I didn’t know what to expect today when I went to my first caucus, but what I witnessed was a hot mess.
The event started under the leadership of Kevin Rosenbohm, the chair of the Missouri GOP Committee in Nodaway County. It started with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Then, the revolution began.
In selecting the caucus leadership, Rosenbohm was replaced as Convention Chairman by Mark Galbraith. Considering Rosenbohm’s position with the GOP and his standing in the community, this was a surprising upset and raised the hackles on a few of the old order of Republicans there.
Then a vote was called for Convention Secretary. Two women were nominated. Following the vote, it was discovered that there were two more people voting than were signed up. One woman, the treasurer for the Women’s GOP, had not signed in, an oversight since she had actually been signing everyone else up.
I’m not sure if she was upset that Rosenbohm was not running the caucus, or just angry in general, but before it could even be voted on to let her sign up after the caucus began, she was gathering her things and preparing to storm out. The caucus members decided to let her sign in after all.
The other person who forgot to sign up was Kevin Rosenbohm. There was some amusement when that was discovered. (And for the record, Rosenbohm showed no ill feeling in defeat. He was a professional throughout. Others in attendance could take a lesson from him.)
Galbraith then appointed his Parliamentarian, replacing the temp Rosembohm had appointed. I think Galbraith’s appointee was named Chris Reeves. His shirt read, “Veterans for Ron Paul.”
You could hear more hackles raising around the room. The intensity was picking up.
Some of the establishment types around the room began muttering to others nearby. The sniping was really quite disgusting. But it would get much worse.
As the new leadership of the caucus tried to muddle their way through the event, I was reminded why I resigned from the local elected government. People can be downright ugly when they are not getting their way.
When it finally came time to propose a slate, only one slate was completed. Two were turned in, but one was only partially done. A debate began on whether a partially completed slate could be finished at the caucus and what the definition of “considered” was. Did it mean considered for a vote or did considered mean when you actually voted on it?
In the end, it was decided that only slates turned in completed would be considered, and since most had not completed a slate prior to the caucus, the most organized group and the only one with a slate won out.
It’s no surprise they were mainly Ron Paul supporters, however, they had also included Romney and Santorum delegates in the mix.
At this point, the establishment GOP types in the room were aghast. Who were these people? Who do they support? One woman said, “I’ve never seen them before and I’ve lived here for 50 years!”
There was one point that I agreed with, regarding the visible irritation of the establishment. One of the members of the county GOP committee said to me that some of these people had been working and organizing and planning with the GOP for years and had never seen the people who were dictating the terms of the caucus. They were upset because they saw the fruits of their labor being taken away from them and used for an agenda they didn’t agree with.
I’m sure that was true, but that’s the process. There’s no call for the ugliness I witnessed.
Let me give you the most disgusting example of what I am talking about. As the delegates were giving their unnecessary biographical history and voting preferences, a young man in the back spoke up. He was sitting in a wheelchair. He said he was from the town, supported Ron Paul and was a veteran who was injured in combat.
He said America didn’t need to have troops overseas anymore.
From the front, one of the older women who had been mumbling nasty things to her sisters-in-arms said, “Well, I guess someone forgot that freedom isn’t free.”
I couldn’t hear it from where I was standing, in the back near the wounded veteran, but my wife was sitting near her when she said it, and I take her at her word.
I’m glad the veteran, nor I, heard the woman say what she said. I had joked a bit before that to a woman standing near me that if things got any more intense, the caucus would start to look like a South Korean Parliament, with members throwing blows at one another. Had I heard her, it might have been the verbal equivalent.
In the end, I don’t know who the delegates are going to vote for, or what the heck even happened. I voted, but for what? My choice was a bunch of folks who will go vote for whomever they want, or no representation at all. And believe it or not, a lot of the establishment GOP voted to go unrepresented rather than have what they saw as the Ron Paul Revolutionary Guard casting ballots in their name.
I do know that there was ugliness and bitterness on full display, showing division between the establishment and grassroots on a microscopic level. I hope that those who showed their worst side today think about how they treated fellow Republicans today, but I don’t believe they will.
I left feeling amazed, and saddened by the ugly side of freedom.
I like how there is a very serious debate going on in GOP politics right now across the country. At least it shows there is passion and real concerns about what the GOP should stand for. It’s a necessary process. And it’s something the brain dead liberals can’t fathom- a party that is ultimately tolerant of divergent points of view.
That’s a shame you came out of there feeling that way. I bet this was a drastic change for all the people who are set in their ways and expect things to stay the same forever.
My sister and her husband had a similar experience in Kansas City. In that case the usurpers were apparently Ronulans.
And by “usurpers” you mean “voters.”
Get it straight and stop with the doublethink.
“Ronulans”
Maybe using ridicule to demean someone in your own party is best way to convince them that your point of view is better than theirs. Or maybe it just makes you look and sound like a dick to them, insuring that they will never give your opinions a fair shot.
While I can agree with your comment, to say that RP Supporters don’t give off a view that they’re acting the same way would just be wrong.
The things I’ve heard RP supporters say were just as snarky and closed-minded as that old lady.
I support many of the things that RP stands for, but when he opens his mouth about foreign policy, he nearly loses me completely. You don’t say things like “Well, if Iran attacked us, it would be a retaliatory strike. The first strike is us blockading them” in a GOP Debate and expect people to think you know what you’re talking about.
Even if you believe that, you don’t say it publicly so that Iran can turn and use it against us. He says things like that a little too often for my taste, even if I also believe that we could close down most of our military bases and be ok. Even if I believe that if we have no intention of winning Afghanistan we should have never gone, and we should leave as soon as possible. ESPECIALLY if they (Afghans) are going to act like a bunch of unhappy, unthankful jackasses. Even if I believe the Fed is a bad thing and that SSI is a multi-generation ponzi scheme and that we should close down the IRS (or at least leave it at about 3-4% of what it is now). Even if I believe that the EPA needs to close it’s doors (along with both DOE’s, and the NRC).
Ultimately, I wish we could take Newt’s big ideas, Santorum’s conservatism and ideas on manufacturing, Romney’s business smarts (or better yet Herman Cain’s) and Paul’s constitutionalism and get a candidate that way. Ron Paul, in his 15th attempt to run for President (yes, sarcasm), is about as snarky and closed-minded in some of his comments as that old lady. RP isn’t perfect, despite what some RP supporters want us to think.
How does a guy that gets it so right about domestic issues and the economy(predicted housing bubble burst in 2001) suddenly not have a clue about foreign policy? He predicts the housing bubble and says the reckless actions of the Fed caused it and no one listens. He is able to predict our future dealings and mishandlings in the Middle East and the disaster it would turn into years before they happen, but he is somehow a man that doesn’t “understand” foreign policy. The guy has studied foreign policy for 30+ years. He has studied economics for 30+ years. I read somewhere else somebody said he doesn’t understand how the Fed works! Can you at least explain to me why we need 900 military bases around the world and how that keeps us “safe”?
Maybe you didn’t read what I said. You couldn’t be bothered to leave your name…
“I support many of the things that RP stands for, but when he opens his mouth about foreign policy, he nearly loses me completely. You don’t say things like “Well, if Iran attacked us, it would be a retaliatory strike. The first strike is us blockading them”"
“He says things like that a little too often for my taste, even if I also believe that we could close down most of our military bases and be ok.”
Just a general FYI here (and appropos to no particular candidate) – Blockading a nation is an act of war. We have initiated a “blockade” against Iran via the mechanism of the “sanctions”. Therefore the statement that “if Iran attacked the US it would be retaliatory” is a correct statement.
As to the closing of the o’seas military bases – based on anectdotal information from friends who recently were, or are in the military, and on things I saw or was aware of during my military service, it is my understanding that most of the US “bases” around the world are not there primarily for military missions – but are for what would be called “humanitarian missions”. For example the US Military presence in the Horn of Africa primarily consists of Army and Navy Engineers and Seabees who are building market roads, schools, and drilling fresh water wells for the people in small villages. This activity has been going on for decades. One of my brothers was an army reservist who spent a lot of time in Central America doing exactly that. So I guess I’d say that the majority of these “bases” are there more as humanitarian efforts/foreign aid than as military endeavors. So these “bases” could be closed down without affecting our military posture in the world.
As a relatively new MO resident and never having done a caucus before, I got a rude awakening at the Cass County GOP caucus this morning.
First, they changed the location the day before, which threw myself and lots of other folks for a loop.
The GOP website said my caucus was at 10:30 am, nothing more. It did not say people would be locked out if they were late, or that it was encouraged to show up hours in advance. I showed up at 10:34 after figuring out the new location, and was turned away. What kind of system has that restrictive a time window for voting? A system that favors people with lots of free time, that’s what. Casual voters with lives need not apply.
It also wasn’t clear what the heck I would actually be voting on. I was researching the candidates the night before and then realized I wasn’t going to be voting for candidates, but just some delegates to cast votes at a convention. Just utterly bizarre. But I never even got the chance to do that.
Thank you Sir for your eye witness account. All across this nation, for far to long, the political process has been conducted by a small minority. Now, that our nation has been run into the ditch by these very same people, new blood is and will be entering the political fray. So, you can expect a lot more folks to get their nose out of joint as Ron Paul supporters join the political process. Let’s all pray that cool heads prevail and christian charity rule the day as “We the People” take back our Republic. God Bless you and your wife and God Bless the United States of America.
ever heard of separation of church & state? no need to interject your religion! I would prefer more logical minds prevail, & not those willing to bet it all on “faith” in something there is absolutly NO evidence of its existence, besides your “faith”!!
.Woah empty jay your comment has nothing to do with what is being discussed. Almost as if you were interjecting your “personal” opinion not too be logically discussed but just to provoke your invisible enemies, who frighten you not because of what you know but because you don’t understand their beliefs. I would prefer people who comment have some thing to say rather than spew the gibberish of a frightened child.
I’m eric d. bjerke jr. and I approve this message
I’m an old guy but young in spirit so I can see both sides here. A bunch of duffers set in their ways gets swamped by a bunch of energetic, motivated, younger voters and they feel like their entitlement has been stolen. No doubt right before that they had complained for the umpteenth time that “there aren’t any young people in the party. Us older people are the only ones willing to do anything.” Life is funny.
This Country is living a lie from the wars to the bond market to the stock market to the US Dollar to the President to the Congress. This isn’t one of these institution’s that isn’t a complete and utter fraud! Anyone who stands behind the lies of the dying “neocon wing” of the Republican Party had better get a grip. The Ron Paul Revolution ain’t going anywhere to educated yourself and wake your ass up! It’s all a lie man, top to bottom! Need some links?
I had a similar experience today in Clay County. The Ron Paul people were heated, but they realized the manipulation that was taking place at the hands of the county machine. I went to the caucus intending to vote for Rick Santorum, but wasn’t given the opportunity. We had 2 slates of candidates: the one produced by the party locals, and the one given by Ron Paul supporters. I could either vote for people I didn’t know who would vote for what? Or I could vote for Ron Paul delegates. I voted with the Ron Paul supporters. They lost. It appeared to me that Ron Paul had the largest group of supporters at the caucus, yet they lost. Apparently this kind of thing has happened before. No wonder they feel disenfranchised and angry.
And who will the Clay County delegates vote for? Who Knows?
Thanks for sharing your account of what happened!
What the Republicans have been doing for the last 20 years isn’t working. If it was, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in right now. I’m happy to see new blood infusing itself into the process.
The lady who fired off the cliche without realizing she was making herself look like an ass… embarrassing.
I don’t think the lady who made the comment about the young man in the wheel chair meant it to criticize him. I didn’t hear it the way it was reported here.
I have another source who heard the comment made and they took it the same way as reported here.
I heard it myself also. Maybe it depends if you were expecting to be insulted or not. I heard it as actually an affirmation of the young man and did not know how in any way it could have been taken as a criticism. Did people think she meant the young man in the wheel chair forgot freedom wasn’t free? He of all people knows freedom isn’t free. However, some people do forget freedom isn’t free… this young man helped to pay for your freedom. I think the lady was recognizing this. God Bless Him.
Why all the hatred of Ron Paul? people call him a kook. I ask why and they have no answer. They say he’s an isolationist and I ask why Reagan was not called the same since he was a non interventionist just like Ron Paul. Again, they do not know. They say he has no clue about foreign policy. I ask why he gets more in military donations than all the other candidates combined. All I get is a blank stare. I guess it’s hard to call the troops a bunch of crazed kooks huh? People want just one honest person, they get one and they fight to destroy him and not even let him be heard. It’s ok folks. Freedom isn’t that scary and I bet even you can handle it.
Thank you! And I wish you had heard that comment. Better yet, I wish that wounded vet had heard that. Unbelievable!
I don’t think the comment was intended to criticize the young man in the wheel chair.
[...] American Blogger: The Ugly Side of Freedom – My Experience at the Missouri Caucus (Nodaway County) Share this:TwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. Posted in Not [...]
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[...] Day Massacre” in Charles County, complete with video of Stafford’s arrest.UPDATE V: Duane Lester at All American Blogger describes his experiences at the Nodaway County caucus:At this point, the establishment GOP types in the room were aghast. Who were these people? Who do [...]
I don’t think the older GOP members were wanting to have “no representation” than have the Paul supporters. They knew if the slate of “vote for us but we won’t tell you who we support” people failed then the rules could be ammended and a more orderly process could be put in place. I do not think anyone on the “mystery slate” was for Santorum.
I was amazed people could be elected delegates without having to say who they supported or what they believed. Were they afraid? Ashamed?
your right on no Santorum votes. it was stated in the rules that no one had to share who they supported. if you wanted to know who then amend the rules. Majority of the delegates went to RP and a few to Mitt. All and all the rules were stated and voted on by over half of the caucus as good rules. What kills me as when someone wanted to change the rules to allow slates to be made at the meeting (by a RP supporter) the santorum people voted it down… so we really can’t complain too much if your playing us vs them.
I meant to add, I do not think the comment about “freedom is not free” was intended as a criticism of the young man in the wheel chair.
[...] All American Blogger has the ugly side of freedom [...]
If you go
to a caucus with intention of “making a difference” you are too late.
This is what those “establishment” people understand and why they are
upset. Our elections are sponsored by parties and to make a difference through
the political process you have to work though your party. Are you a member of a
local political club? Do get involved in your community? Do you go to city or
school board meetings? Do you find candidates and support them for these
positions. Do you make phone calls for your candidates? Hold coffees for them?
Go door to door? Do you run for public office? If your local political party is
inactive, what are you doing to change it? Do you go to your local Lincoln Days
to meet candidates? Do you go to your state Lincoln Days to meet candidates?
These “establishment” people are actually elected to their positions.
They work for months to put the caucuses together and put together delegate
slates and can only work with people they know. When, you show up at a caucus
to make a difference, it is too late.
Apparently not.
“They were upset because they saw the fruits of their labor being taken away from them”
Thats what the crew of the exxon valdez said. thats what the crew of the Costa Concordia said. To quote the crew of the Titanic: “Look out below cause this ship is too big to fail!”
Apparently not.
I was involved in the slate that won the vote. we are voting RP 6 delegates and Mitt 2 for the total of 8.
[...] though, I want you to read a couple other accounts (The Other McCain and All-American Blogger) of the incidents, including the comments, and learn that Ron Paul supporters sometimes leave a lot [...]
I think you captured the intensity of the caucus very well. There was incredulity and a little frustrated griping, but there was an awful lot of division. I’m one of a few who spent the better part of a week studying and planning to be a big part of the caucus. I was voted caucus chair. Ideologically I’m a Ron Paul man but realistically I’m a Romney man, and I’m ok with that.
This was my first caucus experience and I learned a lot. My group came in with the mentality that we were going to take over with numbers, and we did. The problem with that is that this became a strictly democratic process where the majority rules…in a democratic republic where all have equal rights under the law it shouldn’t devolve to a crude majority rule. I don’t believe majority rule is an inevitable truth, I believe this is an idea that we have to fight. I think that’s the ugly side of freedom that we all saw on Saturday.
I suppose the the ah-ha moment for me happened in the discussion afterword while filling out the paperwork, connecting the comment made in the caucus asking “who are these people”, the group I brought, to the sentiment expressed later ‘we need to talk to each other’ and have a meaningful dialog that can help us be united. The difficulty of course is making that happen. Well, I’m going to the Lincoln Day Dinner this Saturday and putting my name in for the Nodaway GOP Committee, I’m empowering myself to make that dialog happen by being in the right place in the right time. When all is said and done we may not agree but we will know and understand each other.
[...] saw the power of the Ron Paul organization at my own caucus in Missouri. In fact, events across Missouri were rocked by the presence of Ron Paul supporters who were [...]