The Boston Tea Party was founded on a platform of "reducing the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose." Strict adherence to this platform is the most important thing we must consider when voting on party business of any kind. The next thing we must consider when voting is what will be best for the growth of the party and success of its candidates.

We are in the process of electing a candidate to the vacant seat of at-large member of the National Committee. The three candidates are myself, Neil Kiernan, and Michael Shanklin. With the BTP's approval voting system, members can select all candidates they approve of, whether it is one, two, or all three of the candidates in this election. It is your duty as a BTP member to vote at http://bostontea.us/node/889 for all candidates who you approve.

While talking to other members of the party about this election, I have shared my personal criteria for a national committee member, so now I would like to share it with you all. I came to this criteria during the party's second convention in 2008, shortly after I joined the party. A national committee member always votes first with the party's platform in mind, then considering the welfare and growth of the party. A national committee member, especially an officer, is a non-polarizing figure who will work to represent the membership. He/she will not serve personal interests or let personal conflicts with other members overcome their ability to represent the party and serve the committee.

While he was serving on the national committee, Neil Kiernan repeatedly got into personal conflicts with other party members. The arguments often escalated to the level of personal insults and threats. These took place on the national party web site, the btpnc-talk forum (for communication between general membership and the committee), and on one occasion the btpnc list (the list reserved exclusively for discussion of national committee business). As the party's chair, I had to mediate between Neil and other party members through these occurrences, and had to ask more than once for the personal attacks to be kept off the nat-com board. On some occasions, Neil has posted blog posts at bostontea.us deliberately to embarrass or provoke other members with whom he has personal conflicts. He has also used public forums such as the Independent Political Report blog to criticize BTP members and display what an embarrassment he thinks they are to the party.

Is this behavior acceptable for a member of the national committee? It certainly does not meet the criteria which I believe we should seek in our national representatives.

I do not write this post because of a personal dislike of Neil Kiernan or any feelings toward the caucus that he has created within the BTP. I welcome his continued membership in the party, and the membership of others within the RBE Caucus. However, I do not feel that Neil is fit to serve on the national committee, and I hope that the membership will consider his record before voting to approve him.