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The Snoop 3.22.2012

Although more than half of the voters in Douglas County said Rick Santorum is their candidate of choice for the Republican nomination for president back in February, Douglas County will likely go on record at the district and state conventions as being for Ron Paul. I should qualify that by saying 54 percent of those who voted in the Presidential Primary supported Santorum. Sadly, only 11 percent of the registered voters went to the polls.
Paul got less than 19 percent of the vote at the Republican primary in February, but the Paul supporters rallied out in force Saturday for the Republican caucus and when the vote was taken, Douglas County had elected a unanimous Ron Paul delegation.
The delegates elected on Saturday are not bound to a particular candidate, however, those elected all pledged their support to Paul before the vote was taken.
Unfair, you may say. Foul. Uncouth. Well, maybe, from the standpoint of not being a true representation of what a majority of the people of Douglas County desire. But the fact is, the caucus was handled fairly, and while the die-hard, straight-line Republicans of Douglas County may not like it, the fact remains they were outmaneuvered. Credit to the Ron Paul supporters for doing their homework, establishing a game plan and most importantly, getting their people to come out and participate.
Unlike other areas of the state where police had to come in to settle disturbances, there were no fist-fights and no one was ever threatened, so far as I could tell. In fact, the gallery rarely even got loud, although there were some obvious disagreements.
Some feel it was the meaningless – and costly – Presidential Preference Primary in February, and the result thereof, that caused Paul supporters to rally throughout the state and make their presence known at Saturday’s caucuses. It’s certainly an indication of what can be done if people set their minds to it.
Now, with all that said, Ron Paul will not be elected President of the United States. Even with the caucuses stacked and traditionally Republican counties like ours saying Paul is their man, he will not get the nomination, not in Missouri and not at the National Convention. So, in the interest of the party, wouldn’t it make more sense for Republicans to get united behind a candidate who can win? Hopefully that will happen by the time we get through the local, district and state caucuses and make our way to the National Convention. Six months ago there was no way on earth Barack Obama could have been reelected President. But the more Republicans bash one another, the better his chance of four more years.
Ron Paul is making his presence known and he is good entertainment for talk shows like Leno where he appeared Tuesday night. But President of the United States. No way! Nobody really takes him seriously, although he does, occasionally, make a good point – occasionally.
On topics like big government, the economy, and other world issues he and I agree that there is a problem, but he has no better idea how to fix them than I would. The big difference is, I’m not running for president.