It's a challenging issue Brian. I wish here you had framed the arguments in terms of a democracy vs a republic - although neither is a perfect example. Should "we the people" as PCs vote on everything or should we choose our representatives every two years to decide on our behalf?
The split in Ada County is and has been personality driven. Chairman Miller was elected unopposed yet people were trashing him on the floor that very night. None had the stones to run. And so it continues. I like Mr. Bender and Ms. Retzlaff, but if either of them were Ada Chair today there would be no proposal to change the process. And changing your rules because you don't like your currently elected leader is the worst kind of thinking. Always and without exception.
Respectfully, it was much of the current leadership that changed the rule in the first place, after it working just fine for decades. Additionally, everyone I have talked to about this has agreed that this is in the best interests of the party as an organization, regardless of the personalities involved.
To elucidate on this: in discussions with supporters of the bylaw change, I heard some worry what might happen if we have a different set of LD chairs in the future. The consensus response was “it doesn’t matter, this is the right thing to do.”
The short term political maneuvering was what was done last year to change the established precedent.
I have no quarrel with that, do it when the new leadership team comes in.
Regarding your final statement, that's exactly what the Dems said about SCOTUS and Roe v. Wade. "...political maneuvering to change the established precedent. When the precedent is wrong we change it.
Perhaps Victor should have taken your advice in 2021 and not pushed such a drastic change in the middle of a term. All this is doing is restoring the way things had been done for decades prior to last year’s bylaw change.
Michael, Prior to becoming aware that Victor Miller very much appears to be aligned with Tom Luna and others to smear and destroy State of Idaho GOP Party Chair Dorothy Moon, I donated a considerable amount of $ to Ada County GOP. I don’t believe that sort of counterproductive nonsense reflects the thankfully still conservative Ada County Republican Party as a whole and therefore I very much hope these measures pass. BTW, I believe Dorothy Moon is perhaps the most capable and effective GOP Chair Idaho has ever had, and Victor and those who’ve coalesced around him should be working to support her efforts rather than against her. Joe Russell
Interesting Joe that you switch the argument to Dorothy. She is my friend and I support her. You will note that I write a high level of the supportive comments on the state's FB page in support of Dorothy and her positions. That has nothing to do with Ada, or Victor who is also my friend. And Joe, I am not in touch with Mr. Luna but I have never heard Victor smear or try to destroy Dorothy. And to that, it also has nothing to do with the issue Brian wrote about nor the actions at the meeting tonight.
Had Victor not been successful in changing the ADA County GOP governance rules I very much doubt the unproductive conflict between ADA and the State GOP would have developed, underscored by the effort to prevent State Chair Moon from even speaking for 15 minutes at the recent Ada County GOP meeting. The points I’ve raised are not changing the subject, quite to the contrary.
Prior to becoming aware that Victor Miller very much appears to be aligned with Tom Luna and others to smear and destroy State of Idaho GOP Party Chair Dorothy Moon, I donated a considerable amount of $ to Ada County GOP. I don’t believe that sort of counterproductive nonsense reflects the thankfully still conservative Ada County Republican Party as a whole and therefore I very much hope these measures pass. BTW, I believe Dorothy Moon is perhaps the most capable and effective GOP Chair Idaho has ever had, and Victor and those who’ve coalesced around him should be working to support her efforts rather than against her. Joe Russell
Understand that I don't have a horse in this - I'm not a PC nor do I care which way the rules break. Vic asked the AG to review our rules. That seems proper. The AG did so and told us we were in violation. We changed the rules. Seems proper.
What I don't like are people who still have their shorts twisted over who got to speak or not at some meeting and who so disrespect Dorothy they don't think she can carry her own water. These people create more discord between the state and Ada than Victor Miller ever could. And none of that is relevant to the issue tonight, except the AG's guidance that we can follow or not.
Michael, your thoughts and comments bring to mind the saying “Sometimes it’s best to keep quiet and let others wonder how intelligent you are than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt “
That's the thing - it's all part of the same issue. The current leadership of Ada County has picked a fight with the state party, one that was completely unnecessary. I think they are completely unaware of how off-putting it is to the rest of the state for Ada to dictate to the state party and the other counties rather than taking their place in the hierarchy. There was already a perception that Ada considered themselves above the other counties, and the current leadership is doubling down. Was it a good look to argue from the podium that the state chair should not have the right to speak?
A lot of people believe that the leadership of the ACRCC is out of control, and restoring the pre-2022 status quo to the executive board would be a good gesture to demonstrate that yes, authority in the Republican Party comes from the voters and the PCs, not an elite few.
The bravado you display with this comment is as misplaced as several other comments you’ve made, considering even though the in favor vote didn’t reach the 2/3 majority required it did receive the vast majority of votes cast. It’s only a matter of time…
FANTASTIC explanation, I have Shared! Thank you Brian...
Your writing certainly provides the clarity we appreciate, Brian. ... you've a gift! 😇👍
It's a challenging issue Brian. I wish here you had framed the arguments in terms of a democracy vs a republic - although neither is a perfect example. Should "we the people" as PCs vote on everything or should we choose our representatives every two years to decide on our behalf?
The split in Ada County is and has been personality driven. Chairman Miller was elected unopposed yet people were trashing him on the floor that very night. None had the stones to run. And so it continues. I like Mr. Bender and Ms. Retzlaff, but if either of them were Ada Chair today there would be no proposal to change the process. And changing your rules because you don't like your currently elected leader is the worst kind of thinking. Always and without exception.
Respectfully, it was much of the current leadership that changed the rule in the first place, after it working just fine for decades. Additionally, everyone I have talked to about this has agreed that this is in the best interests of the party as an organization, regardless of the personalities involved.
To elucidate on this: in discussions with supporters of the bylaw change, I heard some worry what might happen if we have a different set of LD chairs in the future. The consensus response was “it doesn’t matter, this is the right thing to do.”
The short term political maneuvering was what was done last year to change the established precedent.
I have no quarrel with that, do it when the new leadership team comes in.
Regarding your final statement, that's exactly what the Dems said about SCOTUS and Roe v. Wade. "...political maneuvering to change the established precedent. When the precedent is wrong we change it.
Perhaps Victor should have taken your advice in 2021 and not pushed such a drastic change in the middle of a term. All this is doing is restoring the way things had been done for decades prior to last year’s bylaw change.
I agree entirely, I would have left it alone. But bad personality politics to fix bad personality politics is neither statesmanship nor leadership.
And to that point, as you bring up AG Wasden, "what if" Raul had advised us that Victor was right?
Michael, Prior to becoming aware that Victor Miller very much appears to be aligned with Tom Luna and others to smear and destroy State of Idaho GOP Party Chair Dorothy Moon, I donated a considerable amount of $ to Ada County GOP. I don’t believe that sort of counterproductive nonsense reflects the thankfully still conservative Ada County Republican Party as a whole and therefore I very much hope these measures pass. BTW, I believe Dorothy Moon is perhaps the most capable and effective GOP Chair Idaho has ever had, and Victor and those who’ve coalesced around him should be working to support her efforts rather than against her. Joe Russell
Interesting Joe that you switch the argument to Dorothy. She is my friend and I support her. You will note that I write a high level of the supportive comments on the state's FB page in support of Dorothy and her positions. That has nothing to do with Ada, or Victor who is also my friend. And Joe, I am not in touch with Mr. Luna but I have never heard Victor smear or try to destroy Dorothy. And to that, it also has nothing to do with the issue Brian wrote about nor the actions at the meeting tonight.
Had Victor not been successful in changing the ADA County GOP governance rules I very much doubt the unproductive conflict between ADA and the State GOP would have developed, underscored by the effort to prevent State Chair Moon from even speaking for 15 minutes at the recent Ada County GOP meeting. The points I’ve raised are not changing the subject, quite to the contrary.
Gem State
1
Accountability in Ada County
BRIAN ALMON
Prior to becoming aware that Victor Miller very much appears to be aligned with Tom Luna and others to smear and destroy State of Idaho GOP Party Chair Dorothy Moon, I donated a considerable amount of $ to Ada County GOP. I don’t believe that sort of counterproductive nonsense reflects the thankfully still conservative Ada County Republican Party as a whole and therefore I very much hope these measures pass. BTW, I believe Dorothy Moon is perhaps the most capable and effective GOP Chair Idaho has ever had, and Victor and those who’ve coalesced around him should be working to support her efforts rather than against her. Joe Russell
Understand that I don't have a horse in this - I'm not a PC nor do I care which way the rules break. Vic asked the AG to review our rules. That seems proper. The AG did so and told us we were in violation. We changed the rules. Seems proper.
What I don't like are people who still have their shorts twisted over who got to speak or not at some meeting and who so disrespect Dorothy they don't think she can carry her own water. These people create more discord between the state and Ada than Victor Miller ever could. And none of that is relevant to the issue tonight, except the AG's guidance that we can follow or not.
Michael, your thoughts and comments bring to mind the saying “Sometimes it’s best to keep quiet and let others wonder how intelligent you are than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt “
I have no doubt that the only thing that comes to your mind is a misquote of something another person said.
That's the thing - it's all part of the same issue. The current leadership of Ada County has picked a fight with the state party, one that was completely unnecessary. I think they are completely unaware of how off-putting it is to the rest of the state for Ada to dictate to the state party and the other counties rather than taking their place in the hierarchy. There was already a perception that Ada considered themselves above the other counties, and the current leadership is doubling down. Was it a good look to argue from the podium that the state chair should not have the right to speak?
A lot of people believe that the leadership of the ACRCC is out of control, and restoring the pre-2022 status quo to the executive board would be a good gesture to demonstrate that yes, authority in the Republican Party comes from the voters and the PCs, not an elite few.
Fortunately tonight's meeting ended all of that.
The bravado you display with this comment is as misplaced as several other comments you’ve made, considering even though the in favor vote didn’t reach the 2/3 majority required it did receive the vast majority of votes cast. It’s only a matter of time…
More to come!!!