[Lnc-business] Policy citations for our review
david.demarest at lp.org
david.demarest at lp.org
Sat Feb 24 13:46:51 EST 2018
Dear All:
I agree with Erin. This discussion thread is beyond frustrating to me for two reasons.
First, the undercurrent of using the hard work of advancing the party by an LNC member as a political wedge against them goes beyond the pale. It is easy to differentiate between those who consistently work hard to advance the party and those who get occasionally get distracted by the temptation to nitpick at commendable efforts of others for undisclosed reasons. For the sake of the party and the cause of freedom, I hope the latter continue to be in the minority. Enough said.
Second, and much more important, the net result of this discussion will be to discourage hard workers who are refocused on the advancement of the party. Even though I am not in Region 1, I belong to their Facebook group. I am well aware that Caryn Ann openly and transparently solicited travel expense contributions via the Region 1 Facebook group. I believe I donated a modest amount toward her travel expenses. Despite our occasional vigorous disagreements (), I know what excellent work Caryn Ann does not only for the large number of widely dispersed states in Region 1, but for the broad reach of the LP and the Libertarian movement.
For several years, my wife and I have traveled to state conventions within and external to Region 6. Wonderful experience! This year is no exception. We are empty nesters and have always paid our own way. However, after I accepted an offer to speak at the upcoming April 14th South Dakota state convention, they generously offered to cover my lodging. I accepted their gracious lodging expense offer even though it was not necessary. Along with Nebraska Unicameral Senator Laura Ebke and LPIA Chair James Schneider, I am a strong supporter of Aaron Aylward, Greg Baldwin and all the hard-working South Dakota activists in their efforts to join Region 6. If the South Dakota offer to cover lodging expense is considered a conflict of interest, I will reimburse them for the lodging expense without a second thought. I will, however, honor their offer to speak on their requested topics of recent LNC business and the upcoming Omaha UnConvention. With South Dakota's permission, I may also speak about a new Libertarian event and fund-raising opportunity that I hope will change the topic of this unfortunate thread.
At the Douglas County Libertarian Party LPNE affiliate meeting this week in Omaha, I was preaching to the choir about two key components of Libertarian outreach that are critical to generating enthusiasm about the Libertarian movement, namely events and fund-raising. This led to a healthy discussion of quarterly events, where and when to hold them, and event-promotion and fund-raising strategy. I indicated that the Roads to Freedom Foundation would be available as a resource. I asked what they thought about establishing an annual Libertarian holiday as an opportunity for outreach events and fund-raising, not just in Nebraska but across the nation. The ensuing lively discussion got the ball rolling with speculation about the holiday name, date and related outreach strategy. Here are some ideas being floated, just for openers. The DCLP solicits your LNC input.
• Date: April 15th (the infamous ‘Tax Day’) – Other suggested dates? Note: South Dakota’s April 14th state convention might a good launching pad for a proposed April 15th Libertarian holiday.
• Name: TANSTAAFL - “Their Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”, coined by Robert Heinlein in “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” and popularized by Milton Friedman in his book by the same title. Other suggested Libertarian holiday names?
- Entrepreneur Day?
- Voluntary Market Day?
- Freedom Day?
- Deliverance Day?
- Sovereignty Day?
- Others?
• Precedents? Is anyone on the LNC aware of previous or proposed Libertarian holiday dates and names?
• Strategy: Open to discussion. What role would the various LP levels like to play in popularizing a Libertarian holiday, including the LNC, caucuses, affiliates, and independent foundations?
Thoughts?
~David Pratt Demarest
Region 6 Representative
-----Original Message-----
From: Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org] On Behalf Of Caryn Ann Harlos
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2018 12:46 PM
To: lnc-business at hq.lp.org
Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] Policy citations for our review
And here we go again. I asked. There is nothing sinister in asking and a resource that sits unused could be made available to everyone.
On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 10:56 AM Elizabeth Van Horn < elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org> wrote:
> Caryn Ann, you wrote:
>
> The deciding factor there was our contractual agreement with Adobe that
> you must be present to administer all meetings. Libertarians keep
> contracts and that was unworkable. Nick was perfectly amenable in
> letting other groups use it and making that widely known until that
> came up. You could not be expected to attend all those meetings. I
> think that personally was a bad deal to sign up for and that there
> are
> much better conferencing options (and cheaper) that could be used by
> more people, but that wasn't the issue then. When adobe renewal
> comes
> up, there are far better options that don't require reliance on
> one person.
>
> -------------
>
>
> Was the possibility of caucuses using the Adobe platform, which is
> contracted with the LP, ever discussed by this board? This is another
> instance where party assets are okd for use, and this board should
> have been made aware. So, I'm asking, was this discussed by the LNC?
>
> Also, for the record: The LPCaucus would have soundly rejected any
> offer from LP national to use LP assets in this manner. (If such an
> offer had been made) Principles matter, we'd find it wrong to
> compromise our principals, even to benefit our group. The LPC doesn't
> approve of frivolous use of LP assets. It doesn't matter if there's an
> ill-advised contract and an item isn't used much. It's inappropriate
> to let caucuses avail themselves of items paid for by the LP members.
>
> ---
> Elizabeth Van Horn
>
>
> On 2018-02-24 04:56, Caryn Ann Harlos wrote:
> > ==Earlier this term, Mr. Sarwark instructed staff to provide to Ms.
> > Harlos the login information for the LNC's Adobe Connect
> > account so
> > that the Radical Caucus could use it for their caucus meeting.
> > Staff
> > then sent me a request to remind them of the login information.
> > We
> > don't have an LNC policy specifically about the use of party
> > assets
> > by
> > caucuses, however I objected based on the recurring theme of the
> > other
> > LNC policies, and this offer was not being extended to all
> > caucuses,
> > and the idea died there with Ms. Harlos agreeing that the Radical
> > Caucus would find another meeting option.===
> > The deciding factor there was our contractual agreement with
> > Adobe that
> > you must be present to administer all meetings. Libertarians keep
> > contracts and that was unworkable. Nick was perfectly amenable in
> > letting other groups use it and making that widely known until that
> > came up. You could not be expected to attend all those meetings. I
> > think that personally was a bad deal to sign up for and that
> > there are
> > much better conferencing options (and cheaper) that could be used by
> > more people, but that wasn't the issue then. When adobe renewal
> > comes
> > up, there are far better options that don't require reliance on one
> > person.
> > ==Policy Manual Section 2.03.4 : Conventions==
> > This is speaking about national party conventions and delegates.
> > == Policy Manual Section 2.03.5 : Credit Card and Expense
> > Reimbursements==
> > == NOTE: This allows travel reimbursements for "officers".===
> > That is a good point and a very good catch but in context it
> > certainly
> > is in the context of the reality that officers will have to
> > regularly
> > do this and there was to be no question that it could be reimbursed.
> > It does not say or imply that others could not be only that such was
> > not an expected guarantee. The main take away here is Party related
> > activities.
> > == Policy Manual Section 2.03.9 : Related Party Reporting==
> > And the treasurer had all this noted for the next report which is
> > when
> > it would have been included as per this section.
> > == Policy Manual Section 2.08.2 : Limitations on Party Support for
> > Public
> > Office==
> > Not running for public office.
> > ==Policy Manual Section 2.09.6 : Limitations on Party Support for
> > Party
> > Office
> > "Party resources shall not be used to provide information or
> > services
> > for any candidate for party office unless:
> > * such information or services are available and announced
> > on an
> > equal basis to all Libertarians who have DECLARED they are
> > seeking
> > that office, or=== [emphasis added]
> > I have not declared and this section obviously again means
> > information
> > and services related to that campaign. Or does that mean you can no
> > longer ask for services or information that have nothing to do with
> > campaigning unless it is offered to me (if I declared)? Of course
> > not. This is about providing support for campaigns for DECLARED
> > Party
> > candidates. I was neither campaigning nor was I declared.
> > == Policy Manual Section 3.03.1 : Affiliate Relationships
> > "Special agreements with states require the approval of the
> > LNC."==
> > I also have no idea what this means, but I cannot conceive of any
> > intent in which it would apply here.
> > No policies were violated. You can have your opinion that wrong
> > discretion was used and that is fair. And subjective. I
> > followed the
> > rules and directions and got the appropriate approvals.
> >
> > On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 1:37 AM, Alicia Mattson
> > <[1]alicia.mattson at lp.org> wrote:
> >
> > Below I'm going to quote a number of LNC policies that we
> > should
> > keep
> > in mind for evaluating the subject of the day.
> > There is a large body of LNC policy establishing a framework of
> > keeping
> > things on an even playing field. Some of the policies were
> > specifically written after real-life experience with a
> > situation
> > that
> > generated objections.
> > Our policies require fairness regarding use of party assets by
> > pre-nomination candidates for public office, or for internal
> > party
> > office. Our policies forbid giving some national convention
> > delegates
> > financial advantages over others. Our policies require that
> > "special"
> > agreements with affiliates (agreements not offered to all)
> > require LNC
> > approval. Our policies require advance approval of related
> > party
> > transactions and then various financial disclosures beyond just
> > FEC
> > reporting.
> > Earlier this term, Mr. Sarwark instructed staff to provide
> > to Ms.
> > Harlos the login information for the LNC's Adobe Connect
> > account
> > so
> > that the Radical Caucus could use it for their caucus meeting.
> > Staff
> > then sent me a request to remind them of the login information.
> > We
> > don't have an LNC policy specifically about the use of party
> > assets by
> > caucuses, however I objected based on the recurring theme of
> > the
> > other
> > LNC policies, and this offer was not being extended to all
> > caucuses,
> > and the idea died there with Ms. Harlos agreeing that the
> > Radical
> > Caucus would find another meeting option.
> > I think the current situation may run afoul of some of our
> > policies
> > below, but we shouldn't have to write a policy to anticipate
> > every
> > potential idea that might arise. There's enough collective
> > experience
> > on this board that good judgment should be able to spot the bad
> > optics
> > here.
> > Policy Manual Section 2.03.4 : Conventions
> > "The Party shall not directly or indirectly compensate or
> > otherwise
> > underwrite or subsidize the convention travel, lodging
> > (excepting
> > room
> > upgrades which the Party received at no cost), entertainment
> > costs or
> > speaker fees/honorariums of any Convention delegates. This
> > policy
> > shall
> > not prohibit the Party from underwriting organized convention
> > events
> > offered to all donors of a particular level. Nor shall it
> > prohibit
> > delegates from receiving complementary meals or access to
> > convention
> > events in rough proportion to their level of volunteer work.
> > All
> > volunteer compensation must be approved by the Convention
> > Oversight
> > Committee, and contemporaneously published when actual
> > compensation is
> > received."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.03.5 : Credit Card and Expense
> > Reimbursements
> > "... Travel expenses incurred by officers for the explicit
> > purpose of
> > conducting Party business (excluding those incurred for the
> > purpose of
> > attending LNC meetings) may be reimbursed. Business travel
> > expenses
> > not pre-authorized by the LNC must be deemed necessary and
> > approved in
> > writing by the Chair to qualify for reimbursement. All travel
> > expense
> > reports are to be audited by the Treasurer, and approved by the
> > Treasurer and the Chair."
> > NOTE: This allows travel reimbursements for "officers".
> > Policy Manual Section 2.03.9 : Related Party Reporting
> > "For each related party engaging in one or more financial
> > transactions
> > with the Party, all interim financial statements shall
> > include a
> > report
> > of the status, nature and current and year-to-date amounts with
> > respect
> > to such transactions, including contributions, expenses, loans,
> > commitments, guarantees or any other transaction."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.04.3 : Contracts and Contract Approval
> > "All contracts or modifications thereto shall be in writing and
> > shall
> > document the nature of the products or services to be provided
> > and the
> > terms and conditions with respect to the amount of
> > compensation/reimbursement or other consideration to be paid.
> > ...
> > No
> > agreement involving a financial transaction with a related
> > party
> > shall
> > be executed unless first approved by the LNC. Any such
> > agreement
> > shall
> > be disclosed in a conflict of interest statement."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.08.2 : Limitations on Party Support
> > for
> > Public
> > Office
> > "Party resources shall not be used to provide information or
> > services
> > for any candidate for public office prior to the nomination
> > unless:
> > * such information or services are available and announced on
> > an
> > equal basis to all Libertarians who have declared they are
> > seeking
> > that nomination,
> > * such information or services are generally available and
> > announced
> > to all party members, or
> > * the service or candidate has been approved by the state
> > chair."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.09.6 : Limitations on Party Support
> > for
> > Party
> > Office
> > "Party resources shall not be used to provide information or
> > services
> > for any candidate for party office unless:
> > * such information or services are available and announced on
> > an
> > equal basis to all Libertarians who have declared they are
> > seeking
> > that office, or
> > * such information or services are generally available and
> > announced
> > to all party members."
> > Policy Manual Section 3.03.1 : Affiliate Relationships
> > "Special agreements with states require the approval of the
> > LNC."
> > NOTE: I am not certain the exact motivation for adding this
> > language,
> > but it may have been one of the following. It could have been
> > during
> > Project Archimedes in which states with partisan voter
> > registration
> > were targeted for membership drives because there already
> > existed
> > a
> > list of people in that state who are philosophically aligned
> > with
> > the
> > party. It could have been a situation during the Unified
> > Membership
> > Program in which an affiliate combined state-specific mailings
> > with LP
> > News. It didn't cost the LNC additional expense. The
> > affiliate
> > paid
> > the marginal cost of the extra postage, and the LNC paid the
> > same
> > postage they would have otherwise incurred for LP News.
> > -Alicia
> >
> > References
> >
> > 1. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
>
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