As I said in my commentary this morning, I invite all of my colleagues on the CRP Board to send in their thoughts on our vote to oppose any change in CRP Rules to allow non-Republicans to vote in our Presidential primary. I have input from two others so far, Vice Chairman Tom Del Becarro who co-authored the resolution with me, and National Committeeman Tim Morgan who voted against the motion:
TOM DEL BECARRO
It would seem a rather obvious point. Registered Republicans should choose their party nominee for the upcoming Presidential election. However, there are some in the California Republican Party that favor changing our current rules to allow those registered as “decline to states” to vote in our primary to choose our candidate.
I am against such a change, so on July 13, 2007, I co-sponsored a resolution which was adopted by the CRP Board of Directors to the effect that only Republicans should be allowed to choose our Republican Presidential candidate.
I did so for several reasons.
1. Freedom of Association. Central to the American ideal is the right to Freedom of Association. That right includes the right to choose our own nominee. Therefore, our current rule of choosing our nominee is in keeping with the US Constitution. Vice Chair South, Jon Fleischman, who co-sponsored the resolution, spoke eloquently on that point at the Board meeting.
2. Preserving the franchise preserves the need for our Party. The American experience has relied largely on a two party system throughout its history. A central role of those parties has been to choose leaders from which Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Assemblywoman, etc. are elected. If the Republican Party permits anyone to choose its leaders, then to a significant degree, there is no need for anyone to join the Party. In other words, if there is no inherent value or privilege to joining the party, i.e. the right to choose its nominee, the incentive to join the party is greatly diminished – and for those that joined and volunteered, their efforts would be devalued. Over time, that would greatly harm our Party and would spell the beginning of the end of the party system. CRP Treasurer Keith Carlson, CRP Vice Chair Central Paul Bruno and CRP Secretary Jalene Forbis spoke well to that very point during the Board discussion.
The third reason I sponsored the motion lies in basic disagreement with some of those who would change our rules.
Tom’s opinion goes on in a featured column that you can read here. Tim Morgan’s statement is below…
TIM MORGAN
On Friday, my friend and colleague, Jon Fleischman, introduced a resolution at the CRP Board of Directors meeting seeking to maintain a pure Republican primary for the Presidential election of 2008. I voted against this resolution, but not against my ideological compatriots.
I voted against this DTS resolution during Friday’s Board meeting because I believe such a serious issue as how best to make California relevant in 2008 needs to be decided through our normal deliberative process. I believe the DTS issue (and all Presidential nominating processes) are due a full hearing by the Resolutions or Rules Committees during a CRP convention and that the result of such committees’ decisions should be reported to the convention floor for the delegates’ consideration. Some years ago, we changed the winner take all Presidential primary in just such a process. I voted against Jon’s resolution at the Board level based on process — not the underlying policy.
The CRP Bylaws wisely reserve powers of endorsement and rules changes to the delegates voting in convention. I am leery of embarking down a road where the Board may play an increasing role in deciding important issues in advance of conventions, which was Jon’s admitted purpose in offering Friday’s resolution. In my view, the Board should never have been asked to weigh in on this issue – it is ripe for discussion at the September convention, where there can be a fair hearing with testimony and evidence presented by any interested persons and a vote taken by appropriate committees and all the voting CRP delegates.
I am a Reagan Republican. 28 years ago, I resigned my commission as an Army JAG lawyer posted at the Pentagon to come home to campaign for one of the great Presidents this country has known. I continue to volunteer my time with the GOP based upon Reagan’s ideals and the rule of law. Seven CRP Chairmen have entrusted me as Rules Committee Chairman to protect our bylaws and to encourage deliberation where necessary to change or reinforce our Party Rules. It would have been disingenuous of me to have done any less on Friday.