[Lnc-business] Request for assistance from Mark Wicks

Wed May 10 02:18:52 EDT 2017

Sure, let's go with that.  This is my write-on week, so I am literally
spending hours each day doing things like making sure commas and periods
are italicized/not italicized, as appropriate.  Because no one would be
able to follow a law review article if a comma were incorrectly italicized,
or if a date were in parenthesis instead of commas, or vice-versa - they'd
have no idea what's going on!  Let's not even begin on the joys of the em
dash and en dash.  Yet here I am missing the difference between its and
it's.  Sigh.

Joshua A. Katz

On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 1:12 AM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com> wrote:

> Joshua,
>
> Just say it was an incomplete edit.  You were gonna write "RONR provides
> no guidance because it's a terrible idea that RONR advises against doing at
> all," but then you edited the sentence so that the contraction no longer
> belonged, and you merely forgot to finish the edit.  :-)
>
> -Alicia
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 8:06 PM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> My god, what have I done?  <Its>
>>
>> Joshua A. Katz
>>
>>
>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 10:06 PM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> RONR provides no guidance because it's general advice is that, if you
>>> decide to use email voting, you are on your own.  Our own rules, though,
>>> are clear.  A vote closes after 10 days OR when all LNC members, not
>>> including alternates, have cast a vote.  If we want to expedite the
>>> process, everyone needs to vote quickly.  It would be improper to take
>>> action when even a majority of the full LNC has cast "yes" votes because
>>> votes may be changed until the vote closes (and for the more obvious but
>>> less practical reason that, until it closes, nothing has been decided).
>>>
>>> Joshua A. Katz
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 9:54 PM, David Demarest <
>>> dpdemarest at centurylink.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> *Nick*, *Alicia*:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> To Tim’s point, the election is a mere 16 days away. If we start the
>>>> email ballot tonight, the full 10-day email ballot process would leave only
>>>> 6 days left before the election. Would that be sufficient for Mr. Wickes to
>>>> take full advantage of our $5,000? Or should we consider either
>>>> Johnny/Jill-on-the-spot with all our votes or taking action immediately
>>>> after the required number of Yes votes has been received?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Joshua, *Aaron*: What guidance does RONR provide on the latter
>>>> question?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Assuming all 17 votes would be cast, what would be the number of Yes
>>>> votes required to pass this motion?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I will be voting Yes on this motion as soon as it is opened for voting.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thoughts?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ~David
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Dec 28-Jan 1 Omaha Roads to Liberty Un-Convention*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ~David Pratt Demarest
>>>>
>>>> LNC Region 6 Representative (IA, IL, MN, MO, ND, NE, WI)
>>>>
>>>> Secretary, LPNE State Central Committee
>>>>
>>>> Cell:      402-981-6469 <%28402%29%20981-6469>
>>>>
>>>> Home: 402-493-0873 <%28402%29%20493-0873>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] *On
>>>> Behalf Of *Caryn Ann Harlos
>>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, May 09, 2017 9:42 PM
>>>> *To:* lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [Lnc-business] Request for assistance from Mark Wicks
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 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 <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*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
>
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