It Was Not Always Thus

by Pete Speer

The author received the following communication from John McNeal, who reaches back into the time when the Illinois Republican Party was "different."  During those days the Republican Party was at least the equal of the Democrats.  Since that time, it seems, we have reorganized for failure.  There is a lesson here.  Thank goodness, one of our Elephants remembers . . .

Pete:

As a former member and Vice Chair of the State Central Committee (when it was elected by the Republican primary voters not anointed by party officials) I helped plan, execute and conduct several state conventions.  In fact, I chaired the Rules Committee once and the Platform Committee twice, including humongous fights over abortion, Equal Rights Amendment, first ever ethanol (then called gasohol) and the like.

Everything of substance had to pass through a committee in order to be presented to the convention delegates.  Committee chairs were appointed by the State Chairman, who also had to be a member of the state committee (no longer true).  Members of the state committee appointed the committee members.  County chairmen and Cook County ward and township committeemen appointed the delegates and the state party had NO veto power over their delegate appointments (which allowed a person at war with his local party officials to be appointed by a kindred spirit official from another area). State party personnel had no authority and they were considered staff not power brokers.  The Credential Committee held appeal hearings the day before the convention and operated as a vehicle to seat, not unseat, delegates.

When I chaired the platform committee, I made some changes in its operation.  It was not behind closed doors.  I ordered a huge room and invited public and press.  Any delegate was allowed to speak on any proposed plank for 2 minutes on any proposal.  We filled the room and went to marathon sessions which started at 2 pm on Friday and ended at 5 am on Saturday.

Then as now, the convention delegates voted yea or nay on committee reports (recommendations).  But if 1/3 of a committee signed a minority report, the convention delegates got vote on which report to adopt, after floor debate.  The floor debate would include at least two speakers for the majority and minority report.  It was made clear (contrary to the recent conclave vote on SB#600) that a Yea vote was to adopt the majority report and a Nay vote was to adopt the minority report.

The whole tone and tenor was to allow participation, transparency, and unification of ALL wings of the party.  I appears that is no longer the case and will require multiple changes in rules and format.  However, I sincerely believe that will NOT happen until we begin with a return to an elected state committee who had to stand for re-election.  We reflected the philosophy of our Republican voters in our district not the views of the party power brokers whose first mission was to preserve and protect their power.

John McNeal
Riverside, IL