Political Action Task Force Meeting

Political Action Task Force

The recent reorganization of our 9-12 Project of Central PA resulted in the dissolution of the existing committees, including the Political Action Task Force (PATF), due to inadequate organization and participation. The reorganization is progressing, and it seems it is now time to revive the PATF.

The PATF is crucial because it is the body responsible for enabling our members to achieve political change. Please consider contributing your time, energy, and reasoning to this important undertaking. As the acting chair of the task force, I ask you to take the following initial steps:

1. Review and critique the proposed responsibilities, below
2. Review and critique the essential assumptions, below
3. Attend the initial organizational meeting at which we will discuss the proposed responsibilities and essential assumptions and begin to chart a course for the PATF. Our conclusions will then be presented the Executive Board for approval
4. Commit to meeting regularly as required in order to develop and implement our plans.
5. Take responsibility to work independently on specific projects and activities.

The proposed responsibilities of the Political Action Task Force are to:

1. Provide a realistic appraisal of our situation
2. Identify and prioritize recommended policies and actions in support of our organization’s mission statement and identify strategic actions that hold promise
3. Provide educational support to our membership including, but not limited to, presentations and publications
4. Identify events upon which the group can act in support of our mission and organize these when they are of such a scale that an ad hock committee is not warranted
5. Network with like-minded organizations in order to share knowledge, avoid the costs of reinventing the wheel, and leverage our efforts

In order to have any hope of being effective, it is essential to keep in mind a few essential assumptions:

1. Ours is a war of ideas and our ammunition is truth. We must base our actions and policies on objectively verifiable principles – on facts. To rely on anything other than reality is to leave ourselves vulnerable to our enemies.
2. All of the actions with which we have been involved, with the possible exceptions of the first tea party and the March on DC, have been defensive in nature, reacting to specific legislation or events. While we may have success in some or many such cases, the fact is that we will always lose some battles. The consequence is that our victories will only serve to maintain the status quo and our losses will continue to move America toward our opponents’ position. Therefore, we must take a strong offensive position if we are to restore freedom and justice in America.
3. Compromise is evil. Any compromise made with our opponents can only benefit them because it concedes our principled position and empowers our opposition. It is thus better to lose a battle while holding fast to our principles rather than to compromise.
4. Our resources are extremely limited so we must be good stewards by choosing the most potentially effective activities that are within our capabilities. Our only means of expanding our capabilities is by increasing our membership by offering our members real value and by networking with other groups.
5. Traditional approaches to political change are important, but limit our effectiveness. Therefore, we must explore peaceful alternatives that hold the promise of greater results for the time and effort invested.
6. The ends do not justify the means. We must assure that all of our choices are moral.

Contact Greg Fasolt for location and map

Note: Please be sure to bring materials for note taking