[ga] Substantive Issues

[Joe Kelsey <joe@zircon.seattle.wa.us>]

Everyone here is making an assumption that discussion of the rules of
order on the list is not a "substantive issue" or that it is somehow not
germaine to the business of the GA.

I want to make the point that there is no more substantive issue
relating to the business of the GA than the rules under which the
discussion list operates.  It is the absolutely most fundamental and
germaine issue with which the list can deal.

I also accept as fact that the GA as a body can pass a rule which
delegates a specific germaine issue to an officially sanctioned
sub-discussion list.  This is a given in the normal parliamentary
proceedings.  However, there has been no such official delegation and
until such an official delegation is made by the GA itself, there can be
no official discussion on any so-called "sub-list".  You can carry out
as much informal discussion as you want whereever you want, but as soon
as you want to do anything affecting the operation of the GA discussion
list, you have to present it to the GA as a whole for discussion.

That means that the members of the "rules" discussion can talk and
scheme all they want, but they cannot make their discussion somehow
off-topic to the GA as a whole until and unless the GA as a whole
considers it formally in discussion and voting.

My entire point, which everyone seems to be missing, is that any attempt
to move the discussion of germaine subject matter elsewhere without
formal recognition by the GA as a whole is completely wrong-headed and
against the rules.

I can discuss the rules of operation of the GA on the GA list all I want
until there is a formal vote to create a separate rules subcommittee, or
until the NC create a formal rules WG.

/Joe

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