Free Republic

At 2:00 p.m. today in Tampa, the Republican National Committee, led by Team Romney, is moving to shut down conservative grassroots activists. I’ve been on the phone with several individuals involved in the fight who tell me that the fight is not over, it is only just starting.Specifically, the media is reporting that the rules fight is over because Team Romney is abandoning Ben Ginsberg’s effort to allow candidates to control delegates. Under an initial proposal, delegates would, in effect, be chosen by the presumed nominee’s campaign and not based on votes in the states and delegate selection processes in...

First of all, let me congratulate Rick Perry, and Republicans in general, for focusing on the idea of less spending and lower taxes. This is the complete opposite of the kind of “austerity” approach that fiscal conservatives often stumble into during times of budget distress. snip The first reaction of government insiders and their corporate cronies is never to cut themselves off, but rather to reduce important services. Thus, we get the same waste and theft as before, fewer services, and higher taxes. snip Less spending should be focused on cutting waste and graft, and preserving, as much as possible,...

Rep. Raul Labrador, a newcomer to Washington, reminded the crowds at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) of the current context: “We weren’t elected because the American people love Republicans. We were elected because the American people love Republican principles.” Not to throw cold water on a sentiment whose intent I can only applaud, still, it’s hard not to offer a challenge: What principles? Craven accommodation to the military-industrial complex? Empty “limited government” windbaggery? Inertia? The American people do respect many of the principles that have become commonly bandied-about in American politics, associated with the Republicans since Reagan or before....

From Alaska to Georgia, Sarah Palin has pursued a familiar political path this year, endorsing Republican candidates and picking up political chits. Potential presidential candidates have done that in midterm campaigns for more than a generation, often disclaiming any interest beyond helping their party or, in her case, the GOP women she calls "Mama Grizzlies." "That's not where my focus is," she said recently when asked about 2012 on Fox News Sunday. She may have scored a notable success in helping oust Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Tuesday's Alaska GOP primary, but overall her record has been mixed. She helped Nikki...

The Republican Governors Association announced its new leadership lineup today after their annual meeting concluded Thursday in Miami. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was voted RGA chairman, taking over the top job from Texas Gov. Rick Perry who will now serve as finance chairman. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is vice-chairman, while Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will serve as chair for the annual RGA gala, and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue will head up the recruitment effort. . . . Not on the list? Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who also attended the Miami meeting. Some Republican governors grumbled to CNN that Palin’s...

Harris County Court-at-Law Judge Roberta Lloyd today dissolved a court order restricting how the Texas Republican Party should run its convention under state law this week in Houston. Lloyd said the order, issued last week by retired substitute judge Tom Sullivan, was improper because her court lacks jurisdiction over such a case. She suggested the group of Republican delegates and activists who asked for the order take the case to the Court of Appeals in Houston — and that's where the group headed late this afternoon. The group, headed by Wharton County GOP Chairman Debra Medina and represented in court...

Republican activists' Houston case warned state leaders will try to shut out grass-roots opposition at meeting next week A Harris County judge on Wednesday ordered the Texas Republican Party to comply with state election law at its state convention in Houston next week after Republican activists alleged that the party illegally uses procedures to minimize grass-root dissent. Visiting Judge Tom Sullivan issued the temporary restraining order on Wednesday, a few hours after it was requested in a lawsuit filed by activists across the state. Represented by lawyer Gary Polland, a former Harris County Republican Party chairman, the group alleges that...

Ron Paul 'revolution' to flex views at GOP convention By David Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, May 30, 2008 Ron Paul and a legion of his die-hard supporters plan to descend on the Republican National Convention in September -- not to surrender to John McCain, but to begin the next phase of Paul's "revolution." Paul, 72, a 10-term Texas congressman and Green Tree native, likely won't be allowed to speak at the convention, as many of his backers had hoped, because he refuses to endorse McCain, Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said Thursday.

The Nevada Republican party suspended its convention on Saturday night with no delegates elected to attend the party's national convention in September. The state party chairman, Sue Lowden says that the party will reconvene to nominate the state's 31 delegates in Las Vegas at a later date. An argument over the delegate nominating process sent the party into disarray. The nominating committee put forth a list of candidates and called for a vote. Ron Paul supporters on the floor were unhappy with the list of candidates. Through a rule change, delegates were able to start nominating candidates from the floor...

RENO, Nevada (AP) — Outmaneuvered by raucous Ron Paul supporters, Nevada Republican Party leaders abruptly shut down their state convention and now must resume the event to complete a list of 31 delegates to the GOP national convention. Outnumbered supporters of expected Republican presidential nominee John McCain faced off Saturday against well-organized Paul supporters. A large share of the more than 1,300 state convention delegates enabled Paul supporters to get a rule change positioning them for more national convention delegate slots than expected. "I've seen factions walk out. I've never seen a party walk out," said Jeff Greenspan, regional coordinator...

Senator Tom McClintock: "I'm not sure if Ron Paul is presidential Timber" 7 Days Before The Primary, McClintock Refuses To Endorse Ron PaulBy Martin HillLibertyFight.com: As a former supporter of California State Senator Tom McClintock, I've been very disappointed in im in recent years, particularly after he endorsed gun-grabbing socialist Arnold Scwarzenegger in 2006. So last week I wrote and posted the article 'Which Big-Government Socialist Will Tom McClintock Endorse Next?' (I also posted it at RON PAUL WAR ROOM and DAILY PAUL). When I had started writing the article, Fred Thompson was still in the race for president. Then...

"Before Ron Paul can get elected, he has to be nominated by delegates at the Republican National Convention which will take place in St. Paul, Minnesota. September 1-4, 2008. We have to get elected as delegates to the convention. Electoral college delegates have to be constitutionalists because they elect the president by casting their vote. Those who support Ron Paul must begin the process now of getting elected as a delegate to the convention or it's all over and the GOP faithful will get the shadow government's choice shoved down their throats - again. The power players behind the scenes...

The Texas congressman is not likely to be president, but his campaign already represents the most significant pro-freedom movement in recent American history. ...So how did a 72-year-old grandfather who is self-effacing and slender to the point of looking frail on television (he doesn't in person) become the closest thing to a rock star the Republicans have produced, swarmed for autographs at every appearance? Raised in Pittsburgh, Ron Paul attended Duke medical school, served in the Air Force, and began practicing medicine (he's an OB-GYN) near Houston. Along the way he started reading writers like Ludwig von Mises and Friederich...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson seemed taken by surprise when asked Tuesday about oil drilling in the Everglades, apparently unaware it's been a major Florida issue. Before answering, he laughed at the question. "Gosh, no one has told me that there's any major reserves in the Everglades, but maybe that's one of the things I need to learn while I'm down here," Thompson said after talking over state issues with Gov. Charlie Crist.

Rudy Giuliani 30 Fred Thompson 22 John McCain 18 Mitt Romney 7 Ron Paul 4 Mike Huckabee 4 Duncan Hunter 2 Sam Brownback 2 Tom Tancredo 1

Fred Thompson must be the luckiest guy in American politics – he doesn't yet have a platform available on his web site, skips debates, waits for months before announcing under the assumed role of “testing the waters”, records videos on his web site and somehow manages to bring in impressive support from the American people.

Coming off the Iowa Straw Poll the momentum for the Ron Paul 2008 campaign continues to build. Congressman Ron Paul has finished in the top 5 in 16 of the last 17 straw polls and can claim 1st place victories in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Washington, and Alabama. In comparing results head-to-head, Congressman Paul has blown away most of the field, defeating Rudy Giuliani in 15 of the 17 polls and John McCain in 15 of the 16 polls. There are straw polls coming up all across the country so be sure to check in with your local GOP to...

Many of you know that I help organize the Duncan Hunter "meetup" group(s). I decided to peek in at the "competition" and found it very interesting that Ron Paul supporters are being urged to attend the MoveOn.org rally.... http://ronpaul.meetup.com/1/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3421862 I post this because I know there are a lot of folks on FR that support Ron Paul.. I just wonder if you are participating in this effort.. or what you think about this whole business of catering to MoveOn.org .... quote from an active Ron Paul supporter Somebody posted a thread concerning moveon, and letting their members know about Ron...

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. On the other hand, it does not show much honesty, integrity, or conviction. The latest test of this principle is to watch “1st tier” presidential candidate Mitt Romney start to emulate the political philosophy of “2nd tier” candidate Ron Paul. Ron Paul has been in favor of small government since he became a Congressman. He has been in Congress for ten terms or twenty years. (Ron Paul is currently listed with 8 to 1 odds of becoming the next US President) Throughout that time he has consistently advocated that we strictly...

“That’s what you get for pretending the danger’s not real. Meek and obedient , you follow the leader down well trodden corridors, into the valley of steel. What a surprise! A look of terminal shock in your eyes! Now things are really what they seem. No, this is not a bad dream.” Excerpt from the song Sheep by Pink Floyd I’ve noticed a number of people on the Internet complaining about Ron Paul supporters recently. Many of them have the same complaint, that Ron Paul supporters are too pervasive. They call them Ron Paul spammers. They claim that a...