[Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

Wed Dec 4 00:48:37 UTC 2013

Yes. I believe that the President should be elected by the electorate using
the system it deems best, whether one candidate dominates or not. The
electorate gets the candidates it deserves.

I do not believe that artificial mechanisms should be interposed to "mix it
up", so-to-speak, in that any such mechanism interferes with the will of the
electorate.

Caveat: I favor a Constitutional amendment that abolishes electing House
members by district so that gerrymandering is abolished. House members would
be elected statewide as Senators are.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 4:21 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

Hi Marion, Mike and all,

I am curious whether you believe that the president of the United
States should also be "elected" in a system where there is only one
dominant candidate? After all, the job of the U.S. president is much
more important than the job of the NFB president. The U.S. president
oversees a multi-trillion-dollar budget, makes life-or-death military
decisions, and has the capacity to control the international economy.
If we allow the U.S. president to be chosen among multiple competing
candidates, is that not leaving too much to chance?
If you believe that the U.S. president should be chosen in a similar
way to the NFB president, then we can debate about whether the current
democratic process in the U.S. is a good or bad thing. If you feel
that selection of the NFB president should somehow be different than
selection of the U.S. president, then I am curious what you think the
difference is.

Of course U.S. presidential candidates are pre-approved by their
political parties, so there is some election management there. But
then the people are presented with at least two people to choose from.
People vote based on their party affiliations, the statements of the
candidates or both. While this is not a perfect system and not
everybody votes in an unbiased way, it is certainly not just "leaving
it up to chance". In the NFB, this kind of system could be implemented
by having a nominating committee propose two candidates for election,
allowing nominations from the floor in addition to the two slated
candidates, then letting the membership vote on all nominated
candidates.

As far as NFB politics go, the constitution and procedures are
technically democratic. But I am more concerned about the norms and
culture that have developed  within the organization. I am concerned
that some people feel they will be ostracized or marginalized in the
NFB if they challenge the incumbent leadership. Consequently, no
challenges are ever made, and talented individuals who disagree with
the incumbent leadership leave rather than making their voices heard.
Furthermore, though the NFB membership can set policy through
resolutions, my experience has been that it is difficult for
rank-and-file members to get resolutions introduced through the
resolutions committee, which is appointed by the president. So if a
rank-and-file member wants to propose a policy that is unpopular at
the top, it rarely, if ever, gets considered by the full convention.
In order to parallel U.S. parliamentary procedures, the resolutions
committee should be chosen by the people (assuming the resolutions
committee is like the legislature) or perhaps should be made up of
affiliate presidents (who are chosen by the people and represent them
as delegates to the convention). In general, I think the single-party
leadership system we have, though promoting overall unity, has the
disadvantage of limiting how effectively the membership can check the
president's power. It makes it more difficult, both logistically and
psychologically, for members to bring in alternate presidential
candidates. And if a president goes unchecked, can we really say we
are operating as a democracy?

Arielle

On 12/3/13, Ray Foret Jr <rforet7706 at comcast.net> wrote:
> No Mark, I do not foresee the dangers you outline here.  In fact, these
are
> very ancient arguments some of which were tried during the civil war of
the
> federation.  They did not work then and will not work now.
>
>
> Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind
> built-in!
>
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 user!
>
> On Dec 3, 2013, at 3:39 PM, Mark Tardif <markspark at roadrunner.com> wrote:
>
>> Marion,
>>
>> I hear what you are saying, and I think you raise valid points.  But, if
>> we do not shake up the leadership from time to time, while recognizing
>> that there is a need for leaders with Strong Federation philosophies, is
>> there not the threat that our leaders will become isolated from the
>> people?  Also, is there not the threat that leaders will simply take for
>> granted that they can do what they like regarding policy pretty much
>> regardless of the wish of the body politic?  I just think these are
things
>> to consider, and are we not supposed to be a grass roots organization?
>> Again, just things to consider.
>>
>> Mark Tardif
>> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
>> -----Original Message----- From: National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 12:21 PM
>> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer
>>
>> Dear All,
>> It only makes good organizational and managerial sense to maintain a
>> sound line of leadership for any organization. One of the characteristics
>> that makes the NFB such an influential player in the disability rights
>> arena
>> is its strong management and continuity of leadership. Leaving the
>> leadership of a multi million dollar nonprofit corporation to chance just
>> doesn't make good business sense.
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion Gwizdala
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lauren
>> Merryfield
>> Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2013 6:50 PM
>> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer
>>
>> Hi,
>> I do not see Mr. Maurer's supporting Mr. Riccobono and his subsequent
>> election as a formality. Whoever leads us when Mr. Maurer steps down
>> needs
>> to have many of the qualities Mr. tenBroek, Dr. Jernigan, Mr. Maurer and
>> others had, plus a thorough understanding of how to lead the NFB. Any of
>> us
>> out here might not possess those qualities and we certainly do not know
>> the
>> inner workings of the NFB.  It would be scary, and possibly disastrous,
>> if
>> someone were elected President who wasn't fully prepared and ready to
>> lead
>> us.
>>
>> Personally, I'd like to see an open-minded  female finally lead the NFB,
>> but, then, I'd like to see a liberal female run the USA, too, for a
>> change.
>> But that isn't happening yet.  So we're still behind the times.
>>
>> I am thinking that Mr. Riccobono, though I do not know him, is probably
>> the
>> best one to lead us in the future. I do trust Mr. Maurer's and the
>> National
>> Board's thinking on most things, therefore, I do not feel as if Mr.
>> Riccobono's stepping up to the Presidency as  only a formality. I'm sure
>> he
>> has been being prepared for this for some time, so it is no overnight
>> decision on Mr. Maurer's part.
>>
>> I'm sure glad it isn't me. I am happy to let someone serve in that
>> position
>> and I do feel that my vote would count, were I able to attend the
>> National
>> Convention next summer, which I won't. Not unless I rob a big bank, haha.
>> Many blessings,
>> Laurenthe
>>
>> For my new book go to:
>> www.TheresMoreThanOneWay.com
>> curious about thirty-one? Go to:
>> www.LettingTheCatOutOfTheBag.com
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ray
>> Foret
>> Jr
>> Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2013 3:17 PM
>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer
>>
>> Paul, You seem, with respect, to be implying that one must choose between
>> lack of transparency and a good program for the blind or else full
>> transparency and a bad program for the blind.  I do not agree.  Here is
>> what
>> I think will go down.  Maurer will support Riccobono and then, when it
>> comes
>> convention time, and time to elect the next president, Riccobono will be
>> chosen by acclamation without any competition.  Now, if one were to take
>> this process strictly in parliamentary terms, it would be impossible to
>> quarrel with its legitimacy.  My concern, to speak frankly, is this.
>> That
>> looks too much like a mere hand off instead of a legitimate election.
>> Smooth?  Yes.  Efficient?  You'd better believe it.  Morally right?
>> Well,
>> that's where I have a slight problem.  I'm not saying that this way of
>> doing
>> it is completely wrong:  however, when you have a process that looks too
>> much like you're just handing it off, you might as well not even bother
>> with
>> the formality of election.  Just might as well go ahead and crown
>> Riccobono
>> king of the movement.  I just do not feel terribly comfortable with the
>> way
>> things look like they're going to happen.  Call me a traitor to the
>> movement
>> if you will:  but,  'Tain't no skin off my nose.  Look, this procedure
>> just
>> don't set to well with me.
>>
>> I ain't sayin that President Mauer can't support whom he pleases,
>> and I ain't sayin he can not publically say whom he supports nor that he
>> can't urge the members to back his choice:  But, to just do a hand off
>> and
>> have the election as a mere formality really bugs me.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind
>> built-in!
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 user!
>>
>> On Dec 1, 2013, at 5:01 PM, Paul Wick <wickps at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ray that's how things have always been in the Federation In the world
>>> of the organized blind there is an organization that while it lacks
>>> transparency has a strong program, while another has democratic forms,
>>> but is kind of an empty suit when it comes to the programming
>>> department; I would rather be part of the former than the latter. I
>>> wish President-designate Riccobono well, and may he reach out to all
>>> the unaffiliated blind people rather than just preaching to the choir.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>> On 12/1/13, Ray Foret Jr <rforet7706 at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>> I should like to pint out that there seems to be an assumption upon
>>>> the part of the top NFB leadership that Mark
>>>>>
>>>>> Riccobono will sort of just be given the presency of the federation.
>>>>> That strikes me as not being the proper democratic way to do things.
>>>>> To assume that just because Doctor Maurer personally supports Mark
>>>>> Riccobono for president he will just sort of be handed the
>>>>> presidency by Dr. Maurer and the election of Mark Riccobono a mere
>>>>> formality strikes me as being very improper.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the
>>>> blind built-in!
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>> The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5
>>>> user!
>>>>
>>>> On Dec 1, 2013, at 12:44 PM, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>> Riccobono
>>>>
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>>>
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