. You only need a ticket if you are going to vote, but you can see Ron Paul at the tent and do everything except go to the candidates speeches in the coliseum without a ticket (however, realize that each one is going to be making longer speeches in their tents throughout the day on Saturday so you could hear them then).

 

[Dave]

The speeches from inside Hilton will broadcast into neighboring buildings and the candidates' tents.

 

[Roxi]

AND theres lots of stuff you can volunteer for (click the link in the middle of the page) at http://www.paulforall.com

 

[Ron Paul Fan Club]

O.K., thanks for the input from everyone.

I thought you had to have a ticket just to attend, go to the tents, etc.. It's great to know that's not the case.

 

[dseisner]

Get tickets from Romney

 

[McDermit]

Get tickets from Romney

Do it!

 

[Ron Paul Fan Club]

No way. If tickets are only needed for voting and the colliseum, then I am not going to worry about tickets. (We are not from Iowa, and so could not vote, anyway.)

If we were from Iowa, though, we would pay for our own tickets. We would not request them from the campaign. And we certainly would never take them from Romney. I think that that (the part about Romney) is a matter of integrity.

Integrity should be important, right? That is what appeals to us about Ron Paul. But even if some of you are not concerned about it, you should care that if there is any question about the results of the Straw Poll, Romney can certainly verify the number of tickets he gave away.

So if there's any funny business going on with the voting machines, don't make it easier for them! That would be stupid!

As mentioned in another thread, and as I just read in an article, Ron Paul is the talk of Iowa and in Ames this week. He is "rising from relative obscurity to growing popularity". There's a chance that he could win. Don't mess that up by taking tickets from Romney.

If there are those trying to make sure that Ron Paul does not win, there could even be someone here urging us to take tickets from Romney. Wouldn't that be a perfect strategy? We vote for him, the vote is rigged, Romney "wins", he can certify the number of tickets he gave away.

"But for freedom to really work, you have to have a moral society." ---Ron Paul, at Austin fundraiser on May 20.