fairconvention.org... Let's follow the Rules

BE IT RESOLVED, That the Republican Party is the party of the open door. Ours is the party of liberty, the party of equality of opportunity for all and favoritism for none.

It is the intent and purpose of these rules to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all voters in Republican Party activities at all levels and to assure that the Republican Party is open and accessible to all Americans....

-- The Rules Of The Republican Party as adopted by the 2004 Republican National Convention August 30, 2004

The things needed to ensure a Fair Convention are basic, and should be non-controversial, particularly for the "party of the open door." Unfortunately those who have power to protect are often quite adept at creating controversy and confusion around those who disagree with them.

A Fair Agenda -- State Law and common sense both dictate that the Convention must be organized before it can do business. This simply means that the Convention must choose its chairman and resolve any credential challenges to determine who is a legitimate voting member before votes on Convention business can be held. Recent State Conventions have not followed this principle, and have instead allowed SD Caucuses including SREC elections and State Chair nominations to be conducted before the Convention Chair or Credentials Challenges were resolved.
- The Importance of Electing the Convention Chairman During the First General Session in Accordance with the Texas Election Code
As an example, here is an annotated clip from the beginning of the second day of the 2006 State Convention:

Further, it is the duty of the delegates at the State Convention to approve an agenda that maximizes their ability to determine the needs, policies, and leadership of the Republican Party of Texas for the next two years. Delegates have been elected to represent their fellow Republicans and do the business of the Republican Party of Texas, not to be entertained or used as a captive audience for campaign speeches. These things have their place, but not where they interfere with Convention business. Delegates must resist the proliferation of ceremony and speeches recently utilized by established leadership to obfuscate and frustrate the process of determining the will of the body. Please take the time to review and familiarize yourself with key votes and an agenda focused on the business of the party:
- RPT 2008 State Convention Key Votes
A Fair Convention Chair -- The fundamental purpose of a deliberative assembly is "to determine, in full and free discussion, courses of action to be taken in the name of the entire group." The duty of the Convention Chair is to facilitate this process and the determination of the will of the majority while protecting the rights of individual members to participate and the right of the minority to debate and attempt to convince others of their perspective. Neither the Chair nor any majority has the right to force their will on the body outside the bounds of the rules and the law. A Chair who "gavels down" motions and appeals and uses the rules as a tool of control should not be tolerated by any body that respects either the principles of a free society or the rule of law.
Fair Credentials Hearings -- Any challenge filed against a Convention Official or other delegate should not be taken lightly. The assertion an individual either was not duly elected or even though duly elected should not be allowed to serve is a serious one. However, proper respect for the rules and the law demand this recourse be available to protect the integrity of the process and the will of the voters from abuses and errors. Delegates should not tolerate attempts to sweep challenges under the rug or otherwise cover them up because they are "embarassing" or "trivial;" the Law matters and is the primary mechanism by which the People maintain accountability among their leadership. Please carefully review the filed challenges and be prepared to vote to support the party rules and the law.
Fair Debate & Fair Votes -- Party leadership in other states has attempted to portray attempts to have open debate about the problems facing our Party as divisive, and calls for fairness as somehow disruptive. We hope and pray that will not be the case in Texas, but power corrupts, and it is often trivial for an abusive leadership to gain cooperation or compliance from a majority in abusing the rights of a minority. Established leaders have the advantage in shaping popular perception and making those attempting to protect their rights appear disruptive or combative. Delegates must resist this tendency and strive to educate themselves on the issues at stake and the arguments being made for and against a given position so that they can vote in the best interests of the Republicans they represent. A true majority has nothing to fear from allowing a minority to present their case, and a body seeking truth and wisdom has nothing to fear from giving uncommon ideas a fair hearing and a fair vote. Elected delegates have a responsibility to think for themselves and the Republicans they represent, not simply do what is convenient for an established leadership.