[statecom] PLEASE READ: New Tack + Steps To Take (2nd of 2-part suggestion)

[Wanda Boeke]

To State Committee Members:
 
I still do not presume to be a facilitator (although I applied directly to
the SC, with 2 SC volunteers¹ support).* In my previous email I also
misquoted the current vote to be from 3 PM to 4 PM Tuesday when the vote
ends Wednesday at 4 PM - apologies.
 
[* Mike H. and State Com:  I resigned from AdCom as well as from Fundraising
Director position May 24, 2008 - a fact that has not been widely broadcast
(see AdCom minutes)]
 
My previous email (PLEASE READ: New Tack + Steps Taken) attempted to respond
amicably to questions relating to credentialing, seating, and quorum of at
least the Virtual Special Meeting.
 
It also tried to warn of the consequences of not stepping back, removing
some of the emotional content of our approach, and looking ahead. These
consequences regard the future of the GRP and the convention delegation
(either because there will be none decided on or because there is an
unofficial one).
 
In order to have any foundation for addressing ³Proposals 1 & 2² -
regardless of any vote, whose outcomes may bring further division - we need
to (consider to) do the following (again, skip to CONCLUSIONS if you like):
 
1) Send out, via facilitator Jamie O¹Keefe, a 24-hr consensus ballot to
approve or amend the April 12, 2008, SC minutes to the current 25 SC reps -
they were there. I believe a ballot stating the two options ³approve² and
³amend² are better than merely one eliciting concerns because there is
opportunity for productive input here (if/where minutes need amending).
Also, concerns about validity of the minutes would have to be put asleep by
amendments (yes, subject to Secretary¹s and SC¹s final approval).
 
We will have a head start on the June 29 meeting and create a foundation for
true and more likely consensus on any issues, now and at the next
meeting(s?).
 
[We can accept the 4/12 minutes, even though they note the AdCom has to
³shepherd approval of minutes² and finalize proposal wording of Nov. ¹07 and
Jan. ¹08 meetings for the upcoming SC meeting.]
 
1)(a) Send out, via facilitator Jamie O¹Keefe, a 24-hr voting ballot (an
exception to consensus because the past months¹ of various listserv
discussions have pretty much covered the bases), following up on April 12
consensus-clinching amendment, whether to commit write-in delegates to all
options or to solely uncommitted option. This truly finalizes the Delegate
Selection Plan.
 
2) Let SC receive the names of all of McKinney¹s delegates and alternates,
with credential info (only name + whether voter (J) or dues payer) so that
the delegation under ³Proposal 2² is truly up to date.
 
Hugh Esco and Grace Ross appear to be in possession of (18?) names (CDLC
meeting; Hugh Esco 6/24 email).
 
Just a reminder: Not submitting these names is in conflict with MGL 53: 70B
and 53:70I in conjunction (Mass. General Laws), pursuant to provisions to
follow a state committee¹s protocol and national party rule by providing
allocation and delegation information. Not submitting these names and
allocation is also in conflict with the state committee¹s decision of April
12 as in the draft minutes, with the DSP (Delegate Selection Plan), and with
GPUS rules. (See end notes for MGL wording; see Tassinari letter; see GPUS
2008 convention rules)
 
3) Subsequently (after steps 1, 1(a) & 2) have been implemented, although
execution of 1(a) & 2 should be by/before June 26 and execution of 1 asap
but before June 29):
 
Let (at least) a quorum of 13 of the current 25 SC members seat the 22 reps
proposed under ³Proposal 1² (removing Arthur Conquest as a Norfolk alternate
and seating him as a Diversity Rep; recognizing David Schwab as a Berkshire
alternate for the Virtual and In-Person Meeting only, to be seated as a full
rep at in-person June 29 meeting - he does not count toward quorum June 29
as per Standing Rules)
 
On condition that:
A) Dan (as credentialer) or Jamie (as interim credentialer) confirm that the
22 proposed reps are properly credentialed
B) the DSP be approved with its current allocation (including write-in vote
outcome wording; for the rest, exactly as provided under ³Proposal 2²) - and
SC must ³approve without question² as per DSP
C) a call for attendance at the June 29 meeting sent by facilitator Jamie
O¹Keefe asap to all 46 reps (25 current & 21 [not including alternate
Schwab] proposed reps) confirms that there will be a quorum of 24 members
(46 / 2 +1 rounded down) at that meeting.
 
4) Let ALL the reps attending the June 29 meeting provide proof of voter
registration (J) or recent dues payment (as contributed and received after
Jan. 1, 2008) and be properly credentialed for that meeting. A formality,
but a good way to start off the new SC 2008-2010 session anyway. (Sorry for
extra work, Dan, if it is.)
 
5) Let overseating in Worcester (by 2) and overseating in Norfolk (by 1) be
resolved by those district members (as total of 4/12 reps + newest reps) and
reported to SC before June 29 meeting - perhaps the overseated reps can be
diversity reps or alternates.
 
CONCLUSIONS
A) Both ³Proposals² (1 & 2) will depend on each other in a positive light
rather than a negative one
B) Consensus involves negotiation and compromise, or the parties at each end
of the spectrum remain in polar opposition forever
C) Everyone will see who all the convention delegates will be (they will
have to organize and work together anyway, unless no delegation is sent)
D) Those who worry that proposed SC reps will cause lack of quorum in the
future can at least be assured there will be a quorum at the next meeting,
where much work should be done
E) The pressure to complete administrative work will have been taken off the
June 29 meeting (accepting minutes, essential credentialing, establishing
quorum likelihood), so it can spend time on business and proposals
F) Those worrying about a ³stacked² discussion of ³Proposals 1 & 2² can stop
worrying and everyone will have opportunity to work from a broader
foundation toward the goals embodied in the June 29 meeting proposals
G) Those who recognize the DSP as needing ³approval without question² will
see satisfaction and be able to deliver delegation allocation and makeup to
the GPUS almost by the June 26 deadline (maybe even by that deadline)
 
ACCEPTANCE OF ³NEW TACK² PROPOSED AND ENCOURAGED
I encourage review, proposal, and acceptance of the content of both my
emails. We may entertain variations, but time is short.
 
Consensus, as some of you may remember I mentioned long ago, is not the
right vehicle for time-sensitive decision-making; it is the stuff of
open-ended discussion in working toward common goals.
 
The ³New Tack² I submit should allow us all a goodly amount of satisfaction,
but not without having given something for it.
 
Thanks for your attention,
 
Wanda Boeke
Berkshire County
 
WHAT A 45-PERSON (23-person quorum) SC BY DISTRICT WOULD LOOK LIKE (assuming
overseat situation shifts to diversity rep area):
 
BERKSHIRE (2 PR) - 
Wanda Boeke (F alternate to full rep during Virtual meeting)
Jamie Cooney (M alternate to full rep during Virtual meeting)
David Schwab (M alternate to full rep at end of Virtual + for all of June 29
meeting)
Mike Castronova (M alternate)
[Ken Duncan (M alternate, if registered J or a dues payer - Dan? Jamie?)
Gordon Dunham (M alternate)
Jeff Turner (M alternate)
[David Schwab doesn¹t know yet where he¹ll be living or whether he¹d like to
be a full (youth) diversity rep, or full rep or alternate from another
district. This is why Berkshire Greens wanted him to be able to get his feet
wet as a Berkshire Co. rep by attending one meeting. David and other
Williams College Green-Rainbows have been a great asset.]
 
BRISTOL
David Dionne (M)
Nancy Lee Wood (F)
Joe Carvalho (M alternate)
[Jakob/Jacob Weglarczyk (M alternate, if registered J or a dues payer - Dan?
Jamie?]
 
CAPE & ISLANDS (PR)
 
ESSEX (4 PR)
 
FRANKLIN (3 PR)
Athena-Lee Bradley (F)
Nat Fortune (M)
 
HAMPDEN (3 PR)
Owen Broadhurst (M)
Rick Purcell (M)
 
HAMPSHIRE (6 PR)
Suel Bartone (F) 
Larry Ely (M)
Vladimir Morales (M)
Martina Robinson (F)
Steve Randall (M alternate)
 
 
MIDDLESEX (16 PR)
Mary Ahorn-Hyatt (F)
John Andrews (M)
Eli Beckerman (M)
Darcie Boyer (F)
Terezinha Cardoso (F)
Judith Grove Harris (F or M)
*Dan Melnechuk (M) - Middlesex rep or the1 Senate District PR seat
Susan Mortimer (F)
Jamie O¹Keefe (M)
Lisa Richards (F)
Ken Selcer (M)
Jill Stein (F)
Kelly Turley (F)
Elie Yarden (M)
Luc Schuster (M alternate)
 
*NORFOLK (3 PR) (*appears to be overseated by 1 PR)
Lawrence/Lorenzo Fine (M)
Jim Hammerman (M)
M. K. Merelice (F)
Sheila Wood (F)
Peter Ames (M alternate)
 
PLYMOUTH (2 PR)
Ted Giovaninni (M)
 
SUFFOLK (9 PR)
Sandra Harris (F)
Dan Kontoff (M)
Kim Lampereur (F)
Jamie McLaughlin (F)
Lyn Meza (F)
Dawn Portanova (F)
 
*WORCESTER (5 PR) (appears to be overseated by 2 PR)
Steve Baer (M)
Deana Canavan (F)
Dave Maciewski (M)
Grace Ross (F)
Karen Sargent (F)
Helen Sheldon (F)
Donald Washington (M)
[Rich Zitola (M alternate if registered J, not G]
[Samantha Zitola (F alternate if registered J, not G]
 
DIVERSITY (people of color, of low income, of geographic spread, etc.) 6
(PR)
Arthur Conquest (Norfolk)
 
END NOTES (MGL)
* Chapter 53: Section 70B. Delegates to national conventions; election;
number [text in full]
 
Section 70B. In any year in which candidates for presidential electors are
to be elected, the selection of delegates and alternate delegates to
national conventions of political parties shall be by that system adopted by
the state committee, provided such system shall not include the placing of
the names of delegates on the presidential primary ballot; and provided,
further, that the distribution of delegates under any such system shall
reflect the preference expressed by the voters on the presidential
preference portion of the ballot at the presidential primary. The system
adopted by the state committee shall be set forth in written rules and
procedures covering all aspects of the delegate selection process and a copy
of such rules and procedures shall be filed with the state secretary on or
before October first of the year preceding the year in which presidential
electors are to be elected. The number of district delegates and alternate
district delegates, not less than two from each congressional district, and
the number of delegates and alternate delegates at large shall be fixed by
the state committee, who shall give notice thereof to the state secretary on
or before the first Tuesday in January. At such primaries, members of the
state, ward and town committees shall also be chosen as provided in chapter
fifty-two.
 
 
* Chapter 53: Section 70I. Delegates and alternate delegates to national
conventions; voting for president on first roll call [text in full]
 
Section 70I. If there is a roll call vote for president at the national
convention of a political party, all delegates and alternate delegates whose
selection is subject by party rule to the approval of a presidential
candidate shall vote on the first such roll call for that presidential
candidate unless released by such candidate.