Resolutions as political tools…
Resolutions provide any group, especially political groups, an official way to amplify the individual voices within their membership into one much more powerful voice. Rather than twenty people speaking or posting separately over several social media platforms to a disparate group of “listeners,” who may, or may not have any authority themselves, a Resolution allows many to speak as one. That one voice can then be directed to specific groups, governmental entities, elected officials, and the Media where it can have its maximum effect.
The record of Resolutions supported by a group (such as the Dorchester County GOP) says “This is who were are, what we stand for, and what we work for.” It can attract new members and motivate existing ones. It is one of the best “Action Items” we can employ here in Saluda to increase our impact and our stature on our County, our State, and within the SCGOP.
Generally, in the SCGOP, a resolution can be written by one individual and presented for a vote. The precinct Committeeman, can then take it to the County Executive Committee for a vote. If it receives majority support, it then goes to the State (SCGOP), and sometimes to the National level (RNC.)
The 2021 Censures of Tom Rice and Liz Cheney
In 2021, after the unsuccessful effort to remove President Trump from office, the SCGOP passed a Resolution to censure SC District #7 Congressman, Tom Rice, for voting to impeach Trump. Rice lost his next bid for Reelection in 2022. Meanwhile, Liz Cheney, who was in a House leadership position at the time, was censured in February 2021 by the Wyoming GOP, also for voting to impeach Trump. In May she was removed from House leadership. In November, The Wyoming Republican Party passed a formal resolution stating it would no longer recognize Rep. Liz Cheney as a member of the Republican Party in Wyoming. In the August 2022 Republican primary, Cheney lost to Harriet Hageman by a margin of over 37%. Hageman was endorsed by Donald Trump.
Resolutions Into Law in South Carolina
Many Laws that have been passed by the South Carolina General Assembly stemmed directly from growing voter sentiment as expressed through Resolutions. One of many examples was a Resolution passed in 2024 by the SCGOP State Convention. It urged the creation of a South Carolina law prohibiting sex transition procedures, therapy, or non-parental supervised transition counseling on minors. The General Assembly subsequently passed legislation restricting public funding for gender transition procedures and increasing parental notification requirements in schools, reflecting the resolution’s goals.
Four Resolutions which were initiated in County Parties, were passed at the SCGOP Convention earlier this month. They all passed easily, and most will be reflected in future legislation. They were:
- A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY REGARDING RESTRICTION OF INTERFERENCE FROM FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS. In summary it was a call for all South Carolina elected officials in Congress to do all they can to curtail and reverse the current situation in which Federal Judges are interfering with the powers of President Trump.
- A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR NOMINATING CANDIDATES BY PRIMARY. This resolution is against recent movement in some SC Counties to select Republican nominees for office, instead of continuing the current practice of Primary Elections.
- A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY TO ENSURE BIPARTISAN REPRESENTATION FOR POLL MANAGERS AND CLERKS AT POLLING PLACES. In South Carolina, there is currently no consideration of whether our poll managers and clerks are Democrats or Republicans. In Saluda, this has rarely, if ever, presented a problem. In some other counties, however, it has. In several Democrat-run counties, there have been documented accounts of Republicans applying to work at the polls and being systematically overlooked in favor of Democrats. This resolution calls for bi-partisan staffing at every SC polling place in order to “promote accountability, transparency and integrity in our electoral system.”
- A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY AFFIRMING REAL PROPERTY OWNERS’ RIGHT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE TO REMOVE TRESPASSERS AND SQUATTERS FROM THEIR PROPERTIES WITHOUT SUFFERING UNDUE DELAY, HARDSHIP,ATTORNEY FEES AND COURT COSTS. This title says it all.
Praise and Criticism
Resolutions are not always critical, or even instructive in nature. They can also recognize, honor, or thank. The following Resolution has been sent to the State Resolutions Committee by the Saluda Chair, in hopes it can be considered at the June 7 meeting of the State Executive Committee.
Resolutions may not carry the force of law, but they can wield immense influence. They are not restricted to presentation to the state. They can also be presented to local government and officials. They can be initiated by an individual, a precinct, a County Executive Committee, or another committee within. (The Saluda CEC has the power to create a Resolutions Committee to take member sentiment and put it in proper written form for consideration.)
Just because Saluda is small, rural, and late to the practice of organizing its precincts, does not mean we can’t be an active political force in support for our Republican Principles. The use of Resolutions is just one of the methods we can employ to make our voices heard from our beautiful little corner of the state.
