The Flow of Consciousness

I’ve been analyzing the results of the primary for the past few days in order to get a better idea of the meaning of the results. 99.51% of precincts in PA have reported as of this writing.

I did some canvassing at the Wilmington Township precinct, trying to get folks to vote for Carrie Duffield, the only Ron Paul-supporting delegate who got on the ballot for the 4th Congressional District. I’m pretty sure that most of the Republicans to whom I spoke voted for her—all 20 of them. However, Carrie didn’t get enough votes to get the delegate spot. It was a valiant try, though. Steven O’Conner from the 12th got fourth place, but there’s only three spots there. He missed it by 50 votes.

A few other Ron Paul delegates from western Pennsylvania did get enough votes: Robert Tamburo in the 14th and Chris Detar from the 18th.

On the presidential race, McCain got 576,333 votes, or 72.8%, Huckabee, who has been out of the race since March 4, got 90,035, or 11.4%, and Ron Paul got 125,843, or 15.9%. It’s appalling and nearly insulting that 90,000 Pennsylvanians voted so irresponsibly. Many of Huckabee’s policies were similar to Paul’s, so I’m sure that much of that 11.4% could have gone to Paul.

Locally, the Lawrence County numbers were disappointing. McCain had 74%, Huckabee 14%, and Paul 12%. Statewide, though, the numbers were better. Berks County had the best Ron Paul showing, scoring 26% of the vote. Crawford County had 23%, and Lancaster County had 22%. Allegheny County, home of Ron Paul’s native Pittsburgh, managed 16% to Huckabee’s 9% and McCain’s 75%.

I must remind my readers that the presidential race on the PA ballot doesn’t mean anything. It’s a glorified straw poll, really. PA Republicans directly elect their delegates. Unfortunately, the candidate whom a delegate supports is not listed on the ballot, so supporters of the candidate/delegate must inform voters for whom to vote as they are entering the precinct.

However, it is somewhat indictative of the public opinion of the candidate. Some may see that McCain had approximately 73 percent of the vote. However, I, and John Nichols of The Nation see it that McCain lost 27% of the PA vote. This is further proof that a large part of the Republican party does not support the gentleman—and I use the term only as an honorific—from Arizona.

Stephen Dinan of The Washington Times had another analysis of McCain’s less-than-commanding showing indicating “displeasure” with the party’s candidate, but his analysis was not as quote-worthy as some of the comments to the post. One user said, “130,000. Ron Paul got one hundred and thirty thousand votes, despite the media blackout. The revolution is real, people.” In response to the McCain campaign’s comment on the results, another user said, “So what the McCain Campaign is really saying, is that they would rather concentrate on trying to get votes from registered Democrats and Independants than fixing the issues that have fragmented and tarnished the Republican party. There’s some strait talk for ya.”

I agree. McCain is a RINO: Republican in name only. It is unfortunate and disappointing that the majority of the Republican party seems to be following him. Perhaps the complement of that contingent—the part that wants Real Change in Washington—will recognize this and remain steadfast, refusing to support someone who does not believe as they do.

Also, McCain has not yet released his medical records. I find such a release neither unconstitutional nor unreasonable, especially given McCain’s age. He’d be the oldest president at the time of his election, should that occur. I can’t help but shudder when I think of such a thing.

I haven’t heard the delegate counts yet for the Republicans. The Democrats overwhelmingly chose Clinton in the popular vote, but she only gained 10 delegates (83 to Obama’s 73, according to CNN’s PA results). She got 55% of the vote, winning all but a handful of counties.

I will continue to support liberty forever. Ron Paul is our current philosophical leader, and when he is no longer able to be the leader, someone will rise to take his place. Liberty cannot die.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 22, is the PA Primary Elections. Don’t forget to vote!

If you’re a Republican, be sure to vote for the delegates who are sponsoring Ron Paul. You can find your district and for whom you should vote at www.votinginpa.com. If you’re in the 4th Congressional District like me, vote for Carrie Duffield.

In PA, the people directly elect delegates—the party race is a glorified straw poll. He or she who has the most delegates “wins” the state.

C’mon, PA, let’s show the country how important liberty is to the keystone state by scoring a win for the Champion of the Constitution.

Don’t forget to pick a copy of The Revolution: A Manifesto. My copy arrived Friday and I’m devouring it like a delicious and moist cake.

Need I say more?

Graph courtesy of the National Taxpayers’ Union. Information courtesy of FortBendNow.com.

I wish I could say that I wrote this, because it’s a fantastic overview of McCain’s FEC debacle caused by his own McCain-Feingold act. Colleen Smith wrote it, and if someone can find where this has been publicly posted, I’ll link to it. I’ve added a few things for clarification and edited for brevity.

Presidential candidate [McCain] (yes, candidate, not nominee) has a bumpy road concerning economics.

First, he admits not knowing economics very well (1) (2).

Then, he states that he knows economics very well (3) (4).

Apparently, the first statement holds true as he has now broken his own law and he will no longer have enough delegates to be the Republican nominee (5).

Chairman of the commission David Mason, however, warned McCain last month that his withdrawal request had not yet been granted. McCain has two problems with this issue:

1. If the FEC allows Mccain to withdraw from FED matching funds he will be revoked from many delegates in states that he was able to be on the ballot without the required number of signatures therefore he will lose any delegates for him in those states.
2. If the FEC doesn’t release him from matching funds he will be capped at 50 million dollars and will kill his run for president because he will not have the money to compete.

The problem is even more complicated than this. McCain used the matching funds eligibility to avoid having to collect signatures to qualify for ballot access in several states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Those state wins must be voided according to most experts on the issue. That means he does not have the necessary delegates. Ironic that it was his law (McCain-Feingold) that got him in this mess.

McCain broke the law.

Please sign the petition and take action to remove his delegates. UPDATE: Digg the petition, too.

The delegates in these states need to file the motion at their conventions for McCain to be revoked of all his delegates in those states for failure to comply with election ballot state law requirements.

Perhaps John McCain should consult with the ranking member of the House Finance Services Committee? If there is one person specifically expert enough to iron out John McCain’s financial blunders and to provide insight as to how to repair our nations economic problems it is the ranking member of the House Finance Services Committee.

McCain wants additional war spending and am interest rate of zero.

Where are we headed?

What can be done to soften the impact of the looming crisis?

And then there’s the irony of Petition Online’s advertising system.

I finally got these on-line.

Ron Paul entering

Real Change = Smaller Government

“I’m not talking about superficial change, I’m talking about real change. We don’t need more government, what we need is a lot less government. We don’t need more government meddling in our personal lives, and we don’t need more government trying to run the economy. And we don’t need more of our government mandates and dictates to police the world. What we need to do to bring our troops home and save a lot of money.”

Extended remarks

It was a fantastic evening. I’ve made contact with the lovely lass who took a picture of me with the Congressman—she’ll have the picture to me when she finds or buys a USB cable for her camera.

I was thinking this earlier: We must beware of those promoting superficial change, and especially when promised by unethical candidates and candidates who break the law and ignore the Constitution.

Tonight, I attended a rally for Dr. Ron Paul, the only true fiscal conservative—and libertarian— running for president. It was held at University of Pittsburgh’s Bellefield Hall.

Dr. Paul urged supporters to continue to fight to restore our liberties and protect the constitution. It was incredible to actually hear him in person and shake his hand afterward. He has the aura of benevolent power around him; a certain kind of celebrity which rockstars and models could only dream of.

When I told him that I hope to join him in Congress in 2010 or 2012, he said, “Hehe, alright. I hope to see you.” With that, I’m even more wanting to get into politics.

He may not win the Republican nomination, but he’s done much more than simply run for the presidency. He’s shifting the thinking of a whole new generation of Americans and given Americans who have been around for a while a new hope with an examination of how old ideas can be made new. I look at what I’ve learned in the past six or seven months as a stalwart Paul supporter—if kids were taught what I now know in schools, we’d not be in this mess we’re in and we’d have a Congress that follows the constitution and the rule of law.

Check out my Facebook gallery of pictures from the rally.

I will post videos as soon as Revver or YouTube finishes with them and I get a chance to post them. I’ll also post a picture of myself with the Congressman when it arrives from the lovely lass who took it.

Biggest win of the evening: Ron Paul signed my voter registration card

Ron Paul was on KDKA AM 1020 this evening. I took notes as I listened.

The beginning topic was monetary policy, mostly the rampant inflation caused by the Federal Reserve printing more money, thus devaluing the money already in circulation. He clarified that most people think of printing more money as literally printing more money, but the process is actually handled more by computers and the processes by which our economy handles the creation of wealth. An example of this is when the Federal Reserve issues bonds to the government for money which doesn’t exist. This essentially creates money, driving us more into debt, devaluing the dollar, and causing prices to rise.

“We are more likely to destroy the dollar than do the right thing.”

On the new, sweeping changes which give the Federal Reserve oversight of a lot of the mortgage market: “The Federal Reserve is an unconstitutional organization…and we want to give them more power?…We’re moving closer to socialism…actually fascism…” Note: I know very little about the new legislation, so I didn’t understand some of what they were discussing.

“There’s a large number of people who are…now aware, but not fully understanding.” Young people are becoming more aware of the debt the current government is creating. They may not understand it entirely, but they are concerned and they don’t like what they hear.

“This notion that conservatives should always support war is wrong…that Republicans should always support war.” He acknowledges that Republicans who do that often get labeled as the “Blame America First” crowd and made out to be like Jane Fonda.

“I’m in medicine. If we make a mistake, and keep killing people, we acknowledge it and change. I think we’re using the wrong medicine in Iraq, and we need to acknowledge it and change, by pulling out.” [heavily paraphrased]

“Our troops follow the oil wells. 8 years ago…Colombia…made out to be drug war…oil lobby pushed harder…oil wells in Colombia.”

Domestic drilling? “I think that’s a good idea.” “When Texas came into the union, there was almost no government ownership of lands.” The people owned the lands, and they drilled. “Private property solves these problems…In Alaska, everyone owns it; no one owns it.” Nothing gets done.

Host: “In order to accomplish this, you’d have to reverse everything done in the past 40-50 years.” RP: Basically. “My supporters call it the Ron Paul Revolution, but really it’s the revolution started by our forefathers.”

Universal healthcare. “Get the government out of the way; it’s destroyed the private practice of medicine.” “Rules laws and taxes on it.” “Best thing to do is to let people choose, let them take medical expenses out of taxes.” “Idea that government can deliver better healthcare than the private sector is wrong.”

“Have to have priorities….cut back what we do overseas….hundreds of millions of dollars to help AIDs in Africa, and no one actually every sees the money.” Stop all overseas spending, pull the troops home, and take care of our own.

Host: “Congressman, you’re making too much sense.”

Race issue. Racial divide. “Government hasn’t done a very good job…grandest solutions came out of private sector…sports. Government designates people as groups.” How can you have laws which help groups? Libertarians see the individual, and don’t categorize. Affirmative action.

Education. “I don’t like nationalizing anything like education.” It’s something that could be amended into the Constitution. “No authority for federal government to be involved in education.”

Environment. “Local people with property rights, with local regulations, are far more effective…at dealing with pollution…than federal regulations.” ”

Plans for convention. “I have no plans, no intentions [to run third-party]….supporters active in PA…stickin’ by supporters and the chance to really change the country. No reason in the world why Pennsylvanians shouldn’t be able to vote for a true conservative with a constitutional background.

“Changing the course of the country is far more important than winning the election.” [paraphrased]

Host: “What he’s proposing would involve changing the minds of way too many people.” People interpret his distaste for federal control to be a distaste for the topic, e.g. he wants to get rid of the department of Education, so he doesn’t think education is important. This is incorrect thinking. Ron Paul thinks it is of high importance, and that the government can’t possibly know what’s best for everyone.

Callers highlighted the Freedom March on Tax Day and that his honesty is tip-top.

If you can find a recording of it, send it to me and I’ll update the quotes.

Ron Paul is a constitutionalist.

Ron has never voted to raise taxes.
Ron has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
Ron has never voted for the Iraq War.
Ron has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
Ron has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
Ron has never voted to raise congressional pay.
Ron has never taken a government-paid junket.

Ron voted against the Patriot Act.
Ron votes against regulating the Internet.
Ron voted against NAFTA and CAFTA.
Ron votes against the United Nations.
Ron votes against the welfare state.
Ron votes against reinstating a military draft.

Ron votes to preserve the constitution.
Ron votes to cut government spending.
Ron votes to lower healthcare costs.
Ron votes to end the war on drugs.
Ron votes to protect civil liberties.
Ron votes to secure our borders with real immigration reform.
Ron votes to eliminate tax-funded abortions and to overturn Roe v Wade.

Ron is never gonna give you up.
Ron is never gonna let you down.
Ron is never gonna run around.
Ron is never gonna desert you.
Ron is never gonna make you cry.
Ron is never gonna say goodbye.
Ron is never gonna tell a lie.
Ron is never gonna hurt you.

(You wouldn’t get this from any other guy)

Congress once voted to appropriate relief aid for a couple of families in Georgetown whose houses had burned. Congressman David “Davy” Crockett was out a few days later seeking votes for an upcoming election. He met a person named Bunce who disagreed with the vote, because Congress was not granted the power of charity.

“The congressmen chose to keep their own money, which, if reports be true, some of them spend not very creditably; and the people about Washington, no doubt, applauded you for relieving them from necessity of giving what was not yours to give. The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution.”

Mr. Bunce said this, speaking to Congressman Crockett. Crockett immediately agreed, and changed his stance on the matter, promising never again to vote in favor of such a bill.

You should read the full story, available at a certain favorable candidate’s web site.

Side note: If you’re in western PA, join the RP meetup group.

A group of grassroots organizers is behind a new Ron Paul promotional advertisement meant primarily for Pennsylvania and other states which haven’t yet held primary elections. The promo is called “The High Tide” and features a beautifully rendered CG version of the Presidential candidate and real audio from speeches and rallies.

Arcfx is the company behind The High Tide.

The Youtube video doesn’t do the project any justice. Definitely head to the site and get the HD version.