[Lnc-business] Request for assistance from Mark Wicks

Tue May 9 23:06:09 EDT 2017

Yes, motion for $5,000.

I would agree with David's suggestion that people vote as quickly as
possible on this to give Mr. Wicks support (or not) in a period of
time that would still have an impact on the election.

-Nick

On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 7:41 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos
<carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
> Nick would that be the language?
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 8:19 PM Nicholas Sarwark <chair at lp.org> wrote:
>>
>> I will sponsor a motion for the LNC to contribute $5,000 to the Mark
>> Wicks for Congress campaign.
>>
>> Our counsel and many others worked very hard to make sure Mr. Wicks
>> could be in the televised debate (that he did very well in), I think
>> it would be good to follow through and this is a very reasonable
>> request after the candidate (a) raised a similar amount of money and
>> (b) put in a similar amount of money on his own.
>>
>> -Nick
>>
>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 3:32 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos
>> <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I will get the appropriate links and commentary about the debate from
>> > Mr.
>> > Wicks.
>> >
>> > -Caryn Ann
>> >
>> > So we have myself and Joshua willing to co-sponsor a motion for $5,000.
>> > We
>> > would need two more.
>> >
>> > On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 4:27 PM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I take that to mean that there is no ballot access retention based on
>> >> this
>> >> race.  It might be true that better voter numbers than we have ever
>> >> seen
>> >> before makes a difference for us, perhaps even a national-scale
>> >> difference
>> >> (which is what it takes, short of ballot access, in my eyes, to invest
>> >> national money).  What I'm less sure of, though, is that investing
>> >> money
>> >> into this campaign will achieve that.  Is the debate video available
>> >> somewhere, or commentary saying he won the debate?  That makes a
>> >> difference,
>> >> and I can certainly see the value of $5,000 to amplify that if it is
>> >> credible and exists.
>> >>
>> >> I also note that, while it's a 3-way race, the Democrat doesn't strike
>> >> me
>> >> as particularly serious, which could be an opportunity.  I don't think
>> >> either of those candidates has been able to demonstrate that they care,
>> >> and
>> >> if Wicks can do that, if he had debate moments like Bill Clinton's
>> >> answer on
>> >> the national debt in that town hall debate, and we can make an ad with
>> >> a 5
>> >> second clip like that, I'm sold.
>> >>
>> >> I'm less excited about the fact that this is an at-large Congressional
>> >> seat.  Yes, online ads have the greatest reach, but don't across to
>> >> most as
>> >> being as credible, and there's no other real way for him, with his
>> >> budget,
>> >> to reach across the state.
>> >>
>> >> He is right that $5,000 is a small amount to invest.  I don't like
>> >> investing small amounts.  As I argued at the last meeting about the
>> >> consultants, people tell you what they are worth.  Someone pricing
>> >> themselves well below market is telling you something.  Wicks is not
>> >> pricing
>> >> himself low, but I'm not convinced that $5,000 can do anything for him.
>> >> It
>> >> can get him an online ad, but I'm not sure it can get enough
>> >> impressions to
>> >> get people talking.  So let me ask against - what is the maximum we can
>> >> give?  Also, if we gave more than $5,000, does he have the campaign
>> >> infrastructure to use it effectively?  I'm more interested in spending
>> >> money
>> >> where it can do good than in minimizing the money spent in a given
>> >> place.
>> >>
>> >> I like that the ask is for less than he's raised.  I'm less thrilled
>> >> that,
>> >> with the full ask, he'd have $11,600 for a statewide Congressional
>> >> race.
>> >> I'm not concerned about that because it's not enough to win - I'm
>> >> concerned
>> >> about that because I don't know that it's enough to be heard outside of
>> >> a
>> >> small echo chamber.
>> >>
>> >> He has a very nice website.  It looks good, it draws you in, it's
>> >> fairly
>> >> interactive, and it focuses on applying our ideas in ways that matter
>> >> to
>> >> Montanans.  On the other hand, with $6k raised, he didn't use a
>> >> professional
>> >> photographer, I think, for his photos.  He looks much better in his tv
>> >> shots
>> >> than in his own pictures.
>> >>
>> >> Bernie Sanders is campaigning for the Democrat (like I said, not
>> >> serious)
>> >> while Trump and Pence are both campaigning for the Republican.  The
>> >> Republicans, between party and PACs, are spending $1,600,000.
>> >> Democrats are
>> >> spending somewhere in the 6 digits.  I don't think $11,600 is enough to
>> >> have
>> >> a voice, but $20,000 might be, if used correctly.  This is a unique
>> >> opportunity and a strong race.  We've already put national firepower
>> >> into
>> >> getting him into the debate.  I would like to see us give more, and
>> >> accompany it with a national staffer acting as campaign adviser to
>> >> improve a
>> >> few of the nuts and bolts and making sure the amplification works out
>> >> well.
>> >> In the meantime, I will cosponsor a motion to give $5,000.  I will not
>> >> cosponsor a motion to give $2,500.
>> >>
>> >> On the bigger picture: I agree that we need a better structure than
>> >> having
>> >> this board make such decisions on the basis of limited information,
>> >> without
>> >> much time to research.  I had wanted to come up with such a structure,
>> >> but
>> >> life has gotten in the way, both for me and for the LNC.  I also
>> >> acknowledge
>> >> that our budget is in a deficit - but our budget does include a line
>> >> for
>> >> candidates and campaigns, and only half of that line has been
>> >> allocated, so
>> >> we've already put aside money for this (in a sense).  Furthermore, our
>> >> cash
>> >> position is entirely the result of our own decisions.  I don't think we
>> >> can
>> >> make ourselves cash-poor, write a budget that shows a deficit (which I
>> >> didn't vote for, for that reason among others), and then use that as a
>> >> reason that we cannot help our candidates who can, in fact, make a
>> >> difference and help grow this party - growth that will, hopefully,
>> >> close
>> >> that gap next year.  Last year, we took in quite a bit more than we
>> >> budgeted
>> >> for - in large part based on the attention our national ticket was
>> >> getting,
>> >> and in large part because, I think, people wanted us to support key
>> >> races.
>> >> Is this a key race?  I think it is, given the timing, the lack of a
>> >> serious
>> >> Democrat, the spending imbalance between the Rs and Ds, and so on, but
>> >> that's for each of us to decide.  Our candidate has also not just
>> >> gotten
>> >> into a debate, but shown that he knows what he's doing once there, and
>> >> in
>> >> the process gotten himself useful soundbites for an ad campaign (I'm
>> >> assuming affirmative answers to my questions above).
>> >>
>> >> Joshua A. Katz
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 4:13 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos
>> >> <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> Mark Wicks provided these responses and apologized that he is not as
>> >>> eloquent as possible as he was calling from the campaign trail:
>> >>>
>> >>> "I think this is being looked at the wrong way. Both parties are
>> >>> looking
>> >>> for a win to prove their agenda is supported by the American people.
>> >>> We need
>> >>> to show that both parties are being rejected. A win cements that but
>> >>> we also
>> >>> win with better voter numbers than we have ever seen before. It gives
>> >>> legitimacy, and that helps all of us. It sets me up for 2018 and other
>> >>> candidates as well. We can't raise money without some measure of
>> >>> success.
>> >>> $5000 is a small investment into a campaign that will pay dividends
>> >>> for all
>> >>> candidates. We won a battle getting into the debate, I won the debate,
>> >>> now
>> >>> we are positioning pieces for the next war and trying to inflict as
>> >>> much
>> >>> damage as possible in this one."
>> >>>
>> >>> -Caryn Ann
>> >>>
>> >>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 6:08 AM, Caryn Ann Harlos
>> >>> <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Alicia, yes, and running strong campaigns.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> -Caryn Ann
>> >>>>
>> >>>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 1:36 AM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com>
>> >>>> wrote:
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> Also, is this looking to be a 3-way race with both the Democrats and
>> >>>>> Republicans running candidates?
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> -Alicia
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 4:19 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos
>> >>>>> <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> On behalf of Montana candidate Mark Wicks running for the vacated
>> >>>>>> seat
>> >>>>>> by the appointment of Zinke, he is requesting the LNC assist his
>> >>>>>> campaign
>> >>>>>> financially.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> I had let him know specific information we would need, and would
>> >>>>>> like
>> >>>>>> to share that information:
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> I know you asked for a budget for how I will spend the money and
>> >>>>>> with
>> >>>>>> time constraints and getting the word out online media seems to be
>> >>>>>> the way
>> >>>>>> to go. We have ads that are being readied and ready to go anytime.
>> >>>>>> Flathead
>> >>>>>> county is having a Liberty Bash combined with a send the work truck
>> >>>>>> event.
>> >>>>>> We can get a live remote and good online adds for $2500. That will
>> >>>>>> cover the
>> >>>>>> valley really well. The east side of the state is taken care of and
>> >>>>>> all the
>> >>>>>> big towns are covered except Great Falls. I can use as much as the
>> >>>>>> LP can
>> >>>>>> send, but I think $5000 would make a good impact. We have received
>> >>>>>> $3600,
>> >>>>>> plus I have put in about $3000 total. I can't give any measure of
>> >>>>>> impact.
>> >>>>>> People are really searching for a third choice so even minimal
>> >>>>>> presentation
>> >>>>>> will go a long ways.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> If any LNC member is interested in co-sponsoring a motion to assist
>> >>>>>> in
>> >>>>>> any amount please let me know so we can craft.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> --
>> >>>>>> 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
>> >>>>>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
>> >>>>>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
>> >>>>>> 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
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>>>> Lnc-business mailing list
>> >>>>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> >>>>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>>> Lnc-business mailing list
>> >>>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> >>>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> --
>> >>>> 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
>> >>>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
>> >>>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
>> >>>> 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
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> --
>> >>> 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
>> >>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
>> >>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
>> >>> 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
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >>> Lnc-business mailing list
>> >>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> >>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> Lnc-business mailing list
>> >> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> >> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > 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
>> > Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
>> > Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
>> > 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
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Lnc-business mailing list
>> > Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> > http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>> >
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Lnc-business mailing list
>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
> --
> 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
> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>