Tempers Flare at Young Republicans Convention as Delegates Clash over Amendments

Talon News ^ | 7-13-03 | Steven Dewey

[RightOnGOP]

Tempers Flare at Young Republicans Convention as Delegates Clash over Amendments By Stephen Dewey Talon News July 12, 2003

BOSTON (Talon News) -- The Young Republicans convention broke down into shouting and some physical contact on Friday as delegates for opposing tickets clashed over amendments being considered by the Young Republican National Federation's (YRNF) Constitution and By-Laws Committee.

Such amendments would realign the YRNF's administrative regions to match those of the RNC, easing cooperation between the two organizations. The change would also provide legitimacy to the ticket of Mike Flory and DeAnna Brangers. Currently, Brangers would be ineligible to serve with Flory as his co-chairman under the YRNF's existing regional divisions.

This has created tensions between pro-Flory delegates and the acting Convention Chairman John Birmingham of Ohio, who is also the campaign manager for Michael Mack, Mike Flory's opponent in the race for YRNF chairman.

The conflict became apparent at the first convention business meeting held on Friday morning, during which the chairman oversaw a brief reading of the report of the Committee on Rules and moved quickly to adjourn for lunch. As Birmingham called for adjournment, several delegates shouted concerns that the decision to close the meeting had been made in a manner that was inconsistent with Robert's Rules of Order, the YRNF convention standard. They were told that their comments were out of order, and the meeting was dissolved.

[RightOnGOP]

My thoughts when reading this.......there's nothing like an opportunity (2004) just prior to which the GOP is fighting itself. Literally.

I certainly hope that the parties involved can patch things up and all get behind the GOP team. We have so many chances to increase our majority (White House, House, Senate, coattails within states) and the YRs are an important source of energy and help with this mission. It would be sad for their focus to be lost and for them not to contribute as much as possible just because they've had a bloody convention.

Any YR opinions out there? Better yet, any Freeper in attendance?

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[Republican Wildcat]

I know that DeAnna Brangers is from Kentucky.

It wasn't exactly wise to create a ticket that was constitutionally ineligible and then try to change rules to make yourself eligible. This is a disappointing development, to say the least.

[petitfour]

I'm not a Young Republican anymore. Nor was I in attendance. When I was a young college student, I was asked to join the College Republicans on my campus in order to vote for a friend for President. He wasn't affiliated with "the Machine," and it was gonna take a whole lotta independents showing up to vote in order to defeat "the Machine." We showed up in force to the chagrin of the entitled Machine candidate. There was some fancy-dancin', and votebox stuffing going on that night. They even took the ballot box out of the room, so they could write up a whole bunch of absentee ballots. Right in front of us! Interestingly, the guy who "won" joined the staff of some RAT congressman or state congressman a year or so later.

[aynrandfreak]

I'm just glad that they seem to have some fight in them.

[DoughtyOne]

I'll be honest with you, I think the Young Republicans have their head's glued on more squarely than the RNC does. As such the last thing I would like to see right now is a closer allignment between them.

IMO the RNC is a lost cause. The moderates (read that socialists) are so firmly entrenched that it's impossible to enact truly conservative platform issues, candidates or appointments. This leave us with RINOs ruling the roost.

The question is, do we wish to reinforce that reality, or do we wish to have an organization out there that instills actual conservative values in up and coming Republicans.

For the long term, I think it's better to allow the Young Republicans some autonomy and room to develop the next generation of politicians we can truly count on to make the changes needed.

[RightOnGOP]

I don't know or support either side, just am concerned this could be more bad, than good.

Actually, the realignment with the RNC regions was a change that both YR parties running had PREVIOUSLY agreed upon. This was to be the convention at which proper changes were made to the plan of organization.

However, it's the commonly held wisdom that the Mack team determined they didn't have the votes, and saw reneging on their earlier support for realignment as a way to disqualify their opposition. Pure politics.

[Dan from Michigan]

I may be able to get a couple of inside sources on this.

[RightOnGOP]

That would be great! Thanks.

[jlogajan]

I think raised tempers at a political convetion are pretty much a non-story. But I have to note that if this was a story about a Libertarian convention, the cultural conservatives would be all over it banging their chests and extolling their civilized virtues over those uncouth libertine animals, etc.

[Schuck]

I'm President of the Volusia (greater Daytona Beach, FL) YRs - was not at the convention, but have several friends up there. Honestly, I think it's a disgrace. The candidates involved are running for a meaningless, resume-builder position. This article doesn't even get into the mud that was apparently slung (arrest records were brought up). Or that, thanks to this and a rowdy party, the hotel threatened to throw the convention out.

It depresses me to think that every YR up there could have been home working on a local campaign this weekend and accomplished something productive; instead, we get a black eye on Drudge (and just watch Leno, The Daily Show et al. make fodder out of this).

[anymouse]

Geez, these guys are acting like liberals. :)

Seriously, shame on these YR representatives for putting their personal political agendas above YR principles.

[Dan from Michigan]

I met Flory a couple of times. He's from Michigan. I don't really know him though.

[Cacique]

shame on these YR representatives for putting their personal political agendas above YR principles.

They are training to become members of the RNC.

[Dan from Michigan]

Seriously, shame on these YR representatives for putting their personal political agendas above YR principles.

Internal organizational politics is the most ruthless kind.

[Trace21230]

I was in College Republicans at Illinois Wesleyan University. . .what a great organization. One of the guys in my fraternity was president of College Democrats. We had some interesting arguments.

Strangely, we both enlisted in the military after college. He joined the army and I joined the Air Force. Whenever I get the urge to completely write off "democrats" I remember that some of them are good Americans who are very patriotic.

Kind of off topic, but your post made me remember...

Trace

[need_a_screen_name]

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Hey! Do we know anyone that could have been there? Got thong?

[dalereed]

Why the excerpt, this isn't the LAT or WP!