GOP Destroys Integrity of National Convention, Flagrantly Cheats Ron Paul Out of Nomination

GOP Destroys Integrity of National Convention, Flagrantly Cheats Ron Paul Out of Nomination
Posted on August 28, 2012

"It is not because men's desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak." -- John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

 I am so frustrated and angry with the blatant cheating that went on at the Republican National Convention in Tampa today. I am ashamed of my national party's actions. I sat openmouthed, flabbergasted, appalled at the actions that they took to shut the liberty folks out.

Look…maybe Ron Paul had no chance to win. Romney had more delegates (though some of those were seated by deception and coercion.) That is not the point now. Do we, as Republicans, have so little respect for others that it is okay to cheat a 30 year Republican Congressman out of a legitimate nomination that he earned? By following the rules, no less?

Is it also okay that we completely ignore the will of the elected delegates who have achieved plurality and submitted nomination papers? Those papers were delivered to Preibus by Iowa's Lieutenant Governor, Kim Reynolds, the Convention Secretary, over an hour before the call for nomination, the rolling roll call. She claims that it was her job to accept and deliver them, and that anything after that was the will of the Republican National Committee. Therefore, the will of the RNC was to cheat Ron Paul out of a legitimate nomination and to break their own rules.

Ron Paul needed a plurality of five states to have his name submitted for nomination. He received six. Those papers were submitted in a timely manner and ignored.  The delegates from those six states followed the rules that required that plurality, only to be shot down by their own party out of spite.

Earlier, during the Resolution to adopt the rules, points of order were called and ignored. Delegates were outraged, and rightly so. The microphones on the floor were shut off and

Romney supporters were instructed to chant to drown out any opposition.

Boehner obviously disregarded a division on the floor and gave the vote to the Ayes when the Nays were clearly more numerous. This was in order to suppress a Minority Report that had enough signatures to be brought up for debate. Morton Blackwell, who is a respected, life long Republican and the Republican National Committeeman from Virginia, gained those signatures to oppose adoption of the new rules. Rumor says that the RNC didn't send him a bus to get to the convention.

Iowa's delegation caught a ride with the Virgin Islands. Their bus never came. Virginia's bus was over an hour late, and they were stuck circling outside of the convention hall, pleading to be let off the bus so that they could be seated.

The Florida delegation was also stranded without buses. Convention coordinators "forgot" and left them stuck downtown for about 40 minutes.

California's buses were more than an hour late.

Minnesota's delegation chair, Marianne Stebbins, mentioned that her state knows how to hold a convention with dignity. Minnesota submitted 33 out of 40 votes for Ron Paul.

Iowa stood proud, with Drew Ivers announcing that Iowa loves their liberty. 22 of 28 votes from Iowa for Ron Paul.

Nevada had 17 of 28 for Ron Paul.

Louisiana's chair called the RNC out on ignoring the nomination, listing the six states who had plurality. Louisiana had all of their delegates stripped by the Romney campaign, and was able to gain back 17 for Ron Paul.

Alaska cast half of their 18 votes for Paul.

Maine, who have fought valiantly and have been stripped of delegates, had half of their delegation walk out and hold their own mock convention. Kudos to those brave patriots who have stood up against their opposition. Governor LePage stayed true to his word to boycott if his delegates were not seated, and did not attend the convention.

I am embarrassed by the actions of the party today. Whether or not Paul would have won, they disrespected a good man who earned a nomination, and dishonored states with elected delegates who wished to cast a vote for someone other than the RNC's cash cow, Romney.

I am proud of the states, including my own state of Iowa, who stood up for liberty, at any cost.

We are the future of the Republican party, and the GOP just shot themselves in the foot. The RNC and the Romney campaign, in their shameless grab for power and disregard of their own rules, just alienated at least 30% of the new voters, and some life long Republicans, in order to elect someone who is not much different from the Democrat sitting in office as we speak.

Romney's nomination is not a win for the Republican party. He dropped out in 2008 when he was beaten by McCain, who, in turn, was beaten by Barack Obama.

What is more important to the RNC, saving face or saving America? Sadly, the RNC may have just doomed America to another four years under Obama, with their dog and pony show in Tampa. The Liberty folks have fought tooth and nail and worked hard to get to where we are now, and the National party treats us as something they need to hide away or sweep under the rug.

We will not go away. Freedom is popular.

https://theunconventionalconservative.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/gop-destroys-integrity-of-national-convention-flagrantly-cheats-ron-paul-out-of-nomination/