[EM] Why Robert's Rules is relevant to this list

[RLSuter at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/8/05 1:46:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
election-methods-electorama.com-request at electorama.com writes:

> I don't understand the difference between "professional parliamentarians" 
> and "politically motivated politicians".  Here
>  in the UK all of our parliamentarians are politically motivated 
politicians!
>  
>  James Gilmour

I should have clarified the meaning of "parliamentarian." In the US it
doesn't refer to a member of parliament, since US doesn't have a
parliament. Rather, it refers to people who are experts in meeting
procedures (usually Robert's Rules of Order) and who serve as
neutral advisors during meetings of different kinds. There are a
number of national and regional associations of such people. I
imagine there are such people in the UK but who use a different
word to describe themselves. 

-Ralph Suter