Sunday, 18 January 2015
Little Lost Webmaster
Little Bill Dahlsten has lost his Webmaster and does not know where to find him.
Leave him alone and he'll come home wagging his tail behind him.
Or not and at this point I am not certain which is to be most desired.
In the manner of Kipling
Hand me the Old Cigar Box
Give me a Cuba Stout
For things are running crossways
The SubCommittee and Webmaster are Out.
Part of it might be Literacy Issues
The Charter of the Communications SubCommittee as voted on and adopted by the Central Committee states
Mission Statement - The objective of the Communications Team is to manage the LCRCC correspondence including Facebook, website, news releases and online calendar
and
• Coordinate the use of the LCRCC web site and Facebook content
Our webmaster varies between
"And I do not see the website as under communications"
to
I will not be reporting to the communications team. PERIOD. You and the rest of the team do not communicate, your lack of understanding of technology hinders this and the continual desire to meet on a Saturday evening in a bar opposes any modicum desire to be effective in meeting
When he is not saying things like
"Last the dissolution of website hosting. If you present this YOU will look like an uncommunicative old f**t! "
As for the Time of the meeting?
Very few people have to get up early Sunday morning to go to work.
We do not start so early as to interfere with those attending services on Saturday night, nor end so late as to interfere with those attending services Sunday.
We do not start so early that one cannot have dinner at home before the meeting, nor start so late that it is onerous for those who wish to eat at the meeting.
We meet at the Starlite and yes it does have a Bar along with serving food.
But I recall the Webmaster goes to the Organization Meeting and walks by a much larger Bar on the way to the meeting room where he sits back and enjoys his Beer during the meeting.
So I am myself sanguine about his moral bleeting,
Particularly since he did not have those problems when he WAS attending our Saturday Night meetings, Why he even brought his daughter.
So unless he has had some moral epithany I doubt his veracity on this.
I do recall a Saturday Night when both he and the County Chair were at the Starlite with me.
It was just the three of us.
The County Chair stated that they COULD change the time and place of the meeting but felt it best to let the Body decide. Some wanted to move to the CR Library.
When I informed the County Chair and the Webmaster that that Chair did not have the authority to over rule a decision made by the Body and Voted on as to where and when the meeting was held.
They got ALL worked up. How DARE I suggest that the County Chair did not have the Authority to Veto the Full Committee!!
That was the LAST Time either ever attended one of our Saturday Night meetings.
I have some misinformed people refer to some of us having, whisper it , Secret meeting?
It has been open knowledge that we have had formal and informal meetings every Saturday Night at the Starlite for YEARS,
Never been a Secret, never been hidden and there are from 8 to 10 people who do not seem to have any problem attending regularly.
Besides like the venue of the Org meeting we have our Communications meeting where you cannot see the bar.
As to the name calling I really don't care how the Webmaster refers to me.
If he chooses to post on one of my friends Facebook Wall
J Daniel W Kauffman = ass
at least I can understand what he is saying, unlike
James Knox Kind of funny. Everyone knows a treasurer should balance tge checkbook, be accountabke, report accurately on expenditures but I guess you and the auther of this lie of a blog!
Shoot I HAVE said not nice things about him so turn about is fair play.
But could he do it more coherently or MAYBE use the Edit Button to tidy it up?
Hmm that was dumb our Webmaster never edits the Fan Page,
He leaves multiple identical posts up there for ever.
I don't understand that. The Web Page itself looks really good, give credit where credit is due.
But his unedited Fan Page looks like a mashup by a teenager.
At least the two duplicate posts of his children opening Christmas presents was finally taken down.
Cute kids but not normal Party activity.
I guess that is the problem with auto posting, it NEEDS follow up editing, which is lacking,
As for the meeting time and place?
I heard the SubCommittee Chair was berated by the County Chair over this issue.
So I questioned him.
Were you given a List of people who wish to attend our meetings but cannot do so on Saturday?
NO?
Were you given contact information of people who wish to attend our meetings but cannot do so on Saturday?
NO?
Were you given days of the week that might be better for people who wish to attend our meetings but cannot do so on Saturday?
NO?
Were you given times that might be better for people who wish to attend our meetings but cannot do so on Saturday?
NO?
So let me see if I understand
A charge was made that there are some people who wish to attend our meetings but cannot do so on Saturday.
Whose names are UNKNOWN
Whose contact info is UNKNOWN
Who wish to attend on days that are UNKNOWN
At times that are UNKNOWN
Somehow the above does not strike me as
Constructive Input
and anyone who thinks it is?
Should not attempt to walk and chew gum at the same time.
I have an idea for anyone who may wish to attend the Communications meeting but cannot on Saturday Night
It is a Test
Devise a method of Communicating with the Communications SubCommittee
Hint: contacting the County Chair does not seem to be working for you.
Now that I have finished this I think I will go over to Town and Country Godfathers, have a nice meal and support a Good Conservative Business.
Saturday, 17 January 2015
A Treasurer By Any Other Name
Everyone knows what a Treasurer is what they do, what they should be expected to do.
Problem is, not everyone agrees on what those factors are.
So if the Central Committee wishes to ponder this matter we should?
Refer to the County Constitution
V. OFFICERS
The officers of this Central Committee shall be a chairman, co-chairman, secretary and
treasurer, and such other members as the County Central Committee in its by-laws may
provide. The Central committee shall organize following each general election, but no later
than the following April 1.
VIII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Co-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer of the
Linn County Central Committee. The Executive Committee shall transact the routine business
of the Linn County Central Committee during the interim of the meetings of the Linn County
Central Committee. Any business transacted or action taken shall be reported to the Linn
County Central Committee at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Executive
Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn County Central Committee, and none of its acts
shall conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee.
The ByLaws
V. OFFICERS
The officers of the Central Committee shall consist of a Cahir, Co-Chair, Secretary and
Treasurer whose terms shall be for a period of two (2) years and the same shall be elected
immediately following each general election, but no later than the following April 1. The
Central Committee shall elect either from its’ membership or otherwise a chair, co-chair,
secretary, treasurer and other officers as it may determine. After notification of an election,
any vacancies in said offices shall be filled by the County Central Committee.
A. Duties
1. The Chair shall be the Executive Officer and conduct all meetings of the Central
Committee and assist in the formulation of policies for the conduct of the affairs of the
Republican Party and such other matters as may be assigned.
2. The Vice-Chair shall conduct all meetings in the absence of the Chair and assist in
formulating policies matters as may be assigned.
3. The duties of the Secretary are to keep the minutes of the meetings and read them at the
following meeting, unless waived.
4. The duties of the Treasurer are to keep records of all receipts and disbursements. All
checks shall be signed b the Treasurer and countersigned by the Chair or Co-Chair.
Checks in excess of $500.00 and not previously budgeted shall have the approval of the
County Central Committee. The Treasurer shall prepare a two-year budget for approval
of the County Central Committee and the same shall be presented at the first meeting of
the non-elective calendar year.
And since the ByLaws also say
IX. RULES OF ORDER
Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall prevail unless modified by these by-laws.
We should refer to them as well
62. Treasurer. The duties of this officer vary in different societies. In probably the majority of cases he acts as a banker, merely holding the funds deposited with him and paying them out on the order of the society signed by the president and the secretary. He is always required to make an annual report, and in many societies he also makes a quarterly report which may be in the form given below. If the society has auditors the report should be handed to them, with the vouchers, in time to be audited before the meeting. The auditors having certified to its correctness, submit their report, and the chair puts the question on adopting it, which has the effect of approving the treasurer's report, and relieving him from responsibility in case of loss of vouchers, except in case of fraud. If there are no auditors the report when made should be referred to an auditing committee, who should report on it later.
It should always be remembered that the financial report is made for the information of members. The details of dates and separate payments for the same object are a hindrance to its being understood, and are useless, as it is the duty of the auditing committee to examine into details and see if the report is correct. The best form for these financial reports depends upon the kind of society, and is best determined by examining those made in similar societies. The following brief report is in a form adapted to many societies where the financial work is a very subordinate part of their work:
REPORT OF THE TREASURER OF THE M. L. SOCIETY
FOR THE QUARTER ENDING MARCH 31, 1914.
Receipts.
Balance on hand January 1, 1914.... $ 25.75 Initiation fees ................... $ 50.00 Members' dues ..................... 150.00 Fines ............................. 10.50 210.50 Total ........................ $236.25
Disbursements.
Rent of Hall.........................$ 80.00 Electric lights ..................... 22.00 Stationery and Printing.............. 15.00 Repair of Furniture.................. 10.00 Janitor ............................. 60.00 $187.00 Balance on hand March 31, 1914..... 49.25 Total............................ 236.25 S........ M........, Treasurer Examined and found correct. R........ V........ } J........ L........ } Auditing Committee.
This portion needs to be emphasised
It should always be remembered that the financial report is made for the information of members. The details of dates and separate payments for the same object are a hindrance to its being understood, and are useless, as it is the duty of the auditing committee to examine into details and see if the report is correct
All of the tireless requests for drilled down data are properly the responsibility of the Financial/Audit Subcommitee which we have.
Of course they MIGHT want to know the reaon for requests. Mainly because if everyone demanded detailed information continually they would have little time for anything else in their lives.
What we saw recently was a hysterical reaction to a common issue with financial reporting. Mistakes happen things are over looked.
It appears that the Ethics Board is mainly interested in the Record being Correct and if there are Errors that they be Corrected. That is all.
No Dire threats of Violations, Penalites and Fines
OH MY!
Which seems to have so upset some of our Central Committee members that in a fit or Outrage they CALLED the Ethics Board and COMPLAINED about the absence of Declarations of Violations, Penalties or Fines.
Let us put that in perspective if someone's place of Employment were being audited by the IRS and the Finding was that there were Book Keeping issues that could be easily corrected but nothing warranting further action AND that someone called the IRS and COMPLAINED.
I don't think it would be because of their interest in Justice, but more likely because they wanted someone REMOVED from the Company.
Most likely someone whose presence they found inconvienient?
Our Treasurer has BEEN inconvienient to some of the Executive Board
He informed the Chair that due to the FACT that they Committee had authorised with a Vote payment for services she was required to sign some checks.
Which the Chair REFUSED TO DO. That constitutes a de facto ILLEGAL Veto of the Body's Decision
Remember that Pesky portion of our Constitution which states
The Executive
Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn County Central Committee, and none of its acts
shall conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee.
Yep the Chair left THAT part of the Constitution on the floor shattered
Then there was a Check which should not have been signed. The Chair had been informed that the Body had NOT authorised a payment and in fact the Finance SubCommittee had chosen to propose an alternate solution.
KNOWING that the Treasurer had refused to sign the check due to it's violation of the Bodies wihes
The Chair created a Hysterical Faux Crisis where the Check HAD to be signed and convinced the Co-Chair to ILLEGALLY sign a check with them.
Remember that part of the ByLaws which state
All
checks shall be signed b the Treasurer and countersigned by the Chair or Co-Chair.
Yep that portion of the ByLaws lay on the floor shattered as well.
But some may say what about all the MISTAKES in the DR-2 forms???
Yep there were mistakes and the Chair with the help of others sent a nice long list of them to the Ethics Board
Linn County Republican Central Committee DR-2 Disclosure Audit May 2013 – October 2014
And the Ethic Board sent them back a nice letter
Ethics Board Cover Letter
Along with a CORRECTED list with all the mistakes that THEY had missed in addition to the ones they found
Corrected List
It would appear that we are ALL Human and sometimes overlook things even when we are trying to find them.
So it would appear this whole issue was more like Tales Told By Idiots, Full of Sound and Fury Signifying
NOTHING
The State Central Committee has NO interest in any further pursuit of this issue. As a matter of Fact a source on the SCC stated that to their knowledge there WAS NO RPI Investigation.
My information is that the Ethics Board is drafting a letter that in their Determination all issues have been dealt with and they also have no interest in further pursuing this issue,
It would appear from some emails I have seen that they HAVE also determined that some members of our Central Committee are pathetic jokes, but that as well is not cause for official action
Friday, 16 January 2015
Goldilocks and the Little Piggies
And Goldilocks said,
"This little piggy went to the Central Committee and this little piggy stayed home.
And This little piggy had a 6 inch pizza and this little piggy had none.
And THIS little piggy said
We We We
all the way to the Ethics Board complaining about there being no penalties or fines from them.
Which gave Goldilocks a Heavy Heart and she was NOT Happy.
Now it is true that using the Ethics Board in an attempt to silence someone is not something unknown to the Central Committee.
I recall about 6 or 7 years ago, I was doing about the same thing I am doing now.
Writing articles on this Website detailing what portions of the County Constitution, ByLaws and Rules of Order a previous Executive Board was violating , when---
I got a phone call at home from the State Ethics Board inquiring who was on the Board of Directors of something called the Linn County Republican Whigs.
I replied, "Bu-but we don't have a Board of Directors we are a FACEBOOK Group.
It seems someone (turned out to be the Chair at the time) was concerned that someone might confuse the Linn County Republican WHIGS with the Linn County Republican PARTY when we took out an ad opposing a Local Option Sales Tax Extension and had wait for it--
Filed a complaint with the State Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
Turns out that the cost of the ad was below the amount where it was required to be reported and the Ethics Board thought the reason for the complaint ie someone might confuse the Republican Whigs with the Republican Party was a tad lame?
In any event we decided to fulfill all the Ethics Boards requirements as if we HAD spent an amount that required notification and--
the Iowa Conservative Union was born.
Bringing the ICU into this is fitting because it was why one of the Little Piggies was so incensed that the Ethics Board saw no reason to take any definititive action.
It seems that the the Central Committee's Treasurer wrote a check on the LCRCC account that should have been written on the ICU account.
When he determined his error he wrote a check to make good the amount erroneously withdawn from the LCRCC acount and informed the Ethics Board.
NO Smoking Gun.
I believe the incident has been referred to by one of the members of the Ethics Board as
" the famous $100 check transaction"
(note they do not usually make sarcastic references to something they take seriously)
So the Little Piggies and Goldilocks went looking for another Smokng Gun..
One of the little Piggies approached the Treasurer of the ICU trying to get access to the ICUs financial records.
The little Piggy tried coaxing and tried smooth talking.
It was Goldilocks who played Bad Cop.
Informing the ICU Treasurer that they might be in serious trouble and therefore should open the bank records to Goldilocks and the Little Piggies so they could HELP them. 
One of the Little Piggies even went so far as to be Outraged I tell you OUTRAGED!! because they thought the ICU Treasurer had LIED to them about why the Bank Records could not be made available to them,.
Me I think the fact that it would have been totally Unethical and a Complete Violation of his Fiduciary Responsibilites should have been reason enough.
But I guess small matters of morality such as that are not that important to them.
Thursday, 15 January 2015
A Tale Of Two Treasurers
It was the Best of Times. It was the Worst of Times
It was a Time of Hope. It was a Time of Despair.
We had Everything. We had Nothing.
Our Novemenber Central Committee meeting in a word was so much like the above paradoxical literary couplets as to be amazing.
We were told the SKY IS FALLING
Ethics Violations, Penalities Fines OH MY
We were ALSO told
After looking over the various LCRCC financial statements and DR-2 forms, there does not appear to be any misuse of funds or other intentionally deceitful practices.
We were told
" RPI conducted an independent investigation and provided me with the following summary:"
A member of the State Central Committee however has stated that to THEIR knowledge there was no RPI investigation.
There may however have been a Legal Opinion requested by them based on information given to them.
The question of the origin of "After looking over the various LCRCC financial statements and DR-2 forms, there does not appear to be any misuse of funds or other intentionally deceitful practices." is a mystery to me.
To complete the couplet paradigm not one but two positions were affected.
A Parliamentarian was disposed of and a Treasurer was persuaded to step aside until matters were resolved with RPI and the State Ethics Board.
The disposal of the Parliamentarian was not a surprise to me.
I mean if you continually tell someone that what they have done, what they are doing and what they wish to do would be a violation of the Group's Constitution, ByLaws and Rules of Order one of two things will happen.
They will modify their behavior OR they will develope some way to get rid of you.
I recall the first time these concepts came up. I was at the Starlite sitting with the Chair and the Webmaster after a Communications Subcommittee meeting.
The Chair announced there were some who wished to move the meeting to the Cedar Rapids Library and while they COULD make that decision it might be better to let the Committee do so.
I informed them that the Chair did not have that authoirity. A little matter of the County Constitution which says
The Executive Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn Conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee.unty Central Committee, and none of its acts shall conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee
And since the time and place of the monthly meetings had been set by a vote of the Central Committee it had to remain the same until the Committee voted otherwise.
Boy did they NOT like THAT. Gave me all kinds of arguments, while I set thinking is this a problem of Reading Comprehension or just a Total Disregard for our Rules of Order??
I mean to ME "subject to the orders of " means what it says, unless of course we are operating under "Alice throught the Looking Glass" rules where words mean what they are TOLD to mean .
I forsaw a problem that would eventually arise so my removal was not a surprise.
I do think it would have been courteous to inform the person affected.
It was strange to discover one was not the Parliamentarian by having the Chair announce there was no Parliamentarian in attendence.
Of course the reason for the Treasurer asked to step aside was because--
Hmm along with these financial issues could it ALSO have been because the Treasurer told the Chair that since the Committee had voted upon and authorized payments they were REQUIRED to sign the checks paying those funds.
You know that pesky little section I quoted above about who gives Orders.
But the Chair REFUSED. Because they did not feel like doing what the Committee had voted to authorize?
Then in addition to the Checks that Were Not Signed But Should Have Been.
There was the Check Which Was Signed But Should NOT Have Been.
An Insurance Policy was going to expire!
The Sky Was Falling.
A check HAD to be signed.
It did not matter that the Body had not aurhorized the payment.
It did not matter that the Finance SubCommittee which the Chair had declined to recognize at a previous meething had TOLD the Chair that they were looking at another Company.
No that Check had to be signed and since the Treasurer for the above reasons refused to sign it the Chair convinced the Co-Chair to sign a check with them.
Why does this matter?
Just a little detail of our ByLaws which state
All checks shall be signed b the Treasurer and countersigned by the Chair or Co-Chair.
Now if a check is NOT signed by the Treasurer? What should it be called? Some might say the answer is
ILLEGAL
But we have now an Update on progress.
An update which lets us know
"To date, the IECDB has reviewed our records and they have identified additional issues beyond those stated above"
What the Update does NOT say is that the additional issues were given to us on wait for it--
Dec the 9th
Ethics Board Cover Letter
The Original DR-2 form can be seen HERE
The Report with additions marked in Red HERE
Yes there are quite a few questions that could come to mind.
Like instead of asking the Treasurer to step aside and going to the trouble of appointing an Interim Treasurer why was this issue not handed to our Financial Committee.
Oh well it does not matter the latest info from a member of the State Central Committee is that RPI does not have Any that is NO interest in pursuing this issue further.
And my information is that the Executive Director and Legal Counsel for the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board is drafting a letter which should state that they also will not be taking this matter further,
So all of this appears to be OVER.
I do understand that on the issues of Violations, Penalites and Fines OH MY! Someone from this Committee called the Ethics Board and ARGUED with them about not punishing anyone.
So if at this months meeting if everything is NOT returned to normal
We will have to ponder if there were other reasons for asking the Treasurer to step aside rather than the ones stated.
Saturday, 20 December 2014
Machiavelli"s First Rule
I have to confess I like to read and I read a lot.
The nice thing about this is that I have amassed a trove of information over the years.
Little bits of wisdom. One that came to mind recently can be found in Chapter 3 of the Prince by Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
I will paraphrase.
Never do someone a "minor" injury.
I thought about that recently when I had something happened that shocked and stunned me.
I wrote about this in an earlier Post
But in reality the results were shall we say Liberating.
Had this minor injury not been done there are things I would have been constrained from doing.
Like writing these posts you have been readiing.
About how and when and what portions of the Central Commitee's Constitution, ByLaws and Rules of Order have been broken by someone who does not deserve to be in a position of authority and/or responsibility.
There have been reactions.
One gentleman posted on his Facebook Page
Have you ever had a trader amongst you? We do!
https://www.angelfire.com/ky/kentuckydan/HotIssues/
I
almost rushed out and had cards printed up that said.
Trader Dan! If we don't have it we will find it for you!!
My hit count went up that night and there we zero irate comments.
The Chair sent me an email expressing their reaction
I took you to be a man of honor and integrity. As such, I was quite amazed at the amount of misinformation and outright wrong statements you have made in your blog. I suggest that you verify your information before putting it out there for the world to read.
Some of my friends jumped to the conclusion that they had said I was a man without honor and integrity. I had to correct them and point out that was not said at all.
Theye merely said that had taken me (in the past) as a man of honor and integrity.
In any event I will stand by what I have written,
Because I have looked at things like this passage from the County Constitution.
Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn County Central Committee, and none of its acts
And just cannot figure out how to interpret it in a manner that allows the Chair to issue orders to or veto the decisions and votes of the Central Committee
These last few weeks have been interesting and for me informative,
I wish to thank everyone who came by to see my missives.
Those who combined to form the over 425 Unique visits during the month of December AND 600 page views
I will see you-- Next Year.
I am going to take a few weeks off from politics and controversy to visit family over the holidays.
I will return envigorated with the New Year and Perhaps together we can determine how to rid the Committee of the millstones now around it's neck.
FYI anyone can claim stats for a website below you will see them as listed on my Sitemeter account.
Friday, 19 December 2014
Forward The LCRCC
We have up to this point mainly discussed the various portions of the County Constitution, ByLaws and Rules of Order that our Chair has trampled upon.
I have tried to explain why this should matter to folks.
It seems like this pattern is to some extent endemic.
We have periods where the Executives respect the Rights of the Committee. See themselves as Trusted Servants not Rulers.
Then we have the Inverse. Those who must control every aspect and ignore totally Constitutions, ByLaws and Rules of Order as if they did not exist.
Sometimes it seems that these things become what that they want them to be and not what they are.
I was told recently by one of the Chairs of a Subcommitee that the Chair informed them that they HAD to change their Charter.
That the portion where they report to the Full Committee should be replaced with report to the Secretary and the Chair,
That this was IN The ByLaws!!
People the ByLaws comprise a page and a half. I have read them numerous times there is nothing in them that remotely resembles that claim.
Check for Yourself HERE
You might think that if someone needs such total control there might be some benefit they could show us.
Some record of Sucess that in some eyes justify the total violation of all our Rules of Order?
But I am afraid that the record for the LCRCC this year is a lot like that of the Light Brigade.
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
"Forward, the LCRCC!
Yes this year we have had all the sucess of a brigade of light calvary charging emplaced cannon.
In good years we have had vibrant enthusiastic meetings with healthy numbers.
We are down to a half or so.
We have had in the past very sucessful events and fund raisers.
We did nothing for 7 months and then the last 5 months of the year?
We had an event every other month two of them at the peak of an election cycle.
Not sure that was effective scheduling.
I did not attend the First one.
I was offered over time in an air conditioned factory versus an outdoor event in August.
Nope. I stayed inside
The Second was the Chili Cook Off that USED to be in the Spring and in the past was a roarinig sucess,.
Attendance of a hundred almost two.
But we moved it to the Fall,
We also moved it to the Victory Office so along with a Disasterous Event we could interfere with their work while at the same time packing everyone in like sardines.
I think the 5 tickets I bought was 1/6th of their gross.
Then there was the Christmas Event where we rattled around in a room we have in the past packed,
Great speakers and guests they were about 1/6th of the attendance.
Folks we really need to find someone who knows what they are doing and is also willing to let the Commitee do the Job it has done so well in that past.
If this keeps up we will be back to where we were a few years back
Dead broke and almost empty rooms
Monday, 15 December 2014
The Republic Retrograde
I don't know if it is age, having recently had a quintuple bypass or just the times but when I read something like:
Just messing around here a bit....probably more than I should but the same remains..........a lot can get done without all the "I call a motion crap" seen in monthly meetings. Most people are honorable and well meaning..........however it's obvious a few (the minority) are attempting to destroy the good intentions of others. Imposters. Fakers. Plants. They are liberals not conservatives. Rats are in the house.
I get really tired.
Oh yes indeed the Parliamentary Checks and Balances deveiopled over hundreds of years to protect and defend the Rights of Minorities and Individuals are
Crap
At least in the mind of this piercing intellect.
Who it seems would prefer to discard those bulwarks of Liberty and in a few words, "Depend on the Kindness of Strangers."
It seems like these days people throw terms around without understanding the meaning. They have been turned into synonyms for Bad Dog and Good Boy (Liberal, Conservative)
I mean how could anyone espouse those thoughts and call themselves Conservative if they understood what the term Conservative entailed?
Then there are those who chime in
you nailed it...this is why I got out of politics or committees.
Yes we have fallen from, "To these Ends we Pledge our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor"
To: There's too much Controversy, People Raised their Voices. My sniffle sensitive nerves are shatttered I will have to stay home.
Yeah that is what I call a Revolutionary Spirit a True Level of Committment equal to that of the Founding Fathers.
They do not even know or value what they have and if they wake up one morning and it is gone?
They will blame someone else.
Why taking a Stand is so So Untidy!
Some may say I exagerate.
These things could never happen here.
We are too Civilized!
Those who study History are doomed to watch those who do not repeat it.
At the turn of the 19th/20th Century the best place in Europe to be a Jew was-- Germany and Austria.
One single generation separated that time from Dachau.
To paraphrase Ben Franklin, those who will not take a Stand for their Rights and the Rule of Law
Will recieve and deserve neither,
And those people I quoted above??
If they should wake one day and find that what they took for granted has been taken from them?
They will blame others and if asked Where were You when the Republic was buried.
Will return a Blank Stare because they will not understand what you are saying
Sunday, 14 December 2014
You Have To Stand For Something
The words of the Song go,
You've got to Stand for Something or You'll Fall for Anything.
I started going to Linn County Central Committee meeting in the early Fall of 2004.
A friend of a friend was giving a 9/11 speech and I went to give support.
At the End of the Meeting there was a Call for anyone who wished to join,
I thought, Why not and am still here.
During that decade I have seen the Committee ebb and flow,
I have seen times when it seemed like events conspired to beat it into the ground.
I have seen it rise like a phoenix and flourish.
In my opinion there have been two different philosophies.
One group of leaders seemed to say, We are trusted servants the decison power is in the hands of the Committee, we are here to assist and advise them.
Not oddly enough the County Constitution and By-Laws seems to agree with that
"The Executive
Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn County Central Committee, and none of its acts
shall conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee."
The Chair shall be the Executive Officer and conduct all meetings of the Central
Committee and assist in the formulation of policies for the conduct of the affairs of the
Republican Party and such other matters as may be assigned.
Then we have had Executive Boards who believed that it was they who had the power of decision not the Body.
During the time of those Executive Boards there was rancour and acrimony and dropping attendence due to controversy.
I am partly responsible for those periods.
Because? When I see Constitutions, By-Laws and Rules of Order Violated?
I Speak Out.
I consider that my Duty as a Person of Principle.
i BELIEVE in the Rule of Law.
I feel that is what makes us a Civilized Society rather than an Anarchy or a Shackled Assembly ruled by Executive Fiat.
If the results of my deciding to Stand and be Counted prompt others to leave I am sorry,
The Level of My personal commitment is to Stay and Speak Out,
The Truth is there have always been those who wanted everyone to just get along and not rock the boat
Patrick Henry pointed this out when he said.
Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace
Unless of course by Peace you mean abject capitulation to what is unjust and wrong.
There have always been those who exhorted society to take that path.
Samuel Adams spoke of them
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”
To those who think that Constitutions, By-Laws and Rules of Order are expendable?
I am going to be here speaking out.
To those who find Controversy too discordant and have to leave?
Those of us who have rebuilt this Committee from the ashes before will be here to welcome you, should you return.
Saturday, 13 December 2014
Why Should This All Matter?
A friend who follows this blog relayed that question from another reader to me.
Actually what they said was that I should include in my missives why what I portray should matter to the readers.
At the Dawn of our Republic our Founding Fathers saw two dangers, the Tyranny of the Autocrat and the Tyranny of an Unchecked Majority.
That is why they established a Constitutional Based Representative Republic with Checks and Balances.
The deliberations of the Constitutional Conventionof 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”(Benjamin Franklin)  |
The qualifier "If you can keep it" is important because the Nation was also cautioned:
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." --Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4,1777
Now it is apparent that as individuals we cannot by ourselves affect change on the National or even State stage but we CAN endeavour to keep our backyards clean.
There is a possibility that I take these matters personally. I have Cherokee Ancestory.
For those who do not know anything about the History of that tribe, when the Army was moving my ancestors from their Homeland in the Blue Ridge Mountains to Oklahoma the Supreme Court ruled that action to be Unconsitutional, whereupon Andrew Jackson said
"John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it."
So in the words of a former Co-Chair maybe I AM a tad touchy about Constitutions, ByLaws and Rules of Order.
I stand guilty as charged.
To my mind WE call ourselves the Party which upholds the Rule of Law and want the Government to be bound on Constitutional Principles.
If we do not stand up when our LOCAL Constitution, ByLaws and Rules of Order are Violated what are our words but Hot Air?
Remember: Constitutions, ByLaws and Rules of Order are meant to protect the minority or the individual from the Tyranny of the Autocrat and the Tyranny of the Majority.
You may not think these things matter, but in the words of Pericles
Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.
If you stand aside when they come for somone else, or after some principle, like whether or not a County Constitution is violated, and enough follow your example
Then the Day will come when, if they do not come for YOU they will come for your Children or Theirs.
These thoughts to ME are not Why All of this SHOULD Matter
But rather Why it DOES Matter
Friday, 12 December 2014
Sound and Fury
Sound and Fury were in attendence at the recent Organizational Sub-Committee meeting.
One of the main issues of contention was the placement on the Agenda of the Webmaster as a Committee.
The Webmaster is not has not been a sole Committee the position has been and is a part of the Communications Sub-Committee.
Despite the Central Committee Chair's vehement assertion, those are the facts.
Even if one were to stipulate (which I do not) that such a condition existed in the past, the minute that the Full Central Committee adopted a Charter for the Communications Sub-Committee which put the Webpage under it's authority. any prior condition became obsolete and void, despite any desires of a member of the Executive Board
Because
Our County Consitution states:
The Executive
Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn County Central Committee, and none of its acts
shall conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee.
I have had discussions with others who have to me a strange interpretaton of the above. For Me if A is under the Orders of B then A CANNOT give Orders to B.
If anyone can explain how one can be under the Orders of another and at the same time Give Orders to them enlighten me.
In addition to the above our ByLaws state:
A. Duties
1. The Chair shall be the Executive Officer and conduct all meetings of the Central
Committee and assist in the formulation of policies for the conduct of the affairs of the
Republican Party and such other matters as may be assigned.
2. The Vice-Chair shall conduct all meetings in the absence of the Chair and assist in
formulating policies matters as may be assigned
There are two points of importance here the terms
and assist and as may be assigned.
I submit that assist does not mean decide for and tell what to do and that assigned indicates someone instructs THEM as to what they should be concentrating on.
In a later post I will try to present a more comprehensive and detailed exhibition of the responsibilites of the Executive Board as regards the Full Body of the Central Committee.
But for now I think the above is enough food for thought
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