The Des Moines Plan

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I don't think Dean finishing third had as much to do with his out of state supporters as it did John Kerry and John Edwards supporters teaming up and selecting John Kerry. The Caucus polls is different than just simply going in and voting. That's why Dean lost Iowa because he was tag teamed.
 
LibertyEagle said:
Zydeco....

Are you suggesting that we should shut down the plan to go to Iowa?
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Well, which do you think would be better: 500 all Iowans, or 500 Iowans + 4,500 out of staters?

Frankly I don't think RP should even go. It's BS and Ed Failor, Jr. is a grade A sleazeball pol, but if you're not invited and you go anyway you look desperate, and the MSM will surely write it that way.

If it's set in stone and RP is going, at least have it be all Iowans. It's an Iowa event. I find it silly and archaic that one state gets such an oversized voice in picking nominees and I hope this is the last election where that happens, but still, this is an IOWA event co-sponsored by the Iowa Christian Alliance and Iowans for Tax Relief. Everyone inside will be proudly Iowan. 500 Iowans standing outside they'd listen to. 5,000 Minnesotans, Kansans and Floridians are going to be resented.

Why do I hate Ron Paul? Why do I need a free lunch?
 
More always = better?

1. More people at a rally is always better than fewer people. We should be encouraging attendance, not discouraging it, no matter where people come from.

This is usually the case, but Iowa is an exception. Thousands of Dean volunteers probably wound up turning off more Iowa voters than they inspired, Dean finished a distant 3rd.

As I already stated I don't think it's fair that one state (always the same one) gets such an outsized voice in choosing the party nominee, but this is an Iowa event.

Here's also why I think RP shouldn't go: the campaign is running fine and there's no need to roll the dice like this. Ron's voice will not be silenced, we all know he's going to announce a few million dollars (or more) in donations in a couple of weeks and he doesn't spend much so he's in for the long haul. There's no need to seem semi-desperate to get heard like this, we have 200+ days before the Iowa Caucus and plenty of time. The Des Moines debate is August 5th and there are five more after that. The people of Iowa will all know who RP is by the time the caucus rolls around.

This event may turn out OK, but there's a significant chance it will backfire, one media-manufactured "Dean Scream" is all it takes to stick people with a "crazy" image and as I said the organization seems haphazard so far. There is just no need to roll the dice here, we weren't invited so we shouldn't go.

Again, if RP must go b/c it's been announced, I'd advise that we have it be mostly or all Iowans, even if it's a smaller event. I think that's better, we don't have to rush getting the message out, there is lots of time.

I hate Ron Paul, free hot dogs, dissent, and America!
 
Hello everyone, first-time poster here from Austin, Texas. I'm a little perplexed by the infighting. Let's take a moment to remember how we got here.

Q: What is the forum, and why do we care?
A: The Iowa forum is a platform for candidates to speak to political activists in Iowa. Making a good impression will help in the upcoming Iowa straw poll and caucuses.

Q: Why are we angry that Ron Paul wasn't invited?
A: Because he won't have a chance to speak to the activists.

Q: Then what should be our objective?
A: Getting Ron Paul and the activists together in a room where Ron can do his thing and win some of them over.

Protesting Failor and demonstrating Ron's national support is seconday; the primary thing is giving Ron a chance to talk to these people in Iowa. This is a great opportunity because we get to use Failor's efforts against him: all the work he does getting people to the forum is work we don't have to do. The more Iowans Failor gets to show up, the more Iowans will hear from Ron Paul.

Our job is to convince people to stick around long enough to hear Ron speak, and that's where the free food and drink comes in. Essentially we want to hold a kind of post-forum party with Ron Paul as the guest of honor. Crashing the event with protests or crowding out all the Iowans is going to be seriously counter-productive. We need to show a little discretion and not get up in everyone's face about Ed Failor--everyone already knows what he did, it's been in Iowa newspapers and all over the internet.
 
Zydeco said:
Well, which do you think would be better: 500 all Iowans, or 500 Iowans + 4,500 out of staters?

Frankly I don't think RP should even go. It's BS and Ed Failor, Jr. is a grade A sleazeball pol, but if you're not invited and you go anyway you look desperate, and the MSM will surely write it that way.

If it's set in stone and RP is going, at least have it be all Iowans. It's an Iowa event. I find it silly and archaic that one state gets such an oversized voice in picking nominees and I hope this is the last election where that happens, but still, this is an IOWA event co-sponsored by the Iowa Christian Alliance and Iowans for Tax Relief. Everyone inside will be proudly Iowan. 500 Iowans standing outside they'd listen to. 5,000 Minnesotans, Kansans and Floridians are going to be resented.

Why do I hate Ron Paul? Why do I need a free lunch?
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What is with the ridiculously inflated number? There will never bee 5,000 out of staters going to Iowa. Seriously, just quit making up numbers.
 
Literatim --

I don't know how many people will show up, my point is only that IMO one Iowan is worth a hundred out of staters. Iowans are all that matters for this.
 
I understand the complaints by Zydeco and Noodles, but they are flawed...

First, it isn't possible to look at a crowd of supporters and know where they are from.

Second, they are just going to be there for one weekend. Its not like they are setting up shop and taking the state over like the Deaniacs.

Third, the media knows that Americans aren't in favor of censorship. That is why blocking Paul and even Gravel from debates didn't work. I know people that signed petitions to keep them in the debates without even knowing much about the candidates, but on the principle that we should be able to hear from all voices. If they do cover Paul's rally, it will not be to pile on a candidate who has already been declined from a debate, but rather to show a politician and a large number of supporters challenging the system of selecting candidates.
 
Thanks for responding, but if you'll check, I never advocated staying away from Iowa. In fact, my brother and I are still planning to attempt the close to 20 hour drive. Sure, I was very upset about certain things earlier, but my post about "Why should we come to Iowa?", was aimed at HeWhoMustNotBeNamed after being told in a polite way that we wouldn't be hearing Dr. Paul speak, wouldn't have food provided, wouldn't be allowed in the building until afterward, etc. I meant to direct my objections strictly towards the tone HeWhoMustNotBeNamed was using toward us non-Iowans (and non-Chicagoans), but I lost my cool and did not convey my feelings in the most precise manner. I stand by my assertions that this poser is dangerous to the effort, but if everyone else is okay with it, I can be a team player.

With each passing day, I feel that we are a little closer to pulling this off. I guess we can expect a few leeches who are in it for personal gain, and if it helps Dr. Paul get elected, then more power to them. I'm only going to fight for one thing, and that's victory.
 
Noodles said:
I lost my cool and did not convey my feelings in the most precise manner. I stand by my assertions that this poser is dangerous to the effort, but if everyone else is okay with it, I can be a team player.

With each passing day, I feel that we are a little closer to pulling this off. I guess we can expect a few leeches who are in it for personal gain, and if it helps Dr. Paul get elected, then more power to them. I'm only going to fight for one thing, and that's victory.
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Welcome to the team, Noodles.

Our biggest problem right now is name identification and getting the message out. The more people that can help with that (going to Iowa, letters to the editor, YouTube videos, calling radio shows, calling Iowa voters via Jason Stoddard's initiative, e/mailing DVDs, etc.) are all crucial at this stage.
 
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Zydeco said:
Reporters who ask questions and are not inclined to view RP favorably. And then they write stories about it.
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Have you forgotten that every bit of bad press RP has gotten has only increased his support? The rules of politics don't seem to apply to Dr. Paul because people are used to the slime, but not to the message, and most people who hear his message are instantly won over.

Why don't we show up with the simple goal of holding an informative and fun event, and trust the message do the work it has always done?
 
Remember guys, one of the things that ruined Dean's campaign was that Iowans complained that they were too aggressive and pushy, as if they were trying to force his positions down their throats. This is one thing we gotta hold back on that day. Iowans are well aware of their importance as a state in the primaries. If they see a bunch of out of state intruders going crazy, they will definitely not be pleased.

Pretend you're at a job interview, even a wedding! Primary voters are older in Iowa, so they don't want to see a rowdy youth trampling all over them. Remember, be polite, nice, and explain your views QUIETLY. Let's make sure we don't scare them away. This is very very important for Dr. Paul
 
I posted this in another thread, but I'd like to hear what exactly all the out of state supporters have planned in terms of a schedule because if there is as many going as I hear then they could give a real push to the campaign if they use their time there effectively.

I don't know how much of this has been planned.. but I think that there needs to be a plan before hand on what all the out-of-state supporters are going to do for the day, because I think they can do better things than actually attend the forum and listen to the other candidates. Now I have never been to Iowa, ran a campaign, ect. so there is absolutely no reason why anyone should listen to me.. but I am going to give my recommendation anyways on how I think you can have the biggest impact.

In the morning, rally outside the forum and meet Iowans as they head in to the forum and tell them about Ron Paul and the free food after it is over at 5 and pass out brochures. That way more Iowans can plan on staying for Paul instead of finding out about it at the last minute and they can read the brochure while they are bored to death by Tommy Thompson.

During the forum I think it would be best for the Ron Paul crowd to hit the streets and canvas the area by visiting houses, rallying at busy intersections and what not. Maybe the Iowa Ron Paul supporters can help them out by directing them through the town.

Then once the forum is drawing to an end go back and hold a rally outside the hall so they can once again see all the Paul supporters and also remind/urge people that are leaving that they can see the Dr. and get free food. Once Paul finishes up with the speech they open the hall up to all the supporters for a huge party to cap off the wonderful day and inspire all the new converts. The faithful Paul supporters can get there chance to meet the guy they've spent all day campaigning for.

I really wish I could go, but I live in New York and am only a poor college student.
 
Original_Intent said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw4OJ3u9QUs

Thanks Rachel for saying what needed saying.
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Here, here!!

Hey, we need to get Rachel to be the face of the Ron Paul campaign. Get her some scripts to read, and more of those tight-fitted Ron Paul T's to wear, and we've got all of the NASCAR and American Idol crowd on board in no time!!

She would be perfect for the "I am Ron Paul!" video campaign. We have 2-3 second snippets of people across America looking into the camera and saying, "I am Ron Paul!" We would conclude with Rachel giving a scripted plug and finishing with a sexy version of "I am Ron Paul!"
 
I think this is a great idea.

Read the title of this event:

"In Iowa: Ron Paul to Celebrate Life and Liberty"

It happens to be in Iowa, in response to his exclusion. The more Iowans, the better, but the more people who show up, the more press it will generate, and the more of a jerk these guys who excluded him will look like.

Great idea, and I'll be donating money to my local meetup so they can go up there. I'd go myself, but I'll be leaving for vacation next Friday. :(
 
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