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THIRTY

• Consists of a group of at least 30 people and no more than 35.

• Members should align to form a Thirty based on common concerns, NOT common belief. Concerns are recognized to best align with geography and demography rather than labels or affiliations.

• A “Congress” of all members shall commence at least once a month. It is a responsibility of all members to attend barring the occasion of exceptional circumstance.

• All members may voice proposals or concerns, including nominations for elected positions, in any Congress.

• Beliefs are to be expressed in the words of the individual, not merely by professing an affinity to another's opinions or beliefs.

• Proposals and concerns should be judged on their merits. As such, members are to be recognized as individuals. Identification and discourse in terms of political parties, affiliations and broad-based ideology are thus best avoided within the Congress of a Thirty.

• Passage of a proposal requires a minimum of a majority or 16 members; whichever is greater.

• A “Speaker” shall preside over each Congress. The Speaker shall be responsible for chairing each Congress.

• The position of Speaker will pass every Congress to each member in turn, as determined by lot, with the exclusion of an elected Representative and Vice-speaker.

• The “Representative” shall be responsible for i) Presenting the proposals and concerns of a Congress to others ii) Communicating the proposals and concerns of others to a Congress.

• Election of a Representative requires a minimum of a two-thirds majority or twenty members; whichever is greater.

• When possible, Representatives should conspire to form a higher Thirty, from Thirties of equal stature, comprised of other Representatives. Once again, such a Congress should align based on geography and demography NOT likeness of ideas.

• If elected as Representative of a higher Congress, the title and responsibilities of that Representative shall pass to the Vice-Speaker of the lower Congress until a new Representative is elected.

• The “Vice-Speaker” shall be responsible for the organizational aspects of a Thirty and advising the Speaker, and Congress, in terms of adherence to the conventions of a Thirty as they are established.

• Election of a Vice-Speaker requires a minimum of a two-thirds majority or twenty members; whichever is greater.

• No congress may commence in the absence of an anointed Speaker. No Congress may end in the absence of a duly elected Representative and Vice-Speaker.

• All further policy and procedure, in regards to the inner workings of a Thirty, are to be based on precedent. Such precedent once established shall be applied in an equal and orderly manner to every Congress there after.

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