Something Significant Happened in Spokane
Submitted by Goodbytes on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 10:17
Something Significant Happened in Spokane
Despite the siren call of the warm spring weather last Saturday, a record number of hopeful Republicans turned out for the 4/12/08 Spokane County Republican Convention held at Lewis & Clark High School. Though disappointed that I was unable to participate as a delegate due to a prolonged, out-of-state work commitment during our February Caucus, I knew it would be instructive to see first-hand how the process worked and so I volunteered at the Ron Paul information booth. I figured that even if I couldn't sling a ballot, at least I could show up to discuss the issues with the curious and uninformed - and maybe even help sway a vote or two.
With people arriving at 7:30am and some staying past 9pm to finish counting the ballots and conclude the work, few could have predicted that this event would turn into the marathon that it did. Approximately 540 delegates showed up to vote for 111 delegates and a platform to take to the upcoming WA State convention. There were many young people in attendance and amazingly, over half of the delegates were first time participants which is a promising sign of renewed participation in our political process. It is a common story that many new people decided to get involved after years of apathetic inaction. They cite an escalating sense of alarm and frustration over the Iraqi War debacle, unprecedented deficit spending, porous borders and a general sense that we have lost control over our party and our country.
Listening to the morning speeches from WA State gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and others was both informative and reassuring that we’ve got some talented people running for various offices. One of the highlights of the morning was a rousing speech by Rob Chase that echoed the themes of Ron Paul’s candidacy. Yet as the day wore on and the platform was debated and voting ensued, it became increasingly apparent that what I was witnessing was something far more significant than what I expected. This was no ordinary, pre-ordained, rubber-stamp-the-party-line-and-get-out-before-lunch kind of an affair. What was unfolding through the arduous and combative convention process was nothing less than a stunning GRASSROOTS REVOLT!
It was obvious from the beginning that the McCain campaign came prepared to win by trying to dominate the event. In the basketball stadium where we met, one certainly couldn’t miss their HUGE 40'x10' McCain For President sign that took up half of a wall and dwarfed all other signage from other campaigns (I wonder how much that must have cost?). Even though they brought in professional hired guns in the form of well-paid staff (that nobody seemed to recognize as being from our community), the day was carried by the passionate, well-organized and extremely dedicated Ron Paul campaign.
In the 6th District meeting that represented the largest delegate total, it was decided that each delegate publicly declare their preference for a Presidential candidate before the voting could actually began (not sure which camp asked for that). Throughout the day we witnessed the McCain team doing everything within their power to try to dominate the agenda and sway the voting (as expected). Their tactics were both subtle and overt as they tried to confuse the newbie Ron Paul conventioneers by quoting obscure rules and procedures. At other times, they used heavy-handed, authoritative sounding directives and gamesmanship in attempts to promote their chosen delegates and derail the Ron Paul delegates and positions. At one point, Yoko managed to prevent one of them from trying to steal an unattended Ron Paul delegate list.
Also notable in the 6th District meeting, the McCain people employed a multi-media projector that prominently displayed on the front wall exactly which (McCain) delegates they expected everyone to vote for. After another round of protests and debate, their projector was eventually turned off (almost by force) and their subsequent attempts to dominate the process were systematically beaten back as we fought steadily throughout a very long and exhausting day of arguing, motioning and voting. This meeting eventually concluded well into the evening after three time consuming rounds of voting and hand counting.
In the 3rd District meeting, a female delegate became disruptive which temporarily brought activities to a halt while a search ensued for the Sergeant-at-Arms to bring the meeting back to order.
In several of the instances mentioned above, the only thing that saved the day were some alert Ron Paul people who were willing to display some intestinal fortitude by literally standing up and questioning authority and/or challenging the status quo. Courage is what it takes to be successful in a political process where the war of ideas can inflame emotions and sometimes manifests as a verbal boxing match. Convention politics is a forum where big egos try to dominate the discussion and silence dissent. Small, organized groups promote their agendas and sway the votes through a Byzantine set of rules that few people know and understand. Those in powerful positions don’t hesitate to use those rules to their advantage, even squelching debate at times.
So the fact that the upstart Ron Paul camp was able to pull it all together in a relatively short period of time to upset the status quo and soundly defeat the McCain contingent was an astonishing achievement. We should all be extremely proud of this recent success, as it is the latest and most tangible example to date of how far we have come in taking back our party.
Still, we would do well to remember that much of the drama was primarily an expression of multiple passionate viewpoints. This cathartic process strengthens our local Republican Party and proves to the skeptics that we have a vibrant and evolving, non-monolithic group of thoughtful people that is capable of self-reflection and change.
Here are some of the most important accomplishments that came out of this Convention:
1) 107 out of 111 delegates were elected who favor Ron Paul and his positions. Only 4 delegates were elected who favor McCain. This was a HUGE and unexpected upset that surpassed the wildest expectations of everyone in our group.
2) Perhaps the most far-reaching and controversial platform position originated from the grass roots organization. It was a statement under the National Sovereignty And Defense heading, “Limiting the executive privilege of committing troops to police actions to a duration of 180 days, without a Congressional Declaration of War” (as the Constitution mandates). The McCain people fought this plank VERY hard and tried to add an amendment gutting the intent of this position by changing the language to a simple statement to "support our troops". After approx. 30 minutes of back and forth arguments, motions and multiple votes, the McCain amendment was soundly defeated 280 to 170. As stated in the Spokane Spokesman Review, "The platform statement on the use of troops didn’t specifically name Iraq, but County Chairman Curt Fackler and representatives of the McCain campaign agreed it was essentially a repudiation of the current war policy and the course that McCain has said he would take if elected".
3) The overwhelming nature of our victory suggests the strong possibility for future changes in our local area. Indeed the groundwork has been laid to influence future leadership and platform direction as we have successfully outmaneuvered and overturned the status quo in our County and helped shape the debate moving forward.
We have proven once again that a small group of dedicated, organized and tenacious people can make a huge difference, the end result of which was a dramatic tipping point that happened right here in our own backyard. If similar stories can successfully play out in other parts of America, it would mark the beginning of the end of the Neo-Con grip on the Republican Party and a chance to return to the traditional core values and principles that made our country great.
John Zimmerman
Spokane, WA
big smile,
bump!
im glad this got bumped
nice read
Hey dickbrain, take your smut elsewhere.
Hey drugan, take your smut elsewhere. I see you've been very busy in the 10 minutes you've been a member. But thanks for bringing back one of the best days of my life. It was good to re-live it again.
Take a frickin' hike, pal.
JC
*****The Federal Reserve is neither.*****
I'm Frickin' Jumpin' For Joy!
It looks as if we'll be sending some Ron Paul delegates from Washington State's 5th Congressional District to the national convention in St. Paul. You will know how many after our state convention here in Spokane May 29-31. Delegate numbers look great :)
-Kirk Smith
State Delegate- Spokane 3rd Leg. Dist.
It's our party.
This is how we will take back the party.
It's our party.
This is how we will take back the party.
Washington state heroes!
You guys are awesome!
Go Doc!
Unify
Legendary!
I lived in Spokane for a while and absolutely loved it. I wish I could have been there to see this! Thanks for the most excellent report.
geezus thats epic!!
sweet deal!
Excellent report, John!
Being at the convention that day was certainly one of the highlights of my life. I missed the platform fight because I was working on the Credentials Committee out in the lobby. In the 6th District, after four Delegate ballots, Ron Paulians got 38 out of 38. Then we picked up 21 out of 38 Alternates! We finished counting at 9 p.m. It was obvious that our strategy of "voting the slate" paid off, particularly on the subsequent ballots.
Thanks for the great report, John. I look forward to reading your report from the Wa State Convention!
*****The Federal Reserve is neither.*****
Awesome!
Just goes to show us how beneficial understanding caucus and convention rules can be to our cause. We need to continue to keep our numbers (and chins) up and to remember how important getting involved in local politics can be.
I would encourage everyone to take their meet-up groups to their Republican committee meetings even long after this election. We need to become these chairmen and established members and use our influence to affect platforms, candidates, and the like.
Awesome!
Just goes to show us how beneficial understanding caucus and convention rules can be to our cause. We need to continue to keep our numbers (and chins) up and to remember how important getting involved in local politics can be.
I would encourage everyone to take their meet-up groups to their Republican committee meetings even long after this election. We need to become these chairmen and established members and use our influence to affect platforms, candidates, and the like.
Awesome!
Just goes to show us how beneficial understanding caucus and convention rules can be to our cause. We need to continue to keep our numbers (and chins) up and to remember how important getting involved in local politics can be.
I would encourage everyone to take their meet-up groups to their Republican committee meetings even long after this election. We need to become these chairmen and established members and use our influence to affect platforms, candidates, and the l ike.
Good show old man.
Good show old man.
This is happening all over
This is happening all over the country, not just WA. The Revolution is quietly winning the delegate process....what's going to happen in St. Paul, MN may resemble a mutiny at the RNC.
Get ready.
This is GREAT NEWS!!!
bump
gigione
I LOVE THIS!!!
"This used to be a government of checks and balances. Now it's all checks and no balances." (Gracie Allen for President 1940)
"This used to be a government of checks and balances. Now it's all checks and no balances." (Gracie Allen for President 1940)
Thank you
and great work!
Excellent News, Keep up the
Excellent News, Keep up the Fight.
Thanks for the post on the huge success.
It takes smarts, alertness, guts, and stamina.
My Blog:
http://horizonscanblog.blogspot.com/
More people should read this.
Prime Time Bump.
Long Live the Revolution!
You are so right.
another bump of excitement!
We can all say what needs to be done, but who here led by example today?
Find out if you have a local militia - http://www.uaff.us/
Real Patriots for 9/11 truth -- http://patriotsquestion911.com/
Great Job!!!
Liberty Freedom Peace
Liberty Freedom Peace
I'm McLovin it.
PUKE... I just said that!! I am so excited...This weekend is our district convention in KY.
We can all say what needs to be done, but who here led by example today?
Find out if you have a local militia - http://www.uaff.us/
Real Patriots for 9/11 truth -- http://patriotsquestion911.com/
Wow
Amazing job!
Awesome!
"Evil flourishes when good men do nothing."
—Edmund Burke
A Republic, If You Can Keep It
Wonderful!
You are great! Reminds somehow of the courageous people that challenged the old regimes in Eastern Europe in '89. They are about to lose. Bring forward Ron Paul so the message will spread around the world!
Dr. Paul cured my apathy
Fellowship of the White Rose
Thanks for the report!
This is great news!! Keep this bumped up!
Love you guys!!
Excellent
Absolutely great news!! You guys should be very very happy with the results you achieved. I am so proud of all of you. Thanks for letting us know some of the stragies employed by the McCain people (projector with list of their preferred delegates, etc...).
Again, i cant say enough how great this news is to hear. You have made my day. Thank you thank you thank you.
Excellent summary as well - great reading. Someone should collect all these inspiring stories into a book or something. Given the odds against us and the many hurdles in our way - it is simply amazing what we have and can still achieve. Look out Minnesota - were heading your way with guns a blazin!
The projected list of "preferred" delegates
can be used to our advantage--BECAUSE--we would know who NOT to vote for, Hmmm??!
We should ALREADY know who we're voting for ...
We should ALREADY know who we're voting for going into the meeting. Actually, the projector seemed to be a centerpiece of their organizational strategy. They did not seem to have a printed delegate slate/list for all of their delegates to vote from (as we did) so they were trying to use the overhead projector to make up for their lack of pre-meeting organization. Their hired-gun outsider leaders probably didn't have enough time to do it right...
John
John Zimmerman
Spokane, WA
Oh, this is the best news.
What courageous true patriots you are. It is just thrilling to read your post of hope and encouragement. Thank you so much for posting. Peace
This is wonderful news!
This is incredible! Keep up the good fight!
The snowball grows bigger everyday!
Avalanche!!!!
Long Live the Revolution!
This is Proof that if We Show Up
in numbers, have basic knowledge of how the corrupt rule system works, and are ready to fight for our convictions, we can defeat the powerful minority who direct the establishment system. It is all about out numbering them, and not falling for their manipulative tricks. In the Historical Constitution Convention, the Puritans, who have been falsely compared in modern times to the Taliban, stood their ground to establish
"checks and balances", to protect the common people from any of the political branches gaining Imperialistic power over the other branches. This system would work if the sheeple cared more about how their elected officials followed their Constitutional oath, instead of what handout or ammenity they would get in return.
I was in the 3rd District meeting.
That disruptive woman was accusing us of hijacking the convention, undermining the party, etc.. She had been a delegate for many years and was not pleased about what was happening. This year she didn't even make it onto the alternate list. I found it to be quite entertaining.
==================================================
The United States is a nation of laws, badly written and randomly enforced. - Frank Zappa
http://www.myspace.com/occasionalstringband
The United States is a nation of laws, badly written and randomly enforced. - Frank Zappa
http://www.myspace.com/occasionalstringband
NICE
My liberty-minded home base of thought:
www.ponderthis.net
_________________________________
"Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called the children of God." - Matthew 5:9
My liberty-minded home base of thought:
www.ponderthis.net
Washington State power!
YAY! Look forward to seeing you at our state convention!
----------
"We will never give up. We will never give in." - Dr. Ron Paul
This is so exciting!
And it tells me that something was very fishy as to why Ron Paul did not win the popular vote.
Keep up the good work!
Healthnut4freedom
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
Healthnut4freedom
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
Why
Because we feel strongly and show up. The sheeple don't.
It is that simple.
In a few senatorial conventions in Texas, the neo-con's tried to get more support, some succeeded, others failed. Those that took time to get to know us realized we all wanted the same things in general and we were excepted.
In fact, a John McCain supporter told me at our Republican meeting that he wanted to put together a get together or party for all the Ron Paul people to get to know us better and to avoid some of the problems we have all been hearing from other parts of Texas. He wants to make sure we feel welcome and keep us involved after this election cycle. He knows that we disagree on some issues, but in general, we both want the same thing. Less government and less taxes.
Wow, great work
Priceless!
Thank you for the great report!!
Just say no to McSame!!!
My blog: My 'Net Gems
My blog: My 'Net Gems
I'm so proud of....
I'm so proud of Spokane!
I live in So Cal but I've been going to Spokane for 10 years as "Vinnie the Crazy Car Man" at Appleway Auto Group.
When I went there last month and wore all my Ron Paul gear, I expected to get the same "who is Ron Paul" comments but instead it seemed that everyone knew who he was!!! I was pumped!!
GREAT JOB SPOKANE!!!
See you next month!!!
"Whether you think you can or think you cannot, you're absolutely right!"
"Whether you think you can or think you cannot, you're absolutely right!"
It goes to show that you're not licked
until you quit. Good job.
_________________________________________
"An economy built on fiat money is a society on its way to ashes."
This made my day!
Good work
Good Job. Keep it up
Good Job. Keep it up everyone
i have goosebumps. todays
i have goosebumps. todays going to be a good day after reading this, thank you.
Proud of my home town
They never thought it would be snowing on 4/20, they never imagined anyone would stand up for their beleifs in the People's Republic of Washington.
If it weren't for the snow, I might consider moving back!
Good job, Go Cougs! Go Zags!
Thank you for your post. . .
This is what I was hoping for in Missouri at our local caucus last Saturday, and we were tough and it was tense but the line you gave about get-it-done-so-we-can-go-to-lunch attitude hit me. That is what happened at our Stone county caucus, in which we were overwhelmed, and then in Pierce City we fought harder and had more numbers, but not quite enough.
I am so heartened to hear what happened in Spokane!!!!! I know there are pockets of die-hard old time dug in Republicans who want to WIN their power grab all along the way, without EVER EVEN CONSIDERING what facts are being discussed!!!
Thank you again Spokane, and I hope there are more pockets, an overwhelming amount of "pockets" like yours to let us make a HUGE difference at State!
Funny, the same thing happened in Clark County, WA, too!
Clark County, (Vancouver) also did very well, winning 73 out of 86 delegate seats for Ron, and many of the alternates. We have worked hard in Washington, and we have won many seats to our State convention. We also did very well in Gray's Harbor, Stevens, Whatcom, and Asotin counties. In Clark county, they also worked on the party platform and have added resolutions to repeal the Patriot Act, NAU, NAFTA and any super-highway effort. Way to go group!
Vali
'...truth is loved in such a way that those who love some other thing want it to be the truth, and precisely because they do not wish to be deceived, are unwilling to be convinced that they are deceived." --- St. Augustine, Confessions (10:23), 5th cent.
'...truth is loved in such a way that those who love some other thing want it to be the truth, and precisely because they do not wish to be deceived, are unwilling to be convinced that they are deceived." --- St. Augustine, Confessions (10:23), 5th c.