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August 29, 2012

Tampa  — The RNC, in committee, created a rule change that would castrate future grassroots delegates.  The Minority Report,  in opposition to the revised rule for 2016, was brought up for a vote of approval.  This rule change takes away local power and gives it to the RNC Committee and the next  presumptive presidential candidate.

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This voice vote garnered what sounded like almost equal shouts for “Ayes and Nays.   Those voting “Nay” consisted of groups such as supporters of Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Freedom Works and others, as well as some mainstream Republicans.    We called for “a division”, because “voice count” didn’t work.  We were asking  to actually count the votes.

Then all hell broke lose.  The National Republican Chairman, Rience Prebius,  didn’t want a compromise.   Many of those who voted “Aye” in support of rejecting the Minority Report, seemed confused when they heard the opposition. Those who supported the RNC committee’s new rules were merely “rubber stamping”  what was already decided .

The call for “Division” was chanted.  “Division” was ignored, so various folks tried to use “point of order” to ask why they were ignored.   Then the chants began “point of order”, “point of order”.  The chanting went on for about 10 minutes.    The chair was clearly annoyed and perplexed.  The chairman of the NC GOP scolded me about my repeated attempts at calling “Divisions”.   I told Robin Hayes that I know that he understands Robert’s Rules of Order and he knows what was going on was very wrong.  He shook his head and gave me an angry look as he walked away.

This Minority Report is about protecting counties’ and districts’ right to choose how it selects and governs its own  delegates.  If the GOP proceeds with this debacle, it will have succeeded in disenfranchising its conservative grassroots.   Castration of the grassroots is not the answer.

Gary M. Shoemaker

This is another article: http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/12645-rnc-disenfranchises-delegates-rigs-rules-to-nominate-romney.