[Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2016-15: Censure John Moore

Sat Oct 22 13:16:11 EDT 2016

Sean - hats off to you. <slow clap>

I agree completely.

On Saturday, October 22, 2016, Brett Bittner <brett.bittner at lp.org
<javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','brett.bittner at lp.org');>> wrote:

> I intend to vote on this matter, however I do not intend to do so until
> we've heard from Assemblyman Moore.
>
> Brett C. Bittner
>
> Region 3 Representative
> Libertarian National Committee
>
> brett.bittner at lp.org
> 317.643.2566
>
> **This message sent from my phone. Please excuse any typos.
>
> On Oct 22, 2016 08:44, "Sam Goldstein" <goldsteinatlarge at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I vote Yes.
>>
>> This would have been one of the best opportunities to vote on principle
>> and to make
>> a major impact on big government that the LP has had in our history and
>> Mr. Moore
>> failed miserably.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sam Goldstein
>> Libertarian National Committee
>> Member at Large
>> 8925 N Meridian St, Ste 101
>> Indianapolis IN 46260
>> 317-850-0726 Phone
>> 317-582-1773 Fax
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 22, 2016 at 8:58 AM, Patrick McKnight <
>> patrick.joseph.mcknight at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I vote yes.
>>>
>>> Patrick McKnight
>>> Region 8 Rep
>>>
>>> On Oct 22, 2016 8:14 AM, "David Demarest" <dpdemarest at centurylink.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thank you Alicia. I agree that the death penalty deserves a separate
>>>> email thread of its own. I also was not aware of the numbers on the death
>>>> penalty plank vote. Nevertheless, I would consider 364 to 105 overwhelming
>>>> but disappointingly not high enough considering the moral implications as
>>>> spelled in the full text of my testimony as follows, which, by the way,
>>>> turned out to be an extraordinary opportunity to publicize the LP in
>>>> Nebraska:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> “Mr. Secretary,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> David Pratt Demarest, 10812 Park Meadow Plaza #133, Omaha, NE 68142
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Nebraska and Regional
>>>> Representative on the Libertarian National Committee.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am here today as a private Nebraska citizen to support the retention
>>>> of LB268 that repealed the Nebraska death penalty as confirmed by the
>>>> override of the Governor’s veto. However, I can tell you that Libertarians
>>>> overwhelmingly support the repeal of the death penalty not only for
>>>> practical reasons but more importantly for moral reasons. I am personally
>>>> aware of *NO* Libertarians in Nebraska or across the nation that
>>>> support the death penalty.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Much evidence has been presented today demonstrates the indisputable
>>>> failure of the death penalty as a deterrent compounded by the financial
>>>> burden it imposes on taxpayers and the extended pain and suffering it
>>>> visits on victims. To add insult to injury, victims lose twice and end up
>>>> revisiting the pain, anguish and suffering with no closure because of the
>>>> undue focus on deterrence, punishment and vengeance on the perpetrators
>>>> instead of seeking restitution for the victims. The immoral use of the
>>>> death penalty to obtain false confessions was dramatically illustrated by
>>>> the infamous Nebraska Beatrice 6 case.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am here, however, to speak to the overriding moral issue. In addition
>>>> to the barbaric nature of state-sponsored killing, the risk of predictable
>>>> executions of some innocents is beyond morally unacceptable, it is
>>>> unconscionable! Further, the possibility of the death penalty being used as
>>>> a *political football* to obtain reelection votes raises a host of
>>>> ethical questions. To those who might be tempted to advocate the death
>>>> penalty for political purposes, you need to reexamine your conscience
>>>> and your political, personal and moral priorities.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> To voters in the audience, I urge you vote your conscience, vote to
>>>> “Retain” LB268 and vote to uphold the death penalty ban in Nebraska. It is
>>>> not just practical. It is the only moral choice!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have been selected for poll worker duty. I have to vote early and
>>>> have already voted. I am proud to tell you that I voted to retain LB268 to
>>>> ban the death penalty from Nebraska. I hope you will too!”
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] *On
>>>> Behalf Of *Alicia Mattson
>>>> *Sent:* Saturday, October 22, 2016 3:15 AM
>>>> *To:* lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2016-15: Censure John Moore
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> DD>> In the introduction to my testimony, I mentioned my positions with
>>>> the LNC and the LPNE and I said that while I was there to testify as a
>>>> private citizen, Libertarians are overwhelmingly against the death penalty
>>>> and that I was personally aware of no Libertarians in Nebraska or across
>>>> the nation that support the death penalty. <<DD
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Not to change the subject or start a debate on the death penalty...just
>>>> addressing a factual detail that came up in the example situation.  At the
>>>> national convention there was a counted vote on the adoption of our death
>>>> penalty plank, and there were 364 in favor and 105 opposed.
>>>>
>>>> -Alicia
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Oct 22, 2016 at 12:44 AM, David Demarest <
>>>> dpdemarest at centurylink.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I will delay my vote until we hear from John Moore. It may be that
>>>> merely offering the motion to censure will achieve our intended purpose to
>>>> express our outrage. In the meantime, however, we need to consider Ken’s
>>>> salient point about taking into account an elected official’s duty to
>>>> represent the views of his constituents and the articulate responses by
>>>> Caryn and Alicia.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I must say I am bothered by the reference to the 60% of constituents
>>>> favoring the position that Assemblyman Moore voted for as justification for
>>>> his misguided votes. As Caryn has correctly pointed out, we have a duty to
>>>> reflect the principles of our party. More importantly, we have a duty to
>>>> reflect our personal principles of conscience that hopefully are reasonably
>>>> consistent with our party’s principles. Even allowing for the fact that no
>>>> two Libertarians are going to agree on all details of all principles,
>>>> Assemblyman Moore’s votes go beyond the pale. Here is a recent example from
>>>> my personal experience on the cronyism evils of basing political positions
>>>> and votes on the consensus of constituents regardless of any considerations
>>>> of principles and morals.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Last week I testified against the Nebraska referendum to reinstate the
>>>> death penalty at a legally mandated District 2 hearing. The Unicameral,
>>>> with the support of Libertarian Senator Laura Ebke, narrowly overrode
>>>> Governor Ricketts’ veto of the bill that repealed the death penalty.
>>>> Governor Ricketts then used a “substantial” contribution from his personal
>>>> fortune to sponsor the ballot referendum to reinstate the death penalty
>>>> that was the subject of the hearing. In the introduction to my testimony, I
>>>> mentioned my positions with the LNC and the LPNE and I said that while I
>>>> was there to testify as a private citizen, Libertarians are overwhelmingly
>>>> against the death penalty and that I was personally aware of no
>>>> Libertarians in Nebraska or across the nation that support the death
>>>> penalty.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Republican State Senator Merv Riepe, a Ralston High School classmate of
>>>> mine, testified that his opinion poll showed that his constituents favored
>>>> the reinstatement of the death penalty *three to one* with the clear
>>>> inference that he intended to reflect his constituents’ views [regardless
>>>> of any moral considerations]. I looked Senator Riepe squarely in the eye
>>>> and responded with the following passionate testimony:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> “… the possibility of the death penalty being used as a *political
>>>> football* to obtain reelection votes raises a host of ethical questions.
>>>> To those who might be tempted to advocate the death penalty for political
>>>> purposes, you need to reexamine your conscience and your political,
>>>> personal and moral priorities.”
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The point is that reflecting the “consensus of the constituents” for
>>>> obvious reelection purposes is not an acceptable or moral justification for
>>>> Assemblyman Moore’s two egregious votes. Let’s see what Moore has to say
>>>> but keep in mind that our duty is not only to our party’s principles but
>>>> also to our personal principles.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ~David Pratt Demarest
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] *On
>>>> Behalf Of *Alicia Mattson
>>>> *Sent:* Saturday, October 22, 2016 1:19 AM
>>>> *To:* lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2016-15: Censure John Moore
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am as upset as the rest of you about the two votes in question, but
>>>> that doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to vote yes on this motion.
>>>>
>>>> Particularly on the stadium vote, Assemblyman Moore held the power of
>>>> the deciding vote.  Had he voted no, it would have failed instead of
>>>> passing.  We had a Libertarian in a position to make a big real-world
>>>> difference, and it didn't happen.  Facepalm.
>>>>
>>>> IF it's true that his motivation was to play to his constituency in
>>>> hopes of getting re-elected, I wonder how he will feel about the votes in
>>>> hindsight in the event that he is not re-elected.  What's the point of
>>>> being there if you can't vote your conscience?  That's why on the LNC I
>>>> also vote the way I think I ought to vote even if other LNC members stage
>>>> organized email campaigns from their friends.  Should we be offended at a
>>>> public official playing to his constituents if we do the same thing as
>>>> party officials?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have several issues with this motion.  I particularly appreciate Mr.
>>>> Moellman's questions, and I think we probably should have had a
>>>> conversation with Mr. Moore before we flung a motion into the wind.  I
>>>> don't think it's sufficient to just hear how other people represent his
>>>> position to us.  We should get it straight from him.
>>>>
>>>> I am not thrilled about the wording in this resolution.  "...convey a
>>>> strong message to all and sundry..." ?  Who talks like that?  We're
>>>> discouraging others from switching to the LP until they completely agree
>>>> with us?  With which of us?  Because we don't all agree, either.  I
>>>> probably would have added that his vote was effectively the deciding vote.
>>>> Etc.
>>>>
>>>> Censure is an action taken by a group against a member of that same
>>>> group.  Mr. Moore is not a member of the LNC.  Have we even confirmed that
>>>> he's a member of the national party?  As of the national convention in May,
>>>> our records did not yet indicate he had signed our membership
>>>> certification.  We know he switched his party registration in NV, but that
>>>> doesn't make him a member of the national party.  We wouldn't censure
>>>> Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton because they're not members of the LNC or
>>>> even the LP.
>>>>
>>>> The state affiliate that nominated him has already censured him, so
>>>> what does this accomplish for the LNC to pile on?  We can't make him return
>>>> the money.  Is it just to make ourselves feel better?  Is the LNC going to
>>>> become the purity police that monitors every local/state/federal elected
>>>> official and passes resolutions about them?  I am concerned about starting
>>>> such a trend.
>>>>
>>>> If we hadn't already donated the funds, I'd vote to rescind that
>>>> decision.  That ship has sailed.  I wouldn't vote to donate to him again.
>>>> I'm not certain that this motion accomplishes anything productive.
>>>>
>>>> -Alicia
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 10:20 PM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> We have an electronic mail ballot.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Votes are due to the LNC-Business list by October 31, 2016 at
>>>> 11:59:59pm Pacific time.*
>>>> *Co-Sponsors:*  Harlos, Demarest, Hayes, Vohra, Starchild, Goldstein,
>>>> Redpath
>>>>
>>>> *Motion:*
>>>>
>>>> Whereas Nevada Assemblyman John Moore, a former Republican who in
>>>> January 2016 switched to the Libertarian Party while in office, has during
>>>> the past month voted not once but twice in the span of as many days to
>>>> raise taxes on his constituents, including a vote to support a "More Cops"
>>>> tax which the Libertarian Party of Nevada has tirelessly and thus far
>>>> successfully opposed, and a vote to provide a $750 million subsidy to
>>>> finance a billionaire-owned sports stadium at the expense of, among others,
>>>> indigent persons renting weekly rooms in motels; and
>>>>
>>>> Whereas the elected leaders of our state affiliate party in Nevada have
>>>> rightfully voted to censure Assemblyman Moore for these egregious votes; and
>>>>
>>>> Whereas we wish to convey a strong message to all and sundry that while
>>>> we welcome sitting legislators in the Republican or Democrat parties who
>>>> decide to switch to the Libertarian Party as an act of conscience, we do
>>>> not welcome them if they intend, as members of our party, to continue
>>>> voting and acting like Republicans or Democrats;
>>>>
>>>> Therefore be it resolved that the Libertarian National Committee hereby
>>>> censures Assemblyman Moore for his recent votes in support of tax
>>>> increases, requests that he return the $10,000 campaign contribution which
>>>> the LNC this season voted to send him, and admonishes him to henceforward
>>>> be a better champion of the values held by members of the political party
>>>> with which he has chosen to affiliate if he intends to remain a Libertarian.
>>>>
>>>> -Alicia
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>

-- 
*In Liberty,*
*Caryn Ann Harlos*
Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
<http://www.lpcolorado.org>
Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
<http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org>
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