[Procedures] Proposed Bylaw 15.3

[Owen Broadhurst]

http://www.green-rainbow.org/pipermail/statecom/2003-September/004165.html
http://www.green-rainbow.org/pipermail/statecom/2003-September/004166.html

My feeling is that we can never be too careful.

As I noted in my reply to Tony Lorenzen's BOGEYMAN post on the statecom 
list, I view the nightmare scenario that I previously depicted as a most 
improbable one indeed. Likewise, it is most improbable that two healthy 
parents in the prime of their lives would instaneously drop dead without 
warning. It would still be wise for those parents to have their last will 
and testament composed.

One need not be paranoid, or have traffic in conspiracy theories, to know 
that even the most improbable of contigencies occasionally becomes manifest. 
Where such contigencies may be foreseen it is not improper to hedge ones 
bets. It could prove a wise thing.

As I noted in that same reply to Tony Lorenzen's BOGEYMAN post on the 
statecom list, I furthermore DO NOT believe that any year 2004 first past 
the post folks would even contemplate the nightmare scenario that I depicted 
on the statecom list. However, the bylaws we write or have written are not 
intended merely for those of us involved in the party now. We're defining 
and revamping bylaws for the party twelve, twenty, thirty years from now. No 
one can predict what will or will not turn out in hindsight to have been 
absurd or wise at the time.

Whether we would have to change the bylaws or not to hold county conventions 
before the primary hardly matters, by the way, where state laws are 
concerned. We probably could elect them that way, yes, in 2004- but such 
elected so during 2008 would legally seem to have but one month to serve and 
then their terms would expire with those first past the post folks elected 
in 2004.

The section I previously noted of relevant Massachusetts General Laws 
suggest that the terms of appointed seats will expire before the terms of 
first past the post folks expire. To do nothing in preparation for this 
amounts, in essence, to having a blind faith in whomever might on any given 
presidential primary day find themselves elected. While I certainly do have 
faith in the party members who shall venture to have signature papers signed 
and delivered this year ( my hope is to be one of them), I can in no way 
predict how politics shall appear twelve, twenty, thirty years from today. 
No one can, and I'm not prepared to gamble on a horse race whose entrants 
are mysteries.

It should also be noted that covention vetos of any bylaw changes the state 
committee may make are merely by the party's bylaws, and by no state law, 
guaranteed. Where not one single other party permits party conventions to, 
regarding bylaws, have any say- by no means is it
impossible for some future renegade statecom (as improbable as any such a 
thing may seem) to change even that aspect of the bylaws to help ensure that 
not even our state convention would have any say. We might place more hefty 
bets on pigs someday learning how to fly, but we may well have no recourse 
at all in event of such an improbable thing. So, why not pass a harmless 
insurance policy?

Had anyone told me twelve years ago that two huge airplanes would crash into 
the World Trade Center towers, demolish those towers, and leave over 3000 
slain, I might well have suggested that they had fevered imaginations. Had 
they further maintained that these planes would have been hijacked by people 
armed with boxcutters, that said people supposedly followed a Saudi 
billionaire CIA puppet last seen training mujahedeen rebelling against the 
Soviet Union, and that the highly regarded air defenses of the United States 
would do... well... not one blessed thing- well, I might have suggested that 
they were paranoid conspiracy theorists propping up a bogeyman.

I don't know what the future will bring. Let's help ensure that at least one 
small part of it shall be friendly.




----Original Message Follows----
From: Jim Bosman <jamesbosman at yahoo.com>

Owen's proposed new bylaw:

15.3 The State Committee shall be constrained from
amending the bylaws in any way, shape or form
during that period of time extending from the date
that delegates elected per Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 52, Section 1 take office until such
delegates appoint the proportional representation
delegates elected at those county conventions
immediately following the most immediately past
presidential primary per bylaws section 8.5.2.

There are bogeymen out there. They are all running for
GRP statecom for state senate districts. They are
going to hijack or sabotage the party by changing the
bylaws next April.

However, remember, the state convention has the final
authority to review and overturn any bylaws changes
made by state com. So, I still am not convinced about
the need for 15.3

I would, however, like to see the county conventions
all happen by 3/30 so that all delegates would be
seated at the same time. I can't believe we would need
to change the bylaws in order to hold county
conventions before the primary. The PR people still
wouldn't get seated until 30 days after the primary.

If you read the bylaws close enough, you can find all
kinds of logical games to play. Is it really that
important?

Jim

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