Posted on 08/29/2012 12:55:52 PM PDT by Kolath
The noes clearly had it, but the party bosses gaveled the dissenters down, shutting off the microphones and ignoring cries of "Roll call! Roll call!"
Yesterday, the Republican National Committee in Tampa adopted some rules changes that shift power from the state parties and the grassroots to the RNC and the GOP presidential nominee. Former Governor John Sununu of New Hampshire touted the new rules as providing “a strong governing framework” for the party over the next four years. But in fact the the new rules should be very troubling and disappointing to conservative grassroots activists, because they move the national Republican Party away from being a decentralized, bottom-up party toward becoming a centralized, top-down party.
The Romney rules effectively disenfranchise grassroots delegates, and will thus tend to weaken and splinter the party over time. They specifically represent a blow to the Tea Party and the Ron Paul movement, and force grassroots conservatives of all stripes to contemplate their future within the GOP.
(Excerpt) Read more at freedomworks.org ...
1. Amend existing Rule 12 to hand national party officials, for the first time, the power to change the party's rules between national conventions, which take place every fourth year. Three-fourths of RNC members must approve a proposed change for it to take effect. This is unprecedented. It would enable top GOP officials to circumvent rules adopted by state and grassroots leaders at the National Convention. One can imagine how it might be used to shape and control the delegate-selection process to the advantage of insiders and special interests.
2. Amend existing Rule 15 to allow the presumptive presidential nominee to “disavow” duly elected delegates and force state parties to hold new elections to replace any delegate or alternate deemed unacceptable by the presumptive presidential nominee. One can imagine the influence this change would give a presumptive nominee over any delegate that doesn’t toe the line. He could, in effect, choose the people who are to choose him. It’s not hard to imagine the temptation a campaign would feel to use this power to intimidate delegates and to reward friends, supporters, and campaign contributors. The proposal also contained a provision altering the method of allocating delegates, in order to front-load and shorten the primary calendar.
Unfortunately, the proposed change to Rule 12 passed. Thankfully, the proposed changes to Rule 15 were stopped. But an “insiders’ compromise” version of the “disavowal” provision did pass.
What does Romney’s RNC power grab mean for the future? At least three things:
Conclusions from FW.
1) As of today, the GOP is now much less representative of state parties and voters than it was yesterday, and thus more representative of whichever interests are smart and powerful enough to dominate the RNC.
2) Grassroots activists will now have to add “Monitoring the RNC” to their “eternal vigilance” list.
3) FreedomWorks will have to add “Influencing — and when necessary, fighting — the RNC” to our “Hostile Takeover” strategy.
“engineering of consent”
dirty tricks that were employed
1. Florida activist Laura Noble informed us that both of Florida’s Rules Committee members, Peter Feaman and Kathleen King, were removed from the Rules Committee and replaced with Romney-appointed delegates.
2. Some Rules Committee members were physically barred from entering the room, despite having proper credentials.
3. Some delegates were told that Blackwell was trying to use the situation as an excuse to reopen a settled debate that he had lost four years ago regarding Rule 12. Not true.
4. Some delegates were told Romney personally knew nothing of the matter and it was just his overly aggressive lawyers acting beyond their authority and there was nothing to worry about, he would put a stop to it once he found out what was happening.
5. Some delegates seem to have believed that the rules fight was really just a proxy fight in the larger battle being waged between the Romney and Ron Paul camps over who would represent certain states on the convention floor. This assumption may have discouraged some Rules Committee members from supporting the minority reports.
Well it does in fact give a “strong governing framework” for the party over the next four years. Any authoritarian need powers such as these. Vote individuals after being very skeptical of what they promise. The only reason I’ll vote this time is to support Art Robinson over Pete DeFazio for congress - likely a lost cause.
Romney lost my vote with this. We don’t need another dictator to replace the one we have. We need more grassroots not more big government bureaucracy.
First Obama, then THIRD PARTY!!
6. The driver for the Virginia delegation got “lost” and drove them around until it was too late for the vote. Both members were against the rule changes.
So much for changing the GOP at the local level. Face it, the PUBs are an elephant in its death throe. What more will it take for Conservatives to get the message that we are not wanted?
Mark this date, August 29,2012 and this statement: “The GOP has no intention of beating 0bambi and Romney will find a way to throw the election.”
There are silver linings no one seems to pay attention to. This MIGHT stop the individual states from moving their primaries into ‘me first’ dates that screw up ALL the primaries, not to mention states losing their full slate of delegates. It might also change some of the ‘open’ primaries where dem crossovers choose who wins. Maybe we will not see again what happened in Virginia this year.
MAYBE it isn’t as bad as you think.
so make that:
6. As above
Myth RomneyCARE has made the GOP the ultimate
party of dirty tricks (against conservatives)
and DEATH PANELS.
Those who KNEW Mr. RomneyCARE WARNED you all about this.
Demonstrates a real top-down, authoritarian streak in the RNC leadership, which I find repugnant. Like they regard the grassroots as ignorant rabble. The whole condescending attitude also totally goes against the government philosophy of federalism and small-government, which works best the closer it is to the people. Not dictated from above by our ruling-class “betters.” The whole GOP seems to have lost its bearings, and is morphing into a replica of the Dems.
This will come back to bite them in their oh-so-clever-by-half asses.
If a populist conservative speaking candidate does manage to garner enough primary votes in a future election cycle, he or SHE will be UNSTOPPABLE and they will cry and wail and gnash their teeth with no one to blame but themselves...........
From the article:
“4. Some delegates were told Romney personally knew nothing of the matter and it was just his overly aggressive lawyers acting beyond their authority and there was nothing to worry about, he would put a stop to it once he found out what was happening. “
I’ve said this before, lots of stuff seems to happen around Mitt without him having anything to do with it.
I will not be voting for Romney. I would vote 3rd party but not Republican.
A few elite want to run things their way so good luck to them.
I will not be voting for Romney. I would vote 3rd party but not Republican.
A few elite want to run things their way so good luck to them.
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