What the hell happened in Iowa?

[juvanya]

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/rand-paul-terry-branstad-iowa-caucuses-2016-107868.html

DES MOINES, Iowa — Establishment forces officially wrested control of the Iowa Republican Party from supporters of Rand Paul on Saturday, a development the victors said would help save the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucus from being marginalized and possibly spell the demise of the Ames Straw Poll.

...

Do they not know how to hold a party? We are as bad as the Obama voters who only show up in presidential elections. How are we supposed to take over the GOP? The LP is a joke and will never win an election. I guess all we can do is win individual races here and there and focus on New Hampshire and maybe a few other specific states. And hope Rand pulls it off in 2016.

But there really is no excuse to have let this go. Who cares if they accuse us of rigging the vote. They rigged the vote last time. If we own a few of the state parties, its better than nothing and will be good for America. I just dont understand why people didnt stay involved. I plan to get involved in the NHGOP as soon as I move (not sure when that will be, hopefully soon).

 

[twomp]

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/rand-paul-terry-branstad-iowa-caucuses-2016-107868.html



Do they not know how to hold a party? We are as bad as the Obama voters who only show up in presidential elections. How are we supposed to take over the GOP? The LP is a joke and will never win an election. I guess all we can do is win individual races here and there and focus on New Hampshire and maybe a few other specific states. And hope Rand pulls it off in 2016.

But there really is no excuse to have let this go. Who cares if they accuse us of rigging the vote. They rigged the vote last time. If we own a few of the state parties, its better than nothing and will be good for America. I just dont understand why people didnt stay involved. I plan to get involved in the NHGOP as soon as I move (not sure when that will be, hopefully soon).

Nice, thanks for your critique. Can you please tell us what you were doing all this time to stop all this?

 

[jon4liberty]

We didn't show up in numbers maybe because of discouragement and what all happened in 2012 is my assumption. Brandstad and his minions control the GOP politics he has been around the block. There is no saving Iowa i'm surround by these people everyday

 

[jjdoyle]

We didn't show up in numbers maybe because of discouragement and what all happened in 2012 is my assumption. Brandstad and his minions control the GOP politics he has been around the block. There is no saving Iowa i'm surround by these people everyday

Are you in Iowa?

 

[Matt Collins]

1) yes people are less involved in politics outside of Presidential elections; that's just a fact of life. The establishment waits us out and comes back around when we are not as strong 2 years later

2) the major party establishment donors refused to donate to the party when our people took control. They deliberately withheld funds in order to squeeze our guys and prevent them from having the resources to be successful

 

[anaconda]

1) yes people are less involved in politics outside of Presidential elections; that's just a fact of life. The establishment waits us out and comes back around when we are not as strong 2 years later

2) the major party establishment donors refused to donate to the party when our people took control. They deliberately withheld funds in order to squeeze our guys and prevent them from having the resources to be successful

This donor issue confuses me. Outside of the Fortune 100, it seems that zillions of $100 million dollar businesses (smallish) would accrue great benefits by donating to liberty candidates, and would compete with the fewer in number Fortune 100 donors.

 

[jtstellar]

we don't need institutional support if the people support those ideas, therefore this doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things

 

[Matt Collins]

This donor issue confuses me. Outside of the Fortune 100, it seems that zillions of $100 million dollar businesses (smallish) would accrue great benefits by donating to liberty candidates, and would compete with the fewer in number Fortune 100 donors.

Read a short essay called "The Law" by a guy named Fredreic Bastiat and it will all become clear...

 

[Galileo Galilei]

Now the Iowa establishment is in a big pickle:

1) they promised to cancel the Iowa straw poll

2) ex-officers now all working for Rand Paul

3) A Rand win in straw poll or caucus will not be considered an inside job

4) if straw poll canceled, another event will be formed to replace it

Rand plays 3-dimensional chess while the establishment play tic-tac-toe.

 

[erowe1]

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/rand-paul-terry-branstad-iowa-caucuses-2016-107868.html



Do they not know how to hold a party? We are as bad as the Obama voters who only show up in presidential elections. How are we supposed to take over the GOP? The LP is a joke and will never win an election. I guess all we can do is win individual races here and there and focus on New Hampshire and maybe a few other specific states. And hope Rand pulls it off in 2016.

But there really is no excuse to have let this go. Who cares if they accuse us of rigging the vote. They rigged the vote last time. If we own a few of the state parties, its better than nothing and will be good for America. I just dont understand why people didnt stay involved. I plan to get involved in the NHGOP as soon as I move (not sure when that will be, hopefully soon).

You obviously have strong opinions about this. Do you know much about it? Do you see this as bad for Rand? If so, could you please explain why?

 

[CaptUSA]

Rand plays 3-dimensional chess while the establishment play tic-tac-toe.[/SIZE]

Does this mean he's going to get Randy Travis to play at his tent?

 

[Galileo Galilei]

Does this mean he's going to get Randy Travis to play at his tent?

Let it Beeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[69360]

This sort of thing is cyclical, it's their turn to run the show. In the presidential election year it will probably change back.

 

[Matt Collins]

4) if straw poll canceled, another event will be formed to replace it

Rand plays 3-dimensional chess while the establishment play tic-tac-toe.

Exactly... it is such a tradition that if the IAGOP pulls out of it SOMEONE will move in to fill that void. And the IAGOP will not be able to control it or have any say if an outside group (such as FreedomWorks for example) were to run the show.

The RNC however is trying hard to control the process, so they might could ding delegates from any candidate who participates in an "unauthorized" event....




And just for fun:

 

[anaconda]

Does this mean he's going to get Randy Travis to play at his tent?

Rolling Stones? Or maybe PSY:

 

[anaconda]

 

[DeMintConservative]

What happened is that those guys were grossly incompetent at the job they wanted and got everyone else mad at them.

I always thought this "GOP takeover" was one of the silliest things ever (and wrote several posts here stating that). These party management structures aren't the place for ideologues and surely not for ideological wars. People in these positions need to be able to keep their personal preferences aside and work for the party in its entirety. Your job description in these positions is to support all GOPers running, regardless of their RINOs, Tea Partiers, SoCons, 'establishment', whatever, status. You need to fundraise, for the party and not for particular candidates only, you need to keep good relationships with everyone, especially donors, you need to be inclusive, you need to be able to work alongside every type of Republican, regardless of ideological differences.

These guys had no idea on what running a state party entitled and they obviously crashed, hurting the Paul brand in Iowa for no good reason. Smart of Paul to step up and get the guy out of there.

 

[JK/SEA]

What happened is that those guys were grossly incompetent at the job they wanted and got everyone else mad at them.

I always thought this "GOP takeover" was one of the silliest things ever (and wrote several posts here stating that). These party management structures aren't the place for ideologues and surely not for ideological wars. People in these positions need to be able to keep their personal preferences aside and work for the party in its entirety. Your job description in these positions is to support all GOPers running, regardless of their RINOs, Tea Partiers, SoCons, 'establishment', whatever, status. You need to fundraise, for the party and not for particular candidates only, you need to keep good relationships with everyone, especially donors, you need to be inclusive, you need to be able to work alongside every type of Republican, regardless of ideological differences.

These guys had no idea on what running a state party entitled and they obviously crashed, hurting the Paul brand in Iowa for no good reason. Smart of Paul to step up and get the guy out of there.

wtf?

 

[dillo]

I have never had much faith in a state that nominated Mike Huckabee, to me that indicated that the voters were more concerned about religion than the constitution. I also have no confidence in the upper structures of the GOP, they are as bad as democrats if not worse.

I will support Rand and any candidate I feel is worth my support, but I can't see myself dedicated to the shitshow that is the GOP.

 

[Galileo Galilei]

Exactly... it is such a tradition that if the IAGOP pulls out of it SOMEONE will move in to fill that void. And the IAGOP will not be able to control it or have any say if an outside group (such as FreedomWorks for example) were to run the show.

The RNC however is trying hard to control the process, so they might could ding delegates from any candidate who participates in an "unauthorized" event....




And just for fun:

good take, I just wanted to add that if the establishment really did try to cancel the straw poll and forfeit all the money that comes with it, A LOT of people will be really upset with the new leadership. But if they don't cancel the straw poll, others who expected it canceled will be pissed off. Either way, Rand benefits.