Ed Failor's Next Move?

So, Ed Failor is the man behind the move to exclude Ron Paul from the Iowan Presidential Forum, sponsored by Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance. I listened to him talk with Kent Snyder and Jan Michelson on radio. Ed Failor clearly came across as a man who is under attack and desperate to reach a reasonable solution without appearing to cave into pressure.

That solution won't happen. If things continue the way they are there will be two possible results:
1. Ed is overwhelmed and caves in, losing the battle, but making Ron Paul supporters looks like a group of annoying kooks.
2. Ed puts up with a couple weeks of no phone or Internet use but keeps Ron Paul out,

That's a lose-lose situation for everyone involved. Let me tell you what Failor ought to do:

1. Invite Ron Paul as well as Gravel and Cox and a couple more that were excluded, that way you're not caving in specifically to Ron Paul.
2. Cut the crap. No one believes that your schedule is carved in diamond, stop using this excuse. If you can't fit in a couple more candidates, then your organization has bigger problems than Ron Paul. By the way, what would they have done, hypothetically, if all their invited candidates had come? By my count they sent out about 16 invitations and received about 7 confirmations.
3. Tell the Ron Paul supporters that they're hurting themselves. When they give these annoying calls to a person's home, it drives people away. Hell, it's probably true that the thing that's making Failor most reluctant is he doesn't want to look weak under pressure. Tell them that Ed. Tell them that they're making you reluctant to change.

The Anuzis Effect

In this day in age, there is one, obvious truth than seems to have escaped those in politics: Don't snub the grass roots candidate. Whatever his odds, whatever his politics, today's grass roots champion is Ron Paul. His support comes from an active and interested group of Americans, a group of people that can't help but fight every chance they get to promote the Ron Paul campaign.

So, it should be no surprise that when he is attacked, the attackers get an earful. The first example of this was Saul Anuzis. Saul is the chairman of the Republican Party in Michigan. Following the infamous second GOP debate, he wanted to start a petition to ban Ron Paul from future debates. Bad move. His office, blackberry and even home phone was stuffed with angry Ron Paul supporters. It got so bad that his office was forced to stop answering calls. Tens of thousands of people called to give Mr. Anuzis a piece of their minds.

A little off the point, but I'm not angry with Mr. Anuzis. I sincerely believe that he fell for Rudy's distortion, which was only worsened by the media's parroting. Oh sure, I don't think he agrees with Ron Paul on foreign policy, but few Republicans do right now. But I don't think Saul was targeting Ron Paul for his positions, but rather his perceived positions.

But back to the "Anuzis Effect". This is going to be an important part of politics for years to come. And it's going to continue to happen as long as the elites think they can manipulate the process. The people aren't standing for it anymore. We don't want the herd thinned out for us, that's what the actual votes are for.

But why isn't anyone learning? The same mistake Saul made is being done again, this time in Iowa. As I type this, I am sure that the Iowa Christian Alliance and Iowans for Tax Relief are getting their share of heat. And not just them, but the co-sponsors of the debate as well. Their phones are all ready so busy that the grass roots are seeking out more relevant people to call.

So, when does it end? Not until the campaign ends.