[Lnc-business] Bylaws secrecy

[Caryn Ann Harlos]

We had a discussion about this before on the list, but I was waiting until
we had our adjourned meeting.

Minutes are in fact NOT going to be public unless decided on a case by case
basis and it was made clear that certain members will always vote no on
minutes if any of us ask for, as is our right, and win - a roll call vote.
This is silly since the meetings were decided to be open which means that
anyone attending can take notes about who voted which way.

Meetings will be open and can be recorded by any party member.  However,
emails will not be.  So this means that emails are not meetings or we are
having secret meetings in which we can vote from which no one disclose how
anyone else voted unlike the "public meetings."

But if emails are not meetings then there is no authority to tell any
member what they can or cannot talk about that was talked about in emails.
Yet we were.  So either there was an instruction given without any
authority or we are having secret deliberations.  It cannot go both ways.

I am not writing this because I expect the LNC to get involved or do
anything.  I am writing this because members came to our public hearing and
clearly wanted transparency and it is not being given to them - it is
partially given and easy to circumvent.  It is an illusion of
transparency.  I believe the LNC should know that members are not happy
with the conduct of the procedures of the Bylaws committee.

It will be said that I want to sabotage the committee as has been accused.
That is silly.  I am spending hours and hours on this and I have other
things I could do and that is an attack upon my integrity.  That is fine if
anyone wants to do that but my work ethic in this Party speaks for itself
and such an attack speaks about the accuser, not me.  I want us to propose
great measures that pass, and I think we will.  But if a culture of secrecy
is not what we want, and not what the members want, this should be kept in
mind at future appointments.  What happens this time lays the groundwork
for next convention- that is why I am firm in my position- there is
precedent for the future.

Asking for the same level of transparency as the LNC is not some crazy idea
of transparency that requires cameras in the bathroom.  It is wanting what
we do here .... and I for one don't think that is unreasonable.

I have another reason for writing.  So it is definite now that there are
things I am not supposed to talk about prior to the convention (presumably
after it as well).  There isn't anything particular now that I think I need
to - but perhaps one day there will be.  My duty to the members and my firm
belief that there is no authority for this silencing rule overweighs that.

The Bylaws Committee has no disciplinary power.  I would certainly hope
this LNC would not discipline any Bylaws Committee members that simply
decide to reveal to members the content of our deliberations and how
appointees voted.  They cannot measure our judgment in making appointments
etc without that information.  Robert's has been cited that no "allusion
can be made in the assembly" about the deliberations.  That is not
referring to discussions with members prior to the assembly - which is the
convention - and are emails "delibertarions"?  If so, then we ARE having
secret delibertarions despite having "open meetings."  Does that make sense
to you?  No, it doesn't to me either.  I think everyone agrees that once
reports are issued and presented to the convention,  no one can get up to
the mic and say "so and so" said as part of their argument.  But that does
not keep me from updating Region 1 members or my own affiliate who DOES
want to know these details contemporaneously prior to the issuance of
reports.

*I would like to know if the LNC has any intention of enforcing what
amounts to a silencing order on certain details of email discussions.*

-- 
*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>
Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee

A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
*We defend your rights*
*And oppose the use of force*
*Taxation is theft*
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