Ron Paul Dominates the 5th District Convention

I'll say a quick word regarding the MN 5th district (THE FIGHTIN' FIFTH!) Republican convention yesterday, because I didn't sit in the back of a dark auditorium during the first beautiful spring day for nothing.

Kami was actually seated as a delegate, so she had an up-front view of the action. As an unseated alternate, I got to observe the full breadth of the mayhem, which was considerable. To put it kindly, democracy appears very rough around the edges. To put it bluntly, democracy is completely devoid of any semblance of order except when looked at with the most discriminating scrutiny, and while taking into account humanity's underwhelming incapacities.

If this system is actually the one best suited for humans, we are a mediocre, chaotic, over-opinionated, paranoid breed. It seems impossible we created it. But, it was actually a few perceptive individuals who realized such a system could marginalize our collective incompetence, and, in that respect, it seems to be working, barely. As a system specifically designed to highlight our weaknesses, it is painfully effective. And, if not taken too seriously, a very entertaining thing to watch.

9:30: Arrive at Robinsdale High School. Eat a donut. Talk to a delegate seeking election. Have some tea (coffee not available - water issues).

10:00: Enter the auditorium. Admire the stage adorned with a single-file herd of patriotic elephants impaled on tall posts (one for each senate district) bookended with two burning braziers whose (simulated) fire flickers off each side of the dark auditorium walls and ceiling. I can't help thinking I'm in a cave and this is some tribal ritual. A net of balloons occupies the width of the auditorium. The six "ordained" delegates hand-picked by the nominating committee are situated on the walls.

10:30: Listen to Tim Pawlenty give a beautifully crafted and inspirational speech about unity. He referenced the reporter, who turned from Michael Jordan after a record-breaking 56 point game to a rookie who, in the same game, had scored his first NBA point. The reporter asked for his thoughts, and the rookie responded "I will remember this as the game Micheal Jordan and I scored 57 points." Awe. A touching story...unless you recognize Michael Jordan is actually an unstoppable rebel war machine in an ideological battle for world domination under the gun of corrupt business interests. And, the rookie is your unflinching, unquestioning support. Probably not front of mind during the standing ovation.

11:00: Listen to Norm Coleman give a speech almost as deft and inspirational. Also about unity. Closes to a another standing ovation.

11:30: (I really don't know the exact times). Barb White and her campaign storm the auditorium with cult-like enthusiasm. Music, dancing, and a speech dedicated to usurping Keith Ellison 's congressional seat. The delegates nominate her as Ellison's opponent. The net containing the few thousand balloons starts to move; time for the balloon-drop. They can't seem to get it to open. A guy starts poking at it with a long stick. Some of them pop. Finally, the net breaks free from the other side, releasing the red, white, and blue orbs like emptying a package of skittles over the crowd. A luke-warm finale at best. All pretend they don't notice the inescapable omen-like quality of the situation and continue cheering, hitting the balloons into the air.

12:00: Non-ordained delegates are nominated. All delegates give a short 2-minute speech. The three Ron Paul supporters (who we all agreed on beforehand) give short, fired-up oratories about the proper role of government and underlying philosophical principles to cheers and ovations. Unwavering Republican nominees spout the party line saying things as immature as "if it's conservative, I'm on it." Ug, and getting applause. (Thus highlighting the aforementioned human weakness).

1:00: The seated delegates vote for three national delegates. Ballot confusion. General hilarity ensues as everyone approaches the mic with a different solution. The chair's original solution prevails. Time wasted. As people vote there is a persistent percussive sound of cannon fire. Balloons being popped. At first the finale to the 1812 overture plays in my head. And then, and I know this is geeky, our national anthem, with bombs bursting in air as I imagined everyone voting for Ron Paul. Probably a stretch (maybe I'll discuss later).

1:15: Some post-adolescent guy in a suit walks up to me standing in the back. "It's all the Ron Paul supporters that are messing things up ya know. They don't know what they're doing. He can't win."

1:30: We start going through resolutions. The delegates, with high contention, vote to make the following things part of the official Republican party platform (not exact language):

• Abolish the Minnesota state income tax
• Eliminate the fiat monetary system and restore gold and silver as the only type of legal tender
• Oppose a national ID card

1:45: Results of the voting are in. The chair looks shocked at the results. Half the crowd erupts in cheers and hugs as he reads the three national delegates...all three are the Ron Paul supporters! The other half of the crowd broods.

The rest of the day was going through more boring resolutions. There was some roudyness and bickering as the delegates stood split on the issue of gay marriage...The Ron Paul folks don't think it's government's business to get involved in private issues (yay!). The neocons want to "save" marriage by officially defining it as between a man and a woman.

The seated delegates also voted for two alternate national delegates. Both Ron Paul supporters.

SOOOOO....I saw how democracy really works. It isn't "the people" who give the consent of the governed...it's "the people who give a shit." And, they are either protecting the rights of the rest of us or trying to protect the rights/entitlements of their privileged organizations. Yesterday those who are working to protect our rights are the ones who prevailed against the ones trying to protect the rights of government and big business. But, it was in heated contention. Many were repulsed believing we must unify with McCain to protect the reputation of the Republican party. I'm afraid dedication to nothing more than saving face is one of the very things our democracy was designed to protect us against. And, it looks like it's actually working.

Yesterday we protected the right to go to an auditorium and watch a boondoggle of folly ensue as two half-civilized bodies of opinionated ideologues faced off in a reminder that humans are at their best when they appear to be at their worst. Because a few thoughtful individuals aligned in principle managed to coordinate themselves, we might again have the right to flail about indiscriminately in the future.

But, as I once did with the Reagan revolution, I again wait for the inevitable day the descendants of the Ron Paul revolution put pride before principle. And, when that happens, we will again be waiting in silence to protect the precious core of human liberty. If the Republican party chooses to one day abandon this core, it will be adopted by a different party, or (God forbid) a different country, but it can never be eliminated.

We will never go away until its tightened grip chokes the last vestiges of liberty, prosperity, and life itself.

In other words, when you are right, you are right. Just because everyone finally realizes it doesn't make it any more or less right. Just be sure you remember what that is, and why you will certainly be tempted to forget it.

a

Spring is the best time of year to take a casual stroll along the crowded patch surrounding Lake Harriet. I enjoy watching the first sailboats appear in the marina, the activity, the glistening water, the gentle breeze of life restored to the same route frozen in icy desolation only weeks before. And on these walks I am often recognized by so many friendly faces. It seems like whether they are walking their dogs or casting their lines, everyone is anxious to chat. Oh, of course, it's weather, or baseball, or maybe a bit of politics. But, I know what they really want to hear - all roads seem to lead to the same thing. How many times have I heard it: "Mark, so tell me really, how did you get your start in technical writing."

Who am I to deprive them the tale. And, the several hundred who have asked now have the story in written form to relive over and over again.

It started in fourth grade. I had walked into the second day of typing class and sat before an enormous monitor. It sat on top of two floppy 5 1/4" disk drives, each slot guarded with a black lever. The screen was black aside from a curious green bar blinking in the upper left corner. I had plenty of experience with computers already, having mastering such intense programs as Number Munchers and Oregon Trail.

I remember placing my hands on the keyboard, typing slowly...asdf;lkj. asdf ;lkj. Soon, we had crossed into exiting territory. I was learning fast. I had discovered, in a functional way, how to type...fad, lad, ask dad, has sad dad had salad. I could imagine it already. Soon my fingers would fly as I learned the systematic method for transcribing words, sentences, paragraphs. Without even thinking I would soon dictate my thoughts lucidly in pristine, legible courier.

Then, it was time to learn capitals. Our instructor carefully described the method...

"Press the Shift key and then press the letter a."

Alright, easy enough. Now I would learn how I was to begin every sentence in my rich volumes. I did exactly as she said. I moved my pinky to the Shift key, pressed, and then typed a.

a

a

aaa

How could this be. I looked at the monitor next to mine...

A

How did she do that?

I tried it fast, slow, hard, soft, nothing seemed to work. I looked at the monitor to the other side...A. Oh no! Was there something wrong with my keyboard? Then, the teacher said it again...

"Press the Shift key and then press the letter a."

Once I tried it really fast and really hard, and I got it...A. YES! But, I could only get it about half the time. It seemed like the faster and harder I pressed Shift and then the "a" key, the more likely it was to be capital.

The lesson was over for the day and I stepped down off my chair and walked out of class. I had become frustrated and disappointed. How would the world see my genius now? With all lower case? Was I a "lower case" person after all? Something so simple to everyone else was just too embarrassing to mention. It laid heavy on my mind in the subsequent hours and through the weekend.

Half the sentences in my first assignments began in the lower case. My grades were not good.

Soon enough the seeds of a technical writing career were born. The next week a frustrated 10 year old boy pecked at the top of his next assignment...

"To type a letter in upper case, hold down the Shift key. Then, while holding down Shift, type the letter."

I can't be certain, but I like to imagine my unique typing style is a relic.

Democracy

Well, to the dismay and disgust of many long time Republicans, Uptown has chosen...10 out of 15 state delegates are Ron Paul supporters. It's interesting how a few like-minded individuals can organize themselves and basically dominate a whole senate district. Neocons beware. You are becoming extinct.

We all got together Thursday and discussed how we would nominate and vote for each other using a list of supporters. These were not the nutty neoconfederate truthers you may have already associated with Dr. Paul. They were just a bunch of cool people sitting in a malt shop talking about rules of conduct at a convention (it was mostly first timers like us) and basic human rights. They were very well organized. I didn't hear any talk of conspiracies, secession, or alien invasions.

History is made by those who show up.

Speaking of representation, is district 60 really made of 2/3rds Paul supporters? Probably not. But, we were the ones there, so we had the voice. I imagine this was how the neocons hijacked the party in the first place - when no one else was paying attention. That's the price of silence I guess.

In this regard do we need to hold ourselves accountable when a lawless minority takes charge because of our silence? Oh, you didn't know they were slaughtering kittens for fun? Well, being outraged now will not reassemble the piles of tails, legs, and noses. Maybe we should assess how the process of gratuitous kitty carnage began. I have a feeling it began on my couch in front of American Idle.

But we have work to do. We have to pay the mortgage. How can we afford to spend all that time getting involved with the hugely complicated political system? Most can't. Politics of any consequence has become a profession requiring full time employment.

Everyone knows that pushing out the competition is good for business. You beat your competitor with lower prices. Or, alternatively, work with them to set prices high so you both win (and the consumer loses). This principle also works in politics. Once you have a monopoly on government, you can coordinate it to serve you according to your needs. The Republicans have joined forces with the Democrats to widen the gap between the people and their government, a process the Democrats have been up to for a century. So, they are both winning because they have cornered the market on the plunder of taxes for their business friends at our expense. Then, their business friends are our employers.

At the same time they're issuing national ID cards in May while at the same time discussing whether or not torture and preemptive war is OK. Mention our government has suspended Habeas Corpus and violates the Fourth Amendment and you'll look like a raving lunatic.

So, as I mentioned in another post, I'm thinking both parties need some healthy competition. How about one that picks the best aspects of both parties...what does our society have against gun toting lesbian couples anyway?