Weekly Opinion Editorial
BLACK JACKETS!
by Steve Fair
Parliamentary
procedures are the rules, ethics and customs governing the meetings of an
assembly or organization. Parliamentary
procedure has been around since the 16th century and is used to
bring order to meetings and allow for civil debate.
In 1876, Henry Robert wrote Robert’s Rules of Order, the most widely
used book on parliamentary authority.
Robert wrote it to address chaotic, tumultuous meetings where no order
was apparent. Parliamentary procedure is
supposed to protect the rights of the minority, maintain the rule of the
majority, and promote efficient proceedings.
Often parliamentary procedure is used by a vocal minority to delay
meetings, circumvent the will of the majority, and promote disorder. Rumor is that could be happening at the
upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
News sources claim the 43 GOP national delegates from Arizona have
hatched a plan to attempt to ‘release’ all 2,429 delegates from their
commitment to vote for Donald Trump as the Republican nominee, aka ‘suspend the
rules.’ In parliamentary procedure, a
suspension of the rules allows an assembly to set aside its normal rules to do
something that could not be done otherwise.
While the Grand Canyon state delegation’s objective hasn’t been publicly
revealed, some believe their end game is to have a continency plan should Trump
be sentenced to prison. Reportedly,
they want to have retired General Michael Flynn in the queue for nominee should that happen. They plan to ID each other by wearing black
jackets.
Under RNC rules, a motion to ‘suspend the rules’ requires the majority
of delegates from three (3) state delegations to get a motion and second to move
it for a vote on the floor. Currently,
it does not appear other state delegations are signing on to the scheme. Three
observations:
First, most delegates are bound. Oklahoma
GOP delegates are bound by Party rules and State law to vote for whom they are
bound. Oklahoma held a presidential
preference primary on March 5th.
The result of the election binds delegates to a candidate. 40 of Oklahoma’s 43 national delegates must
vote for Donald J. Trump at the convention so long as he remains in the
race. They must sign an affidavit affirming
that fact. The three RNC members from
Oklahoma are not bound and can vote for whomever they wish. If the bound delegates refuse to fulfill
their duty, they are removed and an alternate then fulfills the will of the
primary voters. Even if the RNC voted to
suspend the rules, the Sooner delegates would still be bound until Trump exits
the race.
Second, the national GOP convention should be about trying to unite, not
divide. Due to the binding of delegates,
the modern political Party nominating convention has become a coronation. But it
is an excellent chance for Republicans to point out President Biden’s failed economic
policies, which have resulted in record inflation. Instead of grandstanding and showboating,
highlighting Biden’s immigration and foreign policy failures should be at the
forefront. Americans want substance, not
sensationalism, tangibility not theatrics.
Third, Donald Trump is the 2024 GOP nominee. He has 2,260 delegates to Nikki Haley’s 97
and Ron DeSantis 9. Wasting time and
energy on a foolhardy plan hurts the cause.
The focus should on winning in November and not aliening like-minded
voters in a close election. But stunts
and antics are the order of the day, so watch for the black jackets July 15-18
in Wisconsin to frustrate the process.
Henry Robert paraphrased Proverbs 21:12 in the preface of Robert’s Rules: “Where there is no law(rules), but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty.” Liberty in America is under attack because rules and laws are not considered absolute. Liberty is in jeopardy because dodging and sidestepping rules has become an artform. All you need is a black coat.
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