Most of this sounds like sour grapes, hardly worth mentioning, and somewhat over-exaggerated.....All is fair in love, war and politics......
Having said that, I am totally baffled at the Romney Campaign's strategy going into Tampa. Talk about fracturing an already delicate balance? Geesh. Romney seems to want to alienate all conservatives, as well as the libertarians, and the social conservatives. It makes no sense whatsoever. NONE of the GOP candidates are scheduled to speak at the Convention, but instead, Donald Trump and Sarah Palin? I don't get it. I surely hope, for the good of the Nation, that folks will come around and rally around Romney, and it sure seems like his campaign is making more and more difficult to do. On Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 1:34 PM, MJ <[email protected]> wrote: > > August 6, 2012 at 11:41:16 > *How the GOP Establishment Stole the Nomination from Ron Paul > *By Jaret Glenn (about the author) > > If you follow mainstream election coverage, you might think Mitt Romney > has coasted to an honest, easy, well-deserved Republican nomination. > Unfortunately for Republican voters, nothing could be further from the > truth. The primary process has been an all-out slugfest and many of the > delegates Romney has won may be the result of dirty tricks and even > election fraud. The following narrative includes links to reports, > first-hand testimonials, and video evidence highlighting actions taken by > the GOP to ensure a Romney victory, at the expense of fracturing the party > just prior to the general election. Party leaders at the county and state > level have changed or violated party rules, cancelled caucuses, changed > vote counts, thrown out entire counties of votes, counted public votes > privately, called-in the SWAT team, and inexplicably replaced Paul > delegates with Romney delegates to block Ron Paul from winning the > nomination. > > Iowa: Days before the caucuses, Paul held a commanding > lead<http://www.revolutionpac.com/2011/11/new-iowa-poll-places-ron-paul-firmly-in-first-with-25/>in > the > polls<http://cnsnews.com/sites/default/files/documents/PPP_Release_IA_101914.pdf>and > all the momentum, with every other candidate having peaked from > favorable media coverage and then collapsed under the ensuing scrutiny. > Establishment Republicans, like Iowa's Representative Steve King (R), > attempted to sabotage Paul's campaign by spreading > rumors<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70674.html>he would lose to > Obama if nominated. Even though the Iowa > GOP platform <http://iowagop.org/platform.php> reads like a Ron Paul > speech, shortly before the caucuses, Iowa Governor Terry Barnstad told > Politico <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70674.html> , "[If > Paul wins] people are going to look at who comes in second and who comes in > third. If Romney comes in a strong second, it definitely helps him going > into New Hampshire". The message from the Governor to voters of his state > was: a vote for Ron Paul was a wasted vote. > > Huffington Post reported that Paul was ahead by one point over Romney and > Rick Santorum in entrance > polls<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/iowa-caucus-2012-entrance-polls_n_1182310.html>conducted > by Edison Media Research for the AP before the caucuses. For the > first time ever, the Iowa GOP changed the final vote count to a secret > location<http://www.newser.com/story/136343/iowa-gop-to-count-caucus-votes-at-secret-location.html>. > After the caucus, > results<http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2012/01/19/register-exclusive-2012-gop-caucus-count-unresolved/>from > 8 precincts (including those with colleges, in a state where Paul won > 48%<http://nextgenjournal.com/2012/01/ron-paul-dominates-the-iowa-youth-vote-but-why/>of > the youth vote) went missing. Interestingly, these were all precincts Romney > lost<http://www.impeachobamacampaign.com/7-of-the-8-missing-iowa-precincts-voted-against-romney-in-2008/>in > 2008. In addition, GOP officials discovered inaccuracies in 131 > precincts. Though polling in a comfortable first place, Paul finished third > in this non-binding straw poll, behind Romney and Santorum. > > Iowa originally reported Romney in first, Santorum in a close second, and > Paul third. After the recount, Santorum was named the winner with Romney in > second. No mention was given to how the recount affected Paul's vote count. > Iowa GOP chairman, Matt Strawn, later > resigned<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72214.html>and was > replaced<http://theiowarepublican.com/2012/live-blog-new-rpi-chair-election/>by > Paul supporter, A.J. Spiker and Paul went on to win the majority of > delegates. > > Florida: The Florida GOP broke party rules by switching to a > winner-take-all<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/florida-gop-primary-2012_n_1030417.html>state > before the date allowed, which favors the candidate with the most > money for advertising and attack ads. Senior Advisor to the Ron Paul > campaign, Doug Wead, claims this was done specifically to favor Romney. > > Nevada: There is bad blood between Paul's supporters and establishment > Republicans in Nevada. This dates back to 2008, when Convention Chair, Sue > Lowden and her enlisted delegates got up and walked > out<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/06/why_sue_lowden_lost_nevadas_go.html>of > the convention when it became apparent Paul's supporters would claim a > majority of the delegates. She claimed she would reconvene at a later time, > but instead approved the McCain slate of delegates. This year, Paul > supporters expected shenanigans; so his State Chairman, Carl Bunce, planned > to win by outworking Romney. Just before the caucuses, he claimed to have > "more IDs<http://news.yahoo.com/ron-pauls-last-stand-153602227.html>than > Romney had votes in '08". This means through canvassing door-to-door > and phoning voters, he had identified about 25,000 voters committed to show > up and vote for Paul. > > On caucus day, the media was denied > access<http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2012/02/05/why-nevadas-gop-caucuses-were-a-jackpot-of-embarrassments/?gta=commentlistpos#commentlistpos>to > most caucus sites and the few that were permitted were not allowed to > take photos. Others were even ejected from sites. This CNN > clip<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JqFw-mepT0>shows GOP staff preventing a > Paul supporter from entering the premises to > vote at a special caucus that was set up at the last minute for Newt > Gingrich backer, Sheldon Adelson. Here, participants were asked to sign an > affidavit<http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2012/02/05/why-nevadas-gop-caucuses-were-a-jackpot-of-embarrassments/?gta=commentlistpos#commentlistpos>(under > penalty of perjury) stating they were Jewish and couldn't vote > earlier in the day due to "religious reasons". CNN showed live > coverage<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqVhuX6U0z0&feature=youtu.be>of votes > being counted at this event, with Paul amassing nearly 60% of the > votes. In some precincts in Clark County, the largest in Nevada, the number > of ballots did not > match<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphvuOJh8Ak&feature=youtu.be>the number > of voters signed in at the caucus. Though votes were to be > counted publicly, they were largely counted in private. The vote count was > also inexplicably dragged out for several > days<http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/05/vote-count-gop-caucus-continuing-nevadas-largest-c/>, > leading to a victory for Romney. Nevada State GOP Chairwoman, Amy > Tarkanian > resigned<http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/05/vote-count-gop-caucus-continuing-nevadas-largest-c/>the > day after the caucuses. > > Another interesting note is that Paul's 2012 votes had doubled, tripled, > and more than quadrupled his 2008 > votes<http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/ron-paul-2008-2012-vote-comparison/question-2441519/>in > every state leading up to the Nevada caucuses, yet Paul received only 88 > more votes there. Of all the places for this to occur, Nevada, the > country's most libertarian state; is the last in which anyone would expect > this. > > In spite of these > irregularities<http://www.dailypaul.com/236778/i-got-this-email-today-about-the-nevada-delegation-it-made-me-furious>, > Paul won 22 > of > 25<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/ron-paul-wins-majority-of-nevada-delegates/2012/05/06/gIQA1An15T_blog.html>state > delegates and replaced state party officials with Paul supporters. > Romney supporters then formed their own state party, called "Team Nevada". > The RNC then > bypassed<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/nevada-gop-shadow-party_n_1561220.html>the > official state party in order to organize for Romney and send all funds > to Team Nevada. > > Colorado: Romney supporters were caught passing out > fake<http://sarahewelch.com/2012/04/15/colorado-gop-congressional-district-state-assemblies/>Ron > Paul slates at the state convention. The RNC has not investigated or > even commented on the matter. > > Minnesota: Doug Wead, claims<http://dougwead.wordpress.com/tag/john-tate/>the > state party instructed members not to vote for any delegates under age > fifty because most young delegates support Paul. > > Missouri: WXIX Cincinnati's Ben Swann covered the > fiasco<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94XumhCBkTM>in St. Charles County. > Temporary Chairman, Eugene Dokes, started the > meeting by banning video recording devices, a first for this event. Robert's > Rules <http://www.robertsrules.com/> of Order require the temporary > chairman to accept nominations and elect a convention chairman to run the > event. Instead, he appointed a chair of his choice. The crowd immediately > erupted with booing. Shortly after, Dokes adjourned the meeting without the > required two-thirds majority, called the police on attendees, and left. In > adherence to state rules, Paul supporter, Brent Stafford, along with one of > the top parliamentarians in the state, reconvened in the parking lot and > attempted to resume the event. Shortly after, the SWAT team arrived and > arrested Stafford, who was following state party rules. Dokes later > admitted on talk radio <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hii93l1Z7xI> that > he and other state party > officials<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuhojCxm4lc>deliberately broke the > rules to prevent Paul from winning. > > Maine: Ben Swann reported on shenanigans in > Maine<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxYXVaUWSiA&feature=related>. Even > though only 84% of votes had been counted; State GOP Chairman, > Charlie Webster, declared Romney the winner over Paul by less than 200 > votes. Hancock and Washington Counties hadn't voted yet because Webster > cancelled the caucuses due to an impending snowstorm, promising they could > vote later and their votes would be counted. The snowstorm never occurred > and he later reneged on his promise, telling voters in those counties their > votes would not be counted after all. Washington County was Paul's > strongest in the state in 2008. Though other states with close outcomes > held recounts, this was never a consideration for Maine. > > At least one of the counties that did vote claims the state party recorded > its tallies incorrectly. Matt McDonald, pastor of a small community church > in Belfast, was nominated as the chairman of his caucus. He says the state > instructed the caucus chairmen not to read any of the vote totals aloud, > but rather to send the results straight to Augusta without a public > reading. McDonald made a motion to change this rule, and it was approved > unanimously. McDonald says 22 voters showed up, resulting in 8 votes for > Paul, 7 for Santorum, 5 for Romney, and 2 undecided. When he called the > votes into Augusta, he was told they already had the results and the totals > read 9 for Romney, 5 or Santorum, and 2 for Paul. When McDonald told her > the tally had been counted publicly, he says "her voice changed and she > said"we'll record this". Doug Wead > claims<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHLXsgn4_B0>, > "On every occasion, the votes that were lost were Ron Paul votes and the > person responsible for reporting them were Mitt Romney supporters"in one > case the votes were actually transferred from paper to"a computer and the > lady doing the transfer was a Mitt Romney person". To date, these tallies > have not been corrected and Romney is still credited with the straw vote > win while the media continues to report that Paul never won a state contest. > > Arizona: The Examiner's Kevin Kervick > reports<http://www.examiner.com/article/corrupt-arizona-gop-takes-delegate-victory-from-paul>"ballot > stuffing, rule violations, and improper vote counting that occurred > behind closed doors" at the convention. In addition, Paul supporters allege > threats <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzhpg9fb2eo&feature=youtu.be> of > physical violence from Romney supporters. > > Michigan: Doug Wead > reports<http://dougwead.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/michigan-shocker-ron-paul-picks-up-more-delegates/>, > " Michigan, unlike any other state"had a special party rule forbidding any > precinct delegate vacancies from being filled at county conventions until > after the state delegates and alternates were chosen. In other words, > countless Ron Paul supporters attending county convention were forcibly > blocked"because they weren't elected precinct delegates in 2010-long before > the Ron Paul 2012 campaign began". Wead also claims "documented instances > in multiple counties where county party officials "edited" the state > delegation lists after the county conventions adjourned". > > Wyoming: A > commenter<http://www.dailypaul.com/227387/fraud-2012-wyoming-republican-state-convention-erroneous-ballots-cast-purposely>on > Paul supporter website, DailyPaul.com, explains how members of the > Republican Executive Committee (all Romney supporters) illegally cast > votes <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdDZ5L7mnfc&feature=youtu.be> in > the delegate selection vote. > > Washington: At the state > convention<http://www.dailypaul.com/237678/king-county-leadership-called-out-at-wa-state-convention>, > a Ron Paul delegate claimed bubble ballot sheets > were > withheld<http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/abrantes-catches-republican-cheating-in-king-county/>in > King County's district 36. He also claims the 37 > th district caucus was forced to conduct the meeting > outside<http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2018061271_king_co_gop_leader_boots_caucu.html>because > Chairwoman, Lori Sotelo, was irritated when a Ron Paul supporter > was elected to run the caucus, instead of her choice. > > Ben Swann interviewed a voter <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNm8xlaOmUU>in > Pierce County, Washington; who claims the local Republican leadership > passed out what they called a "unity slate" to voters and said it > represented an equal distribution of delegates committed to Romney, > Santorum, and Gingrich. The plan was to organize to block Ron Paul > supporters, who outnumbered the other candidates' supporters, from > receiving the lion's share of the delegates. The Republican leadership > prevailed. > > Alaska: In spite of last-minute rule changes and violations of party > rules, Paul supporters > ousted<http://www.ktva.com/home/outbound-xml-feeds/Bickering-continues-before-reconvened-Alaska-GOP-convention-155728405.html>longtime > state chairman, Randy Ruedrich, and voted-in Paul supporter, Russ > Millette. Ruedrich then tried to sabotage the state convention and > transferred<http://www.politico.com/blogs/charlie-mahtesian/2012/04/ron-pauls-alaska-payback-121953.html>all > of the state party's $100,000 to the local Capital City Republicans in > Juneau, effectively bankrupting the party now controlled by Paul supporters. > > Georgia: This > video<http://runronpaul.com/interest/breaking-news-athens-clarke-county-ga-republican-delegate-fraud/>shows > GOP Chairwoman, Sue Everhart, at the Athens Clarke County GOP meeting > admitting "shoddy treatment of the Ron Paul people at that [2008] > convention" and publicly apologizing. She presents the rule book that she > helped to write and claims it won't happen again. The video then shows the > actual convention and party leaders breaking those rules to force their > pre-selected slate of delegates and prevent Paul's supporters from electing > their own. Party leaders then adjourned the meeting illegally and *ran*out of > the meeting. > > Massachusetts: Paul won 16 of the 27 delegates selected so far in Romney's > home state. In addition, he swept all 6 from Romney's home county. As a > result (for the first time ever in the state), delegates were asked to sign > an > affidavit<http://www.dailypaul.com/235514/what-should-they-do-ma-delegates-must-sign-an-affidavit-that-they-will-vote-for-romney-on-the-first-ballot>stating > " I certify under the pain and penalty of perjury, that on the > first ballot at the 2012 Republican National Convention, I will > affirmatively Vote for Mitt Romney, the winner of the 2012 Massachusetts > Presidential Primary." The state GOP then covered > up<http://articles.boston.com/2012-06-24/metro/32379941_1_delegates-and-alternate-delegates-republican-caucuses-state-caucuses>Romney's > embarrassing loss by invalidating ballots and > ousting <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnL9sMpAe7A> the Paul delegates. > > North Dakota: Ben Swann > reports<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD6_7mdcWSA>the selection of delegates > was unfair: the GOP handed out pre-printed > ballots with a slate of delegates with 60% of them being Mitt Romney > supporters in a state where he won only 26% of the vote. > > Oklahoma: Kevin Kervick of The Examiner reports that the Oklahoma > convention<http://www.examiner.com/article/gop-establishment-makes-a-mockery-of-the-democratic-process-oklahoma>had > to be moved to the parking lot because Robert's Rules were ignored, > delegate credentials were not verified, a convention chair was never > appointed, motions made from the floor were ignored, the Chairman illegally > elected a slate of Romney delegates, and the convention was closed without > a two-thirds majority vote. Consistent with Robert's Rules, Paul supporters > reconvened in the parking lot to elect delegates. Paul supporters have now > filed a law suit <http://www.reddirtreport.com/Story.aspx/22371> to > ensure their delegates will be seated. > > Virginia: Doug Wead > claims<http://dougwead.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/ron-paul-is-not-out-he-is-up/>"at > a district convention, they coaxed the Ron Paul delegation outside and > then locked the door. The pastor of the church that was hosting the event > was, himself, locked out". > > U.S. Virgin Islands: Ron Paul won his > first<http://ivn.us/2012/03/13/media-misleads-as-ron-paul-gets-his-first-win-in-virgin-islands/>caucus, > only to have the GOP take down the straw vote results from their > website showing Paul the victor with 29% over Romney's 26% and replaced > with a note from the party claiming Romney won because he won more > delegates. Paul's Official Campaign Blogger, Jack Hunter, > explains<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cj7tUxAKuk>how every other contest > determined the victor by the straw vote, except the > one straw vote Paul won. > > Alabama: An inexplicable > gap<http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?370110>exists between Paul's > popular vote count and his delegate vote count. This > is odd because voters choose both on the same day and on the same ballot. > Alabama Republican Party rules state that voters can only vote for one > candidate and then must choose between his delegates. Statewide, Paul > received only about one-third as many votes as his delegates. This means > voters chose another candidate, but selected Paul's delegates. No other > candidate's totals showed a similar pattern. > > Louisiana: Ben Swann > reports<http://www.fox19.com/category/195974/video-landing-page?clipId=7376001&autostart=true>a > clash between the old Louisiana State GOP leadership and newly-elected > leaders who support Paul. Old Chairman, Roger Villere, angered attendees > with last-minute rule changes the night before the convention. At the start > of the convention, Villere attempted to recognize the former Chair of the > Rules Committee, who had been voted out the night before. When new Chair, > Alex Helwig, rose to address the delegation; Villere instructed security > (comprised of off-duty Shreveport Police) to remove > him<https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ofnSb9l9rwQ>. > They arrested him for trespassing and broke several of his fingers. Next, > an overwhelming majority elected a new Convention Chair, Paul supporter > Alex Helwig. Members then turned their chairs to face Helwig, with their > backs to Villere. In desperation, Villere instructed the police officers to > remove the duly-elected Herford. They did so and dislocated his > hip<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgTpLOUxC6Q&feature=youtu.be>in the > process, sending him to the emergency room. The reconvened group > followed state party rules and went on to elect a majority of Paul > delegates, which the state party later > replaced<http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/07/louisiana_gop_certifies_conven.html>with > its own slate of Romney delegates. The Paul campaign has appealed to > the RNC, but it is unlikely that the RNC will reinstate the Paul delegates. > > Oregon: This YouTube video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPBnuvRAjWQ>shows > establishment Republicans in Congressional District 4 attempting to > steal the ballot box and leave the premises when it became apparent the Ron > Paul supporters were in the majority. A Paul supporter is chased away from > the ballots and claims he was accosted by an establishment party member. > > Wisconsin: MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell > reports<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdy1pVgxMb0>Romney violated state > campaign laws by bribing voters with free subs. > > In other states, Paul supporters claim > vote-flipping<https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJAC-sfXwumZzI2bVlON2VTMnFyYVZZSnpDYnNyQQ/edit?pli=1>occurred > with electronic voting machines. Once about 40% of votes are > reported, there is typically little variation in the final numbers. However > on several occasions, at about 40% Romney's trajectory "flipped" with the > leader, which was often Paul. Austin Election Judge, Anne Beckett, has come > forth<http://www.dailypaul.com/239762/anne-beckett-election-judge-in-austin-texas-travis-county-on-ron-paul-radio-eyewitness-account-of-vote-flipping-fraud>publicly > to claim she witnessed this firsthand. > > Baseless allegations or a few isolated incidents may not be cause for > concern, but there is enough video evidence in this report to disturb > anyone who cares about fair elections. Rule changes, disregard for > existing rules, cancelling elections, running off with ballots, secret vote > counts, throwing out votes, threats, physical violence, and arbitrary > replacement of delegates are activities unbecoming of a democratic > society. Whether you're a Ron Paul supporter, or even a Republican, is > irrelevant. That the Republican Party will seemingly stop at nothing to > ensure their selected candidate is the nominee should be deeply troubling > for all Americans. > > [image: Next Page] > <http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/How-the-GOP-Establishment-by-Jaret-Glenn-120806-535.html> > > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/How-the-GOP-Establishment-by-Jaret-Glenn-120806-535.html > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
