David Spackman
Candidate for Weber County Republican Party Vice Chair
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Active in Weber GOP some years ago, moved back, ready to get involved
Former Vice Chair and Secretary in Box Elder County
Recent Precinct Vice Chair and State Delegate in Davis County
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Intend to work with Chair and Executive Committee to organize successful caucuses in March, and also conduct successful Lincoln Day Dinner and Nominating Convention.
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Meet and Greet events:
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13 Dec (Wed) Ogden Valley Library Board Room, 6:30 - 7:30
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14 Dec (Thurs) Adams Ave Library Board Room, 7:30 - 8:30
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19 Dec (Tues) N. Ogden Library North Activity Center B, 6:30 - 7:30
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21 Dec (Thurs) Roy Library Board Room, 6:30 - 7:30
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Contact Dave at 435-452-1688 or Spack4ViceChair@gmail.com
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Why I'm Running
I was an active duty Air Force Officer for ten years. Part of my oath of office was to "support and defend the Constitution". I've never considered myself relieved of that duty. Serving in Party leadership is an opportunity to continue the founding fathers' courageous pursuits of liberty, the rule of law, and economic opportunity.
Goals
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Seamless execution of Caucuses, Lincoln Day Dinner, Conventions, and other Party functions
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Increase citizen participation
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Promote Constitutional principles of natural rights, limited government, checks and balances, and personal responsibility
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Recruit and support candidates who support these principles and the Party Platform
About Me
I was raised on a dairy farm in Cache County. Served a Church mission to South Korea. Graduated from USU with an engineering degree and an ROTC commission. Worked on satellites in Los Angeles and Colorado Springs, then nuclear missiles at Hill AFB. I continue to work on the ICBMs; 25 years with a large defense company.
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I'm a father to three children and grandpa to five grandkids.
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My hobbies include choral singing (Tabernacle Choir 1998 - 2005), trail running, gardening, and reading and listening to books. Currently listening to a biography of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, completed Pikes Peak Marathon in September, and grew an amazing crop of kale this year 😊!
My favorite podcaster is Jordan Peterson. I read the Standard Examiner and the Wall Street Journal every day!
David Spackman
“Your Practical and Productive Choice for Weber County GOP Vice Chair”
Proven Experience and Accomplishments
Except during my active-duty military service where political activity is restricted, I have always been active in the Republican party. I went to caucuses with my parents as a teenager. I've almost always been a delegate or a precinct officer. In Box Elder County I served terms as the county party secretary and also vice chair. Here are things I have done to ensure efficient party operations and stand up for the Constitution and Party Platform.
Manage caucus night from cradle to grave
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Acquire the voting data from the county clerk
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Using voting data, apply the delegate allocation formula as specified in the state party rules for each precinct
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Ensure responsive chair or vice chair is engaged in each precinct, including filling vacancies according to by-laws
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Prepare instructions and packets for each precinct
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Prepare and present caucus training to precinct chairs and vice chairs
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Arrange for facilities for caucuses
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Notify State Elections and State Party of planning details
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Publish on county website, by email, by text, by newspaper, by signs, and by any other means to inform party members of caucus details and maximize participation
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On-call on caucus night to address any questions and problems
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Collect and compile precinct election results (electronically) and publish as directed by the State and County Party rules
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Collect donations and paper copies of election results from precincts
Conventions​
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​Established agenda and rules
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Timely notification by various means to delegates and other participants
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Arrange facilities, prepare ballots, and all other logistical preparations
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Manage check-in and credentialing
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Manage ballot counting and certification
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Timely reports to State Elections and State Party of election results
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Timely posting of the meeting minutes on the county website
Lincoln Day Dinner
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Arrange facilities, caterer, guest speaker, prayers, national anthem, and every other detail
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​Promote event early and often for maximum participation
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Manage ticket sales
Leader in other meetings (Executive Committee, State and County Central Committee, By-law Committee)
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Presided at meetings as requested by the chair
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Assist with meeting agendas, send out notices, prepare and publish minutes
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Engage in discussions to ensure we are exploring all sides of an issue to make informed decisions
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Familiar with and supportive of Robert Rules of Order
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Chaired a By-Laws committee
Promote Party Platform and Constitutional Principles
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​When my sophomore daughter came home from school and told me some senior friends said that the teacher of the mandatory civics class told them that Republicans hate poor people, I had a discussion with the teacher that led to me making a class presentation every semester for several years.
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As a citizen, lobbied the state legislature for education outcome improvements through school choice and for reduced and simplified taxes
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Engaged the younger generation with a Party-sponsored youth essay contest with the winner presenting his/her essay at Lincoln Day Dinner, and got local high school choirs to present the national anthem and other patriotic entertainment at Lincoln Day Dinner.
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Work behind the scenes to ensure Party and Party meetings are run by the equitable application of our rules, and don't hesitate to challenge in real time if they are not.
The reality is that running a Party is a lot of managerial work. I know what it takes, and I've done the work with other members of the executive and central committees to make it happen. I hit the ground running from day one!
On Unity
Unity is at the essence of our constitutional Republic. In the Declaration, it states “In the Course of human events it becomes necessary for ONE people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, …” while in the Constitution it begins with “WE the People of the UNITED States…”. Our magnificent country is founded on unified belief in the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and the Constitution that is rooted in that essential belief.
Let’s be similarly unified in the Republican Party promoting and practicing the core American principle expounded by Thomas Paine that rule of law is king, not that the King’s whims are the law. The rules (Bylaws and Robert’s Rules in our case) must always be equitably applied to the best of our abilities.
Codified checks and balances and strictly enumerated authority are critical because we know, as the Founding Fathers knew and expressed, that we humans have a jealous, prideful, covetous, carnal, and controlling side to us, that tends to get amplified when we get a little power. Our Bylaws hold the Executive Committee accountable to the Central Committee, and ensure delegate and central committee selection is from the citizen base of the Party. Application of Robert’s Rules and the Bylaws discourage a person or small factions to control outcomes for special interest or private benefit.
Let’s be unified in the Party Platform, including holding officials in the Party and in public office accountable to it, but particularly to ourselves.
Let’s be unified in thorough and civil debate so that issues are properly understood for wise decision-making.
Let’s be unified in finding and electing candidates that share these values.
Being unified on these principles and practicing what we preach is the best way to strengthen and expand the Republican base in Weber County.
I have a record of promoting unity of this kind wherever I’ve been, and particularly in Weber County as I led a substantial Bylaws change applying these principles when I lived here before. Please join me in promoting unity in the Weber County Republican Party by supporting Spackman for Vice Chair!
Standing Bylaw Committee
A Solution for Efficient Meetings and Debate
As I have discussed our Party with many of you, I hear a common concern--that our meetings are too divisive and inefficient, which turns people away, including younger people participating for the first time.
I perceive much of this concerns Bylaw changes. 100 people attempting to define and edit Bylaws in real time is messy. I’ve been told of examples of ad hoc Bylaw committees suppressing debate and withholding information form the CentraI Committee. A solution I intend to pursue is a standing Bylaw Committee with the following features:
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- About seven people
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Ensure a diversity of opinions on the committee--the same diversity of opinion we see at Central Committee meetings
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Retain the method of Bylaw changes coming directly to the Central Committee with eight sponsors and a 2/3rds vote as a final check and balance, but all other suggested bylaw changes are vetted by this committee to ensure compliance with State Law, State Party rules, and internal consistency.
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Standing Bylaws Committee reviews and reports in a timely manner to the Executive and Central Committees, with the report published with the meeting agenda notice for advanced review.
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Report includes dissenting opinion (if not unanimous support from all members), and a by-name record of committee votes.
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Current Executive Committee responsibilities concerning bylaw changes will be adjusted to accommodate the standing committee.
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For membership, perhaps the Party Chair or Vice Chair is a non-voting member, with the Executive Committee voting for a few members, and the Central Committee voting for a few members.
An ad hoc Bylaws committee will need to be formed to work out the details.
With a properly codified standing Bylaw Committee generating thoroughly researched changes with full diversity of opinion considered and published in advance of meetings, the debate and amendment process at Central Committee meetings will be minimized, and changes brought directly to the Central Committee will be rare.
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I also want to acknowledge our Chair, Jackson Wing, is seeking out diversity of opinion, and I compliment him for it.