Recalling Carey – 20 Names Alone Won’t Be Enough
I have already been contacted by a handful of people who want to get the special State Central Delegate meeting going to recall Ron Carey. I have been doing my darndest to not make this about me or open that door for Carey to use. I learned from the Chairman’s reelection campaign that he and his operatives are very good at spinning a negative story and shooting the messenger. So I am restraining myself incredibly not to opine too much on this and remain factual. (Yes, who knew I would learn a lesson?)
Yes it would be very easy to get 20 State Central Delegates in order to call a meeting, and I probably have a dozen or so people on board already if my emails are correct.
But here’s the REAL problem, it would bring out the worst in some of the people in this party to do anything to stop this. I do not think Ron Carey or his die hard supporters would go down with out a fight, and we really don’t need the distraction during Precinct Caucus planning, or BPOU conventions immediately after that, or Congressional District Conventions after that. To quote Mr Carey, “We need to unite! Unite! Unite!”
I think we need to put faith in the Executive Committee to deal with Carey. That is what they are for. The last thing we need is a public food fight, or another big convention/meeting at this time to plan. And we all have far more to do getting ready for Caucus and our own local conventions than to deal with this Carey mess.
Hopefully there is the kind of anger or disbelief of Carey’s Huckabee endorsement arrogance with the Executive Members so that they can take one of my suggestions, or come up with a better one so that we can move forward towards the same goal or a stronger Party working together on the 2008 General elections in Minnesota. If they do choose to do nothing, well then Carey has some serious explaining to do to the Delegates of the Party, not just to the Executive Committee behind closed doors. He owes us an explanation how he can loyally do both be CEO of the party and organize and run the Huckabee camp. (suggestions post linked above)
For those of you out there who have contacted me or are thinking about recalling the Chairman, keep in mind it will take more than just 20 people from 2 Congressional Districts. That will simply get the meeting called. It will then take a 2/3 vote to remove him, and I can tell you, you don’t want to come up short on that. (TRUST ME!!!!!!)
I’ve seen some of the messages and comments the Chairman is getting or that are out there. He will realize he made a mistake, well I have hope he will. I cannot imagine a more divisive thing he could have done to this party as a whole. Others are realizing this and very upset with the Chairman. I do think we could have a big problem if nothing happens, and we could see a division in the party at the local leadership level to the State level. This would be absolutely disastrous if we are going to really get better at working together and not as autonomous organizations.
My advice for everyone is that we build the list of Delegates willing to sign a letter calling a State Central Meeting to discuss this with the Chairman. It would be great to do that by Thursday for the Executive meeting. If no one else wants to take this on, I could be the conduit to get it to someone on the State Executive Committee members. I’ve already expressed my concerns by email to a number of them already as well as what I have posted here.
andy @ residualforces.com – 612-916-3232
Note: You would have to be State Central Delegate. Don’t worry about the Congressional District you’re in, I know of people in 4 that are already on board 100%.
I’m certainly having trouble getting as worked up as you are about this, but that’s to be expected. While I’ll agree it [the Huckabee thing] doesn’t make much sense, neither do I see it as some “high crime and misdemeanor” that should distract and crack the Party at a time of great opportunity and peril.
Yes, a quiet explanation and perhaps reconsideration, behind closed doors, would be a good thing. Yes, a loud fractious food fight we don’t need. Yet little was made of Pawlenty’s signing on to the McCain campaign, or of Marty Seifert chairing for Thompson, so what’s the real issue here, again? Is it just your vendetta showing?
If Ron carey really believed that things are best to do behind closed doors, he could have remained silent in his support for Mike Huckabee.
He decided to make a big deal about this. Did he even discuss this with the party?
Neither Pawlenty or Seifert are being paid to be the CEo and leader of the Republican Party of mN. Neither are being paid to raise the millions for the party through “one on one” meetings and contacts. They aren’t being paid run the day to day 9-5 operations of the party.
This party is supposed to be a grassroots organization. It can’t be run on secret behind closed doors.
Andy,
If you are sincere about dialing this down, then I applaud your maturity.
It would be very easy to get the meeting called, but I would bet impossible to get the 2/3rd to do anything.
So to have a meeting would accomplish nothing except get a chance for everyone to call each other names, waste party resources and time that should be spent knocking doors.
If you disagree with the action of the Chairman, talk to you CD Chair(he represents you on the Executive Committee) and let him know your thoughts.
And if you do not think the Chair should not endorse then I also suggest you contact someone one the Constitution committee and recommend that change to MN GOP Constitution.
I also humbly suggest this, regardless of how you feel about this.
Call a meeting at your house, invite lots of people, discuss this issue – then when you are done – pick up the phone and call ten people and ask them to vote for your candidate of choice.
I think having more people speak up in favor of their candidate would be a lot more productive for the Party and it’s message then spending time and resources trying to silence one person.
My Reps know full well where I stand on this and how I would vote if I were there.
I agree – dialing up the rhetoric is counterproductive at this point. However, next time there is an election for Chair…..boy this had best come back out.
LL