[Al Myers]

Good points Dan, and I know our system of “government” in the USAWA is far from perfect.

But I would still argue that having voting online would hinder more members from voting than acually showing up at a yearly meeting somewhere. How many who was at the meeting is reading this??? Denny I know. Frank maybe. But I doubt anyone else is!!!! If you are reading this and was at the meeting please post to prove me wrong.

It’s interesting how the term “poll tax” was thrown around in this discussion as if the USAWA is intentionally trying to make it difficult for members to participate in voting matters. That’s EXACTLY how it would be if we went to online meeting and voting. A good portion of the USAWA membership doesn’t even own a computer!!!

One positive thing is that every year the Nationals is rotated to different areas of the country. This allows a different segment of the membership to participate in the AGM every year.

[Al Myers]

THE PREZ JUST SCORED 10 OUT OF 10!!!

Actually I figured this would be an easy quiz for Denny as he has been present at the time of all of the answers.

and ET, yes, you missed question number 2.

[Al Myers]

I feel like a school teacher grading papers!

Chad just sent me his trivia test and did very well but not as well as ET. He got 8/10
Lance did good, got above that 50% mark at 6/10.

Still waiting on that perfect score!!!! Now remember you have to do this without looking up the answers.

[Al Myers]

Dan,

I certainly understand your feelings on this matter, and I KNOW you are one who would represent a vote if it was done online. I appreciate you caring enough about the USAWA to want a say/vote on matters. Not everyone in the organization is like this. Every year there are several lifters who attend Nationals but miss the meeting for one reason or another. They are there but the meeting is not what they came for.

Online voting for ALL ISSUES is a difficult proposal. At the meeting we follow (at least try to) proper parlimentary procedure according to Roberts Rules of Order. This allows amendments, etc to made which would be difficult to follow with anything online. That’s why I think polling on issues is a better initial plan than actual votes as the motion may end up different at the live meeting than online motion. Certain issues (like new lift proposals which can’t be ammended at the meeting) lend better to taking a vote beforehand in addition to the meeting vote. This could be extended to election of officers as well.

In most all democracys (including our great Nation) a selected few (our representives) make the laws for the country. Individuals may elect these representatives, but individuals don’t have a direct vote on many issues. I don’t see the USAWA as being any different here, as a select few show up at the meeting to vote to hopefully represent the views of many. So I do disagree with you there, as I feel the USAWA operates in a democratic manner.

But then again, I’ve been told before that the best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.

[Al Myers]

Et, I think 7

I thought of you on the drive home from Cleveland. We drove back thru Bowling Green and it reminded me of the time we took to much time getting back to the Cleveland airport after that meet in Bowling Green and missed our flight! haha Plus you getting that speeding ticket for 40 over trying to hurry.

[Al Myers]

Just a little followup on this topic –
I visited with several lifters at Nationals (who are always at the Annual National Meeting) on this topic of online voting on issues (not polling).
Everyone I visited with was against it so it was not brought up at the meeting.
As one lifter told me, “I spent hundreds of dollars to travel here just because I wanted to represent at Nationals and let my clubs voice be known at the meeting. If others cared enough they would be here as well”.
The method of voting in the USAWA is a bylaw rule, and to change the bylaws it requires a 2/3 rd vote at the annual meeting. I don’t see this ever happening.

[Al Myers]

RJ, Susan did INDEED win overall women’s Best Lifter at this years Nationals. She was not 100 percent but lifted very very well. I will need to highlight this accomplishment in a blog.
I’m still a little in a daze today as I made the entire drive from Cleveland to home yesterday. So it may be tomorrow before I get the meet report/results online.
However, I will say it was an exceptional promoted meet by Bob Geib and Scott Schmidt. The venue was the ole West Park YMCA, the same place alot of the early USAWA meets were promoted by Howard. Al

[Al Myers]

ET, I really appreciate the way you have taken the USAWA Old Time Strongman Championships and made it into a GREAT annual event. Every year it is one of the top attended Championship events in the USAWA. Thanks again, Al

[Al Myers]

Dan,
I will bring this up at the meeting (doing polls as a way to evaluate more members viewpoints). I know it would be pretty easy to do online polls. And even though at first if it’s not for actual votes on issues, having this statistic would influence the way the membership would vote at the meeting.

However, as I said earlier I would be surprised if 20 percent of the membership would take the time to respond to these online polls. I may be wrong though. Maybe we could bet a beer on it??? I could use another good German Beer from you. haha Al

[Al Myers]

Another thing here –
If the strict pinch grip gets passed at Nationals I will make a motion to include past meet strict pinch grips in the record list for it. Obviously there has to be proof that it was done strict. This way those old meets at Fultons where the strict pinch grip was done will be included in the record list. At one of my early Grip Championships we also did the Pinch Grip Strict.

The proof of Matt Grahams 200# Strict Pinch Grip is the signature picture of the Pinch Grip in our current rule book.

[Al Myers]

Ben, I was there and watched that VB lift of yours at Clarks. I think I took 3 or 4 pictures of you at lookout you had to hold it so long!!!

[Al Myers]

Mr. Nice Guy, haha …. maybe…..yeah probably

But then again most people don’t know there is a difference now a days!

[Al Myers]

Dan,
I’m certainly not disagreeing with you here as in the perfect World everyone would get to have “their say”. For certain issues in the past (like the kneesleeve proposal) we have done a complete membership poll to get a true feeling amongst the entire membership. With much prodding we got about a 50 percent reply rate on that.

Every year I promote the yearly USAWA awards which is selected by full membership vote. This is declared on the website and ANYONE who is a member of the USAWA gets to vote on this. However EVERY YEAR I get only about 20 response rate (and these are the same people every year who vote) on this. Half this crowd is always at Nationals to vote at the National meeting. That’s only 20 percent of the entire membership who cares to really vote on something that’s as easy as taking 5 minutes to come up with their choices to send to me via email. No expense required. At our National meeting about 20 members are present to vote on issues (Again 20 percent) out of our annual membership of around 100 members.

My point is that it would really be a big waste of my time to take polls on every issue to vote on as only a handful of people would actually vote. Truthfully I doubt it would be as many people as show up to Nationals to vote!!! As several members who vote at Nationals don’t participate in this forum. Al

[Al Myers]

Still more rambling on my part here –

RJ, a few years back Dennis Mitchell ran into Noi and mentioned the Phumchaona lift to her. She had never heard of it.

So it’s my best guess how this came about (actually I pretty much can guess how it came about)

[Al Myers]

And Dan, I remember following Anthony Clark when I was younger, back in the days before the internet and the only news you could receive on strength sports was in newsletters and magazines. I will never forget when he was on the cover of Powerlifting USA lifting the back end of a car -very much impressed me at the time.

That’s super cool you got to meet and compete against him.

[Author]

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