Dear California Republican Party Leaders,
We, the undersigned Board of Directors of the Veterans for Good Governance, know that you support our troops. You might wear a yellow ribbon in their honor, and if you see an active duty military member in uniform you likely thank them for their service to our country. Each time you cast a ballot, you might remember that it is because of their sacrifice that you have the freedom to vote in safety and in liberty.
And now, we ask you to ensure that our troops are allowed the same voting rights that you enjoy. You have the power to help ensure that they get to participate in the freedom they have bought and paid for with their blood, sweat and tears.
As incredible as it may seem, there are efforts ongoing in the RNC that could keep active duty military members who choose to be registered Republicans from casting a vote in Presidential primary elections. Imagine…our troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq unable to participate in a Republican Presidential primary election…that would be shameful and a disgrace!
The attached Resolution is coming before the resolutions committee at the California Republican Party convention this weekend. The Resolution will emphatically announce that California Republicans will oppose any effort by the Republican National Committee to disenfranchise any Republican voter from a party primary, especially active duty service members.
Currently, under the new rules of the RNC, a handful of representatives have the authority to tell states when to hold their Presidential primary. If state parties cannot comply with that order because their states are controlled by Democratic legislatures that set election dates (which includes California ), then the state Parties have three choices:
1. Hold a primary separate from the Democrats in their state, at a cost that would bankrupt most state Republican parties;
2. Defy the RNC by holding their Presidential primary on the same date as the Democrats, and lose ½ of their delegates to the RNC convention; or
3. Hold a caucus, and suffer no penalty whatsoever.
Obviously, many state Republican parties would be financially forced into holding a caucus. Among the many Republicans nationwide whose work and families would preclude them from spending a day or an evening in a caucus, the most egregious voter disenfranchisement would be that of active duty military members. You can’t attend a caucus while you’re in a foxhole, and it is un-American to purposely allow this to happen.
The Veterans for Good Governance (VGG) urge you to support our troops by voting in favor of the attached resolution, and protect the voting rights of our brave men and women in uniform.
God Bless America ,
Chuck McDougald, President VGG
Bob Laurie, Vice President VGG
F2009-4
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF MILITARY VOTING RIGHTS
Whereas a Rule adopted by the 2008 Convention newly empowers the 168 Member RNC to adopt a plan for mandatory scheduling of presidential nominating primaries and caucuses in 2012.
And whereas no state should be forced to give up its presidential delegate selection primary, where all Republican voters can participate, in favor of a caucus, where many Republican voters, including those serving overseas in our nations military, cannot participate and are therefore disenfranchised..
Therefore be it resolved:
That the CRP urge the RNC, not to adopt any Rule that could have the effect of forcing a state Republican Party which wants to be fully represented at the 2012 convention to replace its presidential primary for the selection of delegates with a caucus.
And the CRP urges all members of the RNC to support and encourage, by any means possible, all states to guarantee the full participation in presidential delegate selection primaries and caucuses of the men and women in the U.S. Military who are risking their lives for our nation overseas.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.
