[Lnc-business] Jul Membership Report

Fri Aug 11 14:02:52 EDT 2017

That's a good list of ends that we are achieving toward. However goals that we set need to be under our control, along with being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART criteria). National sustaining membership is a strategic means toward the mission in that it gives donations to the party; a list of potential donors, activists, and candidates to the affiliates; and more people with a connection to the Libertarian Party which they may discuss with their family & friends. It is also one indication of the breadth of support.

I am amenable to discussing and setting goals at the meeting.
Tim Hagan

      From: David Demarest <dprattdemarest at gmail.com>
 To: lnc-business at hq.lp.org 
 Sent: Friday, August 11, 2017 9:55 AM
 Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] Jul Membership Report

I tend to agree Joshua's point that national membership is important but is far from being the best measure of LP/LNC success. I can think of at least 10 metrics listed below, many of which admittedly would be difficult to measure, but nevertheless are more important than electoral, voter registration and membership success.
In the mad rush toward party empire building, let's not forget that the real LP mission is to reduce the size of government in order to achieve the fundamental Libertarian goal of freedom, nothing more, nothing less.
1. Empowered LP/LNC member non-institutional projects2. Social services moved back into private sector3. Regulatory reform successes4. Entitlement expenditure reductions5. Tax/GDP ratio reductions6. Cash-basis healthcare clinic increases7. Entitlement expenditure reductions8. Non-violent offense incarceration reductions9. Free-market education institution increases10. Non-defensive foreign and domestic military base and expenditure reductions
Thoughts?
On Aug 11, 2017 10:55 AM, "Daniel Hayes" <danielehayes at icloud.com> wrote:

Patrick,
I am amused that I JUST got this from the NAP(National Association of Parliamentarians).

Daniel HayesLNC At Large Member

Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 11, 2017, at 9:38 AM, Daniel Hayes <danielehayes at icloud.com> wrote:

Caryn Ann,
Either Patrick or George Phillies brought this up on the ASC call last night.  I said many of the same things you did Caryn Ann. I brought up two people's name from this board as being particularly focused on this. Guess which two? It was suggested I not be so defensive.  Like you, maybe I see and know more of what's going on.  Just yesterday while I was trying to prep for two conference calls, to my ADHD chagrin, Robert, gave me the first TEST access to Raiser's Edge. You and I both have our own personalized donation links.  David pointed out that more Libertarians outside of the board need to look in the mirror and take responsibility. I agree, but I think this board needs to set the example.   I think I declared a $5000 give or get to the LNC which I have blown through.
On a note, when I brought up the great work that Lauren is doing l, the ASC agreed on that.
It was brought up that there has been growth in membership following some elections. I didn't ask the question of how much was being spent to gain each of those members.  I know at some point in our history we were spending $400/ member.
I am not saying and don't think this is where Patrick is coming from, but I KNOW a lot of this rhetoric is coming from people positioning themselves for LNC runs. There is this inevitable thing that happens where everyone screams about what an awful job the LNC is doing.  Guess what that probably does?  Cuts into membership. Instead of this tactic of saying how awful of a job we are doing, I wish everyone instead would simply point out how they could do better. But J can only control me.
Another thing though. IF a state affiliate has grown but National has slipped, who is that on? Do we want National competing with Affiliates for the almighty $25?
In any event I have about 3 reports I have to work on.  We can discuss this at the meeting.

Daniel HayesLNC At Large Member

Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 11, 2017, at 8:21 AM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:

I think fundraising a much more important metric, and you raise excellent points Joshua.  Would everyone be amenable to a roundtable on this topic?
-Caryn Ann
On Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 7:19 AM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com> wrote:

I would like to add a suggestion here in a different direction.  Do we care?  This term, we have not adopted goals, but we did last term - and increasing or maintaining memberships wasn't on the list.  I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm being serious - maybe memberships is not a metric we find all that illuminating.  Sure, we need funds, and paid memberships are one way of obtaining funds, but only one way.  They're a way that non-profits, seemingly across the board, have found to be declining in importance and value.  Maybe that's part (I think most things that happen are over-determined and we should look for patterns, not 1-1 relationships) of what this declining number is telling us.
I agree we should not simply expect a drop in support following the Presidential year.  A drop in paid memberships?  Maybe.  People have many reasons to become members, and if those are temporary reasons (attending convention, considering running for LNC) they might not renew when those reasons no longer apply.  
It's become a trope that "millennials don't join things."  If that's true, then we should start now to plan what our organization can look like in 10 years with a different model.  Personally, I think that regardless of what millennials do, we should be making those plans, because a membership model is a temporary solution, not one that will always be best once we've attained a certain size and level of success.  
I don't know that membership is a useful thing to watch while driving, so to speak.  I'm much more interested in races won, registered voters in places where that can happen, contested nominations, and similar markers.  Those too are long-range indicators, though, and I suspect that the sorts of solutions we are likely to come up with regarding membership, will drive those as well.
Joshua A. Katz

On Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 8:06 AM, Patrick McKnight <patrick.joseph.mcknight at gmail .com> wrote:

Caryn Ann,
Being defensive and mischaracterizing my statements is also not helpful.
I only need a few minutes to present my proposal.
Thanks,Patrick McKnight
On Aug 11, 2017 9:02 AM, "Caryn Ann Harlos" <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:

And here is another reason- to say no plans is simply not accurate.  Perhaps I just see more of what is happening since I interact with staff more than usual and am on the APRC (which means I see every single piece of output).  The staff effort is amazing.  Lauren, Jess, and Andy are bringing us to a new level of professionalism and thus attractiveness.  There has been several years of branding and infrastructure building.  The press secretary position will add another dimension. Nurturing relationships with larger donors (we have to have funds to do anything) is from what I can see better than ever.
You get much more support by realistically assessing what we are doing well, and what can be a lot better otherwise it is basically just scolding people and ignoring what we have done.
I think Larry would tell us that's not how to motivate to greatness.  
Some of the things done have been stunning.  Others not so much so.
But a circular firing squad never does.
Let's come to the table with more ideas.
How long should we put on the Agenda Patrick?
-Caryn Ann 

On Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 6:50 AM Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:

It's not defensive- it's tired of talk and this same speech. 
Doing is better than talking.  I support your email idea.
I was wondering what everyone did since last meeting.
Yelling at the rest of the LNC isn't helpful.  
-Caryn Ann

On Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 6:46 AM Patrick McKnight <patrick.joseph.mcknight at gmail .com> wrote:

Jason,
That's fantastic! Congratulations! Do you have some best practices you can share? NJ registered voters are also exploding, but we haven't been able to convert that into national memberships which is what's at issue. Have you also experienced that in Nevada?
Caryn Ann, thank you as always for your hard work. But I'm not sure why you are getting so defensive, with all due respect this isn't about "you". This is about the fact we are a national organizations without a national strategy to stop losing members. Is our national strategy for LNC members to call people in their free time? That's a nice gesture but I don't see that as a solution. I suspect there is something wrong with our brand and the way we are messaging our principles. But at this point I don't think anyone really knows because we haven't asked our members for their feedback.
I have made a suggestion that we do a survey of our members to gather this information. Then we can use this data to construct a strategy.
Thanks,Patrick McKnightLNC Region 8Chair, NJLP
On Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 8:30 AM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:

How many LNC members took me up on my challenge to call lapsed members?
It's easy to say what others or "we" should do.
The last time you said this Patrick I took it to heart and *I* did something.
I call lapsed members nearly every day.
It's hard to get people on the phone, but when I do (do we want the truth?) this is what I hear in order of frequency:
1. Economy is bad and they lost their job2. They've been a member and they felt we're no longer representing what we claim to (i.e. the last election was a missed opportunity, the candidates did not represent a different enough liberty message)3. Waxing and waning interest in politics concurrent with the election seasons 
That is what I hear.  The stories of number 1 are heartbreaking.  I've gotten my rear chewed out with stories of 2 and managed to retain some of them by being nice and letting them yell.
My effort alone is obviously a drop in a sea. But I decided to be part of the solution.
-Caryn Ann

On Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 6:21 AM Patrick McKnight <patrick.joseph.mcknight at gmail .com> wrote:

All,
I don't understand why our declining membership isn't our number one priority as an organization. These reports come out showing we have a real problem and no one seems to notice. Too often the LNC is too busy having pointless philosophical debates amongst ourselves while people are voting with their feet and leaving the party.
I would like us to do an email survey of our membership to determine what people like and don't like about the party. I don't accept this culture of failure that since our numbers went up last year they have to go down this year. 
I don't pretend to have all the answers to this problem. But I think a good place to start is simply asking our membership. It would be free and we might learn something. 
Interest in liberty is exploding, if our numbers don't reflect that we are doing something wrong. 
Thanks,Patrick McKnightLNC Region 8 RepChair, New Jersey Libertarian Party
On Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 10:13 AM, Robert Kraus <robert.kraus at lp.org> wrote:

Attached thank you for pointing thatout!  Live Free! Robert

RobertS. Kraus - Dir of Operations
Operations at LP.org
Libertarian National Committee
Ph:202.333.0008 x 231 Jointoday: https://www.lp.org/membershipLPFB Page: https://www.facebook.com/liber tarianssize=3 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>From: Lnc-business[mailto:lnc-business-bounces at h q.lp.org] OnBehalf Of Aaron Starr
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 20174:32 PM
To: lnc-business at hq.lp.org;lnc-business at lp.org; 'LP-State Chairs'; staff at lp.org
Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] JulMembership Report Robert, For some reason thereport compares July 2017 with June 2016, so the prior year data point did notget updated from last month’s report. Can you revise thisreport to compare July 2017 with July 2016?   Aaron Starr(805) 583-3308 Home(805) 404-8693 Mobilestarrcpa at gmail.com From: Lnc-business[mailto:lnc-business-bounces at h q.lp.org] OnBehalf Of Robert Kraus
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 20179:32 AM
To: lnc-business at lp.org; 'LP-StateChairs'; staff at lp.org
Subject: [Lnc-business] JulMembership Report Jul Membership Report is attached. Opento find out who is no longer tied for 10th! Live Free! Robert

Robert S. Kraus - Dirof Operations
Operations at LP.org
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.1444 Duke StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
Ph: 202.333.0008 x 231 Jointoday: https://www.lp.org/membershipLPFB Page: https://www.facebook.com/liber tarians 
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In Liberty,Caryn Ann HarlosRegion 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann. Harlos at LP.orgCommunications Director, Libertarian Party of ColoradoChair, LP Historical Preservation Committee

A haiku to the Statement of Principles:We defend your rightsAnd oppose the use of forceTaxation is theft

-- 
In Liberty,Caryn Ann HarlosRegion 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann. Harlos at LP.orgCommunications Director, Libertarian Party of ColoradoChair, LP Historical Preservation Committee

A haiku to the Statement of Principles:We defend your rightsAnd oppose the use of forceTaxation is theft

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In Liberty,Caryn Ann HarlosRegion 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann. Harlos at LP.orgCommunications Director, Libertarian Party of ColoradoChair, LP Historical Preservation Committee

A haiku to the Statement of Principles:We defend your rightsAnd oppose the use of forceTaxation is theft

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