[Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2016-03: Gun Rights Resolution

[Alicia Mattson]

I vote no on this motion.

My opposition isn't because I disagree with the sentiments of the
resolution.  I agree with Mr. Bittner that our platform already positions
the party on this subject.

When the Bylaws and Rules Committee proposed the amendment which is now
Article 11.7, (The National Committee may adopt public policy resolutions
by a ¾ vote with previous notice or by unanimous consent without previous
notice.) the rationale for setting the bar so high was to discourage the
LNC from spending time congratulating itself over restatements of the
platform instead of doing more productive tasks.  We could pass a
resolution about each plank in the platform, but that's not a good use of
our time.

In this particular case, it seems the motivation is to (politely on
2016-03, but less politely on 2016-04) throw stones at our presidential
ticket.  Our delegates knew at the convention that there were certain
subjects where the nominees weren't completely aligned with platform, but
they nominated them anyway.  I don't want the LNC to spend the next three
months passing a series of resolutions picking fights with our presidential
ticket.  It's poor form.

Many of our members disagree with at least one aspect of our platform, but
we have a tent big enough to still work together for progress in the right
direction.  If Ron Paul were our nominee, would the LNC attack his pro-life
stance from the sidelines during the campaign?  Sometimes we are our own
worst enemy.

It only takes a handful of "no" votes to stop the trend before it starts.

-Alicia



On Fri, Aug 12, 2016 at 8:40 PM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com> wrote:

> We have an electronic mail ballot.
>
>
> *Votes are due to the LNC-Business list by August 22, 2016 at 11:59:59pm
> Pacific time.*
> *Co-Sponsors:*  Harlos, Katz, Hayes, Goldstein, Vohra
>
> *Motion:*
>
> WHEREAS, Libertarians affirm that self-defense is an inherent human right;
>
> WHEREAS, the Platform of the Libertarian Party opposes all laws at any
> level of government restricting, registering, or monitoring the ownership,
> manufacture, or transfer of firearms or ammunition;
>
> WHEREAS, the Platform of the Libertarian Party affirms the right of due
> process and deny the legitimacy of “victimless crimes”;
>
> WHEREAS, the government has steadily encroached upon these rights by
> illegitimately regulating and restricting access for firearms and
> ammunition and may further seek to deprive people who have been convicted
> of no crime of their inherent right to full self-defense by denying their
> civil and inherent rights to obtain firearms and ammunition;
>
> BE IT RESOLVED that the Libertarian National Committee opposes any policy
> which would deny access to any firearms or ammunition to any person simply
> for being placed on any government watch or no-fly list and reaffirms its
> call to repeal and oppose any existing or proposed firearm and ammunition
> regulations.
>
>
> -Alicia
>
>
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