Decorum (defined): Decorum is behavior that people consider to be correct, polite, and respectable. “I was treated with decorum and respect throughout the meeting.” Synonyms: propriety, decency, etiquette.
Yes, political party meetings can get passionate and heated … and that is ok so long as everyone is being honest in their actions.
But it is an openly known and widely discussed political tactic to cause disruption in order to obstruct proceedings … particularly in our local county parties where the rules of discipline are not well defined.
Maintaining Decorum
So how do you handle it … how do you maintain order and “decorum”?
Consider, you don’t really see elected Members of the SC House of Representatives walking up to the the microphone and (falsely) calling other members liars … particularly if the statement is meant to mislead others less knowledgeable about the facts and circumstances being discussed. It is simply not allowed … the House has “RULES”.
THE RULES: Here in SC and the SC House of Representatives, the 2023 Rules of the House are 66 pages in length (HERE). It is a serious matter governing a deliberative body of 124 diverse members … and a lot of time and energy has been put into developing these Rules.
The word “decorum” is found 8 times in the Rules of the House. And the penalties for failure to maintain “decorum” can be extreme.
Roberts Rules
Committee on Discipline
Unfortunately, and perhaps by design, we do not have similar rules in the SCGOP State Rules … or in any of our County local rules (that we have been able to find).
But remember … when Party Rules do not cover a matter, we revert to Roberts Rules of Order (HERE) … and as advised to us from various County Party Leaders across SC … Roberts does have provisions for maintaining decorum … a process for Disciplinary Procedures (HERE).
And like in the SC House of Representatives and other deliberative bodies, the penalties for failure to maintain decorum under Roberts Rules of Order can be extreme:
- Censure
- Fine
- Suspension
- Expulsion
Mission
Yes, the minority in a deliberative body should be allowed to have a “voice” in the proceedings … but the minority opinion should not be allowed to overshadow the will (and mission) of the majority.
The mission of the SCGOP is simple … to promote the platform and ELECT candidates who will support it!
When has coming to a meeting and creating a scene elected a candidate? NEVER in our experience, yet people keep doing it.
If you are not on mission and you are purposefully obstructing … there are methods of discipline to address the obstruction …. and we suspect these matters will be a topic of conversation in your local party meetings soon.
SC Republican Platform HERE
As we learn more about the available disciplinary proceedings we will pass it along, but in the interim …
LearnTheRULES!!!
… and stay on UNITY of MISSION!!! (HERE)