Rules? We don't need no stinking rules!

I went to the Special Board Meeting this morning to hear the
discussion surrounding the Community Survey regarding the
mill levy and bond issue elections.

According to school board policy; all board meetings are
conducted according to Robert's Rules.

During one of the discussions,
Robert "I call the question" Lucero
"called the question".

He likes to do that, often to
the point of rudeness.

When he has had his say,
he often calls the question,
usually without warrant.


"Calling the question", link, is a procedure provided for by
Robert's Rules of Order, link. Robert's Rules are a set of
rules governing meetings.

It is often called Parliamentary Procedure.

Meeting Chair Marty Esquivel
was obliged, according to the rules,
to immediately call for a vote on
"calling the question"; ending debate.

He instead, called upon another
board member, allowing them to
continue the debate.

After that, he announced that the
question had been called, and called
for a vote on the issue on the table.

He never conducted the vote on whether to call the question.

Who cares? What difference does it make?

The very first rule in any list of rules reads;
1. You have to obey the rules.

Rules either apply to everybody, or they apply to nobody.
The last thing you want to be is, the last one obeying the rules.

Why say that you are going to follow rules
if you have no intention of following them?

If you do say you are going to follow rules,
you have some obligation to actually follow them.

Unless of course, you regard yourself as above the rules.