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voteinsunshine.blogspot.com
As if it couldn't get much worse with Mary Mosiman connected to the Romney for President Leadership Team. We now have the results from the Vote in Sunshine Coalition exit poll where Ron Paul clearly won!
Ron Paul 332
Tom Tancredo 150
Mike Huckabee 187
Fred Thompson 8
Tommy Thompson 39
Mitt Romney 90
Duncan Hunter 12
Hillary Clinton 1
John McCain 5
Sam Brownback 62
John Cox 4
Dennis Kucinich 1
Rudy Giuliani 6
Total 897
This shows us that Ron Paul got nearly 37% of the votes cast. This exit poll only recorded 6% of the votes, which is very low. However, I believe there is a bit of a discrepancy here with Ron Paul's total in the official poll. Nine percent and 37% are a huge difference. Now unfortunately, this exit poll is not scientific and it did only get 6% of the total votes made in the straw poll. If it had captured 40-50%, then this information would be more accurate and could be used to stir up an investigation. Regardless though, we need to take another look at these voting machines and Mary Mosiman's role in this straw poll.
I blame my horrible sinus infection for not fully understanding all of this. It is wrong for Ron Paul's official campaign volunteers to be involved in this exit poll. However, I thought it was said that Ron Paul's campaign was telling his supporters not to be involved. I apologize for the misunderstanding. If Ron Paul's campaign were involved this would be a conflict of interest too and it would be no better than what Romney did.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Campaign: Statement on Iowa Straw Poll
On behalf of Dr. Ron Paul and his wife Carol, and the Ron Paul 2008 campaign staff, I thank our supporters and volunteers in Iowa and throughout the country for the strong showing in the Iowa straw poll. We are pleased and encouraged by the results.
We have the three ingredients for success:
1. The message: freedom, peace and prosperity.
2. The man: Ron Paul.
3. You.
Our campaign has begun.
Kent Snyder
Chairman, Ron Paul 2008
http://www.ronpaul2008.com
-------
Sorry Kent Snyder I will have to disagree with you on this one.
Is the Ron Paul campaign investigating the results of the straw poll? I certainly hope so and if not, why?
If we cannot agree that there was potential fraud in a non-binding straw poll, then how exactly are we going to win a Primary or Caucus where fraud is even more likely because of higher stakes?
Perhaps your campaign will pay more attention to the concerns of your supporters rather than letting them out to dry. I tried to warn you, but no one wanted to listen.
We have the three ingredients for success:
1. The message: freedom, peace and prosperity.
2. The man: Ron Paul.
3. You.
Our campaign has begun.
Kent Snyder
Chairman, Ron Paul 2008
http://www.ronpaul2008.com
-------
Sorry Kent Snyder I will have to disagree with you on this one.
Is the Ron Paul campaign investigating the results of the straw poll? I certainly hope so and if not, why?
- Why Mr. Snyder is the campaign acting like 5th place is a good showing at the Iowa Straw poll?
- Why Mr. Snyder is evidence of possible conflicts of interest being ignored?
- Why Mr. Snyder was action not taken before the straw poll to put pressure on certain individuals to ensure fraud could not occur?
- Were the voting machine failures looked into or are we believing Mary Mosiman and David Vaudt who are friends of the Romney campaign?
- Why Mr. Snyder is the Ron Paul campaign allowing the Iowa GOP and Story County Auditor walk over them with their demand of $184,000 for a recount?
If we cannot agree that there was potential fraud in a non-binding straw poll, then how exactly are we going to win a Primary or Caucus where fraud is even more likely because of higher stakes?
Perhaps your campaign will pay more attention to the concerns of your supporters rather than letting them out to dry. I tried to warn you, but no one wanted to listen.
Mike Huckabee Wins, Ron Paul Loses
Donklephant.com
A few days before the vote, people were saying RP would take 2nd or 3rd. That sounded about right to me.
I am not sure who planted this idea in the RP supporters that 5th place is good. It's not good. We lost guys! The media is telling us we did good, but I ensure you we did not. If we cannot win a straw poll how exactly are we going to win a Primary or Caucus?
Also those machines really troubled me too and it just so happens that a company who tracks billions and billions of dollars a day in their ATMs can't seem to count 14,000 ballots. Ahem...sure they can't. They can't when they don't want to.
Now what happens with these results is that the field is NOT going to be any smaller. Tancredo, Huckabee, Brownback will all be on the stage till the Primaries. The debates will still be crowded giving the candidates a small amount of speaking time. Perhaps Ron Paul won't be invited to them now with his "victory" of 5th place. It almost makes me laugh saying that.
I agree completely with Justin's take on this. Ron Paul is finished. The supporters may still go "rah rah" and hold signs on intersections, but this was the first and last test of Ron Paul. This may be harsh, but 5th place is pathetic especially in a race where 2 of the frontrunners were not even present. We lost to "2nd tier" candidates, so where does that put Ron Paul?
Well, Mitt actually placed first, and that was to be expected.
But what wasn’t expected is that Ron Paul would lose to Huckabee, Brownback and Tom “Bomb Mecca” Trancedo.
From the Des Moines Register…
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee had said his campaign’s future depended on a strong showing in Ames. He finished in second place, with 2,587 votes or 18.1 percent. Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas placed third with 2,192 votes, 15.3 percent after campaigning aggressively to be the choice of the Iowa GOP’s influential social conservatives.“Obviously this was an incredible day and victory for us,” Huckabee said. “What happened for us today was stunning.”
Huckabee said he and his campaign staff had been saying they had momentum and it proved true.
“We overperformed,” he said. “The bigger story is we did it with not a dime of paid advertising.”
Kudos to Huckabee and his team. He could be the dark horse in this campaign, as he’s been getting high marks from voters for his earnestness and likability. Seems like a guy they think they can trust.
Getting back to Ron Paul, I really do think this is a big blow for his campaign. A strong showing here would have rocketed him into the mediasphere, but losing to Tancredo? It means he remains an internet oddity, somebody that the media and the other candidates can dismiss as just a guy who figured out how to create some buzz on the internet.
-----A few days before the vote, people were saying RP would take 2nd or 3rd. That sounded about right to me.
I am not sure who planted this idea in the RP supporters that 5th place is good. It's not good. We lost guys! The media is telling us we did good, but I ensure you we did not. If we cannot win a straw poll how exactly are we going to win a Primary or Caucus?
Also those machines really troubled me too and it just so happens that a company who tracks billions and billions of dollars a day in their ATMs can't seem to count 14,000 ballots. Ahem...sure they can't. They can't when they don't want to.
Now what happens with these results is that the field is NOT going to be any smaller. Tancredo, Huckabee, Brownback will all be on the stage till the Primaries. The debates will still be crowded giving the candidates a small amount of speaking time. Perhaps Ron Paul won't be invited to them now with his "victory" of 5th place. It almost makes me laugh saying that.
I agree completely with Justin's take on this. Ron Paul is finished. The supporters may still go "rah rah" and hold signs on intersections, but this was the first and last test of Ron Paul. This may be harsh, but 5th place is pathetic especially in a race where 2 of the frontrunners were not even present. We lost to "2nd tier" candidates, so where does that put Ron Paul?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
A Partial Recount Confirmed
Marc Ambinder
AMES -- Mary Tiffany, an Iowa Republican Party official, confirms that at least one voting machine malfunctioned and that tabulators recounted at least 1500 ballots.
AMES -- Mary Tiffany, an Iowa Republican Party official, confirms that at least one voting machine malfunctioned and that tabulators recounted at least 1500 ballots.
The state party rented optical scan machines from Diebold, a company at the center of several recent voting controversies. Recently, the state of California de-certified Diebold machines for the 2008 election.
Yesterday, Iowans who support Ron Paul failed to get a judge to require a voter-verified paper ballot be used in today's straw poll. Separately, the state party told the Paul campaign that a full paper recount would cost $184,000.
Already, some Paul supporters are whispering about a challenge.
--
I think the results are pretty far fetched and it is worth a challenge. I really hope the Ron Paul campaign does not let them walk all over them. This needed to be addressed BEFORE the straw poll and it wasn't. I was called the wacko, weirdo, or the person hurting the campaign.
Here we are now after the poll, where the winners are announced all over TV and radio and TV interviews are being set up as I type. Instead of being proud of the results I would guess that every single Ron Paul supporter, in the back of their minds, are questioning the results. In my opinion, we are in a worse position challenging this after than we would have if we challenged it before hand.
This should be a learning experience for everyone involved.Straw Poll Results
Rightsfield.com
1. Mitt Romney 4,516 31.6%
2. Mike Huckabee 2,587 18.1%
3. Sam Brownback 2,192 15.3%
4. Tom Tancredo 1,960 13.7%
5. Ron Paul 1,305 9.1%
6. Tommy Thompson 1,039 7.3%
7. Fred Thompson 203 1.4%
8. Rudy Giuliani 183 1.3%
9. Duncan Hunter 174 1.2%
10. John McCain 101 0.7%
11. John Cox 41 0.3%
Oh, and there were major voting machine problems. Thank you, Diebold!
1. Mitt Romney 4,516 31.6%
2. Mike Huckabee 2,587 18.1%
3. Sam Brownback 2,192 15.3%
4. Tom Tancredo 1,960 13.7%
5. Ron Paul 1,305 9.1%
6. Tommy Thompson 1,039 7.3%
7. Fred Thompson 203 1.4%
8. Rudy Giuliani 183 1.3%
9. Duncan Hunter 174 1.2%
10. John McCain 101 0.7%
11. John Cox 41 0.3%
Oh, and there were major voting machine problems. Thank you, Diebold!
Straw Poll Voting Machine Failures
Marc Ambinder
AMES -- The announcement of tonight's straw poll results has been delayed due to what one informed source says was a voting machine malfunction. About 4,500 ballots had to be re-run.
-------
The results were delayed due to a voting machine failure. Oh gee! Isn't this what we were trying to tell people BEFORE the straw poll? These machines are not reliable. No one wanted to listen, but maybe they will now. Paper ballots put in clear boxes is the MOST reliable method out there.
Since we know what the unofficial results are the large number of votes that needed to be re-run is quite significant. That is 32% of the votes and let's not forget Romney only got 4516 votes... Therefore, 4500 votes is quite significant no matter how you look at it.
AMES -- The announcement of tonight's straw poll results has been delayed due to what one informed source says was a voting machine malfunction. About 4,500 ballots had to be re-run.
-------
The results were delayed due to a voting machine failure. Oh gee! Isn't this what we were trying to tell people BEFORE the straw poll? These machines are not reliable. No one wanted to listen, but maybe they will now. Paper ballots put in clear boxes is the MOST reliable method out there.
Since we know what the unofficial results are the large number of votes that needed to be re-run is quite significant. That is 32% of the votes and let's not forget Romney only got 4516 votes... Therefore, 4500 votes is quite significant no matter how you look at it.
Amazing Speech on C-Span
I don't know what made me think to turn on C-Span's live broadcast from the Iowa Straw poll, but when I did it was the one and only, Ron Paul.
He sounded amazing. He was firm, strong, and his voice was thunderous!
The speech literally brought tears to my eyes and the enthusiasm in the room was spectacular. It makes me wish I was there right now to help my fellow Ron Paul supporters. After that victorious speech Ron Paul just gave, if that doesn't persuade you to vote for him, I doubt anything would.
If you want to watch live, see this link. And click on whatever format suits you.
He sounded amazing. He was firm, strong, and his voice was thunderous!
The speech literally brought tears to my eyes and the enthusiasm in the room was spectacular. It makes me wish I was there right now to help my fellow Ron Paul supporters. After that victorious speech Ron Paul just gave, if that doesn't persuade you to vote for him, I doubt anything would.
If you want to watch live, see this link. And click on whatever format suits you.
Ron Paul, "Go tell the Romney people to do the right thing!"
In this article on The New York Time's blog called "The Caucus", Ron Paul tells his supporters who are not from Iowa to help persuade as many people as possible today.
He also had something to say to the Romney crew.
If you’re an Iowan, please go vote!” he said. And if not? “Go tell the Romney people to do the right thing!”
This made me smile! Ron Paul is great with words and this is a great one liner that I hope the entire Romney campaign hears this including his Leadership team member, Mary Mosiman. At least it lets them know we are watching.
He also had something to say to the Romney crew.
If you’re an Iowan, please go vote!” he said. And if not? “Go tell the Romney people to do the right thing!”
This made me smile! Ron Paul is great with words and this is a great one liner that I hope the entire Romney campaign hears this including his Leadership team member, Mary Mosiman. At least it lets them know we are watching.
Judge okays use of machines for straw poll
DesMoinesRegister.com
A federal judge shot down a request from a group of Iowans who distrust computerized voting machines and wanted ballots at today’s Republican straw poll to be stored in clear plastic containers then hand counted.
U.S. District Judge James Gritzner of Des Moines denied their request Friday for a temporary restraining order and an injunction against the straw poll’s use of the Diebold machines. The judge said there are no previous legal rulings that an unofficial straw poll offered by a private political entity is a public election that would be entitled to Constitutional protections.
The group of voting machine watchdogs oppose the Iowa Republican Party’s Presidential Straw Poll’s use of Diebold Election Systems machines. California elections officials decertified Diebold machines last week after a “top to bottom” security review found fundamental weaknesses. The California machines can still be used in that state, but new security measures are in place.
The machines at the straw poll are owned by Story County; 71 counties in Iowa use Diebold machines.
The watchdog group thinks the machines leave voting “ripe for fraud or machine failure – or even sabotage,” according to a complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.
The plaintiffs included five Iowans: Jennifer Maki of Dubuque, Pam Wagner of Homestead, Troy Reha of Des Moines, Ginger Corbett of Maquoketa and Roger Leahy of Fairfield. Three other plaintiffs, James Condit Jr. of Ohio, founder of Citizens for a Fair Vote Count; Robert L. Schulz of New York, leader of an organization called We the People; and Walter Reddy of Connecticut purchased the $35 tickets to the event but are not qualified to vote in the straw poll.
The complaint was filed against Story County election commissioner Mary Mosiman, Iowa Republican Party Chairman Ray Hoffman, the state of Iowa, Story County, and State Auditor David Vaudt. Voting will take place on the Iowa State University campus and be overseen by Mosiman’s office, with assistance from the state auditor’s office.
Mosiman on Friday expressed confidence in Story County’s machines, saying testing shows they’re counting the votes correctly.
“This is a very secure process and we wouldn’t want a machine that wasn’t functioning properly,” she said. (emphasis mine)
--End Article--
Let's not forget that Mary Mosiman is on Romney's Leadership Team.
I wonder who she wants to win? According to this article on IowaGop.net, it is interesting that she is one of several people who have full access to the machines.
"The Global Election Management System (GEMS) computer is used to prepare ballots and voting equipment programs, and to compile and report election results. The GEMS shall not be used for any other function. The GEMS computer is not and shall not be linked to the Story County network or to the Internet. Access to the GEMS computer is limited to the Story County Auditor, Assistant Auditor, Deputy Auditors, and designated election staff member(s)."
Well I think someone is going to be shamed today and it's going to be Ron Paul and his supporters. Action should have been taken earlier to correct this potential disaster.
A federal judge shot down a request from a group of Iowans who distrust computerized voting machines and wanted ballots at today’s Republican straw poll to be stored in clear plastic containers then hand counted.
U.S. District Judge James Gritzner of Des Moines denied their request Friday for a temporary restraining order and an injunction against the straw poll’s use of the Diebold machines. The judge said there are no previous legal rulings that an unofficial straw poll offered by a private political entity is a public election that would be entitled to Constitutional protections.
The group of voting machine watchdogs oppose the Iowa Republican Party’s Presidential Straw Poll’s use of Diebold Election Systems machines. California elections officials decertified Diebold machines last week after a “top to bottom” security review found fundamental weaknesses. The California machines can still be used in that state, but new security measures are in place.
The machines at the straw poll are owned by Story County; 71 counties in Iowa use Diebold machines.
The watchdog group thinks the machines leave voting “ripe for fraud or machine failure – or even sabotage,” according to a complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.
The plaintiffs included five Iowans: Jennifer Maki of Dubuque, Pam Wagner of Homestead, Troy Reha of Des Moines, Ginger Corbett of Maquoketa and Roger Leahy of Fairfield. Three other plaintiffs, James Condit Jr. of Ohio, founder of Citizens for a Fair Vote Count; Robert L. Schulz of New York, leader of an organization called We the People; and Walter Reddy of Connecticut purchased the $35 tickets to the event but are not qualified to vote in the straw poll.
The complaint was filed against Story County election commissioner Mary Mosiman, Iowa Republican Party Chairman Ray Hoffman, the state of Iowa, Story County, and State Auditor David Vaudt. Voting will take place on the Iowa State University campus and be overseen by Mosiman’s office, with assistance from the state auditor’s office.
Mosiman on Friday expressed confidence in Story County’s machines, saying testing shows they’re counting the votes correctly.
“This is a very secure process and we wouldn’t want a machine that wasn’t functioning properly,” she said. (emphasis mine)
--End Article--
Let's not forget that Mary Mosiman is on Romney's Leadership Team.
I wonder who she wants to win? According to this article on IowaGop.net, it is interesting that she is one of several people who have full access to the machines.
"The Global Election Management System (GEMS) computer is used to prepare ballots and voting equipment programs, and to compile and report election results. The GEMS shall not be used for any other function. The GEMS computer is not and shall not be linked to the Story County network or to the Internet. Access to the GEMS computer is limited to the Story County Auditor, Assistant Auditor, Deputy Auditors, and designated election staff member(s)."
Well I think someone is going to be shamed today and it's going to be Ron Paul and his supporters. Action should have been taken earlier to correct this potential disaster.
Iowa Straw Poll Is Here
Well today is the day. It's everything we have been waiting for these past few months! The voting in the Iowa Straw poll will open at 10am and continue until 6pm. Ron Paul needs to show he has a large amount of real offline support or it will hurt him significantly. I can see the headlines now if Ron Paul finishes poorly...That's why this straw poll is so important and I think in some ways it is more important to this campaign than the others.
There will be tons of media anxiously awaiting for the events of the day and of course the final voting results. According to this website, there were 600 journalists from more than 250 news media organizations on hand at the 1999 straw poll. That's why we need a good showing. All eyes are on Ron Paul! I certainly hope Ron Paul's campaign can pull this off for the future of our country.
I have butterflies in my stomach because of the latest developments with the conflict of interest. However, I am trying to give everyone involved the benefit of the doubt. All we want is a fair vote and if Ron Paul gets 5th in a honest, fraud free vote, then so be it! However, if he gets last place and there is evidence of fraud, I will be extremely upset. I may have to change my focus from Ron Paul to the voter fraud because Ron Paul will NEVER get the nomination if these electronic machines are in place.
If I were supporting another candidate, I would still be as concerned as I am right now. This has nothing to do with what candidate I am cheering on the sidelines. It has everything to do with the idea that if our elections are fraudulent then our country is already gone. If we cannot elect leaders of our choosing, then we live in a dictatorship. Simple as that!
Today I will be watching the news and first hand accounts from people on the ground in Iowa.
For those of you interested in the official schedule, you can view that here.
There will be tons of media anxiously awaiting for the events of the day and of course the final voting results. According to this website, there were 600 journalists from more than 250 news media organizations on hand at the 1999 straw poll. That's why we need a good showing. All eyes are on Ron Paul! I certainly hope Ron Paul's campaign can pull this off for the future of our country.
I have butterflies in my stomach because of the latest developments with the conflict of interest. However, I am trying to give everyone involved the benefit of the doubt. All we want is a fair vote and if Ron Paul gets 5th in a honest, fraud free vote, then so be it! However, if he gets last place and there is evidence of fraud, I will be extremely upset. I may have to change my focus from Ron Paul to the voter fraud because Ron Paul will NEVER get the nomination if these electronic machines are in place.
If I were supporting another candidate, I would still be as concerned as I am right now. This has nothing to do with what candidate I am cheering on the sidelines. It has everything to do with the idea that if our elections are fraudulent then our country is already gone. If we cannot elect leaders of our choosing, then we live in a dictatorship. Simple as that!
Today I will be watching the news and first hand accounts from people on the ground in Iowa.
For those of you interested in the official schedule, you can view that here.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Romney Leadership Team Member Overseeing Straw Poll
I could certainly write volumes about this, but I think the facts paint the picture themselves.
The Iowa GOP is facing possible suit over their use of the same Diebold machines that were just de-certified. Story here.
They are claiming of course, that there is nothing to worry about since the voting procedure will be conducted with the assistance and oversight of the Story County Auditor's Office. Story here.
If we look here we see the Story County Auditor is Mary Mosiman.
Mary Mosiman also happens to be on Mitt Romney's "Romney for President Leadership Team".
So there you have it, the Story County Auditor who will take part in overseeing the voting on the questionable machines is part of a team dedicated to "help Governor Romney share his vision for America".
That's a blatant conflict of interest and this is something we cannot ignore.
PS. It's also worth noting that according to this article, Romney's Commonwealth PAC gave State Auditor David A. Vaudt $1,000 in 2004.
The Iowa GOP is facing possible suit over their use of the same Diebold machines that were just de-certified. Story here.
They are claiming of course, that there is nothing to worry about since the voting procedure will be conducted with the assistance and oversight of the Story County Auditor's Office. Story here.
If we look here we see the Story County Auditor is Mary Mosiman.
Mary Mosiman also happens to be on Mitt Romney's "Romney for President Leadership Team".
So there you have it, the Story County Auditor who will take part in overseeing the voting on the questionable machines is part of a team dedicated to "help Governor Romney share his vision for America".
That's a blatant conflict of interest and this is something we cannot ignore.
PS. It's also worth noting that according to this article, Romney's Commonwealth PAC gave State Auditor David A. Vaudt $1,000 in 2004.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Iowa GOP Extorting Ron Paul Campaign
VERY IMPORTANT!
nationalexpositor.com
Director of communications for the Ron Paul Campaign, Jesse Benton, stated today that the Iowa GOP would charge the Paul camp $184,000 if they wanted to verify a paper count of the coming Iowa straw poll. Today, on the Dale Williams radio show, Mr. Benton said there will be a manual electronic count of the Iowa poll results. What Mr. Benton did not explain, as exposed in a previous National Expositor Article, “it is commonly known that this manual count” with Diebold machines “would only consist of spot checks of the voting machines for device calibration purposes. This does not constitute a verifiable check of the accuracy from either an engineering or statistical perspective.”
-
Click here to Listen to the --- Interview
-
In what amounts to extortion, the Iowa GOP is telling the Ron Paul campaign they must pay an excessive amount of money to manually verify the results in this weeks’ poll. Both Florida and California have recently decertified the same electronic Diebold voting machines that will be used in Iowa. The validity of the upcoming Iowa straw poll should not rest on one campaign but is the responsibility of the Iowa GOP.
You must let the Iowa GOP know that you disapprove of the use of decertified Diebold electronic voting machines and nothing short of a verifiable manual paper ballot would be acceptable for the Iowa straw poll this week.
This is a call to action, anyone who wants a verifiable election must call the Iowa GOP and demand a back up paper count. Iowa Republican Party - (515) 282-8105
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Ron Paul Odds Slashed From 15 to 1 to 8 to 1
Gambling911.com
Following this weekend's Republican debate in Iowa and some extensive mainstream coverage and sound bytes., 2008 US Presidential candidate Ron Paul's odds to become the next Commander-in-Chief have been slashed further from 15 to 1 to 8 to 1.
The Presidential betting odds for most candidates have barely moved in recent weeks at Sportsbook.com and Ron Paul's odds have remained steadfast at 15 to 1 for the past two months after heavy action forced the online bookmaker to slash his odds from 100 to 1.
There are usually very little fluctuations this early in the campaign as most of the betting takes place the few months leading up to Election Day while in 2004, several million dollars were bet on Election Day alone.
Sportsbook.com is heavily referenced by Gambling911.com for its political betting odds menu. Sportsbook.com is the largest North American-facing sports betting website in terms of overall volume of customers.
2008 Presidential candidate Ron Paul sat down with Gambling911.com's Kira Wissman for a few moments Friday night following his speech at a rally in Mars, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. The time spent was brief since Paul had to rush out on his way to Iowa the next morning.
Paul was very adamant regarding Internet gambling prohibition and Internet prohibition across the board.
Dr. Paul is co-sponsoring with Barney Frank (a Democrat). He said that Congressman Frank had approached him about co-sponsoring the bill to legalize online gambling and he had agreed.
“I believe strongly that the internet should not be regulated by the federal government and believes even more strongly that people should be free to engage in the activities they wish, as long as they are willing to take responsibility for their actions.”
I also asked about the likelihood of such a bill passing. He agreed its chances were remote because of the stigma attached to the internet.
“The majority of people in Washington were afraid to support the internet for fear it would label them ‘pro-porn’ or ‘pro-gambling’.”
Paul voted against anti-Internet gambling and poker legislation attached to an unrelated port security bill last October (The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, also known as UIGEA).
Heavy fluctuations in betting odds is typically caused by the amounts of money coming in (public betting action). For sporting events, news related to injuries and weather could play a role in line changes without relying first on public response (betting volume on a particular side).
At press time, Ron Paul's payout potential sat at $800 for every $100 bet. Amazingly, he was listed with the same odds (8 to 1) as Mitt Romney, who is widely considered to be among the front runners in the Republican party.
John McCain's odds remained at 5 to 1. Rudy Giuliani remained at 3 to 1 odds.
"The old taunt reflects a deep economic principle: Talk is cheap, but if someone is willing to risk money, it means they're serious," writes Tim Harford of Slate.com, a general-interest publication offering analysis and commentary about politics. "Put the principle into action and you realize that electoral forecasters should pay as much attention to the betting odds as to the opinion polls.
"When money is on the line, informed people, perhaps including insiders, have an incentive to turn their knowledge into cash by making big bets. In the process they make the odds more accurate. And of course, there are several reasons to lie to pollsters, but no reasons to make a money-losing bet."
Iowa Straw Poll Voting Machines in Question
nationalexpositor.com
VERY IMPORTANT: PASS THIS AROUND TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!
National Expositor Exclusive – Yesterday, Ernest Hancock, candidate for Arizona secretary of state spoke with Mary Tiffany, communications director for the Iowa state Republican Party. During the conversation, Tiffany confirmed that there will be no manual recount for the Iowa straw poll that occurs on Saturday. [Emphasis mine]This weeks Iowa straw poll is to take place using the same Diebold electronic voting machines that have come into question in recent days. In an article in the Washington Post, Debra Bowen, California’s Secretary of State made the decision to withdraw approval of future use of the Diebold systems. “All of the voting systems studied had serious design flaws that have led directly to specific vulnerabilities, which attackers could exploit to affect election outcomes," Bowen explained.
Computerworld, this week reported that Florida’s Secretary of State, Kurt Browning also withdrew approval of the same Diebold voting systems. “In a letter sent to Diebold Election Systems President David Byrd on Tuesday, Browning said that vulnerabilities cited in the report must be fixed by Aug. 17 or the vender’s certification would be denied.”
Both Florida and California in one week have decertified Diebold’s electronic voting machines. This should send a clear message to Iowa’s GOP that anything other than paper ballots would be unacceptable in this weeks straw poll. The Republican party of Iowa may claim that they will be doing manual checking of the Diebold systems, however, it is commonly known that this manual count would only consist of spot checks of the voting machines for device calibration purposes. This does not constitute a verifiable check of accuracy from either an engineering or statistical perspective.
Based on the same evidence that has forced California and Florida to decertify electronic Diebold voting machines it is not only reasonable to request a manual count of the votes in Iowa, but highly advisable. Anything short of a verifiable paper count will be unethical.
VERY IMPORTANT: PASS THIS AROUND TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!
National Expositor Exclusive – Yesterday, Ernest Hancock, candidate for Arizona secretary of state spoke with Mary Tiffany, communications director for the Iowa state Republican Party. During the conversation, Tiffany confirmed that there will be no manual recount for the Iowa straw poll that occurs on Saturday. [Emphasis mine]This weeks Iowa straw poll is to take place using the same Diebold electronic voting machines that have come into question in recent days. In an article in the Washington Post, Debra Bowen, California’s Secretary of State made the decision to withdraw approval of future use of the Diebold systems. “All of the voting systems studied had serious design flaws that have led directly to specific vulnerabilities, which attackers could exploit to affect election outcomes," Bowen explained.
Computerworld, this week reported that Florida’s Secretary of State, Kurt Browning also withdrew approval of the same Diebold voting systems. “In a letter sent to Diebold Election Systems President David Byrd on Tuesday, Browning said that vulnerabilities cited in the report must be fixed by Aug. 17 or the vender’s certification would be denied.”
Both Florida and California in one week have decertified Diebold’s electronic voting machines. This should send a clear message to Iowa’s GOP that anything other than paper ballots would be unacceptable in this weeks straw poll. The Republican party of Iowa may claim that they will be doing manual checking of the Diebold systems, however, it is commonly known that this manual count would only consist of spot checks of the voting machines for device calibration purposes. This does not constitute a verifiable check of accuracy from either an engineering or statistical perspective.
Based on the same evidence that has forced California and Florida to decertify electronic Diebold voting machines it is not only reasonable to request a manual count of the votes in Iowa, but highly advisable. Anything short of a verifiable paper count will be unethical.
CALL:
Iowa Republican Party - (515) 282-8105
Monday, August 6, 2007
Why I Have Been Slacking...
Since I can barely make posts once a week on Ron Paul, I just wanted to give a brief explanation why. My intent was to make this one of the biggest blogs on Ron Paul on the internet. Unfortunately due to my worsening health, I am just unable to dedicate as much time as I need to do this.
I am in stage 5 (out of 7) of adrenal fatigue and it's caused a lot of trouble for me. I can barely get out of bed some days now and I certainly can't think clearly enough to make posts. Some days are better than others, so when I can I try to post. One of the worst symptoms is this overwhelming frustration I feel every day.
That's my deal. I am making a blog about my problems, so I can vent my frustrations. You can visit it at this link adrenal-fatigue-nightmare.blogspot.com.
I am in stage 5 (out of 7) of adrenal fatigue and it's caused a lot of trouble for me. I can barely get out of bed some days now and I certainly can't think clearly enough to make posts. Some days are better than others, so when I can I try to post. One of the worst symptoms is this overwhelming frustration I feel every day.
That's my deal. I am making a blog about my problems, so I can vent my frustrations. You can visit it at this link adrenal-fatigue-nightmare.blogspot.com.
Ron Paul: "The Internet Should Not be Regulated"
Gambling911.com
This is an article by Kira Wissman. I remember seeing her at the rally and am very glad to see this article is positive.
While heading down the Pennsylvania Turnpike on my way to the Ron Paul Rally in Mars, PA, I was thinking about what to expect. “Maybe 100 or so people filling a small banquet room” – that’s what I was expecting. I pulled into the parking lot at the Four Points Sheraton, and quickly realized how wrong I was. The parking lot was jammed. I took one of the last spots in the lot, and I was 45 minutes early! The cars in the lot resembled something you would see at a Jimmy Buffett concert – many were painted with various slogans all supporting Ron Paul for president.
This is an article by Kira Wissman. I remember seeing her at the rally and am very glad to see this article is positive.
While heading down the Pennsylvania Turnpike on my way to the Ron Paul Rally in Mars, PA, I was thinking about what to expect. “Maybe 100 or so people filling a small banquet room” – that’s what I was expecting. I pulled into the parking lot at the Four Points Sheraton, and quickly realized how wrong I was. The parking lot was jammed. I took one of the last spots in the lot, and I was 45 minutes early! The cars in the lot resembled something you would see at a Jimmy Buffett concert – many were painted with various slogans all supporting Ron Paul for president.
There were thousands of people streaming into the event. As I walked into the lobby of the hotel, I was greeted by volunteers handing out posters, t-shirts and bumper stickers. I made my way to the conference room where the rally was to be held and found a seat relatively close to the front. I was sitting near a group of people from Ohio who had driven a long way to see Dr. Paul speak. There were groups from Philadelphia encouraging the crowd with cheers and chants. The entire room was alive with excitement and anticipation.
Shortly after 8pm, Dr. Paul’s press secretary, Jesse Benton took the stage and introduced Dr. Paul with a short speech and a video clip that showcased the campaign thus far. Soon after, Dr. Paul took the stage and began a speech that lasted nearly an hour and a half. He covered many topics – all of which supported a basic theme – one’s individual freedom. To full story
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Pittsburgh Rally Huge Success!
The Pittsburgh rally was a huge success on Friday evening! I suspect there were at least 1,500 people there and that does not include the number of people who were in the hallways and standing on the sides.
Ron Paul gave an excellent speech that ran for over an hour! I truly feel this man is being empowered by a Being much higher than us. He is a 71 year old man, traveling from one end of the country to another, attending to his duties in Congress, doing multiple interviews a day, being a good husband, father and grandfather, in all the while as he makes his march for the White House. I am in my 20's and cannot possibly imagine doing this! I look up to him because of the amount of motivation and willpower he has to keep doing this each day. He knows that his message is what can change this country around and bring all of us together.
This was the first time I have ever heard Ron Paul speak and it was like no other political rally I have been to before. There wasn't that fluffy rehearsed nonsense or the weird zombie-like supporters that other candidates have. He spoke, not like the other candidates who have their fake sense of strength in their voice, but with a sense of honesty and courage. Anyone in the audience that was not a Ron Paul supporter certainly left the rally feeling a large amount of pride in our Constitution, our country, and trust in Ron Paul.
The best part of the whole event last night was when my husband and I turned down our street to find a new Ron Paul sign in one of our neighbor's yards. It was so unbelievable that we both shrieked with joy when we saw it! This just goes to show that there are supporters of Ron Paul all over the place.
If we all put a sign in our front yard, we could show America our real numbers. I encourage everyone to buy a Ron Paul sign and proudly place it in your front yard for ALL to see! We have been getting honks and I can only contribute them to our nice new Ron Paul sign. There are supporters out there! As we saw in Cranberry Township yesterday, more than just a few internet spammers and crazed wackos!
Ron Paul gave an excellent speech that ran for over an hour! I truly feel this man is being empowered by a Being much higher than us. He is a 71 year old man, traveling from one end of the country to another, attending to his duties in Congress, doing multiple interviews a day, being a good husband, father and grandfather, in all the while as he makes his march for the White House. I am in my 20's and cannot possibly imagine doing this! I look up to him because of the amount of motivation and willpower he has to keep doing this each day. He knows that his message is what can change this country around and bring all of us together.
This was the first time I have ever heard Ron Paul speak and it was like no other political rally I have been to before. There wasn't that fluffy rehearsed nonsense or the weird zombie-like supporters that other candidates have. He spoke, not like the other candidates who have their fake sense of strength in their voice, but with a sense of honesty and courage. Anyone in the audience that was not a Ron Paul supporter certainly left the rally feeling a large amount of pride in our Constitution, our country, and trust in Ron Paul.
The best part of the whole event last night was when my husband and I turned down our street to find a new Ron Paul sign in one of our neighbor's yards. It was so unbelievable that we both shrieked with joy when we saw it! This just goes to show that there are supporters of Ron Paul all over the place.
If we all put a sign in our front yard, we could show America our real numbers. I encourage everyone to buy a Ron Paul sign and proudly place it in your front yard for ALL to see! We have been getting honks and I can only contribute them to our nice new Ron Paul sign. There are supporters out there! As we saw in Cranberry Township yesterday, more than just a few internet spammers and crazed wackos!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
What Have I Been Doing?: Iowa Mail Program
Well I know it's been a few days since I made a post and I wanted to let everyone know why.
My husband and I committed to sending 500 letters to Iowan voters. This is an opportunity that the campaign made available about a week ago. You can find out more information here if you are interested. Just be sure you know that these letters need mailed ASAP and you are expected to pay for postage. We must allow at least 4-5 days for transit time, so the latest I would mail them is Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
Everyone can do at least 20 letters. Really if you do it the way my husband and I did, each person could do 100 if they had a few hours of time available. This is something you could do while watching T.V. and we all waste way too much time that way now!
Do not handwrite the whole letter. I know the campaign says that they would like them handwritten, but let me give you my reasons why I think it's a dumb idea.
So this is what we did and you can copy the letter I will post below. This letter was put together with input of a poster by the name of DavyDuke17 here.
First, I addressed ALL envelopes by hand. This part you MUST handwrite because it will get the letter opened, which is extremely important in our case.
Now according to USPS, you do not need to put a return address as long as you refrain from using the pre-printed labels for your postage. If you want your letters opened, you should be using a real stamp any way. Do not use those pre-printed machines because it will look like junk mail.
Lastly, the letter inside should be signed on the bottom. It will make it more personable.
The Letter: *Drum Roll* Spacing and HTML is a little off because I had to paste it first into notepad for this to work. I went back and tried to fix up the styling. It fits perfectly on a 8.5x11 sheet of paper.
Dear Friend,
We are unpaid volunteers writing to you in support of presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul. Like most Americans, we believe that this country is headed in the wrong direction and Ron Paul is the only presidential candidate that offers real hope for America.
What would make us devote our free time writing you today in support of this man?
Ron Paul is currently in his 10th term in Congress and has proved time and again that he votes on principle before party. He takes his vow to uphold the Constitution very seriously, as well as his commitment to lowering taxes and lowering the size of the federal government.
Here is a Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record:
*He has never voted to raise taxes.
*He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
*He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
*He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
*He has never taken a government-paid junket.
*He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
*He voted against the Patriot Act.
*He voted against regulating the Internet.
*He voted against the Iraq war.
*He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
*He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
Congressman Ron Paul is very tough on the fight against illegal immigration. While he agrees that strong border enforcement is crucial, he realizes that we must end the incentives that cause the flood of illegal immigrants to come into this country. This includes ending the free handouts for illegal aliens that we cannot afford and putting an end to birthright citizenship or "anchor babies".
Ron Paul has been an outspoken leader against the Iraq War since before the invasion and advocates a humble foreign policy overseas while keeping us strong here at home. The Iraq War has diverted us from our fight against Al Qaeda and our hunt for Osama Bin Laden, which has only strengthened our enemy.
We would like you to consider supporting Paul for President at the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames on Saturday, August 11 from 10 am to 6 pm.
We invite you to visit his website at www.ronpaul2008.com or call toll free at 1-800-Ron-Paul to learn more about him and his positions. The best way to support him is to vote for Ron Paul at the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa. To RSVP and get more information, go to www.ronpaul2008.com and click the Iowa icon at the top of the page. We hope you can join us and we appreciate your time.
Sincerely,
The Brown Family
"In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
The overall cost for sending 500 letters came out to about $300. Here were the expenses so you know what you may be getting yourself into.
Feel free to post this anywhere, where more people could become involved in this program. We need more people to take action! Any questions, please put them in the comments section. TY!
My husband and I committed to sending 500 letters to Iowan voters. This is an opportunity that the campaign made available about a week ago. You can find out more information here if you are interested. Just be sure you know that these letters need mailed ASAP and you are expected to pay for postage. We must allow at least 4-5 days for transit time, so the latest I would mail them is Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
Everyone can do at least 20 letters. Really if you do it the way my husband and I did, each person could do 100 if they had a few hours of time available. This is something you could do while watching T.V. and we all waste way too much time that way now!
Do not handwrite the whole letter. I know the campaign says that they would like them handwritten, but let me give you my reasons why I think it's a dumb idea.
- People with bad handwriting automatically are turned off
- It drastically limits the number of letters you can complete
- You will get carpal tunnel after writing out 20 letters.
- Even though it is a personal letter it will look sloppy and hard to read
So this is what we did and you can copy the letter I will post below. This letter was put together with input of a poster by the name of DavyDuke17 here.
First, I addressed ALL envelopes by hand. This part you MUST handwrite because it will get the letter opened, which is extremely important in our case.
Now according to USPS, you do not need to put a return address as long as you refrain from using the pre-printed labels for your postage. If you want your letters opened, you should be using a real stamp any way. Do not use those pre-printed machines because it will look like junk mail.
Lastly, the letter inside should be signed on the bottom. It will make it more personable.
The Letter: *Drum Roll* Spacing and HTML is a little off because I had to paste it first into notepad for this to work. I went back and tried to fix up the styling. It fits perfectly on a 8.5x11 sheet of paper.
Dear Friend,
We are unpaid volunteers writing to you in support of presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul. Like most Americans, we believe that this country is headed in the wrong direction and Ron Paul is the only presidential candidate that offers real hope for America.
What would make us devote our free time writing you today in support of this man?
Ron Paul is currently in his 10th term in Congress and has proved time and again that he votes on principle before party. He takes his vow to uphold the Constitution very seriously, as well as his commitment to lowering taxes and lowering the size of the federal government.
Here is a Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record:
*He has never voted to raise taxes.
*He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
*He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
*He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
*He has never taken a government-paid junket.
*He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
*He voted against the Patriot Act.
*He voted against regulating the Internet.
*He voted against the Iraq war.
*He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
*He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
Congressman Ron Paul is very tough on the fight against illegal immigration. While he agrees that strong border enforcement is crucial, he realizes that we must end the incentives that cause the flood of illegal immigrants to come into this country. This includes ending the free handouts for illegal aliens that we cannot afford and putting an end to birthright citizenship or "anchor babies".
Ron Paul has been an outspoken leader against the Iraq War since before the invasion and advocates a humble foreign policy overseas while keeping us strong here at home. The Iraq War has diverted us from our fight against Al Qaeda and our hunt for Osama Bin Laden, which has only strengthened our enemy.
We would like you to consider supporting Paul for President at the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames on Saturday, August 11 from 10 am to 6 pm.
We invite you to visit his website at www.ronpaul2008.com or call toll free at 1-800-Ron-Paul to learn more about him and his positions. The best way to support him is to vote for Ron Paul at the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa. To RSVP and get more information, go to www.ronpaul2008.com and click the Iowa icon at the top of the page. We hope you can join us and we appreciate your time.
Sincerely,
The Brown Family
"In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
The overall cost for sending 500 letters came out to about $300. Here were the expenses so you know what you may be getting yourself into.
- Envelopes w/ sticker seal - $20 for 500 Envelope
- Paper/Off-white color - $8 for 500 sheets
- Stamps - $205 for 500 stamps
- Copies - $37 for 501 copies @ $0.07 a piece
- My Time - $0 ;-)
- Total $270
Feel free to post this anywhere, where more people could become involved in this program. We need more people to take action! Any questions, please put them in the comments section. TY!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Paul stands tall with talk on freedom
It looks like Rick Beltram was happy with this weekend's turnout. The article written in the Spartanburg Herald Journal is extremely positive and is probably one of the most fair articles written to date in the Old Media. I am glad that we are all getting along now. Thank you Rick Beltram you surprised me!
Click here for the full article in SHJ:
A little-known Texas congressman seeking the Republican nomination for president visited Spartanburg Saturday and seemed to arrive with all the makings of rock-star candidate for his party - despite low polling, little name recognition and a relatively small campaign staff.
Click here for the full article in SHJ:
A little-known Texas congressman seeking the Republican nomination for president visited Spartanburg Saturday and seemed to arrive with all the makings of rock-star candidate for his party - despite low polling, little name recognition and a relatively small campaign staff.
Supporters call it the "Ron Paul Revolution." You might have seen it on signs or T-shirts. Or MySpace.
"We've lost our faith and confidence that freedom really works," Paul said to an enthusiastic, almost fanatical, crowd.
"In most countries, tyranny reigns. Freedom is under attack. It's under attack in this country, as well."
Paul said he believed a stronger adherence to the Second Amendment over the past decade could have thwarted the 9/11 terror attacks - and that this country has gone in the wrong direction with "government bureaucrats taking away our toothpaste at the airport." He said America can't afford to continue to support its military presence abroad, which he called a "world empire." He accused the government of "creating money out of thin air," straying from the constitutional monetary standards of gold and silver. And he said he's against abortion because a fetus has the same rights as an adult human being.
He also made several references to Gov. Mark Sanford's voting record while in Congress, noting that, "If you found two people voting together, it was Mark and myself. He would make an exceptionally good vice president." Full Story Here
Friday, July 20, 2007
Rick Beltram: Small number of people on the Ron Paul bandwagon
Goupstate.com which is the website for Spartanburg Herald Journal, is reporting there will be a low turnout for the Spartanburg County Ron Paul rally being hosted by Rick Beltram. Now Rick hasn't been the most friendly person in the past. Perhaps he is being hit by some blowback. He really should have listened to Ron Paul in the debates or he would have seen this coming.
In an article previously published in the Spartanburg Herald Journal, Rick Beltram stated:
"He can stay home," said Beltram, who for months held that this county would welcome all Republican candidates.
"Well, the door's closed for him."
"I'm not going to extend him an invitation to come here because he has managed to insult and in many ways abuse Republican activists with his strident lingo. When he attacked Bush, that we created 9/11 - that's an absolute lunatic talking," Beltram said.
"I can't put up walls to keep him out, but I don't have to invite him here to a county function."
Rick, why do you think Ron Paul supporters want to pay your county's republican party $25/ person to see Ron Paul, when they can see him for free in the next town over in Greenville?
However, I know exactly what Beltram will do and if Ron Paul's support is larger than anticipated, it won't be reported or it will be overlooked. Beltram won't look to see who comes to Greenville. He will only see those willing to fork out $25 to support his county and to invite other candidates that don't even want to talk about the Constitution or our freedoms. That is why I personally could never go to that rally in SC. I know the type of people it is indirectly supporting.
I don't think this will be another "Iowa" because of the cost involved. Jesse Benton from the Paul campaign thinks the "low" turnout has to do with the cost as well.
We will have to wait and see what happens.
In an article previously published in the Spartanburg Herald Journal, Rick Beltram stated:
"He can stay home," said Beltram, who for months held that this county would welcome all Republican candidates.
"Well, the door's closed for him."
"I'm not going to extend him an invitation to come here because he has managed to insult and in many ways abuse Republican activists with his strident lingo. When he attacked Bush, that we created 9/11 - that's an absolute lunatic talking," Beltram said.
"I can't put up walls to keep him out, but I don't have to invite him here to a county function."
Rick, why do you think Ron Paul supporters want to pay your county's republican party $25/ person to see Ron Paul, when they can see him for free in the next town over in Greenville?
However, I know exactly what Beltram will do and if Ron Paul's support is larger than anticipated, it won't be reported or it will be overlooked. Beltram won't look to see who comes to Greenville. He will only see those willing to fork out $25 to support his county and to invite other candidates that don't even want to talk about the Constitution or our freedoms. That is why I personally could never go to that rally in SC. I know the type of people it is indirectly supporting.
I don't think this will be another "Iowa" because of the cost involved. Jesse Benton from the Paul campaign thinks the "low" turnout has to do with the cost as well.
We will have to wait and see what happens.
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