GOP leaders back down on proposal

[sailingaway]

TAMPA, Fla. — Republican leaders hastened Monday to quell an uprising by Texans and Ron Paul supporters that threatened to steal the spotlight from GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and expose rifts in the party as its nominating convention got under way.

Under a compromise reached late Monday, Romney supporters and GOP leaders agreed to back down from a proposed rule change that effectively would have allowed presidential nominees to choose what delegates represent them at national conventions.

The proposed change was aimed at muting the power of insurgent candidates such as tea party favorite Ron Paul, but prompted an uproar from Texas Republicans, who select their delegates through successive votes in conventions at precincts, then districts and finally statewide.

Butch Davis, a member of the RNC Rules Committee who fought off the proposal, said the existing Texas system often elevates grass-roots activists and party faithful toiling in the trenches, but the proposed change would have instead allowed GOP leaders and presidential candidates to hand-select delegates and reward donors with delegate spots.

“We believe in Texas as a principle that no presidential candidate nor the RNC should be able to tell Texas who can or cannot be a delegate to the national convention,” Davis said.

“This isn't Reagan vs. Ford, Goldwater vs. Rockefeller,” Davis added. “This is George Washington vs. King George.”


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/GOP-leaders-back-down-on-proposal-3819661.php#ixzz24onBiXdM

:D

[Expatriate]

Woohoo!

[Indy Vidual]

We need good news, thanks. :)

[Aratus]

the hour is late and i gotta luv all the texans for this!

[RPES1]

Darn, I really wish they didn't back down from this and stuck to their guns....just so they would piss more people off. Oh well....

[RickyJ]

Finally some good news!

Now to get Maine its delegates back and get Ron Paul nominated from the floor.

[CPUd]

Finally some good news!

Now to get Maine its delegates back and get Ron Paul nominated from the floor.

This compromise means we no longer have Nevada.

[fr33]

Here's an opposing view of the ordeal from a fake Texan Republican: hxxp://texasfred.net/archives/17879

He's a fake Texan. He moved here :p (and he's a neocon idiot)

[susano]

I hate politics

[Lightweis]

I haven't heard anything confirm this news story.. But I fully expect the goons to back down

[RickyJ]

This compromise means we no longer have Nevada.

Delegates being bound to vote for a candidate means there is no sense in them even being there. The convention is suppose to be a place where they decide who to nominate, not who to coronate. No delegates should be bound to vote for any candidate.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Darn, I really wish they didn't back down from this and stuck to their guns....just so they would piss more people off. Oh well....

I completely agree!

-t

[CPUd]

But the fact is- they are now. If they try to vote any other way, it signifies their resignation, and their vote will be voided and re-cast to whomever they were bound for. The same applied to floor nominations to meet a plurality requirement. If they are bound to romney, they can't move to nomnate Ron Paul, or they will be escorted off the floor. This will take effect at 2PM when they pass the rules.

[RickyJ]

But the fact is- they are now. If they try to vote any other way, it signifies their resignation, and their vote will be voided and re-cast to whomever they were bound for. The same applied to floor nominations to meet a plurality requirement. If they are bound to romney, they can't move to nomnate Ron Paul, or they will be escorted off the floor. This will take effect at 2PM when they pass the rules.

Well these last minute rule changes should not be allowed to apply to this convention anyway. Changing the rules at the last minute should never be allowed. This compromise as it is now should be voted down, I don't see what Texas delegates are so happy about, unless their whole goal was just to come to the convention and have a party!

[DamianTV]

If they try this shit tomorrow, I fully expect nothing short of violence. And the violence may not stop.

[CPUd]

From a delegate:



To the Members of the Republican National Committee and the Convention Committee on Rules:

The undersigned are very pleased to announce that the leadership of the Republican National Committee and the Romney for President campaign has heard the concerns of the conservative grassroots voices in our party and has crafted an amendment to the Rules adopted on Friday to address these concerns.

At the same time, the revised language closes a loophole in our party rules, which previously failed to include a penalty for delegates who break their promise to vote for a particular Presidential candidate as required by state law or state party rules.

We are pleased that our party has come together to fashion this compromise. This will allow Republicans of all stripes to come to the Convention united and focused on defeating Barack Obama in November.

The Convention is our party’s opportunity to energize our supporters and activists. It would be unfortunate to squander the opportunity fighting an internal battle which we have now been able to successfully resolve and which will accomplish the goals of all parties involved.

The resolution that we have reached is straightforward. It simply prevents a bound delegate from nominating or casting a vote for a different presidential candidate than the one to whom the delegate was legally bound by state law or state party rule.

Instead, under this new provision, a delegate who attempts to violate his binding pledge is deemed to have resigned and the Secretary of the Convention will record the improper vote as it should have been cast based on state law or party rule.

It leaves the actual selection of delegates completely to state parties under state law and state party rules.

We are pleased that we were able to reach an acceptable resolution and urge the members of the Convention Rules Committee to adopt the revised Rule tomorrow to be included in their report to the Convention.

Read more to see the actual text: http://freedomoutpost.com/2012/08/rnc-tightens-noose-on-delegates-in-last-minute-rule-change/#ixzz24pOqDPbF

[CaptainAmerica]

State GOP would still be able to remove and select delegates?what a fucking crock of shit.

[CPUd]

Well these last minute rule changes should not be allowed to apply to this convention anyway. Changing the rules at the last minute should never be allowed. This compromise as it is now should be voted down, I don't see what Texas delegates are so happy about, unless their whole goal was just to come to the convention and have a party!

They seemingly bought into the ploy. The only rules they really wanted to get through were the ones about Rule 40; if you want a rule/amendment passed, propose several additional rules that are extreme enough to cause a backlash from the majority of the delegates. This way the RNC has manufactured an issue so that they are able to concede something without really having nothing to lose, whereas the delegates have everything to lose (with regards to the 'deal').

[Sematary]

And people wonder why many have given up on the Republican party.

[wgadget]

Spotlight must stay on King Romney. Got it.

[wgadget]

From a delegate:

So do we get our Maine delegates back?

[ShaneEnochs]

So do we get our Maine delegates back?

Some of them, but we lose our majority in Nevada.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Lot's of pressure from many states...

http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/11048-georgia-tea-party-patriots-not-happy-about-rnc-rules

Georgia Tea Party Patriots not happy about RNC rules
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 4:08pm | posted by Jason Pye (http://www.unitedliberty.org/users/jpye)

Julianne Thompson, one of the founders of Georgia Tea Party Patriots and a convention delegate, has written an open letter to Republican National Committee on rule changes made that would allow the party’s presidential nominee to revoke delegates (http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/11042-rule-changes-threaten-gop-activists). You can read the letter in its entirety below:


Chairman Reince Preibus, members of the Rules Committee, and the entire voting delegation of the 2012 Republican National Convention:
As a National Delegate to the 2012 RNC, I am extremely disappointed that a rule would be passed throug committee that essentially strips the grassroots of all of it’s representative power by ridding State Parties of their ability to choose whom they will send as delegates and alternates to represent their State to the Republican National Convention. The rules change would allow the Presidential nominee sweeping new power to override that process and choose their own National Delegates. The rule also allows the RNC (with only a 3/4 vote) the power to amend the party’s rules without a vote by the full Republican National Convention.
The GOP is the political Party of the grassroots. Our national delegates are the boots-on-the-ground that get Republicans elected. We are there for County meetings, State Conventions, National Conventions, and most importantly we spend our time and money canvassing our neighborhoods, going door to door, making phone calls, writing personal endorsement letters, and getting-out-the-vote for Republicans. We are the worker bees, and we are the heart and soul of the Republican Party.
We have always believed that our Party is the one who best represents what it means to be an American…freedom! With your current attempt at this rules change, you are essentially striking the first blow that chips away at that freedom, and you disenfranchise the very people that turned the tide for the GOP in 2010 by returning power in the U.S. House of Representatives to Republicans.
I would like to hope that our nominee is unaware of the skullduggery that occurred with regard to this attempt at shutting out the people that have unified to help him win in November. The audacity of creating a firestorm when there is an opportunity for unity and peace that is needed to win back the Senate and take back the White House is irresponsible and I seriously question the motives of those behind this attempt.
Why the change in rules? That is the million-dollar question, and it is fairly easy to answer.There are still those in place in the GOP and on campaigns that would like to use the delegate and alternate seats as rewards for donating large checks to campaigns and the RNC.
If your desire is to win elections, then I strongly suggest that you engage the grassroots and show respect to those who help put you in power.
During a time that should ring of unity, you have put the GOP at a crossroads. Do you want to win this election and future elections? Now is your opportunity to prove it. Either take it to the floor and let us vote it down, and better yet, pull this insulting attempt to disenfranchise the heart and soul of our Republican Party!


Sincerely,
Julianne Thompson, National Delegate for Mitt Romney – Georgia

*** ATTENTION NATIONAL DELEGATES: A minority report was put together, so this change could be brought to the floor and voted-on by the entire delegation. Despite attempts to pressure rules committee members into not signing-on to the report, signatures are still being actively sought, so this report can be brought forward.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR RULES COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES TODAY AND TELL THEM TO OPPOSE THIS CHANGE AND SIGN THE MINORITY REPORT.

[ShaneEnochs]

Mitt Romney fucked up big time with this. It's making his own delegates think twice.

[wgadget]

And yet the Georgia bigwigs want to force delegates to pledge they'll vote for Romney.

Does not compute.

[Unknownuser]

Woohoo!

This means that the so called bound delegates are not allowed to vote their conscience. They will lose their credentials if they do. We will lose Nevada and many other stealth delegates. Spread the word. We need a floor fight.

[Thomas526]

http://www.dailypaul.com/251429/attention-delegates-floor-fight-against-proposed-amended-rule-please-read

MORE IMPORTANTLY, the new proposed rule compromise doesn't allow you to "Demonstrate Support for any presidential nominee" other than the one you are bound to based on State law... Please spread the word fast this morning that this compromise is not okay... FLOOR FIGHT STILL NEEDED!!! This new rule means delegates bound for Romney that bring in Ron Paul signs and "demonstrate support" for him will be removed and replaced!!!! PLEASE VOTE UP AND SPREAD WORD TO OPPOSE THIS RULE CHANGE!!!!!

[DGambler]

And yet the Georgia bigwigs want to force delegates to pledge they'll vote for Romney.

Does not compute.

Do you live in GA? If not, this is not surprising.... the "toe the party line" mentality is strong within this state.

[Unknownuser]

This is not good news. This says the so called bound delegates cannot vote their conscience. That means we lose Nevada! There needs to be a floor fight. Please spread the word.

[wgadget]

Do you live in GA? If not, this is not surprising.... the "toe the party line" mentality is strong within this state.

Yes, I do. I was a state delegate in 2008.

The Establishment is hideous.

[Pericles]

Texans don't like being told what to do - even if they happen to agree with you.

[TruckinMike]

Delegates being bound to vote for a candidate means there is no sense in them even being there. The convention is suppose to be a place where they decide who to nominate, not who to coronate. No delegates should be bound to vote for any candidate.THANK YOU RickyJ! It seems that some folk here and the heavy majority of republicans think that bound delegates are the ethical/moral position. WoW!, I know, crazy, but its true. They seem to forget we live in a Republic for a reason --- The masses are to be buffered in order to prevent tyranny of the majority. Which is a direct result of top down media manipulation on behalf of the elite. Thus Thomas Jeffereson's quote on reading only newspapers(or getting news from the MSM) is very relevant to my point --


The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers. ^^This was a swipe at the MSM of his day.

And that is at least partially why we have UNbound delegates (IMO) - The establishment has been poisoning the well of republicanism for a long time ---> Especially destructive was the adoption of the 17th amendment on May 31st, 1913.

But we here at RPF know this already. Maybe some lurker will learn something.

TMike