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Tea Party America Refounding Principles
By George
Edwards, GIAC2002.org
Goal: Elect U.S. Congress Members who support Tea
Party America Refounding objectives and stands:
Tea Party
America Refounding Objectives: Return American government to core principles
including:
The U.S. Government
–
-
will be governed by its existing constitution and amendments as reasonably
interpreted from their words including the following explicit
interpretations and emphases:
- will have no power
except those enumerated. The remainder are reserved for the people and their
elected state and local representatives,
- will make no law
restricting freedom of speech, press, radio, television or communication in
any form,
- will not establish a
state religion nor will it interfere with religious expression involving any
established religion that does not advocate the taking of life, liberty or
the forcible taking of property,
- will not bar any
mentally competent adult citizen not convicted of a felony from bearing
arms,
- will not tax nor
otherwise raise money beyond that necessary to perform its duties – protect
its citizens from any foreign enemy, ensure the validity of national
elections and enforce its laws,
- will ensure that all
votes except those of governing bodies will be cast by secret ballot and
that no coercion nor payments are made for any votes,
- will ensure that all
votes in national elections are valid and made by the living person
registered in the precinct registered,
- will ensure peaceable
public assembly is allowed--except on private property--without public or
private intimidation or where traffic would be substantially blocked,
- will not allow the
taking of property by eminent domain for use by private interests regardless
of the compensation and
- will require all
people to prove their U.S. citizenship before taking elected public office.
Tea Party America Refounding Stands:
- Oppose final passage
of any healthcare or other special bill, such as cap and trade, by the
irredeemably proven irresponsible 2009/2010 U.S. Congress
- Support repeal of any
healthcare or other special bill, such as cap and trade, passed by the
irredeemably proven irresponsible. 2009/2010
U.S.
Congress
- Support any law passed
by congress to be equally applicable to members of congress, states and
organizations.
- Support twelve year
limits on every person’s total allowed time in national elected public
office.
- Support the right of
citizens to recall any national elected official from public office by
special election.
- Support an effort to
require congress to not specify states, groups of states, regions,
organizations or individuals for taxation or disbursement of federal funds
(taxes).
- Support restraining
the power of “czars” generally and the EPA as to rules affecting alleged
pollutants.
- Oppose restrictions on
development of cheaper energy or increased taxes on energy consumers.
- Support tapping and
using resources that can immediately increase energy supply such as natural
gas and coal.
- Support drilling in
ANWR and the outer-continental shelf, extracting oil from shale including
that on federal lands, streamlining the refinery process, use of atomic
energy and accelerating tax depreciation for investments in technologies
like solar, wind and geothermal.
Overall Tea Party America Refounding Plan
- Not start a third
political party nor support third party candidates
- Have membership select
its favored national primary candidates for the Democrat and Republican
party
- Strive to peacefully
persuade Republican and Democrat leaders to support tea party favored
candidates for national election
- Support tea party
memberships’ selected candidates in the primaries
- In a national
election, support the candidate that the membership selects from the
Republican or Democrat party that it feels is the more likely of the two to
vote in accordance with Tea Party America Refounding objectives.
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Tea Party America
Refounding Organization Guidelines
- Set up as a 501(c)(4)*
organization and incorporate or become a LLC as legally required or as
otherwise adequate so as to limit the organization and its officers'
liability.
- Seek a knowledgeable
professional for its treasurer who is aware or becomes aware of the
requirements for and how to properly implement and administer the above.
- Restrict officers and
board members from speaking in the name of the organization without explicit
membership votes in favor of such positions.
- Require its secretary
to record the agreed-to text of all motions passed by the TPAR membership
and the votes for and against unless there is a voice vote majority agreed
to by the membership.
- Conform with Roberts
Rules of Order Newly Revised or other parliamentary rules selected by the
membership except for explicitly listed special rules its membership chooses
and have a manual of the selected rules available at all meetings for
consultation in the event of a dispute
Suggestions:
- Major elective
officers named chairman and vice-chairman as opposed to president and
vice-president to emphasize their functions as leaders of meetings rather
than having any independent authority other than that the membership
explicitly authorizes.
- The presiding officer
of any meeting may freely express his or her opinion on an issue before the
body but will have no vote except in case of a tie.
- Whenever a membership
vote is not a clear majority, the number of votes on each side shall be made
public.
- Secretary might be
assigned to prepare and submit press releases approved by the chairman or
board.
- A parliamentarian
could be desirable to aid in establishing a parliamentary point of order as
the chairman may request
*Very briefly, a 501(c)(4)
is a voluntary organization that can involve itself in politics. It has an
unlimited ability to lobby for legislation and the ability to participate in
political campaigns and elections. The major trade-off being that contributions
to it are not tax deductible to donors as they are in a 501(c)(3).
"Congressional Election Committee" Roadmap Discussion Items
(e-mail, telephone, meeting)
Discuss Roadmap |
Get agreement within
group |
|
Discuss
TPAR or other principles |
Get agreement(s) |
Publicize
principles and organizations agreeing:
Web, Town hall,
e-mail, phone, media |
Investigate if
teaming up with other groups:
local, state, national is useful |
Google, word of
mouth |
If useful,
contact, see how we could work together
and perhaps mutually publicize association |
Winnow out people
willing to run for U.S. congress and who will vote in accordance with
tea party principles – through
personal contacts, contacts/information with/from other groups or voter
registration* |
- Present
information to tea party membership(s),
perhaps including potential candidates’ speaking at town hall
meetings
- Select
candidates to promote by tea party membership(s) votes
|
Publicize
choices:
Web, Town hall,
e-mail, phone, media |
Promote selected
candidates for each the
Republican and Democrat party |
Perhaps meet with
party leaders or party activists |
Publicize
promotion:
Web, Town hall,
e-mail, phone, media |
Keep pot boiling |
|
Provide updated
information:
Web, Town hall,
e-mail, phone, media |
Investigate if
teaming up with other groups:
local, state, national is useful |
Google, word of
mouth |
If useful,
contact, see how we could work together
and perhaps mutually publicize association |
After primaries,
get further information if and
as required on the two winning major party candidates |
- Present
information to tea party membership(s),
perhaps including potential candidates’ speaking at town hall
meetings
- Select
candidates to promote by tea party membership(s) votes
|
|
Keep pot boiling |
|
If useful,
coordinate with other local,
state or national groups.
Provide updated
information:
Web, Town hall,
e-mail, phone, media |
*This
is the trickiest line item in which a separate group (or
a committee within a group, such as a "congressional election committee.")
or groups of people would put their heads together to somehow assemble reliable
information on people who have filed or would consider running for all
congressional offices, perhaps except incumbents who did not vote for the health
care bills, and figure out how to get that information to those voting for those
offices in a way that would persuade those voters to accept as valid.
_______________________________________
Rationale for Tea Party America Refounding
Documents
General
It is desirable to
articulate and document Tea Party America Refounding (TPAR) principles.
Hopefully, the Tea Party America Refounding principles here document the
objectives that all Tea Partiers share and include stands that articulate
those shared by them. Any tea party or similar organization in formally adopting
a set of Tea Party America Refounding principles sets forth its views for others
to judge and to use as a "score card" for congressional candidates.
The Tea Party America Refounding Organization Guidelines are recommendations
from experience gained within volunteer organizations. They could be applicable
to brand new organizations espousing TPAR principles or for organizational
modification to groups who have already been outstandingly successful in the
difficult tasks, remarkable achievements and results of getting sizable groups
together many times and in many places for mass meetings and demonstrations,
but now want to organize more specifically to also put into elected office
congressional candidates whose votes will best reflect tea party principles.
Town
halls are very important to disseminate information effectively and crowds to
get politicians' attention. If it were not for Tea Parties, we would have had
even worse health care bills last August. The effectiveness of crowd protests is
to get politicians' attention with concern that they may not be re-elected if
they defy the people’s wishes. To be ultimately effective though the people's
votes are what counts. I would say that this year is so important that the
impact of supporting a few candidates without success and so losing some
credibility as a political force is secondary to getting the current congress
reconstituted in accordance with tea party principles.
NOW it is time to urgently move into another phase—somehow
determine what potential candidates can most likely be counted on to vote in
congress in accordance with tea party principles. Then to coalesce around a
particular candidate to promote within each of the two major party organizations
Not Start a third party
nor support a third party candidate
Some might argue that a third party is a good idea. But a
Rasmussen poll indicates that it would put the Democrat party candidate in
office. Click
Tea Party Movement Evolves Into Political Force With Eye Toward 2010 :
“The Rasmussen poll spelled out the kind of vote-splitting trouble the tea
party movement could stir if it forms a third party. It showed that 23 percent
of people would pick a ‘Tea Party’ candidate on a congressional ballot without
knowing who that candidate is, while just 18 percent would pick the Republican.
Thirty-six percent would pick a Democrat.”
In the words of Rush Limbaugh: this
“means that the Democrats win.” This also supports the idea that
either party would be well advised to nominate a tea party supported candidate.*
Republican principles favor the
same objective as those of the tea parties. Read the
Republican Creed. In googling I could not find a Democrat creed.
Not a single Republican
Senator supported its socialistic health care bill.
Every single Democrat Senator did. Most Republican House Members did not
support its socialist bill. Given that incumbents generally win, it could be
reasonably argued that tea parties should support the Republican incumbent
when there is one who did not vote for the "health care" bills.
*The poll
indicates--Democrats 36%, Tea Parry 23%, Republicans 18%
-- Democrats
unquestionably win!
What happens if we consider that the undecided are split between the Democrats
and the GOP in the same proportion as the split among the non-affiliated? The
easiest but rational way to look at this is just to think of the percentages as
the votes among 100 delegates. Then the generic vote
36+23+18+22 = 99 is a close enough approximation to 100 for our discussion. Now
assume that the democrat/republican split among the undecided is the same as
that split among the unaffiliated--that is, 25/37 (democrats divided by the
total of the unaffiliated democrat plus republican votes)
times the 22 undecided = 14.86 of the 22 undecided votes
would be for Democrats, 12/37 times the 22 undecided votes
= 7.135 would be for Republicans (the sum equal 22 total votes
as a cross-check.
Now the total Democrat votes including the hypothetical
undecided would be 50.86 while the total Republican plus Tea
Party votes would be 48.15. The
Democrats still win given the postulated split among undecided. But the vote is
close enough if Tea Party and
Republicans unite that the
tea
party/ Republicans might win!
Moral: Decide on the favored tea party
candidate for each party--especially the Republican, as
ideologically the Tea Party and
the Republicans are closest, convince the party leaders
that they would be best served to go with the tea
party preferred candidate. Then, regardless of who wins
the primaries, vote for the candidate who can be reasonably expected to best
support tea party principles.
It has been said that
Republicans will win in 2010 if there is simply no tea party third party
candidate. That’s now before ACORN, the Democrat’s taxpayer supported slush
funds, George Soros, other moneys and time get in the act. Innumerable ad
campaigns are foreseeable that will extol virtues of the nationally elected
Democrat’s passed Health Care Plan and gloss over the overall disaster that any
likely passed socialistic Democrat plan will be. Why should the Republicans take
a chance other than go along with tea party supported candidates and win as many
races as they possibly can? And why should the tea parties not do their best to
assure that Republican and Democrat candidates are ones that support TPAR
principles?
Form organizations or
re-form tea party organizations focused on national politics
--To get those elected to congress who are most aligned with tea party
principles.
I recommend that tea party organizations’ very next step be to approve a
motion to limit its political activity to national politics or set up a specific
committee to focus on this--to get those elected who are most aligned with tea
party principles. This is what the tea
party movement is all about--stopping the national government's movement
towards socialism. We will have our hands full with this and should focus on
it--in my mind, exclusively. I believe that tea parties and similar
organizations should support, not necessarily endorse particular candidates.
My dream would be to see these organizations get behind candidates who
support tea party principles in the primaries, but stay positive beyond
informing everyone of a candidate's voting record when applicable, special
interest associations, financial contributors and background that could
reasonably influence his or her actual performance in office. In the event, one
of the two major parties does not select their preferred candidate, tea parties
would not want to destroy his or her chances if it should believe the candidate
selected is more likely to pursue tea party objectives than the chosen opposing
candidate.
Organizations conform with Roberts Rules
of Order Newly Revised or other parliamentary rules they select except for
explicitly listed special rules its membership chooses
Some may feel that common sense ad hoc rulings are adequate when voting on
organizational motions. Such may work well in making decisions in situations
involving congenial groups in discussions such as those setting up public
meetings. Some may be surprised to learn that parliamentary rules include
relaxed procedures to “consider informally,” committee meetings or “committees
of the whole.”
Mine and general experience support the belief that making ad hoc rulings is
really the hard approach as opposed to conforming to established parliamentary
rules that have been honed over the centuries.
Some may feel that pleading ignorance of parliamentary rules is appealing to
members. A more conservatively oriented approach is to yield to the experience
of centuries of experience rather than the individual, even though highly
intelligent, on-the-spot judgments. Knowledgeable people respect leadership that
adheres to established parliamentary procedures where at all appropriate.
Legitimate differences of opinion exist and parliamentary rules allow their
orderly expression by both those with opinions which may end up being supported
by a majority or only a minority of a body.
Some may be concerned that those who are parliamentarily knowledgeable may
take advantage of their superior knowledge to thwart the wishes of the majority.
However, the basics of parliamentary procedure are easy to understand and their
knowledge by a chairman and, if chosen, assisting parliamentarian, deserves the
respect of the membership--especially with the assistance of a parliamentary
authority manual--and can minimize the likelihood of procedural rules thwarting
the wishes of the majority. For instance, anyone can “appeal the ruling of the
chair” and if the motion is seconded, overturn a chairman’s ruling with a simple
majority vote.
Parliamentary Rule Basics*
1.
One person at a time
2.
One subject at a time [if a motion can be reasonably divided, for
separate votes on divided portions, the formal motion is for “division of the
question” or to “divide the question.” As in all cases the intent not the exact
wording of a motion is what counts. A majority vote is all that is required.]
3.
As a general rule a majority vote decides a “question” = a motion moved
and seconded by two members after debate by the assembly..
4.
A salient exception to a majority vote is a move to stop debate on a
primary motion or amendment = “call the question” or “call for the previous
question.” This requires a two-thirds vote.
5.
The basic procedure is for a member to make a motion, another member to
second it (otherwise the chair’s standard ruling is “the motion fails for lack
of a second”), the chair to state the motion and open it for discussion, after a
reasonable amount of discussion (or a two-thirds majority vote to “call the
question”), the chair to call for the votes for the motion moved and, without
objection, the votes are taken and counted first for those in agreement with the
motion and then the votes opposed.
6.
In what seems, at first blush, to defy common sense, any other motion
(such as motions to amend the original motion) takes precedence of over the
initial (“main”) motion. The precedence of subsidiary motions (which ones are
debated and voted on before others) are matters that the chair may rule upon (at
its discretion asking help from a parliamentarian) barring motions to appeal the
decision of the chair.
7.
For those who care to have more information: standard subsidiary motions
include, in their order of decreased precedence, after “call the previous
question;” “lay on the table, ” that is, set aside for possible further
discussion later; “limit or extend limits of debate;” “postpone to a certain
time” or “postpone indefinitely;” postpone a vote for its subject matter to be
further worked upon by a committee before a vote = “commit,” “refer,” “remand;”
“amend” and finally “postpone indefinitely.” Only the first three are
undebatable = subject to immediate vote. Privileged motions are undebatable and
take precedence over all of the above; in order of highest to lowest precedence:
“fix the time to adjourn” [when privileged as detailed elsewhere outside this
discussion]. “adjourn [when privileged as detailed elsewhere outside this
discussion],” “recess” [when moved while a question is pending], “raise a
question of privilege” [for instances when a pressing situation is affecting a
right or privilege of the assembly or individual member, e.g. noise, inadequate
ventilation, introduction of a confidential subject in the presence of guests],
and “call for orders of the day”= that an item of business comply to the stated
agenda, program or order of business.
*Specifically taken from Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, but believed
to be in general correspondence with all parliamentary authorities.
Other Information
Multi-state groups on the Web that appear be in accord with
tea party principles and could be desirable to further look into and consider
joining with are
Tea Party Patriots,
Liberty Works,
Freedom Works, Americans
for Prosperity, Independence Caucus. The
clubforgrowth.org Web site provides valuable information on national
government office-holder's voting records.And don't forget giac2002.org as a conservative information
source.
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