[Procedures] Decisions of Statecom June 29th 2008 that need to be addressed

[Yarden]

Jamie.

I believe that I would be able to understand what you are saying much  
better if you could offer me an a description of what you believe the  
Green-Rainbow Party to be.  Your reason for being in it.  I can always  
be gotten to agree to something if I have a clear idea of what it is  
that I am agreeing to in a world in which my 'interests' count for  
little in the the context of the large picture of shared goals.  You  
insist on ignoring the fact that you have put these into question by  
treating them as unshared.  What am I or anyone else to do about it?
Elie Yarden
MTGTA

On Jul 1, 2008, at 9:56 AM, Jamie O'Keefe wrote:

> My two cents as someone who is not on the committee.
>
> On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 8:44 AM, Jim Hammerman  
> <jim_hammerman at terc.edu> wrote:
>> I've been reading the relevant section of our bylaws about appointing
>> proportional representation seats to StateCom (8.5.2). I think the  
>> key
>> piece is the last paragraph of this section and, in particular, the  
>> last
>> sentence, which is clear that PR seats appointed by the State  
>> Committee
>> have identical rights and responsibilities of those elected at  
>> regional
>> conventions.
>
>> "A regional PR member appointed in this manner by the State Committee
>> shall have identical responsibilities and rights as a member  
>> elected at a
>> regional convention."
>
>> Since those elected at regional conventions are described as  
>> serving from
>> "the day following their election" I don't think we can delay when  
>> these
>> appointments start by more than a day, although I understand that  
>> we've
>> traditionally appointed people to begin serving at the meeting  
>> itself.
>> For those elected at regular regional conventions: "The terms of  
>> members
>> so elected will begin the day following their election and end two  
>> years
>> later."
>
> Even if we were to allow appointments to be delayed in the manner
> suggested by the proposal, such a decision would be very problematic.
> This time it was a delay of 17 days.  If this were allowed to stand,
> then what would prevent future State Committee meetings from choosing
> longer delays in appointing State Committee members?  It could allow
> filling a seat without actually filling it by appointing party members
> to the State Committee but with a three or six month delay.
>
> Such a delay would be equivalent to saying that we cannot fill the
> seats in the interim because they are already filled, or would allow
> the SC to wait until candidates more preferred by one group are
> available and then appoint the group's preferred members as
> alternates, and seat them as permanent members for the duration of
> each meeting during the interim.
>
> Another place to look for guidance would be the Mass General Laws,
> Chapter 52 (http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/gl-52-toc.htm) or
> related chapters.
>
>> I see in the bylaws that we're supposed to give 3 months notice for  
>> state
>> conventions (article 6.8). Can you point me towards the conflicting  
>> rules
>> that say the meeting must be held by the end of August, please?
>
> See Section 6.4:
>
> "The Green-Rainbow Party shall hold at least one state convention  
> every
> year no sooner than February 1st, and no later than the last day to
> file certificates
> of nomination with the secretary of state."
>
> According to 2008 Massachusetts State Primary and State Election  
> Schedule:
>
> http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/schedule_08.pdf
>
> Nomination papers must be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth
> for Party candidates for Federal office by June 3rd.  So, since we are
> a party, I would think that we need to have had the convention before
> June 3rd.
>
> However, August 26th is the last day for independent and minor party
> candidates to file certificates of nomination with the secretary of
> state.  A case could be made that the By-laws do not specify which
> "last day to file certificates of nomination with the secretary of
> state".
>
> Jamie
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