Copyright © Independent American Party 1998-2008

Summary of Minutes
National Committee Meeting

 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. -- January 23, 1999
at Murray, Utah

 Opening Ceremonies

The opening ceremonies included: Call to Order and Welcome by Bruce Bangerter (Acting National Chair); Invocation; Pledge to the Flag; Singing of "My Country ‘Tis of Thee"; Pledge to the US Constitution; and Introduction of the Acting Officers.

Credentials Business

1) Credentials Report

>    4 Delegates from Utah
>    1 Provisional Delegate from Idaho
>    4 Delegates at Large
>    1 Honorary Alternate from Nevada
>    1 Honorary Alternate from Utah

2) Rules for Meeting -- unanimously approved

a) Both delegates and alternates to make motions, discuss, and vote in straw votes

b) Only delegates to vote in binding votes

c) Each delegate and alternate allowed to speak one minute on any topic

* Time Keeper designated as Renee Dale, Acting National Treasurer

3) Agenda for Meeting -- unanimously approved

Name, Mission and Symbol Business

1) Consideration of Official National Party Name:

a) Straw vote was taken for three name choices

>    United States Independent American Party -- 4 votes

>    National Independent American Party -- 0 votes

>    Independent American Party of the United States -- 8 votes

b) Proposal to not capitalize the word "united" -- unanimous straw vote

c) Official name to be "Independent American Party of the united States" -- unanimous binding vote

d) Agreed to allow other forms of the party name (including IAP and USIAP) -- unanimously approved

2) Consideration of Mission Statement:

(where underlined words are new, and bracketed [italicised] words are deleted)

a) Proposed changes as follows: Our mission is "to promote respect for life, liberty and property, strong traditional families, liberty, [freedom,] patriotism, and individual, state and national sovereignty[,] -- with a strong reliance on the Declaration of Independence and allegiance to the Constitution for the United States of America -- by petition to God, and by political and educational means."

b) Revised mission statement -- unanimously approved

3) Consideration of Party Symbol

a) Six different symbols proposed

b) Proposals narrowed down to two symbols

>    American flag -- 2 votes

>    Colonial flag -- 7 votes

Party Principles Business

The existing USIAP Principles were modified as follows:

(where underlined words are new, and bracketed [italicised] words are deleted)

1) Principle 4-d to be deleted: "[d) Compel each one who enjoys the protection of government to bear his fair share of the burden of performing the above functions.]"

2) Principle 9 to be deleted: "[9. We maintain that every person who enjoys the protection of his life, liberty, and property should bear his fair share of the cost of government in providing that protection; that the elementary principles of justice set forth in the Constitution demand that all taxes imposed be uniform and that each person’s property or income be taxed at the same rate.]"

3) Principles 7 and 8 to be combined as follows:

a) "[7. We consider ourselves at war with international socialism which is committed to the destruction of our government, our right of property, and our freedom; that it is treason as defined by the Constitution to give aid and comfort to this implacable enemy.]"

b) "8. We are unalterably opposed to [socialism, either in whole or in part,] and regard it as an unconstitutional usurpation of power [and a denial of the right of private property] for government to own or control [operate] the means of producing and distributing goods and services in competition with private enterprise[, or to regiment competition with private enterprise, or to regiment owners in the legitimate use of private property]."

c) "14. We believe that no treaty or agreement with other countries should deprive our citizens of rights guaranteed them by the Constitution; and that it is treason to use such instruments to aid or comfort an enemy."

4) Principle 10 to be modified as follows: "10. We believe in honest money, the gold and silver coinage of the Constitution, and a circulating medium convertible into such money [without loss]. We regard it as flagrant ...."

5) Principle 8 to be renumbered as 7. Principles 10 through 15 to be renumbered as 8 through 13.

Constitution and Bylaws Business

1) General Organization Chart explained

2) Each article of proposed Constitution and Bylaws explained -- each article approved by straw vote

3) Adoption of proposed Constitution and Bylaws (with provisions that the official name and mission statement would be upgraded as determined earlier; and that the Constitution and Bylaws could be altered by a simple majority of the National Committee at any time within the first year) -- unanimously approved

Elections Business

1) Election of national officers

a) Motion made to retain current acting national officers as regular officers for a period of one year until there are more affiliated state parties to choose national officers from -- unanimously approved

b) New national officers:

>    Chair -- Bruce Bangerter
>    Vice Chair -- Sandra Richter
>    Secretary -- Cheryl Tullius
>    Treasurer -- Renee Dale
>    Assistant Treasurer -- Mark Smith

2) Organization of Executive Committee

a) Western States Area organized -- to include AK, HI, WA, OR, CA, NV, MT, ID, UT, AZ, WY, CO and NM

b) Two Executive Committee members selected -- by Western States Area caucus

>    Jeff Head, Idaho
>    Chris Hopkins, Utah

3) Advisory Board established -- one member selected

>    Larry D. Garske

Other Business

1) State Reports

a) Idaho -- Jeff Head

b) Nevada -- Dan Hansen

c) Utah -- Gary Van Horn

2) Other Reports

a) Restoration 2000 -- Jeff Head

b) General Issues -- Gary Van Horn

c) IAP Issues -- Gary Watson

d) Y2K Issues -- Reva Wadsworth

e) Standing/Special Committees Business

Closing Ceremonies

The closing ceremonies included: Announcements (next National Committee meeting in June or July); Benediction; and Adjournment

Notes

The Opening Ceremonies was conducted by Sandra Richter, Vice Chair.

The Credentials Business was conducted by Cheryl Tullius, Secretary.

All other business was conducted by Bruce Bangerter, Chair.