[Lnc-business] Email ballot 2013-11: Audit proposal re Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual

[Starchild]

	I vote YES on this motion.


EXPLANATION OF VOTES

	When representatives vote, I think it is good and desirable that we explain our reasons for voting as we do. In keeping with that belief, here are my thoughts on this vote and the subsequent votes I am about to cast on the proposals that the Audit Committee has made based on the recommendations of the auditing firm contracted to review our operations.

	On reflection, I have decided to support ALL of the Audit Committee proposals. While I have noticed several places where I think the language needs improving -- in some cases the existing Policy Manual language, rather than the wording of the changes proposed by the Audit Committee -- each of the proposals seems to me a positive change on balance. Thus I believe it is better to pass them all now and then try to propose some amendments afterward, rather than risk a proposal not passing in any form by voting it down now.
	
	I do share the concern expressed by Mark Hinkle (which I have also mentioned previously) that the LNC Policy Manual is growing too large. However my main concern with the growth of that document is that I think in many places it rises to the level of making policy that ought to be set by the national convention delegates rather than by the LNC. In general, we should be seeking to decentralize power and authority within the party, rather than centralize it!

	In the case of the Audit Committee's proposals, however, I do not believe that they move power away from the grassroots level on balance. While it is true that any increase in the complexity of the party's governing procedures tends to disempower the general membership in favor of the small group of insiders more familiar with those procedures, I believe that tendency is offset in this case by the fact that each of these changes moves us in the direction of greater oversight and accountability, and some of them appear to greatly reduce opportunities for malfeasance. Most of the changes do not appear to rise to the level of policy likely to be addressed by the Bylaws. Rather they appear to be formalizing a number of things that would otherwise be handled less formally.

	Ideally, if we had a healthier structure of governance with more transparency/accountability and a culture more geared toward libertarian activism and less toward bureaucratic/corporate legalism, I think some of these matters might be better handled informally. But given the culture we have, and what I consider to be the insufficient transparency and oversight that currently exists, I believe that these changes and additions to the Policy Manual will tend to make staff, officers, and the rest of the LNC a little bit more transparent and accountable. And that's a good thing.

Love & Liberty,
                                  ((( starchild )))
At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee
                               (415) 625-FREE

P.S. - As always, I welcome feedback and input from party members about these votes, or anything else I do as one of your elected LNC representatives.


On Jul 30, 2013, at 8:48 PM, David E. Blau, Esq. wrote:

> Moved by Mr. Neale: The attached proposed amendments to the Policy Manual regarding the Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual.
> 
> Voting on this motion concludes at 11:59 PM Eastern time on August 9, 2013.  Please reply directly to this email on the LNC Business list with your vote.
> 
> -- 
> 
> David E. Blau, Esq. 
> Chairman, Libertarian Association of Massachusetts. chair at lpmass.org 
> Secretary, Libertarian National Committee. secretary at lp.org 
> www.lpmass.org | www.lp.org 
> 617.396.4253
> 
> <Proposal #1 Change to Policy Manual fom Audit Committee.pdf>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org

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