Socialist Party USA

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SP USA National Committee: October 21, 2006
Meeting Minutes
Atlantic City Aquarium Harbor View Center- Atlantic City, NJ

Attending: Susan Doraizo, Mal Herbert, Andrea Pason, Sharin Chiorazzo, Doris Lake, Greg Pason, Jason Becker, Tino Rozzo, Matthew Andrews.
Observing: Eric Chester, Jessica Dreistadt, Jeff Brindle, Peter Diamondstone.

Meeting called to order at 11:20 by Susan Dorazio, who chaired the morning session.

National Office Report
Greg Pason gave the National Office report.
Membership is at 1004 in good standing with an additional 200 who have just dropped out of good standing. There are also approx. 150 applications pending dues payment or waiver requests.

Financial/Treasurer
The NC discussed the current status of the Treasury and Jim Schaefer’s recent resignation as Treasurer.
Motion: The National Committee hereby authorizes two or more members of the Finance Committee to hold a meeting with the National Secretary to thoroughly review the finances of the Socialist Party USA, the date of the meeting will be set for January 2007, after the mid-January end of year bank statments are received at the National Office.. The National Committee will receive a progress report by January 31, 2007 and a full report at it next meeting in February 2007.

Greg Pason will be named as Treasurer until a new Treasurer is appointed and Sharin Chiorazzo is named as a co-signor to the National Treasury account. Motion passed unanimously.

Greg reported that the end of year bank statements usually arriave at the National Office on or near the 15th.

Motion: To name Jeff Brindle, Jessica Dreistadt, Eric Chetser, Peter Diamondstone and Sharin Chiorazzo to the Finance Committee, which Matthew Andrews chairs. Motion passed unanimously.

SNC
Jeff Brindle gave the Campaign Clearinghouse report and answered questions. The current SNC bank account balance is: $550.00
Motion: The National Committee authorizes the Campaign Clearinghouse to undertake a $2007 in 2007 fundraising campaign to replenish the SNC’s general election fund, and to enlist the support of state and local organizations toward meeting this goal. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion: The National Committee sets the National Secretary’s hours at 24 a week @ $12.50 an hour through January 31, 2007 and allocates $4000 from the Treasury toward plus funds to pay 2006 withholding and Social Security taxes. Motion passed unanimously.

Summer Campaigns/Organizing Conference
The NC discussed the Socialist Summer campaigns and read a report-back from Matt Erard on the National Organizing Conference.

Activist Campaigns
Motion: The National Committee encourages all Socialist Party Locals to join the YPSL “No War But Class War” campaign. Motion passed unanimously

Publications
The Socialist
Mal Herbert gave a brief Editorial Board report and the NC discussed The Socialist.
Motion: To replace Steve Rossignol and Kristy Treacy on the Editorial Board with Jason Becker and Jessica Dreistadt. Steve and Kristy are invited to re-apply for the Editorial Board at the next National Committee meeting. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion: The National Committee hereby authorizes the following schedule for the publication of The Socialist and Socialist Women for the year 2007:
February-March: 16 page International Women’s Day issue of The Socialist produced collaboratively by the Editorial Board of The Socialist and the Editorial Collective of Socialist Women.
May-June: 16- page May Day issue of The Socialist
July-August: 8 page issue of Socialist Women
October-November: 16 page issue of The Socialist combined with an 8 page issue of Socialist Women.
Motion passed unanimously

Hammer & Tongs
Greg Pason reported that the Party needs a member to take on the role of laying out/editing the next issue of Hammer & Tongs.
Motion: The NC directs the National Secretary to actively recruit layout person/editor for the next Hammer & Tongs and to report his progress to the National Action Committee. Motion passed unanimously.

Party Affiliates
Greg Pason passed around a charter request by members in the Greater Chattanooga area.
Motion: To charter the Greater Chattanooga Area Local. Motion passed unanimously.

The NC broke for lunch at 3:30pm and reconvened at 4:45

Matthew Andrews chaired and called the meeting to order

Commissions
The NC discussed the status of the Party’s commissions and went over Commission reports and correspondence.
Motion: The NC asks Susan Dorazio to contact each Commissions convener/chair and request a Commission mission statement from each by December 1, 2006. The mission statements will then be translated into Spanish by the Publications Committee and used in outreach literature. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion: The NC grants temporary charters to all existing Party Commissions until the next NC when Susan Dorazio will report on how each commission responded to the request for mission statements. Motion passed unanimously.

International
Eric Chester gave an International Commission report.
Motion: The National Committee endorse the CNT Statement on the Middle East.
The motion was discussed then withdrawn.

Past Mandates
Publications Committee: Susan Dorazio reported that the Publications Committee is now active and working on re-typing exiting pamphlets and translating some into Spanish. The Committee is also focusing on producing an International Women’s Day pamphlet.

National Office: Greg Pason reported that membership booklets have been sent to new members and that a list of current existing mandates and update the list of current Party Committees and committee members will be printed for the next NC meeting.

The meeting broke at 5:15 and reconvened at the home of Sharin Chiorazzo at 6:30 pm.
Attending: Susan Doraizo, Mal Herbert, Andrea Pason, Sharin Chiorazzo, Doris Lake, Greg Pason, Jason Becker, and Matthew Andrews. Jason Becker chaired.

Electoral Campaigns
Auerbach for Maryland State Comptroller
Greg Pason distributed a statement from Bob Auerbach requesting NC authorization on his campaign for Maryland State Comptroller under the Green Party banner.
Motion: To authorize Robert Auerbach to run as a Green for Maryland State Comptroller. Motion passed unanimously.

Hawkins for US Senate
The NC discussed the response form the New York State Committee to the campaign of Howie Hawkins as a Green without Party authorization.
Motion: The National Committee asks for a response from the New York State Committee about Socialist Party of New York member Howie Hawkins, who is violating the SPUSA constitution with his candidacy in another Party without National Committee authorization. Motion passed with 2 abstentions (Jason Becker and Sharin Chiorazzo).

Socialist Party of Michigan
Greg Pason distributed a statement from the Socialist Party of Michigan requesting authorization for ”Critical endorsements of a series of candidates on the Green Party and Socialist Equality lines.

The NC discussed the responsibility of the NC to authorize each candidate even when a Party is pre-authorized.
Motion: The National Committee interprets the SPUSA Constitution (Article VI Section 4) in a way that the NC must approve each endorsement of non-Socialist Party members and pre-approval only relates to Party member candidates who want to run on the pre-approved line, as an open Socialist and on a socialist platform.
Motion passed unanimously.

Motion: To authorize the Socialist Party of Michigan’s endorsement of Jerome White for the 12th CD on the Socialist Equality line. Motion failed unanimously.

The NC agreed to not approve “critical endorsements” did not discuss the balance of the “critical endorsement “requests.

Internal Party Business
The National Committee discussed a request by Eric Chester on charges against Dwight Welch and Shaun Richman.

The NC agreed that disciplinary action was to be taken up first by the members local and state committees, so only the charges against Dwight Welch, who’s a member at large were in order.
Motion: The National Committee censures Dwight Welch for his public endorsement of a candidate seeking the same office as a Socialist Party endorsed candidates, in violation of Article VI Section 2 of the SP USA Constitution. The National Committee hopes that this clarifies our position, so that further action will not be needed. Motion passed 5 yes (Susan Doraizo, Mal Herbert, Sharin Chiorazzo, Greg Pason and Matthew Andrews) and 3 Abstentions (Andrea Pason, Jason Becker and Doris Lake).

2007 National Convention
Motion: To pass the following Convention Planning Chronology:
October NC Meeting: set date for 2007 convention
As of November 1, 2006: locals starts fundraising for the Bea Hermann Fund for convention travel support; locals provided with some fundraising ideas, suggestions
December 15, 2006: convention site proposals sue at the National Office.
January 1, 2007: proposals distributed to NC members via e-mail
February NC meeting: decision on convention site; discussion/recommendation on convention rules and delegate weight formula.
Spring 2007: guidelines for travel support sent to membership; stipends based on need as determined by the applicant’s response to questions regarding financial situation, distance from the convention site, age, gender, and race/ethnicity.. A personal statement of 100-150 words as to reasons for applying for the stipend will also be required. Preference will be given to comrades of color, under the age of 30, and women. Deadline for the return of the questionnaire to the National Office is July 15. Decisions will be made by the convention Planning Committee by August 1, 2007.
June 2007: convention publicity/information to membership, via The Organizer (general info, plus job description for co-chairs and co-vice chairs, summary of NC Member Handbook, and info on fundraising for delegates).
July 1, 2007: proposed convention budget, design of registration form (including child care), beginning of solicitation of copy for ad book.
July 15, 2007: deadline for delegate rosters; deadline for return of travel subsidy application.
Summer (June or July) 2007 NC Meeting: discussion/recommendation on convention agenda and session assign-ments (co-chairs, time-keepers, recorders, parliamentarian, runners, computer tech, ballot prep, and vote counting)
August 2007: convention resolutions, and statements from candidates for US President, US Vice-President, SP National Committee and SP co-chairs and co-vice chairs, via Hammer & Tongs.
Late August 2007: assembling pf materials (proposed agenda, rules – including chairing and recording of each session), info on Roberts Rules, site logistics) for Pre-Convention Bulletin.
Early-September 2007: mailing of Bulletin to registered delegates.
Mid-September/ Early-October 2007: locals and delegates discuss convention resolutions and other issues.
Mid-October 2007: Socialist Party National Convention. Motion passed unanimously

Motion: Top hold the 2007 Socialist Party USA National Convention on October 19, 20 and 21 2007.
Motion passed unanimously

Motion: To pass the following Convention Planning Committee Guidelines:
The Convention Planning Committee will be geographically and gender-balanced, convened by National Co-Chair, Susan Dorazio, and consist of 6 members, 3 of whom will be National Committee members and 3 of whom will be from the membership.

The purpose of the Convention Planning Committee is to act as a liaison between the National Office, the National Committee, the Logistics Committee (composed of "on-site" comrades), and the membership. Involvement of, and regular communication with, the membership is of critical importance to the success of the convention, so should be a top priority of the committee. In addition, the committee will bring to the NC recommendations on such details of the convention sessions as procedure, chairing, voting, and scheduling.

Also, the committee will work with the NC on the convention agenda, put together the Convention Bulletin and materials, and work with the conveners of the Women's Commission, People of Color Commission, and Youth Commission to develop ways to secure and distribute money for travel and housing subsidies for comrades who would otherwise not be able to attend the convention.

The Convention Planning Committee will send site-proposal guidelines to the membership by November 1, 2006. All proposals must be received by Greg Pason at the National Office by December 15, 2006. Proposals will be distributed to NC members via e-mail by January 1, 2007. A decision on the site will be made by the National Committee at its meeting in February, 2007. Before that meeting, the members of the Planning Committee will identify convention-related tasks, and work out systems and a time-table for their completion.

In mid-July 2007, the Convention Planning Committee will assemble the Convention Bulletin for the membership and convention materials for convention delegates so that the membership and delegates will get them in plenty of time before the convention. Throughout the convention planning period, committee members will be available to delegates who have convention-related questions or problems. Motion passed unanimously

Composition of Planning Committee
Motion: To authorize the Convention Committee Planning Committee, Susan Dorazio, to recruit members to the Convention Planning Committee and to announce the planning committee membership to the NC via e-mail by December 1, 2007. motion passed unanimously.

Other Business
Motion: As an extension of the current membership application form, and in keeping with Article III of the Constitution of the Socialist Party USA, the National Committee hereby approves the following membership application process:
1) Prospective member of the SP-USA fills out a "Join the Socialist Party USA" form asking for basic contact information, other political affiliations, and particular areas of interest; and signs the following statement: "I, the undersigned, desiring to bring about by democratic means a new society based upon democratic socialism, hereby request copies of the Socialist Party Statement of Principles, the Constitution of the Socialist Party USA, and the current Socialist Party Platform. I understand that a member of the SP-USA will be contacting me to talk about these documents and answer any questions I might have about the SP-USA so that I can decide whether or not to apply for membership."
2) The form is sent to the National Office, with a copy sent by the National Secretary to the SP local in the prospective member's area, if there is one. Prospective member is sent copies of the Socialist Party Statement of Principles, the Constitution of the Socialist Party USA, and the current Socialist Party Platform by a member of the appropriate SP Local, or by the National Secretary if s/he will be a member-at-large.
3) Prospective member is contacted by a member of the SP Local in their area, or by the National Office if s/he will be a member-at-large.
4) Prospective member meets with SP member (in person or by phone) to discuss/answer questions about various aspects of the workings of the SP-USA and Party membership; and to ascertain whether the prospective member agrees with the SP Statement of Principles and is willing to abide by the Party's Constitution.
5) If prospective member decides to apply for membership, s/he will sign the following statement: "I, the undersigned, desiring to bring about by democratic means a new society based upon democratic socialism, hereby apply for membership in the Socialist Party of the United States of America and subscribe to its principles."
6) As per Sections 4 of the SP Constitution: "Applications for enrollment as a member in good standing of the Party, shall be acted upon by the local organization or the local executive committee, subject to review by the local organization." As per Section 5 of the SP Constitution: "Applications for enrollment as a member in good standing of the Party at-large shall be acted upon by the National Secretary or National Action Committee, subject to review by the National Committee in unorganized states, and by state committees in organized states." Motion failed 2 yes (Susan Dorazio and Mal Herbert) 4 no (Doris Lake, Jason Becker, Sharin Chiorazzo and Greg Pason) and 2 abstentions (Matthew Andrews and Andrea Pason).

Next NC Meeting
Motion: To hold the next National Committee meeting on February 10-11, 2007 in Austin Texas. Motion passed unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm

Socialist Party USA 339 Lafayette St. #303 New York, NY 10012