Populares convention: FINAL VOTE ON MERGERS

[tpfkaw]

Hello all remaining Populares members (and new/returning ones, should you so choose!);

By popular demand, and in response to recent political events in Atlasia, I'm opening this thread up.  I'll also crown myself chairman for the purposes of this thread (it's what Dallasfan would've wanted... I think).

Several questions on the table (this is a non-binding gauge of opinion that will be used for binding proposals later):

1. Which of the following options is most preferable to you?  (rank options using Instant-Runoff Voting)

[ ] Ask to merge with another party
[ ] Disband
[ ] Change name
[ ] Status quo

2. If we do merge with another party, who would you prefer to merge with? (Rank with IRV)

[ ] Liberal Party
[ ] Communitarian/Whig Party
[ ] Social Democratic Union
[ ] Individual Freedom Party
[ ] United Imperial Front
[ ] Other:

Here are the options for how we could merge with another party:

Simple merger:  One party totally dissolves and all its members become members of another party.

Simple merger with name change:  Both parties dissolve and all their members become members of a new, renamed party.

Become a caucus:  One party converts to being a caucus in the other party.

Electoral pact:  The least radical option; neither party dissolves but they agree that a candidate from either party can use both parties' names on the ballot.

3.  If we do ask to merge with another party, which way should we do it?  (Rank with IRV)

[ ] Simply merge with them.
[ ] Ask them to simply merge with us.
[ ] Simple merger with name change.
[ ] Populares become their caucus.
[ ] Ask them to become our caucus.
[ ] Form an electoral pact

[tpfkaw]

@20RP12:  You can join us if you want a vote.

(My personal summum bonum would be if POP and IFP merged, and became a caucus in the Liberal Party.)

[tpfkaw]

1. Which of the following options is most preferable to you?  (rank options using Instant-Runoff Voting)

[1] Ask to merge with another party
[ ] Disband
[2] Change name
[3] Status quo

2. If we do merge with another party, who would you prefer to merge with? (Rank with IRV)

[1] Liberal Party
[4] Communitarian/Whig Party
[5] Social Democratic Union
[2] Individual Freedom Party
[3] United Imperial Front
[ ] Other:

3.  If we do ask to merge with another party, which way should we do it?  (Rank with IRV)

[4] Simply merge with them.
[ ] Ask them to simply merge with us.
[3] Simple merger with name change.
[1] Populares become their caucus.
[5] Ask them to become our caucus.
[2] Form an electoral pact

[tpfkaw]

None of my business, but if you merge, I think Populares is a way cooler name. Or even a simple "Libertarian Party".

Yeah, that's my main scruple with merging with anyone - Populares is the best party name ever

(hence why I'd rather we become a caucus)

[tpfkaw]

@20RP12:  You can join us if you want a vote.

(My personal summum bonum would be if POP and IFP merged, and became a caucus in the Liberal Party.)

Yeah but I don't like the idea of the Liberal Party becoming a gigantic entity /:

But including the ex-Populares in the Liberal Party, we'd be a majority.

[tpfkaw]

Alright, with a majority of party members voting I'll move on to my two proposed bylaw amendments.  All party members are eligible to vote.  These votes shall last for 72 hours, or until 6:40 PM EST on 2/04/2012.

Merger Proposal 1

The Populares shall merge with the Individual Freedom Party upon approval of this bylaw amendment by both parties.  The new party shall be provisionally entitled "Populares-Individual Freedom" prior to a vote on the name and shall continue using the abbreviation "POP" and the color teal prior to a vote on abbreviation and color.  The new party shall retain the bylaws of the Populares, and shall vote on adopting either the Populares platform, the Individual Freedom platform, or a new platform.  All members of the Populares and Individual Freedom Parties shall be considered members of Populares-Individual Freedom upon the enactment of this merger.

Merger Proposal 2

The Populares shall dissolve as a party and all members shall be considered registered to the Liberal Party in the Populares Caucus.  The Populares Caucus shall maintain the platform and bylaws of the Populares Party.  Should Merger Proposal 1 pass in this vote, this measure shall not take effect until Merger Proposal 1 is either rejected by the Individual Freedom Party or until Merger Proposal 1 has taken effect, in which case Merger Proposal 2 will be again voted on by the united party.

[tpfkaw]

Merger Proposal 1: Aye.

Merger Proposal 2: Aye.

I strongly urge my other party members to do the same.

[tpfkaw]

Well, the second proposal wouldn't actually require the approval of the Liberal Party; we'd just be joining en masse.

[tpfkaw]

Napoleon, 20RP12

I don't mean to be rude, but to avoid clogging up this thread, can you please take this debate somewhere else?

[tpfkaw]

As I count:

Proposal 1:

4 ayes, 1 abstention

Proposal 2:

2 ayes, 1 nay, 2 abstentions

Both proposals are carried, which means Proposal 1 goes into effect provided it can also be considered approved by the IFP (or the 3 other party members all decide to vote against in the next 5 minutes).