[Linux-aus] Announcing my running for LA President

[Mark Ellem]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for accepting your nomination. It is also good to see what your
agenda is if you win the election for President.

While I agree with your ideas about AV subcommittees and whatnot, I do
have some concerns about what appears to be a seemingly undemocratic
approach to running Linux Australia.

Agreed, a President does need to sometimes take the lead as continually
discussing minor issues can slow things down. Your agenda however raises
big issues such as trading names which is not a simple task you can do
on your own without community and committee support.

I do not know you except for the few times I have bumped into you at
LCA. However, reading your agenda and your replies to this list that
basically says "I will do this" without consultation seems to imply that
you may have an autocratic rather than democratic approach.

Additionally, while winning the role as president may give permission to
pursue your ideas, it does not give you a total mandate on it's own.
That is the reason all the committee members have equal vote. You will
have to work with whoever is elected in the other roles who may agree or
disagree on all or some points of your agenda.

The big question is: Can you please demonstrate that you will listen to
the community and the rest of the elected committee in the execution of
your agenda?

PS. While I have been nominated for Secretary and OCM, I humbly decline.
The reasons for declining are a. I do not have the time I'd like to
invest and b. There are candidates that do have time and I'd like to put
my support behind those people.

Regards,
Mark Ellem

On Mon, 2013-01-14 at 17:53 +1100, Tim Ansell wrote:
>         Or what?
> 
> 
> If I win, I'm planning on making the changes.
>  
>         Maybe I'm being unfairly suspicious of your motives, here,
>         Tim, but if someone runs and wins, and they don't think your
>         agenda is a high priority for them, then what?  Will you
>         hassle them here, on the Linux Australia email list?  Will you
>         phone them up?  Will you criticise them in public?
> 
> 
> If I don't win, I'll follow the communities wishes and no
> longer pursue my agenda. 
> 
> 
> I promise never to whine about them on this list or in anyway harass
> the people who are elected. If I do, you can point at this email and
> quite happily call me a liar. 
>         
>         If you run and you are accepted as LA President, and we
>         disagree with your proposed changes on list, will you ignore
>         us?
> 
> 
> Yes I will. I have declared my intentions, it's up for the community
> to decided if they want me as a leader or not.
>  
>          Will you claim that you had some kind of "mandate" to enact
>         those changes because you were elected?  Will you criticise us
>         as being lazy whiners who couldn't be bothered to run for
>         president?
> 
> 
> Yes I will. 
> 
> 
> If you don't like this make your voice heard and VOTE AGAINST ME.
> (Well you'll need someone to run against me first, then vote for
> them.)
> 
> 
> Tim
> _______________________________________________
> linux-aus mailing list
> linux-aus at lists.linux.org.au
> http://lists.linux.org.au/listinfo/linux-aus