[Lnc-business] - Omaha Accord Libertarian UnConvention

David Demarest dpdemarest at centurylink.net
Mon Jan 2 07:22:42 EST 2017


Wow, this is a healthy debate that is generating some light and much heat! How can we channel all this energy?

The Dallas Accord, as I understand it, allows Anarchists and Minarchists (and Voluntaryists?) to coexist within the LP. However, this coexistence compromise does not address the ongoing LP and LNC internals struggles between the radicals and pragmatists to agree on a coherent platform and a consistent method of communicating our platform to those outside of the LP. We can’t even agree whether we should have a platform of principles, platitudes or something in between or beyond. We do not appear to be even remotely close to bridging the rad-prag divide or achieving a consensus on platform and messaging concerns. We need tackle this cancerous divide and critical platform/messaging questions head on if we seriously intend to make 2017 a year beyond all expectations for the LP. There is some urgency to resolving this dilemma in light of our current unsustainable economic model.

 

First, I want to heat up and summarize the rad-prag divide and then expand the discussion to explore how we can bridge the rad-prag gap and address the all-important platform and messaging concerns.

 

The radicals say we must align our moral compass with a solid platform of fundamental principles. They say it makes no sense to fill up the tank and put the pedal to the metal if the steering wheel is not pointed in the right direction. The pragmatists say that the radicals can’t even agree among themselves on a consistent set of principles. They say we should focus instead on a top-down approach of just getting Libertarians elected with the hope that nature will take its course and result in smaller government. Here is an exaggerated paraphrase of this comparison:

 

-          Libertarians – We stand for freedom, nothing more, nothing less

 

OR

 

-          Libertarians – We stand for getting Libertarians elected, nothing more, nothing less

 

>From my free-market Voluntaryist bias, I would interject that we already have two major parties whose “principles” focus on just getting their leaders elected to public office, nothing more, nothing less. Do we really need a third party dedicated to just getting Libertarians elected regardless of whether the LP and our candidates reflect a consistent set of principles? I think not!

 

However, this heated discussion is not generating much light. The above rad-prag comparison is obviously an exaggeration. Nevertheless, the reality is that we have wide range of Libertarian flavors within the LNC and LP between those two extremes. Further, this disagreement is getting us nowhere on achieving our wide range of divergent Libertarians goals.

 

The pragmatists are correct that the radicals cannot reach consensus among themselves on principle details and interpretations. If radicals are to present a coherent set of principles for consideration by the pragmatists, they have considerable homework to do. For example, as a bleeding-edge free-market Voluntaryist, it is my perception that radicals have not reached an agreement on how to connect the dots to incorporate some basic facts of human behavior and underlying incentives into their principles. Most Libertarian economists support the widely-accepted Adam Smith “Invisible Hand” theory that the success of the free-market is an unintended consequence of everyone acting in their self-interest in competition for scarce resources. However, most Libertarians and many radicals have not expanded the “Invisible Hand” theory to encompass all human interactions and the need for competitive governance to minimize the cancer of cronyism.

 

The above is just one example of the lack of consensus among radicals. The more important point is that we Libertarians have a lot of homework to do. Instead of sitting around complaining about dysfunctions of society, we need to get off our intellectual backsides and do the hard work of outside-the-box brainstorming and root-cause analysis if we seriously intend to bridge the rad-prag divide and get on with our Libertarian goal of freedom.

 

So, what to do?

 

I suggest that we use 2017 as an opportunity to develop proposals for an expanded accord beyond mere coexistence. We can then present our expanded accord proposals for delegate approval at the 2018 NOLA LP national convention. One venue for working on an expanded accord proposal will be the fall 2017 #UnConvention# to be held in Omaha tentatively scheduled for the weekend of October 21-22. The Omaha #UnConvention# initiative is less than a week old but several Libertarians have already expressed an interest in speaking and presenting seminars and workshops including several LNC/staff/affiliate members. Joshua Katz has asked what the theme of the #UnConvention# would be is so he can select an appropriate topic for his workshop that aligns well with the #UnConvention# theme.

Joshua’s request and our ongoing enthusiastic rad-prag discussion has inspired me to expand the #UnConvention# theme beyond “Winning hearts and minds, not arguments” and “LP 2017 beyond all expectations”. The expanded theme will be “[Omaha] Accord Libertarian #UnConvention#. NOTE: Replace the [Omaha] bracket contents with the name of your own choosing. In broad terms, the [Omaha] Accord Libertarian #UnConvention# theme will encompass speeches, workshops, seminars, open discussion forums and inspired meet-and-greets focused on developing an expanded accord that addresses both the rad-prag divide and how to get Libertarian outreach and election stuff done while we are researching and developing solutions to bridge the rad-prag gap.

 

Thoughts?

  

[Omaha] Accord – Rad-Prag Research While Getting Libertarian Stuff Done

 

~David Pratt Demarest

Region 6 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (IA, IL, MN, MO, ND, NE, WI)

Secretary, Nebraska Libertarian State Central Committee

Secretary, LNC Affiliate Support Committee

Member, LNC Empowered Future Committee

Board Member & Nebraska State Coordinator, LP Radical Caucus

Cell:      402-981-6469

Home: 402-493-0873

Office: 402-222-7207

 

From: Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] On Behalf Of Caryn Ann Harlos
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2017 2:31 AM
To: Starchild <sfdreamer at earthlink.net>; lnc-business at hq.lp.org
Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] Enough pussyfooting. Time for a fearless platform.

 

Starchild then what you are describing is privately owned schools serving the public.

 

And that is not what anyone means generally.

 

But what we favour is the complete separation of education and state- at least under the Statement of Principles.

 

But put that aside - and put aside the education plank - there is this plank which leaves no place  for public schools

 

The protection of individual rights is the only proper purpose of government

 

 

 

 

 

 

-- 

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 <mailto: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> 

 

 

 

On Mon, Jan 2, 2017 at 1:14 AM Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com <mailto:carynannharlos at gmail.com> > wrote:

Starchild - I love that wording on the Dallas Accord.

 

But as I like to point out, because some re-writing of history has occurred, it isn't merely the Dallas Accord which some people are claiming is dead, it is the Statement of Principles which formalized the Dallas Accord at least in part.  Thus anyone claiming the Dallas Accord is dead is completely contrary to our Bylaws.

 

The myth of the complete informality of the Accord must die in a fire.  It is untrue.

 

 

-- 

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 <mailto: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> 

 

 

On Mon, Jan 2, 2017 at 1:04 AM Starchild <sfdreamer at earthlink.net <mailto:sfdreamer at earthlink.net> > wrote:


Sam,

 

     That language would be contrary to the Dallas Accord agreement that we should leave our wording open as to whether our ultimate goal is non-aggressive government, or no government at all.

 

Love & Liberty,

                                   ((( starchild )))

At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee

                                 (415) 625-FREE

                                   @StarchildSF

 

-----Original Message-----


From: Sam Goldstein 


Sent: Jan 1, 2017 12:53 PM


To: lnc-business at hq.lp.org <mailto:lnc-business at hq.lp.org> 


Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] Enough pussyfooting. Time for a fearless platform.






I will suggested my 2004 platform revision that I presented

at the Platform Committee meeting prior to the Atlanta 

Convention:

 

Replace the entire platform with two sentences:

 

We don't like government.  Let's get rid of it.

 

Sam




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 Sun, Jan 1, 2017 at 3:49 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com <mailto:carynannharlos at gmail.com> > wrote:

AMEN!!'

 

I make the same commitment as Arvin.  

 

 

On Sun, Jan 1, 2017 at 1:36 PM Whitney Bilyeu <whitneycb76 at gmail.com <mailto:whitneycb76 at gmail.com> > wrote:

Agreed.

 

On Sun, Jan 1, 2017 at 2:19 PM, Arvin Vohra <votevohra at gmail.com <mailto:votevohra at gmail.com> > wrote:

If 2016 showed us one thing, it's that timid positions are neither necessary nor effective in current politics.

 

Our current platform is designed to technically be accurate, while not scaring anyone too badly. This is a losing proposition. A clear, inspiring, and immediately comprehensible platform is far better than the fine-print pretending to be marketing we have now.

 

Take the education plank, for example:

Education is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality, accountability and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Recognizing that the education of children is a parental responsibility, we would restore authority to parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government. Parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their children’s education.


What it means: Eliminate all public schools. Let people choose between free, world-class, online offerings, homeschooling, and private education in any form. 

 

Intransigent supporters of public schools won't be fooled by the current obfuscation. Opponents and potential opponents won't be inspired. 

Our job is to convince people of our positions, not to mask our positions and pander. In order for people to be able to be convinced of our positions, they first must understand what the position is.

 

I intend to support people for platform committee who will commit to an honest, comprehensible, fearless platform.

 

In Liberty,

 

Arvin Vohra

Vice Chair

Libertarian National Committee

 



--

Arvin Vohra

www.VoteVohra.com <http://www.VoteVohra.com> 
VoteVohra at gmail.com <mailto:VoteVohra at gmail.com> 
(301) 320-3634 <tel:(301)%20320-3634> 

 




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