Republican caucus 1-22-08

[Screaming Eagle]

Just want to give everyone a heads up about the caucus for the GOP delegate selection this coming Tuesday 1-22. This is the grassroots place where we (as the public) choose who the delegates will be to the respective State conventions (Republicans choose Republicans, Dems choose Dems). It's a closed caucus system meaning that you can only vote for delegates from the party that you belong to. I have no idea when the Democratic selection takes place but the Republicans will have the opportunity to choose delegates this Tuesday.
Delegates (as individuals) are not bound to choose any candidate by law. They will (of their own conscience and persuasion) vote for a 'candidate' at the State GOP convention to be held in February. The winner of that process will determine who and how the Republicans will represent Louisiana at the National Convention in September.
It's your responsibility to find out where your caucus will be held. I can promise you it won't be in the normal polling places. It's an effort that each individual will have to make to become acquainted with the individual delegates (you get to vote for 15 delegates and 15 alternates) and who they intend to vote for at the State GOP convention.
FWIW, there are Ron Paul (solid pro-gun and pro-life) delegates with full slates on each ballot in each Congressional district. If we have Ron Paul committed delegates going to the State convention, essentially, Ron Paul wins Louisiana's delegates.
This is the real vote that matters folks. Now's the time to step up to the plate. Everything else amounts to fluff.
In the interest of honesty and complete disclosure, I'd like to add that I am running as a delegate in the 7th Congressional District (Lafayette and Lake Charles area). I can get the list of committed delegates for every Congressional district that are committed to Ron Paul if you like and the polling places. PM me if you have any private questions.

 

[Psychic Bacon]

I was actually making phone calls about this a little while ago. I'd love to know who to vote for in Gentilly, or maybe New Orleans. I'm not sure what the districts are on the East Bank. This is gonna be my first election since I moved here.

 

[Screaming Eagle]

I'm checking on it for you PB. I'll post it as soon as I find out.

 

[Manimal]

I'll be at Jefferson Baptist Church on Jefferson Highway, Jan 22, after work so I can place my votes! If you know of the Ron Paul supporter delegates in BR let me know...I think there will be a Ron Paul booth there too.

 

[Psychic Bacon]

I'm checking on it for you PB. I'll post it as soon as I find out.

Much Thanks.

 

[Psychic Bacon]

Any news yet? Sorry to be impatient, but I haven't had any luck finding out on my own.

 

[swagge1]

OK, this may be a dumb question, but what exactly goes on at the caucus? Do I just go in there and vote for RP then leave? Do I have to stay for a length of time and "debate"? I have no idea what the average citizen's role is in the caucus. Could someone please clarify what to expect if I were to be able to make it to the caucus tomorrow.

Thanks,
Scott W.

 

[Screaming Eagle]

PB,
Sorry for the delay. You can call 1-888-828-PAUL to find your polling place. You can also go to his website, click on Louisiana and get more information. Amazing how the Republican Party has dropped the ball in getting this information out. One might think they really don't 'want' people to get involved . Naah. Republicans are the good guys, right?

 

[Screaming Eagle]

Swagge1, Check PM for detailed message.

 

[Screaming Eagle]

Just so everyone knows, the caucus Tuesday will (in all likelihood) NOT be at your usual voting site. Very complicated but the bottom line is that the GOP has dropped the ball (imagine that). I'd recommend calling that 888-828-PAUL to be sure of your caucus site and times (very limited voting hours).

 

[Psychic Bacon]

District 2, which is most of New Orleans and some of Jefferson, is at the Morial Convention Center, Hall I from 5PM to 8 PM tomorrow, Jan 22. I found that out today when I went to hear Ron Paul speak at the Airport Hilton. Fun speech.

You can find out the delegates you should vote for on www.ronpaulcanwin.com/

I think the link to the Secretary of State is on there somewhere as well, if not there, then on http://www.ronpaul2008.com

SoS has a thingie that tells you by name or address what congeressional district you are in.

 

[swagge1]

Please let us know how the caucus went.

 

[Psychic Bacon]

One of my friends posted this on another forum I frequent. He didn't win, but he was running as an alternate in District 3.

Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger F. Villere, Jr. today announced the preliminary results of delegate elections held at GOP caucuses across the state on Tuesday evening.

More than 10,000 Republican voters met at 11 locations around Louisiana to choose delegates to the 2008 Louisiana Republican Convention, which will elect nearly all of Louisiana’s delegates to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“Preliminary results show that a majority of the 105 state convention delegates who have been elected ran on a statewide pro-life uncommitted slate,” Villere said. “I congratulate the candidates and supporters of this group on their victory and look forward to working with them to keep our Party platform pro-life at the state and national conventions,” he said.

Delegate candidates endorsed by US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) appear to have won more state convention delegate positions than any other presidential slate at the Louisiana Caucuses.

"I offer my congratulations Senator John McCain on his success in the Louisiana caucuses,” Villere said. “Senator McCain is an American hero and this is further evidence that he enjoys strong support in Louisiana and throughout the South,” he said.

Supporters of Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) appear to have captured the next highest number of delegate positions.

“I applaud the supporters of Congressman Paul for their enthusiasm and superior organizational ability,” Villere said. “Our Party needs the infusion of new activists who have both political skill and a passion for protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us by the Constitution,” he said. “I left the caucus with a renewed commitment to promote our core Republican principles of limited government and individual freedom, thanks to the zeal displayed by Congressman Paul’s Louisiana supporters,” Villere said.

In addition to the uncommitted delegates and McCain and Paul supporters, Governor Mitt Romney appears to have won a handful of state convention delegates.

 

[Screaming Eagle]

Clearer picture of what really (probably) happened...

Madison Thacker
(Libertarian)
As reported in Ballot Access News, "It appears that Ron Paul supporters outnumbered the supporters of any of his opponents. But since this was predicted, the supporters of Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, and Mitt Romney, cooperated to set up a "fusion" slate of unpledged candidates for Delegate. The "fusion" slate, labeled the "Pro-Life/Pro-Family" slate, beat the Ron Paul slate in each of the 7 U.S. House districts. Formally, the "fusion" slate billed itself as an "uncommitted" slate, and no one really knows how many supporters of each presidential candidate are on the fusion slate, except the campaigns themselves."

According to the Louisiana GOP, preliminary results indicate that an "uncommitted 'Pro-Life/Pro-Family' slate appears to have won a majority of delegates in all seven congressional districts."

This unprecedented uniting of GOP candidates to stop Ron Paul clearly shows that the GOP agenda is apparently to stop Ron Paul at all costs.
Out of twenty thousand votes cast only 650 were provisional. These probally will not get counted. But even without them it seems that Ron Paul beet all the other candidates. This pro life/pro family ticket is not a candidate and should not be treated as one. The word isn't in yet on how this will all play out. But one thing is for sure, this is just more of the same old dirty politics we are used to from the GOP. Shame on this group for putting together this fussion ticket and shame on the voters who are attempting to use this scam to marginalize Ron Paul.
This will blow up in the face of the Louisiana GOP. Generally, no one cares about the Louisiana Caucus. However, if it can be shown that "the powers that be" colluded to prevent a Ron Paul win, well, that's news.

I suspect an organized effort to subvert the democratic process will garner more publicity and support than Ron Paul would have received had he won the caucus outright. Fox News tried to exclude Ron Paul from a debate, and it's still wiping the egg of its face. This is an actual caucus. People all over the country are going to latch on to this as proof of the oft mentioned "conspiracy" to exclude Ron Paul. Thanks Louisiana GOP, you may as well have made a Ron Paul commercial

 

[Screaming Eagle]

And, since I mentioned it here, I was not elected as a delegate despite my best efforts. I tried, what can I say.