ScriptRONR or how to have fun!

Jacob sent a response to a previous post asking about the Script file I talked about. Sorry I took so long to answer it.

The Script program contains basic scripts for many of the motions. I did not cover all 86 motions found in RONR, but I did cover all the major ones and many of the less common ones. I do keep updating this file.

The file works very simply. All you have to do is click on the table of contents and the formula for making the motion shows up. The picture for the Main Motion shows the most basic style that only shows what the chair says. It tells you a little more than just what say for the motion being made. Other considerations are included.

The picture for Renewal of Motions shows one that has both the wording for the maker of the motions. Wording for the Member is in Red while the wording for the Chair is in Black. Even somebody with color blindness should be able to read it although they might not see the colors.

The idea is that the user of this chart will get the idea of what must be included in the motion that he wants to make. It is not a hard concept to absorb. I have tried this with my university students in Japan and they got it. Using the Script program along with the Motion Chart program mentioned before made it easy for the students to understand what I was talking about. They were quickly able to make the motions under discussion that day.

This program is not a freebie. If you are interested in find out about it, send an email to ParliamentarianCorner@gmail.com and I will get back to you. The cost is $50 for each program. If you want both, it is $100.

I hope this gives you some ideas about these programs.

Parliamentary Procedure and Electronic Publications

Anybody who knows me, knows that I am in favor of having just about everything in electronic format. This especially is true for material related to parliamentary procedure. Having material in electronic format allows you to do much more, more quickly.

For the various groups I work for, I have their bylaws etc. in electronic format. During the meeting, when a question comes up I do not have to shuffle through a lot of paper trying to find the right one and then do a visual search for the material I need. I already have it open on my computer and just do a simple search. I am there, often before the chair asks me, and can give him a quick answer. This makes the meeting move along. In addition, I have developed two programs to help.

The first of these, I have labeled as Motion Charts. With this program, I can show visually, what motions have been proposed, what is the immediate pending question, what motions can be proposed at that point, and what motions directly relating to the immediate pending question can be proposed. I can also put the motion in and keep track of who made it and what the vote on it was. Here are some screen shots from it.



This is not a free program as it took a lot of work to make it. If you are interested in having a copy, I do charge $50 for it. More than once, it has greatly helped a chair by showing him what motions could not be made even though a member was insisting that it was his right to offer an amendment to the main motion even though the motion to Refer was pending. Contact me at ljcbear@gmail.com if you are interested in having a copy.

The other program is called Scripts (yes, I am not very original in naming things). I'll wait for the next blog to describe it.

An important warning. Using electronic documents is not for everybody. There are some people who are just not good at making use of a computer and they should shy away from using electronic documents. These types can do things with paper documents that I can't -- I envy them. But if you are even mildly competent at using a computer, I do believe that making use of one can really improve your productivity.

Your Rights in Debate

You actually have a lot of rights in debate. First, and foremost, if you are a member, you have the right to participate in debate without hindrance. If you are speaking, you have the right to say what you have to say without interference from others subject to the rules of Decorum. Nobody has the right to shout you down. Nobody has the right to interject into your talking time. Nobody has a right to comment while you are talking. All of these are subject to the legitimate right of the chair to come in when an issue arises.

You also have the right to take many sides of an argument (limited to the affirmative side for the mover of the motion). What you say in debate cannot be held either for or against you in the future.

You have the right to timeness -- a point of order about your comments must be made at the time they are said and not a month, a year, a decade later. This is an important reason why minutes contain what was done and not what was said. You can debate in favor of one opinion and then come back, appropriately, later and take the other side. Neither should be held against you -- it is debate which is the presenting of arguments.

Debate should be informative and constructive for you; not destructive.