CPAC Organizers Trying To Avoid Another Ron Paul Straw Poll Win
Posted: 02/ 9/2012 12:17 am
WASHINGTON -- The organizers of a major conservative conference here over the next three days are trying to widen participation in a straw poll, a not-too-subtle attempt to give a Republican presidential candidate other than Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) a chance to win.
For the past two years, Paul has won, by large margins, a straw poll of attendees at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. The results have been something of an embarrassment for CPAC, organized by the American Conservative Union, which comes from a more traditional conservative point of view than Paul's libertarian-tinged version.
This year, the American Conservative Union and CPAC are moving from paper ballots to electronic voting that will be accessible from a computer or a handheld device, said Al Cardenas, the conservative union's current president. He told The Huffington Post that he hopes this will increase the number of attendees who participate in the straw poll.
"Obviously, in the past, it's been somewhat compromised because only a third of the people who attend voted," Cardenas said in an interview. "It used to be a fairly cumbersome process because you had to do it manually. Now, for the first time this year we're instituting an electronic vote.
"So people can vote through Saturday afternoon, and before, that wasn't the case," he said. "And we're hoping that instead of having a third of those in attendance vote, we'll have two-thirds or more vote."
More than 10,000 people are expected to attend, Cardenas said. He said that he wasn't "worried" that Paul would win the straw poll for a third year in a row.
"Curious is more like it," Cardenas said. "In the past, to his credit, about 80, 90, 100 percent of people who were there and liked Ron Paul voted, and probably a very small percentage of those who liked others bothered to vote.".....................>>>>..........................>>>>..................http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/09/cpac-ron-paul-_n_1264500.html
Ah electronic vote, no rigging there. I love the reason for the switch "because it was to cumbersome to have to vote manually"
"In the beginning of a 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 story kind of backs up the news at the time... that Ron Paul supporters would pack the hall for the purpose of winning the poll, not to attend the conference. The only people who bothered to vote were the Paul supporters... the majority didn't vote so Paul was a shoe in. Had voting been mandatory, Paul would have lost by a large margin.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The story kind of backs up the news at the time... that Ron Paul supporters would pack the hall for the purpose of winning the poll, not to attend the conference. The only people who bothered to vote were the Paul supporters... the majority didn't vote so Paul was a shoe in. Had voting been mandatory, Paul would have lost by a large margin.
Even if this is true, the supporters of other conservatives can do the same thing...But they don't...
Like the rappers say...Don't hate the playa - hate the game...
Even if this is true, the supporters of other conservatives can do the same thing...But they don't... .
Ron Paul supporters understand that Paul is basically a fringe candidate, and if presented as a Ralph Nader type fringe candidate, he will fail. To give the illusion that Paul is a "Mainstream Candidate" Paul groupies seek out a venue that will give Paul the "appearance" of being legitimate... example the CPAC poll.
Since no other candidate even bothers with the straw poll, it's winner is irrelevant.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Ron Paul supporters understand that Paul is basically a fringe candidate, and if presented as a Ralph Nader type fringe candidate, he will fail. To give the illusion that Paul is a "Mainstream Candidate" Paul groupies seek out a venue that will give Paul the "appearance" of being legitimate... example the CPAC poll.
Since no other candidate even bothers with the straw poll, it's winner is irrelevant.
Paul is the only candidate that is campaigning on sound change. The Lamestream media and the 'system' are enjoying the inflated ride and don't want to see their cash cow gone! Paul's ideology is catching on like wild fire. The reps know they don't have a chance WITHOUT Paul. They can do all the manipulative maneuvers that they want.....but at the end of the day....Paul and his supporters will be a force to be reckoned with.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Paul's ideology is catching on like wild fire. Paul and his supporters will be a force to be reckoned with.
What makes you think Paul is "catching on"... his support is roughly the same as it was when he announced... 5-15%. Unless Paul gains a few hundred more delegates... the rest of the GOP contenders can ignore Paul... "not a force to be reckoned with".
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
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