A I P
C O M M U N I C AT O R WINTER
2020
President’s Message: Are the Rules Fair? Depends on Your Perspective! By Al Gage CPP, PRP, PAP
Imagine if you will, you have spent time for the past two weeks preparing your debate on a matter of keen interest. You are next in line to speak on the matter at your Annual Convention. You are 100% certain that, since you are the world’s greatest persuasive orator, that you will be able to persuade the body in your direction, despite the fact that the debate, gossip and whip count has been against your position for most of the day. The speaker before your turn walks to the microphone and moves to close debate and vote immediately or for the previous question depending on your parliamentary authority. This motion is promptly adopted by the requisite two-thirds vote and the underlying motion is voted on subsequently. This results in a resounding defeat for you position. Do you feel like the rules are fair?
TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Letter
1
Message from the Education Director
3
Thank You Past Officers
4
Congratulations Certified Members
4
AIP Officers
4
Calendar of Events
4
Deadline Dates - Communicator
4
2021 West Coast Practicum
5
AIPSC2
6
2021 East Coast Practicum
7
New Members
8
Amazon Smile
9
Now let us reverse the situation at the same convention. You have had the same debate and proposal for the last 17 conventions. The same minority that is slightly greater than one-third of the body has belabored the point on this particular proposal for the last seven hours of convention time and there is no end in sight. You are next in line and see the person behind you is one of the proponents of the measure whose stated the same seven points for the last 17 conventions but firmly believes that they are the world’s greatest persuasive orator. In your mind, every time that person speaks it reminds you of the teacher from the Peanuts Cartoon. Knowing your parliamentary procedure, you move to close debate and vote immediately or previous question. It is seconded and the chair puts it to a vote. The previous question is defeated by a vote of 219-111. Just enough where even a vote from the chair could not change the outcome. Debate continues with several other motions to close debate being defeated by the same margin for nine more hours, effectively consuming more than half of the convention. Finally after you notice that a few of the members opposed to closing debate have slipped out to the restroom, the previous question is adopted 210-108 and upon a vote on the main motion, the measure is soundly defeated for the 18th time by a vote of 219-111. You are asking yourself, who came up with this voting threshold of twothirds? Is this rule fair? Continued on following page
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS Page 1
WINTER
Winter 2020
2020
AIP Communicator