Q:What's "RFC"? The LiberalCapitalist.com RFC Process

A:

What is an RFC?

For a brief description of what an RFC document is, see this FAQ.

Who may submit an RFC?

Currently any registered user of LiberalCapitalist.com may submit an RFC.

How are RFCs submitted?

All RFCs start life as an “internet draft” emailed to rfc-editor"at"liberalcapitalist"dot"com.

In spite of the name, when an RFC is finally accepted as an RFC, it has become at that point a finished standards document. The true commenting process occurs when the document is still in the Internet Draft stage.

The RFC Editor will evaluate a proposed RFC, consult with it's author(s), and then post it both to the RFC Library under "Internet Drafts," as well as a topic thread to the LiberalCapitalist.com Internet Drafts forum. Once submitted, an internet draft can only be rescinded at the discretion of the RFC Editor.

Minimum Comment Period

Internet drafts generally require a minimum comment period of a specified duration before they they will be accepted as proposed RFCs by the RFC Editor. The minimum comment periods are as follows:

RFCs
~7 (seven) days
RFC/Request for Approval
~14 (fourteen) days
RFC/Request for Approval-Platform Track
~30 (thirty) days
RFC/Request for Service
~At the discretion of the RFC Editor
RFC/Request for Proposals
~At the discretion of the RFC Editor

At some point after the minimum comment period is reached, the RFC Editor will accept the Internet Draft as a proposed RFC. The RFC Editor will then work offline with the submitter and concerned and affected parties to iron out any details that may require attention. When agreement is reached on a final draft, the RFC Editor will assign it a number and announce it via the Liberal Capitalist RFC Announce mailing list. If the RFC is a Request for Approval, the RFC Editor will conduct an e-mail election to determine if the RFC/RFA is approved. RFC/RFAs are always posted whether they win approval or not.

RFC types Explained

A standard RFC can be almost anything really, from a knock-knock joke to a candidacy announcement, although we will strive to remain relatively serious and keep the signal to noise ratio relatively high. The standard RFC type is generally used as a catch-all for any type of RFC not deemed as more appropriately classified using any of the other special types of RFCs. Standard RFCs typically address issues which only require the concern, cooperation or coordination of a relative handful of individuals or groups to implement, but deserve a wider visibility nonetheless. Often they involve some type of announcement.

Examples:
• The announcement of a local or state party caucus
• The addition of a new RFC type on LiberalCapititalist.com
• The creation of a state-level ad hoc exploratory committee

An RFC/Request for Approval is an RFC type that requires the approval of the provisional membership via an e-mail election. RFCs that must be submitted to a vote include amendments to the RFC process and other party formation processes, provisional bylaws or actions developed prior to the election of a Liberal Capitalist National Committee. Voting periods will be the seven days following the RFC/RFA’s announcement via the mail list.

Examples:
• Approval request for an organizational deadline or goal
• Approval request for any type of national ad hoc committee

A Platform Track RFC is a Request for Approval RFC reserved especially for official policy endorsements and proposed platform planks. ALL Platform Track RFCs are RFC/RFAs, but all RFC/RFAs are NOT Platform Track RFCs. Platform Track RFCs differ from regular RFC/RFAs in that they are subject to a higher level of scrutiny and forethought via a longer public comments period and a generally more strict approval process. After a National Committee is organized, it will hopefully decide to build the party platform based on the Platform Track RFC/RFAs that have been ratified and published.

Examples:

• Party endorsement of a statement opposing the death penalty
• Party endorsement of a statement supporting the private ownership of small-caliber automatic weapons

RFC/Requests for Service are RFCs which call for volunteers or seek out specialized services, i.e., “help wanted” notices.

Examples:
• Request for a web designer to put together a website for a state party organization
• Request for volunteers to serve on a national party committee or working group
• Soliciting candidates for office

RFC/Requests for Proposals are used to solicit ideas. These RFCs will each carry instructions for responding based on the scope and status of the RFC/RFP itself.

Examples:
• Soliciting strategies for dealing with signature requirements in a certain state
• Soliciting campaign ideas for a candidate

Format of draft RFC documents

Descriptive Title:
DRAFT: <Title text>

TYPE:
[RFC | RFS | RFA | RFP]

PLATFORM TRACK:
[Yes | No]

SCOPE:
[National | State | Local] [<Name of state or locality>]

STATUS:
[Open | Expired <mm/dd/yyyy> | Obsolete <mm/dd/yyyy> | Updated <mm/dd/yyyy>] [<Any explanatory notes needed>]

TTL: (Time to Live)
[Open | <expiration date> ] [<Any explanatory notes needed>]

AUTHORS:
[Names and valid email addresses or mailing addresses of all authors]

==================== <devider>
ABSTRACT:
[Concise summary]
====================<devider>

<Body>
Table of Contents
A TOC is only necessary for RFCs of over five paragraphs and 500 words. This is a general rule of thumb, not a hard and fast rule. If a TOC is used, a decimal-style numbering system is to be used rendered to the depth needed:

Example
1. Section
1.1 First Sub-Section
1.1.1 first sub-section of First Sub-Section
1.1.2 second sub-section of First Sub-Section

1.2 Second Sub-Section
1.2.1 first sub-section of Second Sub-Section
1.2.2 second sub-section of Second Sub-Section

<Body Text>
If the RFC is complex or long enough for a table of contents, each section of body text requires the same heading as per the TOC preceded by the section number. Otherwise, body text may not be specified as sections or may be broken into simple numbered sections of a single level without headings or a TOC:

Example:
<Paragraph>
<Paragraph>
<Paragraph>

or
1. <Paragraph One>
2. <Paragraph Two>
3. <Paragraph Three>

Questions

Any questions concerning this process should be posted in the RFC Process Forum.