[Lnc-business] What the experts say about political parties vs. interest groups

[Joshua Katz]

Winning elections is not a strategy, and certainly not a strategy to
present to an affiliate.  It is a goal - in fact, a reason for existing.  I
feel we, at present, have far more tactics than strategies for reaching
this goal.

Joshua A. Katz
Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)

On Fri, Mar 20, 2015 at 3:34 PM, Norm Olsen <region1rep at donedad.com> wrote:

> Dr Lieberman . . .
>
>
>
> You will get no complaints from me about “sounding like a broken record”
> on this issue.
>
>
>
> However, may I add: A prerequisite of any electoral victory (partisan or
> non-partisan at any level) requires a strong and effective organization.
> Committee to elect Fred, for example.  If Fred has to build this
> organization from scratch, the success probability is appallingly low.  If,
> however, there is a strong local organization already in place that chooses
> to get fully behind Fred (thus eliminating the need for Fred to build an
> organization), the probability of success increases by an order of
> magnitude.
>
>
>
> If the local organization is truly strong and effective, that organization
> will probably have several well qualified candidates seeking the support of
> that organization.  If the organization is the local Libertarian Party, the
> distinct possibility of a “win-win” situation results.  That is, a
> libertarian minded candidate with talent, resume, some name recognition,
> and perhaps even a few bucks of her own,  would seek the support of the
> Libertarian Party.  Thus, a “win-win” situation is entirely possible which
> could very likely produce a “win-win-win” scenario; the third win being the
> actual election.
>
>
>
> The crux of all this is a strong local organization which can attract
> libertarian minded candidates to seek the support of the Libertarian
> Party.  While we routinely run 800 candidates in every election cycle, few
> of these candidates are actually electable.  (I know, I am one!)  Electable
> candidates have political skills, a track record, a resume, political
> connections, community name recognition and, above all, a burning desire to
> win and serve in public office.  (Some personal money is truly very
> helpful.)  Candidates with these qualifications are not Libertarians
> because Libertarians do not win and, primarily, THE LIBERTAIN PARTY HAS
> NOTHING TO OFFER THESE FOLKS IN RETURN.  This is especially true at the
> local/municipal/non-partisan level as the one thing, the only thing, that
> most all of our affiliates can offer, ballot access, is not a real need at
> that level.  (In my home state, 25 signatures will get on just about any
> municipal/local district ballot in the state.)
>
>
>
> Given that our by-laws currently prohibit the LP from endorsing candidates
> of another political party (which is _*not*_ a bad idea), your statements
> regarding the success of a political party being based solely on the number
> of elections it wins are 100% correct.  However, simply suggesting this as
> a strategy to a local affiliate which is operating on a $200 a month budget
> and has six attendees to an annual meeting which elects its officers is not
> going to get us anywhere.
>
>
>
> Your strategy will indeed start us on the road to success, but only at
> such time as there exists a whole slew of strong local affiliate.  So
> strong that libertarian minded electable candidates to seek out the support
> of the Libertarian Party.
>
>
>
> How do we get there?  I don’t know.  I suspect that we, as a body, don’t
> know either.  I suggest that this is our biggest challenge; a challenge
> which we (as a body) have been ignoring for decades.  We need to learn how
> to cultivate strong effective affiliates at the state and local level, and
> then seriously fund such efforts, before any kind of electoral success will
> become a record of success which we can build on.
>
>
>
> Norm
>
> --
>
> Norman T Olsen
>
> Regional Representative, Region 1
>
> Libertarian National Committee
>
> 7931 South Broadway, PMB 102
>
> Littleton, CO  80122-2710
>
> 303-263-4995
>
>
>
> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] *On Behalf
> Of *Scott L.
> *Sent:* Friday, March 20, 2015 8:56 AM
> *To:* 'lnc-business'
> *Subject:* [Lnc-business] What the experts say about political parties
> vs. interest groups
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.wwnorton.com/college/polisci/campaignsandelections/ch/06/outline.aspx
>
>
>
>
>
> *From   CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS: Rules, Reality, Strategy, Choice*   (this
> is a book)
>
>
>
>
>
> ·  Political Parties
>
> The goal of electing public officials is what unites political parties and
> what distinguishes them from other groups.
>
>
>
> ·  Interest Groups
>
> An interest group, or a collection of people with the shared goal of
> influencing public policy, are different from political parties in that
> they do not run their own candidates for office, and they typically seek
> more specific policy goals than parties.
>
>
>
> GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
>
>
>
> I apologize for sounding like a broken record, but the above is why I keep
> writing over and over that this Board needs to focus on helping our
> affiliates elect Libertarians to public office, and helping them get
> Libertarians appointed to public office.  And for the time being, getting
> Libertarians elected, or even appointed, to Federal or State level offices
> is going to be a very, very, very rare event.   It is not a good idea to
> craft strategy and tactics based on events with a 0.1% chance of occurring.
>
>
>
> If we call ourselves a political party, but in reality we act like an
> interest group, then the public will view us
>
> as a failed political party.  If the public views you as a failed
> organization, you are not going to get anything constructive done in the
> real world.
>
>
>
> The Chair’s recent proposal for the National LP to set up initiative/cause
> websites is not a bad idea *per se*.
>
>
>
> However, focusing on increasing membership or even just collecting e-mail
> addresses is not going to help us achieve liberty in our time when these
> recruits find out that yes, we do run candidates in elections, but that we
> celebrate losing elections as much or more than we celebrate winning
> elections.
>
>
>
>
>
>    Scott Lieberman
>
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>
>
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