It’s meeting season in New England. Everyone wants to get the business done before we all leave for balmier climes.
A decade and one half ago, I was fascinated by the pure, democratic process of the New England Town Meeting. It had been memorialized by Norman Rockwell’s painting of the the rough hewn farmer wearing his LL Bean blue and black checked shirt about to make a speech. 
The late Tip O’Neil said that all politics were local. This was about as local as it can get.
Then I became deeply involved in the politics of the situation. I learned the back story, the cliques, the ruling class of people who never missed a town meeting.
This small percentage, who read the Town Administrators reports, who watched the Selectman’s meeting on the local Public Access cable station, these well informed individuals were making the decisions on how the town should be managed.
Until an “issue” arose. Especially if it was a NIMBY issue. Than the fly-by-night members of the Town Meeting would appear. They certainly had the right, as registered voters, to come and have their say.
The wise Board of Selectman would recognize these issues and put them at the end of the warrant. If they were going to fill the seat, they might as well do the work.
When I first attended these meetings, I was morally outraged by anyone who would move the question, effectively shutting down further debate. I thought everyone should have their say.
Then, after a few years of hearing people speak just to hear their own voice, repeating issues and questions already handled and answered. I might just have become the record holder on moving the question.
The New England Church meeting, attended by the same people who come well prepared for the Town Meeting, is the same in miniature. 
The new roof, passed, the new boiler, passed, supporting important social issues, passed. What brand of coffee to use at the social hour after the service, one entire hour of a debate which includes South American Politics, global warning, quotes from Silent Spring and Atlas Shrugged sprinkled with a few war stories about how it was always done before.
Move the question!
Thankfully the newcomers see the value of this parliamentarian lifeline, leave their moral indignation at home, and get us all out of there in time to attend tomorrow’s other meeting.
Welcome to New England.
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