More thoughts on SCC Amendment B

Dear delegates,

Much of the information you have received about the State Central Committee (SCC) Amendment B has been a blatant mischaracterization of the proposal. Here are the facts:

We are all on the same Republican team, both the SCC and State Delegates. Our goals are to get Republicans elected and promote the principles in our platform.

The SCC is made up of representatives of County Parties around the state and it gives you the County Delegates representation at the state level. This maximizes your influence in state Republican Party politics.

SCC members meet once a quarter, while conventions only happen once a year.

The SCC already approves any constitution changes that the Convention hears in advance of the Convention.

There are three principles at work with the SCC Amendment B proposal:

1. You must be able to reconcile constitution changes with existing constitution provisions. Many times, there are amendments and substitutions during a convention. It is difficult to wait for a full year until the next convention to reconcile any conflicts in the constitution that arise.

2. Much as our federal government and state government constitutions are difficult to change, so should our party constitution. An additional group of eyes looking at the product of the Convention can be helpful.

3. As a County Delegate, you should want the SCC involved in as much decision making as possible because they are your representatives in state party governance. This proposal is a way to preserve the independence of county parties against hasty and irreversible changes that many times affect our county party governance.

This proposal was recommended unanimously by the State Constitution and Bylaws Committee and was advanced for Convention consideration by a 2/3 vote of the SCC in December. Remember that this proposal has to be approved by the Convention delegates. If they think there is a higher principle at work, then they will reject the proposal.

Remember what I suggested at the beginning. We are all on the same Republican team. There is no desire on the part of SCC members to override the will of the delegates, in spite of the mean spirited accusations by opponents of this proposal. The SCC members understood perfectly well that State Delegates will decide if they like this proposal or not. Only as we work together as a Party will we continue to get Republicans elected and promote the principles in our platform.

Proposals considered first at convention are final. I like having the SCC vet and approve them, essentially strengthening them and also catching other possible unseen problems. Why fear an added set of eyes on any good ideas?