[Lnc-business] Setting the record straight on another issue

[Caryn Ann Harlos]

First, once again, I am going to say that amongst very responsible genuine
concerns discussed recently, there have been overlays of innuendo and
insinuation that are the things we should expect from the old parties.  Not
us.  Perhaps I should be thankful since apparently all I care about is
"profile building" and the recent events have people who normally are not
typically my usual allies have got in touch to express astonishment and
support.

But to my point-

In another email, the fact the LPRC had requested use of the LP's Adobe
account was mentioned.  And then spun off into an exposition of how it was
unprincipled even if they were allowed and how another particular caucus
would have refused (unlike the LPRC apparently).

*Can we stop this?  Please.  Let me set that record straight and I
challenge anyone to make an argument with a straight face that this was
unprincipled.  HERE IS THE ORIGINAL REQUEST:*

*==Wes, would the LP consider renting the use of its Adobe Connect room (
if it is an account that allows up to 100 participants) for a donation?*

*The LP Radical Caucus needs an afternoon for a member meeting and Adobe
only licensing by the year for the larger room.  I understand their yearly
fee is $500- we would be willing to donate $100 for the one day use.==*

*THE LPRC OFFERED TO PAY FOR IT.*  20% of the total cost for ONE DAY OF
USE.  And if this COULD BE OPENED UP TO OTHER GROUPS the Party could cover
its expenses.

Wow, that casts it in another light doesn't it.  *As the Proverb says, one
man seems right until another presents his case.*

*Nobody volunteers for this job to have their principles impugned.*  I
certainly don't, and I CERTAINLY DON'T APPRECIATE OR DESERVE IT.

So stop. This isn't what the Libertarian Party is all about.

And if but for the requirement that Ms. Mattson must administer all
meetings, I stand by the idea that if the LP could get its costs covered,
or even get additional funds, that is not only not unprincipled, it is
SMART.

Wes at first expressed reservations and said he would speak with Nick.  I
said cool.

Then, I said this in response to the information that only one person knew
how to run it and it could be clunky:

*==I will do some test runs to learn it and see.  It is probably a good
idea to have someone else who also knows it in the event of an LNC need.
It might not be a bad idea to have someone familiar in case Jess or anyone
ever wants to try having an interactive member presentation like we do with
the conference calls.  There might be some potential here since we have the
license already.  And I love playing with this stuff.  I have done some
Adobe training.*

*I am doing some test runs of some new products (like zoom.us
<http://zoom.us/>) and having a good comparison might good as well in there
is a better more cost effective solution for the LNC to consider in the
future (though yes I know Adobe Connect is in the Policy Manual). ==*

Oh... so I wanted to do research to save the Party money?  How terrible.
How unprincipled.

Wes said:

*==Robert, I assume there are no variable charges to the account. In other
words, we have a flat $500 per year fee and when Caryn Ann uses it we don't
get hit with additional usage fees.  If there are extra usage fees, please
let us know about that.*

*Caryn Ann, I don't think we are selling this service. This is offered free
of charge. But, if you use it, I do hope someone will contribute $100 in
thanks to the party. ==*

I said:

*==**Wes, I will test it out and learn it with some small meetings, and if
we use it for our yearly member meeting in June (which was the original
purpose of the request), I will make sure that a gift is given to the
party.*


*I will share any feedback I have regarding any deficiencies and pluses for
future consideration of the party when considering our options in next
budget.==*

And get ready here is when the big reveal was given:


*==Hi Alicia, I understand how Adobe Connect works and would like the
credentials as per Nick's permission to my caucus to use for an upcoming
meeting and I would need to do some test runs. This means that I could be
available to get online if a subcommittee ever needs to use.*

*I would like to use this as well for the historical preservation committee
- in the beginning we are going to be meeting weekly.==*

At this point the LPRC already was strongly considering something else, and
I pursued this *SO I COULD BE A BACKUP PLAN TO TAKE LOAD OFF OF ALICIA,
HELP SUB-COMMITTEES, AND FOR THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE.*

This has been made into a FB nontroversy as well.  Well, now everyone has
the entire context and they can judge for themselves what a terrible
unprincipled request I made.

I have hopes (it springs eternal) that regret would be expressed at this
situation.  But I suspect I will instead be scolded for taking offense, its
my fault for not caring for being smeared.

And also, I will note it is inappropriate for any of us to promote the
virtues of one caucus over another.  When I was involved in LPRC leadership
(I no longer am, I resigned after the "Libertarian Party Nudist Caucus"
post), I was very careful NOT to do that.  This list is a Party asset as
well.  We don't use it to promote one caucus over another.  Is it a huge
deal?  No. Not really.  But if I had done that, it would have been made to
be the Apocalypse (yes that is hyperbole for a point).

Caucuses serve and important need in this Party and enrich us.  There is
something for everyone and they all have good and bad points.  We all
should be proud of our involvements in the ones that suit our needs but we
should not use our Party position on a Party list to put another one down.

-- 
*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>
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*
-------------- next part --------------
   First, once again, I am going to say that amongst very responsible
   genuine concerns discussed recently, there have been overlays of
   innuendo and insinuation that are the things we should expect from the
   old parties.  Not us.  Perhaps I should be thankful since apparently
   all I care about is "profile building" and the recent events have
   people who normally are not typically my usual allies have got in touch
   to express astonishment and support.
   But to my point-
   In another email, the fact the LPRC had requested use of the LP's Adobe
   account was mentioned.  And then spun off into an exposition of how it
   was unprincipled even if they were allowed and how another particular
   caucus would have refused (unlike the LPRC apparently).
   Can we stop this?  Please.  Let me set that record straight and I
   challenge anyone to make an argument with a straight face that this was
   unprincipled.  HERE IS THE ORIGINAL REQUEST:
   ==Wes, would the LP consider renting the use of its Adobe Connect room
   ( if it is an account that allows up to 100 participants) for a
   donation?
   The LP Radical Caucus needs an afternoon for a member meeting and Adobe
   only licensing by the year for the larger room.  I understand their
   yearly fee is $500- we would be willing to donate $100 for the one day
   use.==
   THE LPRC OFFERED TO PAY FOR IT.  20% of the total cost for ONE DAY OF
   USE.  And if this COULD BE OPENED UP TO OTHER GROUPS the Party could
   cover its expenses.
   Wow, that casts it in another light doesn't it.  As the Proverb says,
   one man seems right until another presents his case.
   Nobody volunteers for this job to have their principles impugned.  I
   certainly don't, and I CERTAINLY DON'T APPRECIATE OR DESERVE IT.
   So stop. This isn't what the Libertarian Party is all about.
   And if but for the requirement that Ms. Mattson must administer all
   meetings, I stand by the idea that if the LP could get its costs
   covered, or even get additional funds, that is not only not
   unprincipled, it is SMART.
   Wes at first expressed reservations and said he would speak with Nick.
   I said cool.
   Then, I said this in response to the information that only one person
   knew how to run it and it could be clunky:
   ==I will do some test runs to learn it and see.  It is probably a good
   idea to have someone else who also knows it in the event of an LNC
   need.  It might not be a bad idea to have someone familiar in case Jess
   or anyone ever wants to try having an interactive member presentation
   like we do with the conference calls.  There might be some potential
   here since we have the license already.  And I love playing with this
   stuff.  I have done some Adobe training.
   I am doing some test runs of some new products (like [1]zoom.us) and
   having a good comparison might good as well in there is a better more
   cost effective solution for the LNC to consider in the future (though
   yes I know Adobe Connect is in the Policy Manual). ==
   Oh... so I wanted to do research to save the Party money?  How
   terrible. How unprincipled.
   Wes said:

   ==Robert, I assume there are no variable charges to the account. In
   other words, we have a flat $500 per year fee and when Caryn Ann uses
   it we don't get hit with additional usage fees.  If there are extra
   usage fees, please let us know about that.

   Caryn Ann, I don't think we are selling this service. This is offered
   free of charge. But, if you use it, I do hope someone will contribute
   $100 in thanks to the party. ==

   I said:

   ==Wes, I will test it out and learn it with some small meetings, and if
   we use it for our yearly member meeting in June (which was the original
   purpose of the request), I will make sure that a gift is given to the
   party.

   I will share any feedback I have regarding any deficiencies and pluses
   for future consideration of the party when considering our options in
   next budget.==

   And get ready here is when the big reveal was given:

   ==Hi Alicia, I understand how Adobe Connect works and would like the
   credentials as per Nick's permission to my caucus to use for an
   upcoming meeting and I would need to do some test runs. This means that
   I could be available to get online if a subcommittee ever needs to use.
   I would like to use this as well for the historical preservation
   committee - in the beginning we are going to be meeting weekly.==
   At this point the LPRC already was strongly considering something else,
   and I pursued this SO I COULD BE A BACKUP PLAN TO TAKE LOAD OFF OF
   ALICIA, HELP SUB-COMMITTEES, AND FOR THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE.
   This has been made into a FB nontroversy as well.  Well, now everyone
   has the entire context and they can judge for themselves what a
   terrible unprincipled request I made.
   I have hopes (it springs eternal) that regret would be expressed at
   this situation.  But I suspect I will instead be scolded for taking
   offense, its my fault for not caring for being smeared.
   And also, I will note it is inappropriate for any of us to promote the
   virtues of one caucus over another.  When I was involved in LPRC
   leadership (I no longer am, I resigned after the "Libertarian Party
   Nudist Caucus" post), I was very careful NOT to do that.  This list is
   a Party asset as well.  We don't use it to promote one caucus over
   another.  Is it a huge deal?  No. Not really.  But if I had done that,
   it would have been made to be the Apocalypse (yes that is hyperbole for
   a point).
   Caucuses serve and important need in this Party and enrich us.  There
   is something for everyone and they all have good and bad points.  We
   all should be proud of our involvements in the ones that suit our needs
   but we should not use our Party position on a Party list to put another
   one down.
   --
   In Liberty,
   Caryn Ann Harlos
   Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska,
   Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington)
   - [2]Caryn.Ann. Harlos at LP.org
   Communications Director, [3]Libertarian Party of Colorado
   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

References

   1. http://zoom.us/
   2. mailto:Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org
   3. http://www.lpcolorado.org/