[Lnc-business] [Statechairs] LP National's dilemma Re: Denver Post Voter's Guide contact information

[Wes Benedict]

Norm, I just called the reporter back. He had not received the data yet 
so I had bob Johnston send it (he's already sent it). Feel free to let 
your chair know.

Wes Benedict, Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
*New address: 1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314*
(202) 333-0008 ext. 232, wes.benedict at lp.org
facebook.com/libertarians @LPNational
Join the Libertarian Party at: http://lp.org/membership

On 10/1/2014 3:07 PM, Norm Olsen wrote:
>
> Hello Wes . . .
>
> With regard to your message:
>
> 1>National is capable of supporting a full time staff of 6(?).  State 
> Chairs and other affiliate officers  are all volunteers.
>
> 2>Maybe two or three affiliates have a full (or even part time) 
> employee which is not a volunteer.
>
> 3>National should respond to all reasonable requests in this very busy 
> time of year in a reasonable manner.
>
> 4>Affiliates where the requested information is not easily accessible 
> to media are in no position to complain.
>
> 5>The judgment of the Executive Director and the Political Director 
> should be trusted.
>
> 6>More frequent contact between national and the affiliates would 
> establish some report and thus reduce substantially this type of 
> paranoia which is hurting us.
>
> 7>Yes, staff has a lot to do, but general elections only occur once 
> every two years.
>
> Norm
>
> --
>
> Norman T Olsen
>
> Regional Representative, Region I
>
> Libertarian National Committee
>
> 7931 S Broadway, PMB 102
>
> Littleton, Colorado  80122-2710
>
> 303-263-4995
>
> Norman.Olsen at lp.org
>
> "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, 
> then you win." -- Gandhi
>
> *From:*Statechairs [mailto:statechairs-bounces at hq.lp.org] *On Behalf 
> Of *Wes Benedict
> *Sent:* Monday, September 29, 2014 2:56 PM
> *To:* Chuck Plunkett; statechairs at hq.lp.org
> *Subject:* [Statechairs] LP National's dilemma Re: Denver Post Voter's 
> Guide contact information
>
> Perhaps you can imagine the dilemma we face at LP National. Do we help 
> expedite coverage for our candidates in a quick efficient way, or put 
> another thing on the plate of the state chair, or engage in a 
> sometimes time-consuming cumbersome permission process with the state 
> chair?
>
> It's quick and easy for us to make a list and send it to a reporter. 
> It's even quicker simply to forward a note like this to a state chair. 
> It's time consuming to contact the state chair, wait for a response 
> for hours or days, then decide what to do if a response is not 
> forthcoming.
>
> Based on participation rates on recent IT Committee surveys, LP News 
> affiliate submissions, and responses to requests for updates to things 
> like State Chair contact lists, I think most state chairs are quite 
> busy and don't have time to respond to lots of things like this.
>
> I don't think sending a list of contacts to a reporter violates state 
> affiliate autonomy. I think telling a state affiliate they are 
> required to send a list to a reporter DOES violate state affiliate 
> autonomy.
>
> In this particular case for Colorado and the alleged Denver Post 
> contact, I'm going to pass the buck and ask our political director 
> Carla Howell to use her best judgement (meaning to judge whether or 
> not the contact is legit and is a legit and important enough media 
> outlet to warrant a list, is it important enough for us to send a 
> list, should the state chair be contacted first for permission, etc.)
>
> I've heard from one person "it's easier to ask forgiveness than 
> permission" and also "don't talk to any media in my state."
>
> LP Colorado, please speak up if you have an opinion on this in the 
> mean time. I know some states are quick to respond and some almost 
> never respond. Thanks,
>
> Wes Benedict, Executive Director
> Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
> *New address: 1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314*
> (202) 333-0008 ext. 232, wes.benedict at lp.org <mailto:wes.benedict at lp.org>
> facebook.com/libertarians @LPNational
> Join the Libertarian Party at: http://lp.org/membership
>
> On 9/29/2014 4:25 PM, Chuck Plunkett wrote:
>
>     Hello Wes. We are putting together our General Election Voter's
>     Guide and are inviting candidates to participate by answering our
>     questions and fill in biographical information.
>
>     What does this mean for you and the Colorado Libertarian Party?
>
>     We would really appreciate it if you would send us a spreadsheet
>     with the e-mail addresses and phone numbers for your party's
>     candidates campaign spokesperson or manager or in smaller races
>     for the candidates themselves. The desire here is to quickly
>     connect with actual people in charge of the campaign to reduce
>     communication lag time or misses.
>
>
>     all the best --
>
>     chuck
>
>     -------------------
>
>     Chuck Plunkett
>
>     Politics editor
>
>     The Denver Post
>
>     303.954.1333 o
>
>     303.810.6129 c
>

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