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View Full Version : How to counter party establishment shenanigans at state conventions -IMPORTANT OPEN THREAD




devil21
04-06-2012, 09:40 AM
This started as a short post on the thread about the ND state convention games as reported by Ben Swann. That thread with video is here:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?370702-Video-Ben-Swann-Reality-Check-on-North-Dakota-delegate-shenanigans

The good news is that the ND GOP just tipped the party's hand how they will try to ram through their preferred delegate slates at the state conventions. This method will likely be used at every upcoming state convention. How do we counter it?
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(capital R Rules means Roberts Rules, lower case r rules means convention rules/bylaws)

The good news is that the GOP just tipped their hand for the rest of the state conventions. They'll disseminate this little plan to all the state GOP offices. It's our job to figure out how to counter it. The state conventions are run by Robert's Rules like the rest of the conventions. Clog it up! Delay! Frustrate! Use the Rules to challenge the party. Remember, the rules can be amended to say pretty much whatever you want! "I move to amend rule/bylaw #whatever" and state the changes or "I move to amend the rules/bylaws by adding an additional rule, which will be #whatever".

SEE HERE: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...ng-bylaws.html
THIS REQUIRES SOME ADVANCE PREP WORK^^^^^^^^^^

The thing I'd like to see more about is the "check box" mentioned and very quickly shown on that ballot. Was the checkbox simply a way for those in attendence to vote for the entire party slate with a single check? If so, THAT needs to be challenged if it wasn't expressly in the convention rules under the balloting section. Raise a Point of order! The ballot does not comply with the convention rules! Then explain how it undermines the delegate selection process. Get every dang Paulite (and other campaigns too) to comment during debate. If enough people are irked by the party's attempt to shut out non-annointed delegates then the ballot can be thrown out. If the ballot does comply with the rules (but is unfair), then you need to get the rules/bylaws changed as explained at the link above and a NEW ballot issued. More on this in the next section.

Also, it appeared the ballot actually had the names of the annointed delegates already on it. That should be Rule challenged as well (I rise to a question of privilege, and call them out on it for everyone to hear) and a motion to amend the rules/bylaws raised for a new ballot that expressly omits the names of annointed delegates and leaves the vote entirely up to the convention. Or a ballot that complies with the rules/bylaws, depending on the situation. There's a good chance the party will have "proper" ballots but will only use them if forced to by the convention members. How do we counter these shenanigans? We need to have our own alternative ballots READY TO GO for the convention. That means Paulites need to show up with enough preprinted ballots that do NOT have the party annointed delegates names on it. Just blank spaces for people to write in their votes. This may be 2000 ballots or more! Or a preprinted ballot with Paulite names but I don't recommend this. Not a quick or cheap undertaking. You also need Paulites ready to pass them out. Of course, the layout of the ballot has to be in accordance with each state's requirements/bylaws. How many delegates are being voted on? The replacement ballot needs this exact number of spaces. Things like that. Cross your t's and dot your i's.

We have to remove these dirty tricks (though they may be procedurally fair) from the process at the start of the conventions and not let them take hold. The main goal needs to be getting the party's preprinted ballots replaced before any vote and the rules/bylaws amended to reflect the new, blank (or Paul delegate) ballots.

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I realize that in some cases the party does crap like ignoring motions or turning off mics. WE MUST BE AS PREPARED AS THEY ARE, IF NOT MORE! Get someone to bring a bullhorn if they like turning off mics. Cause a huge commotion if they ignore motions and points of order. Don't be afraid. Your very liberty may depend on it.

If anyone would like to add or correct anything in my post, feel free. We really need to brainstorm on how to counter the tactic shown in Swann's report and these are just my thoughts.

ClydeCoulter
04-06-2012, 10:31 AM
Bump

Titus
04-06-2012, 10:55 AM
What I would do is contact the national campaign. In North Dakota, we should file an injunction to prevent those delegates from being seated at the national convention. The basis would be the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment and voting rights.

In other states, I would look into a basis for filing an injunction mandating that all candidates be listed in the same manner. No preselected slate should have priority. In California, there is no such basis for that because delegates are tied to the popular vote and districts. So even if I felt competent to handle such a momentus task, I could not.