Back from Minneapolis

[Mach]

Got back Wednesday from that cool, crisp part of the country. I must say that Minneso-tah chicks have cute little accents.

I was in town for a convention of course. But not for the one you might think.

Ron Paul's new organization the Campaign for Liberty held a three day event this week to debut their new political efforts to educate people on constitutional government, keep politicians accountable to following the rule of law, and to elect candidates that are friendly to such initiatives.

It all culminated in a grand full-day convention at the Target Center called the Rally for the Republic. There were tons of high profile excellent speakers including Tom Woods, Lew Rockwell, Jesse Ventura, Gov. Gary Johnson, Barry Goldwater Jr, Bill Kauffman and of course, Ron Paul himself. Sara Evans, Aimee Allen, and Jimmie Vaughn among others provided some great music. It was great hanging out with many of these folks throughout the week getting to pick their brain along the way.

Needless to say the convention was a huge success. An estimated 12,000 people showed up for a packed Target Center as Ron Paul gave one of the greatest speeches of his life. While the two major parties sell our country out in the name of power and special interests, the Campaign for Liberty's enthusiasm for saving the republic was inspiring.

That's why I'm in this for the long haul. Once people wake up from the dull sleep that is the two major establishment picked candidates that are dragged out every four years, we just may have the slim opportunity to reform our country in time. The stakes are high though. If we do not, the traditional concept of a republic of the United States will most likely cease to exist in the next few decades. The Balkinization taking place will see to that.

Here is the performance Ron Paul requested be played as the theme song of the Campaign for Liberty:
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And his speech:
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For Liberty

[Travis]

Glad to hear you had fun, must have been a great experience. I'm sure it was much more interesting (aka filled with intelligent discussion) than the other conventions. Wish I could have gone.

[Mach]

Thanks...Look forward to hearing your feedback on the speech posted above.

[Viper]

Welcome back.

Glad you posted the speech itself. I've been wanting to hear it because I've missed it thus far. I'll listen shortly.

[Viper]

*watched it*

*claps*

Viva la rEVOLution.

[Pro A.]

Hear hear. I'm not digging the two major candidates much at all. I'm seriously thinking of going third-party as a protest vote.

[Travis]

Why don't you just not vote? It has the same effect and saves you time and trouble.

[masonite]

the whole idea of voting is to put forward your idea of who you think should be running the country. Even if Ron Paul doesn't have a chance of winning, gaining a relatively high percentage of votes will send a clear message, and at least give him a bit of limelight in the future.

[Travis]

I understand. I'm not saying that Mach, for instance, shouldn't vote for Ron Paul. I'm saying that voting for Ron Paul or another third party isn't really protesting the two major-party candidates, it's supporting a third-party candidate.

[Viper]

It's both. It suggest that neither mainstream candidate is a viable candidate in your eyes while the candidate you voted for is.

In fact it's been a long standing tradition for many people to vote outside the two mainstream candidates as a measure of protest.

[Mach]

This was another excellent Rally speech by my friend Dr. Tom Woods, economist and historian of the Mises Institute and NY Times bestseller:

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[masonite]

As Viper said. The "protest vote" is one of the most effective tools there is - All the crap that every politician spouts is specifically engineered to get you to vote for them, so showing the effort to not vote for them but still to vote can be quite Powerful. And in a country like America, where everyone votes for who they think will win, every vote against a major party can potentially sway the impression that voters have of the major parties. (or the minor ones, for that matter).

[Travis]

1) You mean "America, where 30% of the population (roughly, don't know the exact number) votes for who they think will win."

2) I understand your view of how it is a 'protest,' I simply don't agree. You should vote for who you want to win or no one at all. That's my opinion. Voting for a third party to 'protest' has no effect on the two major political parties, as you would not have voted for them anyway. It is purely symbolic, and since we have a secret ballot, it really affects no one. If you want to protest the two major political parties, stage a protest. Them's my two centz.

[masonite]

the protest vote is used to demonstrate discontentedness with current major parties, specifically the one predicted to win. No matter which way you cut it, a large percentage of the vote going against a party is a more powerful metaphor than a large percentage voting for no-one at all. Obviously it requires a large number of people to do the same, which is why it is so effective in countries where voting is compulsory - but perhaps with greater emphasis on actually going out and voting, the protest vote would become a more effective tool in the US. Whilst a protest vote might not have much of an effect in one election, its effects are felt greatly down the track - all of a sudden that "favourite" party doesn't have the margin it once had, and it isn't the favourite anymore.

[Black Dragon37]

I can't see Ron Paul winning this year. But I can see 2 things coming:

1. He's vote is gonna be so popular I might just scare the democrats and republicans into rethinking their strategies, be it good or bad.

2. I see him him winning after whoever is in the presidency in one term. Two terms max.

The force is very strong in this one.

[Viper]

Well he obviously won't win this one because he wasn't nominated by the Republican Party.

However, as you say, we'll see in 4 years. But better than that are the seeds he's planted. We'll see dozens of candidates next election running on the "Constitutional" ticket (as I call it) because of how awakened so many are to what is truly wrong with the nation and the blue print has been established on how to fix it.

[Black Dragon37]

I think that depends on if part 1 of my prediction goes through.

But yeah, we'll see. :)

[Mach]

thought that was a good rendition of universal soldier...aimee allen is a sweet girl.