1080 East Post Rd
Marion, IA 52302 US
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When: Friday, May 1, 7:30AM
Updated: Thursday, 30 April 2009 6:51 AM CDT
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Now of course neither I nor anyone I know has ever been on an adventure to The Well at the World's End.
But some of us did sally forth recently on a Journey to
The Rally at Linn County's End
Myself, I am not one to Vote for Change, merely for the sake of Change,
When it is presented to me that something which has served me well in the past needs altered, I prefer being shown some substantive gain to be derived from the departure from what has been before,.
You see I am something which is called a CONSERVATIVE
I am also a Devout Capitalist and it is written in the
Rules of Acquisition: Thou Shalt Not Hinder the Customer From Parting With Their Latinum.
Adjusting that paradigm to meeting attendance, translates as, if you wish folks to come to your meeting you need to smooth their path.
You need to have the meeting place where it is easy for them to go, where they might go occasionally, often for other reasons.
The short form of the above is
Location, Location, LOCATION
If you think like I do, you might have wondered, "Is there a place in Linn County that is FURTHER away from the people we wish to attend Linn County Central Committee Meetings and still be IN Linn County?
I confess I cannot think of one,.
What would in my opinion be an optimum location?
Well maybe a Central Location? Since folks in Iowa are like folks elsewhere, and those who live out in the country come into Town to Shop, maybe around were they might come to shop?
Perhaps they might want to get something to eat before or after the meeting? How about also where there is a nice selection of restaurants a range of which could fit any budget?
Hmm that sound a lot like
Where we used to HAVE our Meetings.
And to top everyting off, besides being a Conservative and Capitalist, I also place a priority on Fiscal Responsibility.
The Deal we had at our previous location as I understand it was, $50/month and some of us dine there ( I always did) plus booking one Party a year, which we always did.
Now the new place looks very nice, but I still wonder, what was the Gain by this Change?
How exactly did we benefit?
You might want to ask this for yourself if you are curious about the same things I am.
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I use the term "epicycles" as an example of an extremely complex convoluted method to force reality into conformance with a desired outcome.
This is a not uncommon occurrence in human endeavors and if the initial starting point of the paradigm is invalid the results can be bizarre and paradoxical.
I met recently with the Leadership of the Linn County Central Committee,
Our dialog was civilized and the basic outcome was that, we agreed to disagree
.
They do not agree with my analysis of the situation the Committee finds itself in, but that they did not have any desire to silence me.
To which I agreed.
It is not my habit to merely dispute an issue with someone and then not think about the matter further. I spent a fair amount of time later that day mulling over the implications of what we discussed.
To recap the situation as it appears to me.
At the February Central Committee meeting David Chung, and quite correctly I might add, brought up a point of procedure, on Iowa State Election Code and the various Constitutions of the Republican Party at the State and County level
.
The result was that we were in fact not in compliance with the above as far as membership and more importantly eligibility to vote and it has come to my attention after investigation, that this situation may be back 10 years or so.
The practice of asking if anyone wished to join the committee and then voting them in is not even close to compliance with State Law and our Constitutions and By-Laws.
A serious problem since at the time we were looking at Officer's Elections at the March meeting.
It was decided to form a committee to examine the Form As from the Precinct Caucuses in order to compile a list of Credentialed Voters.
Now that method was IMO quite correct.
The State Election Code states.
43.99 Party committee persons.
Two members of the county central committee for each political party shall, at the precinct caucuses, be elected from each precinct
The State and County Party Constitutions state
<IV. MEMBERSHIP OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE
The County Central Committee shall consist of two precinct committee members elected from each precinct at the precinct caucuses
So it appears to me that the only persons who couldhave been listed for the March Election as Central Committee members were those elected to those positions at the Precinct Caucuses.
It would seem that everything should have been simple. Look at the Form A records from the Caucuses and list those persons elected to those posts.
However the list that was derived included not solely persons listed as elected to be County Central Committee Members, but Chairs, Co-Chairs, Secretaries and a category called Alternates.
Now let me be clear on one thing there is no position as Alternate County Committee Member, there is something called an Assistant Central Committee Member, but those are appointed by a majority vote of the Central Committee which does not happen at the Caucus.
In my opinion, our list contained not just elected Central Committee Members who were eligible to vote but others who were not eligible.
At least not in compliance with the State Election Code and the Constitutions and By-Laws.
In fact I am informed that one elected Central Committee member's name did not appear on his Precinct Caucuses Form A and therefore they did not vote someone who Chaired the Caucus voted instead.
When I presented my conclusions, which are the Election may not be valid, the response seems to have been we should let it stand because we voted on it.
I may be doing the two gentlemen a disservice but to me the logic seems to be.
Upon discovery that a large portion of those who thought they were Committee Members, were in fact not,
We examined the Form As and compiled a list of persons many of whom were not eligible to vote either,
and we should let the results stand because
The original group comprised of many people who were not eligible to vote, voted to do so.
This sort of circular argument, gives me a headache.
In a latter article I will present my own ideas on how to remedy this situation in a Post I plan to title
Solutions.
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I will take your points in a biblical manner the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
Dan,
I appreciate your thoughtful inquiry. I have a couple of comments about your notes.
4) Mark Hudson. I do not know whether Mark is a member of the Central Committee or an alternate. Regardless, the bylaws allow officers to be selected from outside the membership. This is a common practice. According to Roberts Rules chairmen who are not members may not vote or break ties. In the RPI Constitution, the Chair is not a member but is allowed to break ties. The RNC Constitution also allows non-members to serve as chair (I don't know whether non-member chairs are given voting rights). Current RNC chair, Michael Steele was elected from outside the RNC membership.
4) The correct term for the secondary class of Central Commitee Members as per the By-Laws is ASSISTANT COMMITTEE PERSONS and while can be heard, have no voting rights but as you point out if they are Chairing they can break a tie since Robert's Rules of Order take precedence unless the By-Laws preclude them
IX. RULES OF ORDERRobert's Rules of Order Revised shall prevail unless modified by these by-laws.
So an Officer does not have to be a Central Committee member since the By-Laws also state.
The
Central Committee shall elect either from its’ membership or otherwise a chair, co-chair,
secretary, treasurer and other officers as it may determine
I interpret Otherwise as they don't have to be a member, however anyone who is an officer but not a voting member would have no voting rights unless they were chairing and a tie had been called
3) Our (Linn County's) Constitution and By-laws do allow for alternate members who do not have voting privileges except in the absence of their elected committee people. It has been many years, but we used to keep ordered lists of alternates per precinct. People who came to meetings to join were informed whether they could join as members (to fill vacancies) or alternates if there were no vacancies.
3) Again the accurate term is Assistant Central Committee Persons and it is correct as you state that in the absence of an Elected Committee Member one or two from a Precinct maybe given temporay voting rights. But since the By=Laws are mute on the mechanism I would assume it would be by a vote of a Quorum. Present.
@
2) The question of who are the two elected members is a more difficult one to answer. I proposed the first two names from form A because it is the only record we have of what happened on caucus night. In the two precincts that I moderated, we did have elections and we did elect two CC members. They were reported on form A. In my opinion form A was the only reasonable way to attempt to re-construct the results of caucus night. As I mentioned, I am on the State Central Committee's organization sub-committee. Issues like rules and the caucus (and form A) fall under my committees purview. This situation will not happen again
@
1) It was not improper for the county central committee to add new members. However, only those added to fill 'vacancies' are actually full-fledged CC members. Since Linn Courty (and RPI) by-laws allow the committee to fill vacancies and this power is granted explicitly in the Iowa code. What the committee cannot do, is add more members than two per precinct without taking the special steps defined in the code of allocating new seats proportionate to the precinct's voting in the last election.
@
2 & 1) Yes that is indeed much more difficult. You recall I missed my Caucus? It being the first I would have attended I have no experience with how these things should run, but looking at the Paul handout I would say that would be a good way to do it.
So I asked my next door neighbors what they remembered. They recall there was an Acting Chairman who was elected to be Permanent Chair and they do not recall ANY other ELECTIONS that night for Permanent Secretary, County Convention Delegates, County Convention Alternate Delegates Nor for Central Committee Members,
With respect we cannot allow individuals to simply fill in who they wish for these positions and in the absence of any documentary evidence, Form A for instance that clearly indicates that a person was elected to the positon of The Precinct County Central Committee Member, or witnesses to the same, then that position is Vacant.
Now IF we can find 20 people who were elected in the correct manner as happened in your Caucus? The situation is simple,. They consitute a Legal Quorum of the County Central Committee and as stated
Vacancies in the County Central Committee may be filled by a majority of those members of
the Committee present and voting.
and yes this situation does not need to happen again, we shoud wipe the slate clean and restart in the correct maner, even if what is required is the process stated in Article VI Secion 7 of the
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF IOWA
7. Vacancies on the County Central Committee may be
filled by majority vote of the County Central Committee, or
at a special precinct caucus called by the County Central
Committee.
The following is an extentsion of my (Dan Kauffman's) remarks after gathering more information
I have recieved reports to date on the actions of 8 precincts in 4 there were elections for Central Committe
Members. In 3 the person I have been in contact with have no recollection of special elections for
Central Committe Members. In the last and 8th Caucus, there were two nominations from the floor
for Central Committee Members, being unopposed it was the consensus of the Precinct Caucus that
their positons were afirmed BUT their names did not appear on Form A.
@
As a result when it came time for the Election in March one of these two, who had been attending
Central Commitees all year under the impression that they were one of the two credebtialed Central
Committee Member, was not able to vote and instead someone whose name did appear on Form
A and who this person had never seen in a meeting since the Caucus voted instead,
Not Good.
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43.99 Party committee persons.
Two members of the county central committee for each political party shall, at the precinct caucuses, be elected from each precinct. The term of office of a member shall begin at the time specified by the party’s state constitution or bylaws and shall continue for two years and until a successor is elected and qualified, unless sooner removed by the county central committee for inattention to duty or incompetency. The party’s state constitution or bylaws may permit the election of additional central committee members from each precinct in a number proportionate to the vote cast for the party’s candidates for office in the respective precincts at preceding general elections.
[S13, §1087-a25; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §626; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §43.99]
107
43.4 Political party precinct caucuses.
Delegates to county conventions of political parties and party committee members shall be elected at precinct caucuses held not later than the fourth Monday in February of each even-numbered year. The date shall be at least eight days earlier than the scheduled date for any meeting, caucus or primary which constitutes the first determining stage of the presidential nominating process in any other state, territory or any other group which has the authority to select delegates in the presidential nomination. The state central committees of the political parties shall set the date for their caucuses. The county chairperson of each political party shall issue the call for the caucuses. The county chairperson shall file with the commissioner the meeting place of each precinct caucus at least seven days prior to the date of holding the caucus.
There shall be selected among those present at a precinct caucus a chairperson and a secretary who shall within seven days certify to the county central committee the names of those elected as party committee members and delegates to the county convention
From the
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF IOWA
ARTICLE VI
COUNTY COMMITTEES
1. County Central Committees shall consist of two
precinct committee members elected from each precinct. Every
County Central Committee shall adopt a Constitution and
Bylaws which shall govern the operation of the Committee, and
which may contain a provision for the election of additional
Central Committee members from each precinct in a number
proportionate to the Republican vote cast in that precinct at
the last preceding general election for President of the
United States or for Governor of Iowa, as the case may
7. Vacancies on the County Central Committee may be
filled by majority vote of the County Central Committee, or
at a special precinct caucus called by the County Central
Committee
From the
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF
LINN COUNTY
IV. MEMBERSHIP OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE
The County Central Committee shall consist of two precinct committee members elected from
each precinct at the precinct caucuses. The Constitution of the Republican Party of Iowa
permits a provision to be adopted in the County by-laws for the election of additional Central
Committee members from each precinct in a number proportionate to the Republican vote
cast in the precinct at the last preceding general election for President of the United States or
for the Governor of Iowa, as the case may be.
When elected, a member of the County Central Committee must be a resident of the precinct
from which elected. The term of office of a member of the County Central Committee shall
begin on the day following the precinct caucus and shall continue until the next precinct
caucus and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. A member may be removed
by the County Central Committee for inattention to duty, incompetence, or active support of
an opponent of a Republican nominee. Vacancies on the County Central Committee shall be
filled by the County Central Committee.
VI. MEETINGS
The Chair or Co-Chair or twenty (20) members of the Linn County Central Committee may
call a meeting of said Committee and there shall be no less than six (6) meetings per year.
From the
BY-LAWS OF THE LINN COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL
COMMITTEE
I. VACANCIES
Vacancies in the County Central Committee may be filled by a majority of those members of
the Committee present and voting.
II. ASSISTANT COMMITTEE PERSONS
The County Central Committee shall have the power to designate and select additional
members from each precinct to assist the Committee persons. They shall have the right to
attend meetings and to be heard. They shall not have the right to vote, except in the
absence of a Committee person form their own precinct.
III. REMOVAL OF COMMITTEE PERSONS
Any member of the County Central Committee who, without good cause, misses two (2)
consecutive meetings of the County Central Committee, whether they are regular, specially
scheduled or instructional meetings, or who fails to promptly carry out his or her assigned
duties within the time specified under the organization's program which the Committee has
adopted may be removed by action of the county Central committee and a replacement
selected to fill the vacancy caused by his removal. No removal shall be effected until the
member is given an opportunity to be heard at the next meeting after which his or her
removal is introduced.
IV. EXCUSED ABSENCE
In the event a member is unable to attend a meeting for a good cause, he or she shall notify
the secretary in advance that he or she is unable to attend.
X. AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be amended by majority vote of those present at any called meeting of
the Central Committee. Written notice of the proposed amendment must be forwarded to the
members of the Committee with a notice calling the meeting, and be postmarked at least ten
(10) days prior to the meeting at which said amendment is to be presented for consideration
and vote.
XI. QUORUM
Twenty (20) members of the County Central Committee shall constitute a quorum for the
purpose of transacting any business which shall be presented for consideration and vote.
**********************************************************************************************
Well I think all can agree that the Iowas State Election Code, the Constitution of the Republican Party of the State of Iowa and the Constitution of the Linn County GOP Central Committee and it's By-Laws are clear.
Unless you were Elected to be one of the Precinct delegates to the County Central Committee at the Precinct Caucus then you are NOT a member of the County Central Committee,
So if you stood up in a Central Committee meeting in the past were recognized and accepted by voice vote to be a Member of the Linn County Central Committee?
Sorry but you aren't
However it is equally true that if your name appeared on a Caucus Form A as a Chair, Co-Chair, Alternate or Secretary?
You are no more a Member of the County Central Committee than the above,
Chair Co-Chair and Secretary elections are only for the purpose of running the Caucus. County Delegates and County Delegate Alternates are for the purposes of the Function of the County Convention,.
Precinct delegates to act as County Central Committee Members for the two years between elections are a separate election, Assuming the Chair Co-Chair Alternate, or Secretary, can be a Central Committee Member has no more validity than assuming a Voice Vote at a meeting makes you a Country Central Committee Member.
What does this mean?
A royal mess, Unless there can be found at a minimum 20 persons who were elected at their Precinct Caucuses to be County Central Committee Members this body does not have a quorum. It also means that if there were not 20 persons who were so elected at the last Officer Elections?
That Election has No standing under the Election Laws of the State of Iowa, nor under the Constitutions of the Republican Party of the State of Iowa, nor under the Constitution and By-Laws of the Linn County Central Committee.
The Election is Invalid and we must first ascertain we can assemble a quorum of Central Committee Members that fits the definition under the present Law.
Before we can do anything.
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The County Convention has come and gone. In the coming weeks this website will have Platform Planks posted that were chosen to discuss, consider and rank.
To start things off we will list the categories so readers can rank them according to the importance they deem appropriate.
It is hoped that this website will evolve into a place where issues are brought up and platforms and planks are developed in a continuous dynamic ongoing process, so that some day we will go to the Caucuses and County Convention will a slate that has crystalized during the time since the previous eleciton cycle.
Business and Economic Development
Education
Energy Natural Resources and Transportation
Family Values
Government
Health and Human Services
Defense, Immigration and Foreign Policy
Right to Life
The Full List can be found Here