The rEVOLution continues

This is my first post on this particular blog since before "super Tuesday" 2008. The campaign schedule became so hectic in the few months leading up to it that I didn't have much time, and after the disappointing showing and ensuing lack of uncertainty I wasn't sure what to say next. There are some old campaign experiences that I believe are still worth documenting that I'll go back and post.

But I also believe in looking forward. In some ways things are clearly more positive now then they were a couple of years ago. No I'm not talking about having the audacity to hope that there will be some change left in our pockets.* I'm talking about how more and more people are waking up to the fact that we've been sold a bill of goods from many of the "leaders" in both parties and the need for change from the bottom. I'm talking about how the Ron Paul movement has survived the loss of a single presidential election in shaping up to be far more than a one time election machine. I'm talking about people starting to see the federal reserve for what it really is. Those who believe that government "bailouts" are the solution to all our woes are truly the minority at this point despite the fact that they still control both parties, the media and the halls of academia. New opportunities are opening up. New people are interested in hearing a message of smaller government and greater personal responsibility.

We need to embark on a new strategy. Our job is no longer about getting Dr. Paul elected president. At least not now. Between now and 2010 we need to educate as many people as we can about what's really going on in the world. Conservatives need to know that elective wars against people that had nothing to do with 9/11 and flitting away our civil liberties are not the way to fight terrorism. Liberals need to know that massive government spending and crippling regulations are not the way to fix the economy or save the environment.

But that's just half of the assignment. The other half is to get involved with the political process on all levels. Find candidates who embrace principles of liberty and help them. Try to inform candidates who have not yet embraced those principles and try to inform them if they are willing to listen. Become a candidate yourself. Find issues of importance to you and spread the truth about them. Realize that whatever happened Nov 4 2008, we have only really just begun to fight.

Nashville/Davidson County Early Voting Schedule

Nashville/Davidson County Early Voting Schedule

http://www.nashville.gov/vote/PDFs/EV_SCHEDULE_FOR_020508.pdf

FOR GENERAL ELECTION INFORMATION: (615) 862-8800; FAX NUMBER: (615) 862-8810

FOR ABSENTEE ELECTION INFORMATION: (615) 862-8815; FAX NUMBER: (615) 880-1729

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.nashville.gov/vote and “click” the FIND WHERE I VOTE

How our Meetup group will win or lose Davidson county

While this blog is geared toward Tennessee in general, I'm a part of the Nashville Ron Paul meetup group which is specifically targeting Davidson county. I've been thinking about sending out an email for some time now. I wasn't exactly sure how to put this. So I'll start off with a story that may be near and dear to most of our hearts, the Tennessee Titans.

I don't know if you are a big football fan. I'm a mediocre fan. If the Titans are on and I happen to be home I'll watch. And I definitely watch the playoff games. The one a couple of weeks ago against the Chargers was a heart breaker. We started off in the lead. But then we were down 10 to 6. We had the Chargers stopped on the one yard line. It was a typical play. Linemen stack up at the front and the running back leaps over the top. A Titan stopped the Charger running back in midair. But unfortunately for Titan fans, the Charger line managed to hold up the running back and he stuck his hand across the goal line for the touchdown. After that the Titans never regained momentum and we lost the game.

What does this have to do with Ron Paul? Well for the next couple of weeks we need to be the San Diego Charger linemen. You can take me out and stone me for football heresy after the election is over. Ron Paul is our running back, quarterback and coach. There have been attempts to leap over the goal line through "money bombs", tv and radio ads and even a blimp. But our opponents are fighting back with smear campaigns, denying entry to debates end even possible voter fraud. The only way Ron Paul will get across the goal on February 5th is if we on the front line hold him up.

So how do you become a front lineman for Ron Paul you ask? It will initially take 5 minutes of your time. Can it be scary? Sure can. There are now 300 lbs defensive linemen starring you down, but there is the real fear of rejection. I've felt it. But remember you are not alone! Or at least you shouldn't be. Your mission, if you so choose to accept it, is to become a Ron Paul precinct captain. You can sign up at http://voters.ronpaul2008.com and it only takes 5 minute.

Now I'm going to explain why EVERYBODY needs to do this and why this is THE KEY to victory or defeat in Davidson county.

First some background information.

• There are 42 voting precincts in Davidson county
• Number of voters per precinct varies. My precinct has 2,000 registered voters. Northeast Brentwood has 5,000 voters
• Most voters DO NOT VOTE IN THE PRIMARY! In 2000, the last time the Republican primary was contested, there were only 198 voters voted in the Republican Primary! Another 275 voted in the democratic primary. Later Joelton went for Bush 905 to 875. So we really just need a fraction of eligible voters to do well.

Now here is what we are facing. I've started doing non advocacy calls. I've made 86 calls so far. Many were to answering machines. At the rate I'm going if I do NOTHING but make cold calls I MAY get finished by February 5th. That doesn't include canvasing, putting up signs, going to events etc.

But we have a secret weapon. That's you! Yes you. I'm talking to all of the meetup members that have not signed up to be a precinct captain. Maybe it seems like a lot of responsibility? It is. Maybe it seems like a lot of work? It is. Maybe it seems a bit frightening? It can be, but you'll get used to it. Did I mention you don't have to do this by yourself? Consider this. We can and should have multiple captains per precinct! That's right. If you don't want the full responsibility of being a captain, sign up on a precinct that already has one. Then you can assist someone else! Maybe you can help place signs up in the Joelton precinct. (Hint hint). Or maybe you just want to place Ron Paul hangers on mailboxes or door nobs. Maybe you want to help call. (Hey if there were 10 people calling the Joelton district that would only be 200 people to call per person. I'd be halfway through!

We really need 420 precinct captains in this area by this weekend! That's just 55 percent of our current membership!

So what would this accomplish? Simple.

1. We'll actually accomplish what we need to do on the ground by February 5th
2. People won't feel like they're acting on their own when they call, canvas, sign bomb, whatever.
   
3. IT WILL BE A HUGE MORALE BOOST FOR THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
4. If we knock out our own work quickly we can offer our help to neighboring counties and even states!

So please, take time out of your busy schedule to sign up to be a Ron Paul precinct captain. Do it today. Post a comment on this blog telling the world that you're doing this. And if I've at all inspired you, feel free to use my email in the "referred by" field. (Contact me through Meetup for this). But I don't care if I get any credit for this. I just want to see it done. Tennessee can live up to our name and lead the way! Onward Tennessee volunteers! To Minis Tirath! (Sorry for the Lord of the Rings reference.)

Stumping for Ron Paul at the gas station

I want to relay a story that happened to me the other night. I was at the gas station in Nashville at the corner of Clarksville and Buena Vista. For those who don't know Nashville that is the "hood". (And yes I'm African American myself if that matters.) I had some of the "Ron Paul for President" slim jims with me. I started to put them in the little "take one" boxes that had credit card offers in them. But I knew I wanted to give one to the cashier one so I decided against doing "guerrilla marketing" this time. There was a young woman at the pump across from me. While I'm usually a shy person, I decided this was the time for action. I went up to her and asked if she was registered to vote.
She said "No. Is it too late?"
My heart sunk a little. "The last day to register for this primary was January 7th. But I want you to take this anyway. His name is Ron Paul. He's running for president. He is the only major candidate that will bring the troops home next year if elected. When Tim Russert asked the democrats during a debate if they would promise to bring the troops home by 2013, Obama, Clinton and Edwards all said no. They said it depended on what was happening on the ground".
"They said that?" she asked with a shocked look on her face.
"Yes" I replied. "Ron Paul is the only one that will bring our troops home. I have a friend who is in Iraq now and he's been sent their for the third time. That's why I support Ron Paul."
"Well I'll try to get some of my friends to vote for him."
"Thanks" I replied. I then went inside to get my gas receipt and to pass out a few more slim jims. (Actually the gas receipt was just an excuse. The slim jims were the real purpose.) When I came out she told me again that she would like to help. I told gave her a few more slim jims to give to her friends and told her to go to the Ronpaul2008 website where she could sign up to volunteer. Now what I should have done was get to trade contact information with her so that I could have followed up. But hey that's a start. So keep some Ron Paul material in your pocket at all times. Get down your stump speech. It might be different for different people. We are only going to win this fight one voter at a time.

Launching of the Ron Paul Volunteers blog

First I need to say what this blog is not. It's not a blog about Vols football fans who love Ron Paul, although I know there are a LOT of them! It's about experiences from volunteers for Ron Paul especially in the state of Tennessee. As a child in elementary school I was very proud to learn about how we earned the nickname "The Volunteer State". During times of peril in our country Tennesseans have been quick to go to our countries aid. There were even prominent Tennesseans that went to aid Texas at a time that it wasn't a part of our nation. Now our nation is in grave danger and Tennesseans are volunteering like never before. Many of us have joined the Ron Paul grassroots effort at rates disproportionate to our size. Here are our stories.