Where the battle is won...

"In the past, the Democrats have out organized us, out campaigned us, and the last two Presidential elections, out voted us."

Those of us who have taken statistics, psychology, or some other class while in school have studied a bell curve. All types of behavior (including sexuality) can be plotted on a bell curve. I think the same can be said for politics. For example, maybe 5% to 10% on one side of the curve would represent very conservative constitutionalists. One the other side of the curve would be the 5% to 10% which house the most radical, progressive socialists. And in the middle, would be all different shades of gray.

Many pundits will tell you that most elections are determined by the folks directly in the middle. The true independents. Once in a while you will get a charismatic candidate like Ronald Reagan who will woo some conservative Democrats over to the Republican side of the fence. Or even a Barack Obama who managed to woo some very moderate Republicans over to his side (mostly because they believed he would make the country "post racial").

However for the most part, those who vote Republican tend stay that way. The same goes for the Democrats. So how is the battle won? Where is it won? Hint: not by getting together constantly with "like minded people". Oh, not to say there is anything wrong with that. I look our BPOU and Liberty meetings as a "iron sharpening iron" events - not increasing our numbers event.

A friend was over yesterday and we talked about this issue. We decided conversion of the middle is really decided at the most basic of all grass roots level - the backyard neighborhood. And not by using a "full frontal assault". That rarely turns out well. No, it is by chatting about things that concern all of us. Like property taxes. Like schools. Like common assessments. In church small groups, those "openers" are called "ice breakers". It allows opportunity for further (and deeper) discussions.

One more thing. Our cadre of true believers needs to grow in numbers, commitment and strategy. There is an old saying that "victory is reserved for those who want it most". In the past, Democrats have out organized us, out campaigned us, and the last two Presidential elections, out voted us. But we have something they do not have - the facts. As in the movie The Matrix, facts allow people to change from taking the blue pill to the red pill. In other words, facts wake people up. Facts win elections.

So this is it folks. It is game time. Remember where the battle is won. For state Republicans, it is not in the convention center in Duluth this week. It is once you get home, talking to your friends and neighbors. Politics does not have to be a four letter word - especially in friendly confines. We need to be smarter, wiser, and more nimble than the Democrats in how to spread our message. How to win the middle. The dividends for wisdom might be collected in November.