Maine passes a Resolution to Restore the Power of the GOP Grassroots

[Keith and stuff]

Maine is the 9th or 10th state to pass the Resolution since the movement started in New Hampshire in October when it was passed by over 90% of the NH GOP delegates at the NH GOP State Convention. Over the months, the text of the Resolution has improved. Much thanks go to the national Republican Liberty Caucus, the New Hampshire Republican Liberty Caucus and various state chapters (in this particular instance, the Maine chapter) for their work in creating and improving the Resolution over the last few months.

See the original Resolution which was written about on this blog. http://www.ronpaulforums.com/entry....Rule-Change-Passes-at-NH-GOP-State-Convention

Here is the version of the Resolution that passed in Maine.

RESOLUTION TO RESTORE THE POWER OF THE GOP GRASSROOTS

WHEREAS, the new Republican Party Rules (“rules”) adopted at the 2012 Republican National Convention (“convention”) in Tampa were not adopted under proper parliamentary procedure ; and

WHEREAS, video documentation demonstrates that those voting against the passage of the new rules were audibly in greater numbers than those voting in the affirmative; and

WHEREAS, the Convention Chair ignored calls for points of order and objections to the rules passage from the convention floor; and

WHEREAS, the new rules impose a top-down structure of governance instead of the traditional bottom-up structure; and

WHEREAS, the new rules reduce the power and autonomy of state and local party organizations; and

WHEREAS, Rule 12 gives unprecedented power to the Republican National Committee (“RNC”) to change party rules without the input and/or approval of state parties and their members; and

WHEREAS, Rule 16 removes the rights of states to choose their own delegates by forcing all state parties to allocate and bind the state’s delegation to the National Convention through Presidential Preference Polls; and

WHEREAS, Rule 16 allows the presumptive Presidential candidate to disavow (“veto”) any bound and/or allocated delegate and alternate delegate before the national convention for any reason whatsoever;

WHEREAS, Rule 40 previously required a five (5) state plurality but now requires an eight (8) state majority to nominate an individual for President and/or Vice President now therefore be

RESOLVED, that the Maine Republican Party does not recognize the rules put forward at the 2012 Republican National Convention as having been properly passed;

RESOLVED, that in the absence of rules properly passed at the 2012 Republican National Convention, the Maine Republican Party recognizes the rules passed at the 2008 Republican National Convention as the official rules of the National Republican Party;

RESOLVED, that the Maine Republican Party asserts the primacy of the delegates to the Republican Convention in setting party rules and therefore be it further;

RESOLVED, that the Maine Republican Party rejects the new top-down structure of governance as detrimental to the long-term success of the Republican Party and therefore be it further;

RESOLVED, that the Maine Republican Party requests that the RNC formally declare these rules “null and void” as they were improperly passed at the convention;