The Iowa Caucuses

In the days ultimately preceding the Iowa Caucuses, the efforts of the Ron Paul campaign as well as the Christmas Vacation with Ron Paul program were tremendous. Through door knocking, phone banking, and get out the vote efforts we were able to mobilize support and exemplify strong grassroots support. In the end, Ron Paul placed a disappointing third, behind Governor Mitt Romney and Senator Rick Santorum. And here’s why. Here are the facts: Ron Paul would have won the Iowa Caucuses had it not been for the media. Sensing that Ron Paul would win, the media was desperate to pump up another candidate – and they did; after the failures of the “surges” of Bachmann, Perry, Cain, and Gingrich, they resorted to their last option: Rick Santorum. Santorum, who at the beginning of the week had only seven percent, was NO THREAT AT ALL. It was only until the media started reporting him “surging” did his numbers go up. While they were simultaneously pumping him up as a serious contender, they also continued their smear attacks on Ron Paul – labeling him as a racist, critiquing his sensible foreign policy, and ignoring the issues that the American people actually care about. All these factors were unstoppable, causing in the end a Ron Paul defeat. I can only hope things go well in New Hampshire and the rest of the campaign, but I remain cautiously optimistic. YOU CANNOT STOP AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME. THE REVOLUTION WILL CONTINUE.

In my time all over the not-so-attractive state of Iowa, I was able to learn a great deal of things about the American political process.
1. You must cater to your audience. Talk about the economy and fiscal issues if your audience doesn’t agree with you on other issues, such as foreign policy. People are so afraid of the United States being attacked by Iran that they’re willing to give up their civil liberties, and preemptively go to war with a country who has done them absolutely no harm. The scare tactics used by both parties is absolutely disgusting, and a war with Iran will destroy us economically.
2. Political canvassing is both a difficult, and a time-consuming process. Not everyone is going to agree with you. You should expect both angry people and many, many hang-ups.
3. Apathy Apathy Apathy. It’s absolutely deplorable how many Americans are apathetic and or don’t care about the issues around them. You get the government you deserve, and if you idly sit by while your civil liberties get eroded, when your country uses scare tactics to pressure the American people into supporting an unjust war, where the government uses your taxpayer money to bail out corporations, where the media is elicit in pushing candidates on the American people, and where you see the value of the American dollar being destroyed more and more with the Federal Reserve, you deserve exactly what you get. Even in Iowa, the first in the nation caucus state, voter turn out is extremely low. I’m actually fine with people not voting, but I’d wish they educate themselves on the issues concerning society (through online research), instead of brainlessly absorbing everything the media tells them. There’s no way to fight this apathy if the media is not on our side. People need to wake up.
4. People are in denial about the economic crisis we are currently in. If we continue to allow this overspending to occur, this double-digit unemployment, this massive inflation, these never-ending bailouts, and  these endless wars to continue, these massive deficits to remain untouched, the American empire will soon be over before we know it.

In terms of my overall time in Iowa, I enjoyed it thoroughly because of many reasons.

1. Every single night, I would stay up late and talk to random people. Friendships developed over intellectual conversations regarding both political and non-political things (underlying the fate of the world). Through political canvassing and working together in a quasi-team effort, the bond together became strong. We laughed together. We cried together (when Ron lost). And we said our goodbyes, when the time was due. Here’s a picture with me and two buddies: David & Nikhil!

2. The Paul Family is amazing, in more ways than one. We would all see Ron and Rand speak in a rally on the day before the Caucus, and their message remains clearly aligned with one another. While Rand is clearly a better speaker, Ron Paul remains a leader who’s simply not in it for the power.

Both “Pauls” came out of this wonderful vehicle, literally a “Ron Paul” limousine. When they came in, they spoke their messages to the voters directly, filling a room of roughly 400-500 supporters.

Rand Paul was first, followed by Ron Paul, who when finished was given the Rock Star treatment, with the audience screaming “RON PAUL! RON PAUL! RON PAUL!” , “END THE FED!” among other things.

Later that week, I went to my first caucus ever. It was simply put, much like an ICRA meeting – using Robert’s Rules of Order to conduct things, and being really contrived with the usage of procedure. At the precinct we were in, located in Polk County, the speaker conducting our stump speech was none other than Linda Paul, one of the grand-daughters of Ron Paul. (AMAZING!) And what was even more amazing was Ron Paul winning that small caucus with 45 votes, to Santorum’s 36, and Romney’s 25. It kept me optimistic until the end of the night…. Fortunately for me, I was able to get a picture with Ron Paul’s grand-daughter (someday I’ll get a picture with the man himself).

3. Ron Paul supporters are simply the most enthusiastic of them all. They have a genuine message of constitutional thought that largely distinguishes itself from the rhetoric of other campaigns. Just take a look at the “Constitution” bus which it, in and of itself, shows many of Paul’s views of many issues in our present society.

As we awaited the results of the election inside “Chips”, a bar/restaurant, viewers kept cheering for Ron Paul as his numbers went up. In the last moments when Ron Paul went up, only to come back down to third (after the commercial break), everyone stood up and started chanting his name in a too-early-of-a celebration.

We were all happy with Ron Paul’s victory speech, which motivated us all to continue the good fight. What made things even more exciting was that Ron Paul came to visit us all personally at Chips, where I failed to get a decent picture of him, being so far away. His pep speech motivated us to continue fighting for liberty, and for the next President of the United States.

Me and a few followers chased after Ron Paul at the end of the night. I tried my best to take a picture with him, but his bodyguard was stringent that “Ron needs to sleep tonight.” I was able to snap a picture of him as he got into his van though, and I think he smiled at me, which made my night.

Though I was depressed much that night, I remain optimistic. With Bachmann and Perry’s eventual demise, few candidates will remain – which will allow Ron Paul to potentially gain the traction he needs to win the nomination. It’s going to be difficult without the help of the media, but who said a Revolution would ever be easy?

I leave with a quote provided by John F. Kennedy. Change is a – coming.