RNC Rules to Stifle Ron Paul in 2012 Could Come Back to Bite in 2016

RNC Rules to Stifle Ron Paul in 2012 Could Come Back to Bite in 2016


The Republican National Committee, or RNC, may use the tactics it used to stifle Ron Paul in 2012 to handle a possible floor fight over Donald Trump.

The first order of business at the Republican Convention this coming June will be to ratify new rules. What this means is that the rules the RNC agreed on after the Convention in 2012 will expire as soon as the gavel drops to open the new meeting.

Now, usually this is mainly procedural – the party affirming the parts of the Convention rules that are still applicable, maybe changing around some things for the benefit of also-rans or the standard bearer.

However, in recent years there’s been a push to use the rule changes to undercut the party’s more extreme, populist and anti-government wings.

In 2012 there was a very real chance that Ron Paul’s supporters would upend the entire Convention by forcing a fight over their candidate. Rick Ungar has a good breakdown of what happened, but here’s a quick play-by-play of the situation.

Paul’s supporters were going to use pluralities in five states to force Paul’s name onto the ballot through Rule 40 (B). The rule specified that that be the threshold for placing a candidate’s name on the ballot.

In other words, 40 (B) said that any candidate with the largest share of delegates in five states could be placed on the ballot for nomination. If Paul, for example, had 30 percent but no one had higher, he would have a plurality.

As a way to stop the insurgency against Romney and ensure his victory, the RNC changed the rule to a majority of delegates in eight states. Now a candidate needed to win at least 50.1 % of delegates from eight states to be on the ballot. And that’s still the way it is, and the way it will be until the 2016 Convention.

Under these current rules, there’s no way of determining a clear delegate winner until Super Tuesday, at least. By switching from plurality to majority, it makes New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina relatively meaningless. All three states will see a roster of candidates over ten deep. Getting a majority of those delegates is near impossible by primary voting.

The problem for the RNC only gets worse when you consider the threat of Donald Trump’s poll numbers.

RNC power play makes third party more likely

In a story that has received very little attention in the national media that tends to take its marching order from the well-funded major parties, the Republican National Committee has spent much of this past week trying to unseat duly elected delegates to the national convention because they are supporters of Congressman Ron Paul. The final blow came yesterday when the RNC, unable to get the Maine delegation to comply with a series of so-called compromises, simply decided to nullify the entire Maine delegation and replace them with their own hand-picked delegates. In effect, the Republican National Committee has said that Maine does not exist. In response to this perceived abuse of power, Republican Governor Paul LePage from Maine quickly made a statement that he will follow through with his promise to boycott the National Convention because he believes his citizens are being disenfranchised.

Later in the day, the RNC passed a new rule, giving itself power to change any rule without a delegate vote. Grass roots Republicans have reacted by calling this a power-grab designed to stifle dissent. They believe the GOP is consolidating power in an attempt to override grass roots intentions that may run counter to their top-down agenda. Grass roots activists believe Governor Romney is either behind this top down assault or he is a perpetrator by omission. In either scenario, many are seeing this as a harbinger of what would come if the Governor were elected President of the United States. On the surface it looks like a management style that would be a threat to representative democracy.

via megalextoria.com

Ron Paul GOP delegates may not back Romney

The Paul campaign attorney told the Republican National Committee’s Committee on Contests a political battle could erupt at next week’s convention in Tampa, Fla., over its promised refusal to seat Paul delegates.

The RNC fears Paul’s supporters from at least six states will disrupt the convention, which is intended to coalesce support for Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, The Portland (Maine) Press Herald reported.

via megalextoria.com

I don't think Ron Paul delegates should support Romney anyway. I mean what is the point? The RNC and the GOP are clearly trying to drive Ron Paul, his supporters and his ideas away from the party. Otherwise, they would not be working so hard to to the point of violating their own rules and changing them as they go along to keep his delegates and Ron Paul himself out of the convention.

Ron Paul: A notable omission from the list of speakers at the 2012 RNC

Even though the Romney campaign seems certain it has the Republican nomination won before the convention, its operatives have been working in states such as and Louisiana to ensure Paul cannot claim five states with a plurality delegates and in turn deny Paul’s legitimate right for a fifteen minute speaking slot at the Republican National Convention.

This should lead many Americans to question why Romney would be working feverously to further disenfranchise a group of voters he must have to defeat Obama, and what he has to lose by allowing Ron Paul the fifteen minute speech he rightfully earned according to the rules of the Republican National Convention.

via megalextoria.com

How the Republican Party Stole the Nomination from Ron Paul

Another interesting note is that Paul’s 2012 votes had doubled, tripled, and more than quadrupled his 2008 votes in every state leading up to the Nevada caucuses, yet Paul received only 88 more votes there. Of all the places for this to occur, Nevada, the country’s most libertarian state; is the last in which anyone would expect this.

In spite of these irregularities , Paul won 22 of 25 state delegates and replaced state party officials with Paul supporters. Romney supporters then formed their own state party, called “Team Nevada”. The RNC then bypassed the official state party in order to organize for Romney and send all funds to Team Nevada.

Colorado: Romney supporters were caught passing out fake Ron Paul slates at the state convention. The RNC has not investigated or even commented on the matter.

via megalextoria.com

Who knows what might have happened had Ron Paul been given a fair shot. Either way, this list of GOP rule violating and potentially illegal actions is truly frightening in a supposedly democratic process. - http://14a67fb4.tinylinks.co

RNC confirms Ron Paul will be up for nomination

The Republican National Convention is quickly approaching (August 26th). For over the past year, avid Ron Paul supporters have won delegate spots in various state conventions across the country. Through this hard-work, Ron Paul will officially be allowed to be nominated for the nominee of the Republican Party.

via megalextoria.com

If nothing else, the convention should be more interesting to watch this time around. - http://d38cc44d.tinylinks.co

Ron Paul Supporters Sue RNC for Helping Romney

While Mitt Romney may be the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, it’s premature to say that the rancor over the nomination is over.

...

The suit is seeking clarification from a federal court in California over whether delegates at the national convention can vote for any candidate of their choice, even if those delegates were won by Mr. Romney. The suit also alleges that the RNC violates federal law by requiring them to sign pledges to back a certain Candidate, restricting delegates’ voting options and illegally limiting their vote

via megalextoria.com

http://www.megalextoria.com/politics/?x=entry:entry120622-113802