However, rather than deal with just the Republican rules, FHQ will examine the state of the 2016 rules across the two parties in a two part post. Most, but not all of the news on this front is coming from the Republican side, but that is mainly a function of the GOP having to address the bulk of their rules at the preceding convention (...as mandated by, well, the party's rules). I'll use the second post as a platform for discussing the collective implications of both parties' sets of rules on the 2016 process.The key thing concerning the development of the 2016 RNC rules coming out of Tampa was the addition of one rule in particular, Rule 12:
Amendments:The Republican National Committee may, by three-fourths (3/4) vote of its entire membership, amend Rule Nos. 1-11 and 13-25. Any such amendment shall be considered by the Republican National Committee only if it was passed by a majority vote of the Standing Committee on Rules after having been submitted in writing at least ten (10) days in advance of its consideration by the Republican National Committee and shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption. No such amendment shall be adopted after September 30, 2014.Now, if you will recall, the rules handed down from the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul empowered a panel -- the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee (a group to be mostly selected by the RNC chair) -- to examine the party's delegate selection rules and make recommendations for rules changes to the full RNC membership. This was the group that delivered the proportionality requirement and the calendar requirement changes that better aligned with the Democratic Party rules.
Frontloading HQ: Thoughts on Where the 2016 Presidential Primary Rules Stand, Part One
