Why I'm for Ron Paul

His life is devoted to conservative principles of protecting innocent life, personal liberty, sound money, and the US constitution – including the 10^th amendment. He’s no fair weather friend or new friend of the 10^th amendment.His congressional record is the closest to Ronald Reagan’s agenda and the truest to small government. His plan to cut spending $1T in year one, balance the budget in 3 years, and eliminate 5 cabinet agencies is necessary.

His base of support comes from young people, independents, libertarians, evangelicals, Reagan conservatives, and active duty military. In fact active duty military overwhelmingly supports Ron Paul with 87% of their campaign donations. His campaign is funded by individual contributors, not lobbyist PACS, SUPER PACS, or personal wealth.  This is a template for a GOP majority and victory.  In a national Reuters poll released February 7, Ron Paul came in 2d to Romney. And only Romney and Paul have consistently been competitive head to head with Obama – in polls since summer 2011.

Clearly Paul is not the choice of the media or the status quo. They tried to ignore him again this year like they did in 2008 but he’s too strong this time.  While other candidates wax and wane, he gains ground in popular support and delegate count. His delegate count is better than reported.

1.      In Iowa he was a strong 3^rd (21%) in a near 3 way tie with Santorum (24.5%) and Romney (24.5%). Paul doubled his support from 2008 to 2012. CNN and the Paul campaign projected a 3 way tie for delegates.

2.      In NH he was a STRONG second to favorite son Romney. Paul tripled his results from 2008 to 2012

3.      In SC he came in 4^th far behind “favorite son” Gingrich but his support grew FIVE times from 2008 to 2012.

4.      In Minnesota he was a very strong second.

5.      And in Maine, he was second again to favorite son Romney but unlike Romney, Paul’s support GREW from 2008 to 2012.  Ron Paul had 1002 state delegates in 2008 and has 1996 this year (doubling from 18% to 36%). In 2008 he earned 1 national delegate; this year he gets 8 from Maine.
Contrast Romney’s 2837 state delegates in 2008 with 2190 in 2012; his support declined from 52% to 39%. He went from 20 national delegates down to 8.

Ron Paul is in it for the long run – all the way to Super Tuesday March 6^th to California, New Mexico, and Utah in June. Until a candidate has 1144 delegates, it is an open race.

The only way to move TOWARD the recovery we need is to support those principles.  If you’re dissatisfied with the political or personal history of Romney, Gingrich, or Santorum, show them where it counts. The primary is not the place to compromise one’s principles. There may be ample opportunity to compromise in November. Should the GOP regain the white house we can be sure there will be compromises in office.

Finally on a personal note I've watched 2 of the candidates up close for a long time. I have observed Ron Paul’s Republican record since 1976 when he was one of only 4 congressman who supported Reagan against Ford; supported him financially since his 1996 primary run – a race in which Gingrich led the support for his opponent; and met with him twice at Ludwig Von Mises Institute economics seminars in 1992 and 2010.  And I was a devoted 1978 volunteer and paid 1988 campaign professional for Gingrich. I have great respect for Gingrich’s HISTORIC role in establishing a two party system and competitive GA GOP and the first GOP majority in the US House in 40 years… but I will also always remember attending his swearing in as Speaker of the House when his remarks praised FDR. My confidence is in Ron Paul's lifelong commitment to small government and his ability to win independent votes in a general election.

Don’t waste your vote. If you truly want smaller government, more decentralized government, personal liberty and fiscal sanity, vote for Ron Paul. Regardless who wins the GOP nomination, they will be better if tested against Paul’s conservative record and agenda.

How to participate in the GA GOP convention process from Glynn County

BULLETIN for GLYNN COUNTY participants. Added Feb 19. Updated Mar 1 and Mar 5.

1. Contact your precinct chairman or County GOP chairman to find out if you were elected as an alternate or delegate to the Mar 10 County Convention.
• St. Williams precinct: contact Karen Ross (islandtreehouse@bellsouth.net) or your precinct chairman Dale Provenzano. dale.provenzano@gmail.com
• Others should contact County Chair Ron Sadowski: 912-269-0011 mapman2000@hotmail.com
2. Contact the Nominating Committee if you want to be nominated as an alternate or delegate to the District or State Convention. This is not REQUIRED by any rule. It is HIGHLY recommended to enhance your chances and smooth the operation of the convention. Contact Jeff Chapman 912-399-8663 senatorchapman@comcast.net, Sandy Dean deanhome@bellsouth.net, Sam Wright wrightsl@yahoo.com, Joann Cook  jcook122@bellsouth.net  
3. UPDATED March 1. Neither County Chairman Sadowski nor Committee Chairman Chapman have responded to requests for a list of committee members or info on their schedule --  names gathered in coincidental communications with Joann Cook and Sandy Dean. Thank you to Sandy Dean for reaching out so broadly to collect and communicate with delegates and alternates.
4. UPDATED March 5 new processes for nominations with a Mar 7 deadline. See http://karens-calendar.blogspot.com/2012/03/glynn-county-gop-convention-requests.html

During Presidential years, the convention purpose is solely to elect delegates.  It requires a commitment to SHOW UP a few Saturdays over a few weeks or months.

Glynn County Mass Precinct Meeting, SAT Feb 18. First United Methodist Church 1400 Norwich St. Brunswick, GA

Doors open at 9:00 AM; meeting convenes at 10:00 am. Photo ID requested.

You MUST be a registered voter and be in line by 10:0 am. Please know your precinct number. 

The precincts elect Delegates and Alternates to the upcoming County Conventions. 

My experience:

·       Anyone who ATTENDS on Feb 18 can be elected to the county.  

·       People who DON’T attend can be elected to county if someone present votes to add them to the precinct list.

·       There are never enough bodies to fill the slots. If EVERY Glynn County precinct elected a full slate of alternates and delegates, we’d turn in nearly 400 names to the Glynn County convention. (See the precinct allocation at the end)

Glynn County Party Convention, SAT Mar 10. Ritz Theater, 1530 Newcastle St. Brunswick.

Doors open at 9:00 AM; meeting convenes at 10:00 am.

• Who participates at the county convention? Those who were elected as delegates or alternates by the 58 people in attendance at the Feb 18 Mass Meeting. It could be hundreds but most likely fewer than 100 will show up.
• How many were allocated to the County?  Only the County and State GOP knows. Normally the NUMBER of alternates and delegates allocated from precinct to county is PUBLIC info.based on a public formula and public election results. But supposedly Glynn County Bd of Elections improperly posted the precinct vote totals from 2008 so those public numbers couldn't be used in the delegate allocation.  The State GOP obtained the correct allocations but the info has not been made public. 
• How many were actually elected to the County? Appears 223 delegates and 76 alternates. 
• Who can be elected alternate or delegate FROM the COUNTY Convention TO the District and State Conventions? The delegates at the County Convention can select anyone they want (who is an eligible voter) to be a delegate to District or State. There are no requirements as to party membership, party financial donations, party activism, etc. and you do not have to be present at the County to be elected to the District or State. But if more than 98 people want to be delegates or alternates to district or state then they will have to COMPETE - and either have the power of VOTES or the power of persuasion.
  

They must show up and be seated as delegates. 

 The County Conventions elect Delegates and Alternates to both the District and State Conventions.  Counties are allocated 1 state delegate PLUS 1 state delegate per 1000 votes for McCain and 1 district delegate PLUS 1 district delegate per 750 votes for McCain.  

Glynn County cast 20,749 votes for McCain in 2008 so we are entitled to 21 state delegates, 21 state alternates, 28 district delegates, and 28 district alternates for a total of 98 slots to fill.

My experience:

·       Anyone who ATTENDS the county convention on Mar 10 has a good chance at being elected as an Alternate to District or State.  

·       There is usually more competition for the state delegate slots.

·       Some people will be elected to BOTH the district and state convention as delegates and/or alternates.

·       Few people are elected as delegates to both district and state.

·       Who gets elected by the county depends entirely on who attends the county convention. NORMALLY the convention attendees reward those who are present that day, those who are known to have previously supported Party or candidates, those who are known as likely to actually attend, and those who have supporters present that day.

·       Anyone who wants to go to the district or state conventions may be asked to speak up and say why they should be elected. Be ready to state briefly what you have done recently for GOP friendly issues or candidates.   If you want to be elected, it is important to have your friends present and/or to work with the nominating committee so that they nominate you to the convention.

1st District Party Convention, SAT Apr 14, Glynn Academy Cafeteria, Brunswick

Doors open at 9:00 am; meeting convenes at 10:00 am

Each district elects 3 delegates and 3 alternates to the National Convention. In total 42 delegates will be elected from Georgia's 14 congressional districts.

My experience:

·       There are nearly always no-shows so if you attend as an alternate from Glynn, you should be seated and get to vote at the District or State.  

·       There will be a nominating committee. Candidates for national delegate will be asked to provide a short resume.  It’s highly competitive. What you’ve done RECENTLY matters most.

Georgia Republican Party State Convention, May 18-19, Columbus, GA.

Delegates at the State Convention will elect 31 Delegate At-Large and 31 Alternates At-Large to the Republican National Convention. Delegates will also elect a Republican National Committeeman and a Republican National Committeewoman to represent Georgia on a four-year term.

My experience:

It is HIGHLY competitive to be elected to the national convention.  It helps to be nominated by the nominating committee. Without their support, you may need to mount a telephone and/or letter writing campaign to the 2000 delegates to the state convention. (Ga cast 2,048,759 votes for McCain in 2008; presumably there will be 2000 delegates at the state convention)

Republican National Convention starts Aug 27, Tampa FL

Georgia gets 76* delegates and 73* alternates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa the week of Aug 27. (*as of September the RNC allocated 75 delegates to GA but GA was appealing and expected to get 76 total.)

Details for the Glynn County Precincts: these are my calculations for the delegate/alternate allotments per precinct to the Glynn County convention. The allocations are based on 1 delegate/alternate per precinct PLUS 1 per 50 votes for McCain in 2008.

Sterling Church of God 1+14 = 15
Sterling Elem School 1+16 = 17
Marshes of Glynn 1+16 = 17
Satilla Marsh 1+13 = 14
First Baptist SSI = 1+12=13
St. Williams Church 1+16=17 The final number allocated 37 delegates + 37 alternates.

Oglethorpe Point 1+8 = 9
Christian Renewal 1+12 = 13
Jekyll Island 1+5=6
American Legion 1+5=6
Northside Church 1+10=11
C B Greer 1+19 = 20
Beverly Shores 1+9 = 10
College Place 1+4=5
Ballard Recreation 1+6=7
Glyndale 1+7=8
City Rec 1+7=8
Burroughs Molette 1+1=2
Seldon Park 1+0 = 1