[Lnc-business] Fwd: LNC 2020 Convention Solution Input

[Phillip Anderson]

This is excellent, well thought out. Now let’s see who is humble enough to
lead.

On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 9:14 PM john.phillips--- via Lnc-business <
lnc-business at hq.lp.org> wrote:

> Forward of an email with detailed convention thoughts from Avens Obrien.
>
> Lots of interesting thoughts for consideration.
>
> John Phillips
> Libertarian National Committee Region 6 Representative
> Cell 217-412-5973
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Avens O'Brien <avens.obrien at gmail.com>
> Date: May 8, 2020 8:59 PM
> Subject: LNC 2020 Convention Solution Input
> To: john.phillips at lp.org
> Cc:
>
> Hi John -
>
> Per your suggestion on Facebook, I am submitting this in an email for you
> to forward on to the rest of the LNC.
>
> I posted this on Facebook earlier today and it has received
> positive feedback. The original link can be found here:
> https://www.facebook.com/avobrien/posts/10100329054914256
>
> I apologize for the length, I am reviewing the problems around the
> convention, the downsides of proposed solutions, and finally a breakdown of
> the actual processes involved in my proposed solution.
>
> I am aware that others have suggested things like what I am suggesting.
> I have dived a bit deeper into the details, I believe.
>
> As a long-time member, delegate of several years and volunteer, I would be
> happy to assist the convention committee or anyone in implementing these
> ideas or related but alternative solutions.
>
> The content of my original post is below.
>
> Best,
> Avens O'Brien
> Former Vice Chair, LPNH 2006-2008
> CA Delegate to National, 2020
>
> ________________________________
>
> PROBLEM:
>
> The Libertarian Party was supposed to have an in-person convention over
> Memorial Day Weekend (starting May 21st) in Austin TX. We are unable to do
> that, due to restrictions by the city of Austin or state of TX in the face
> of Covid-19.
>
> This convention is where we select our Presidential and Vice Presidential
> candidates, where we select new LNC officers/reps, and deliberate/vote on
> changes to our bylaws, platform, and more. It is also a substantial
> fundraiser.
>
> We also have a really great time partying and seeing each other in person
> since we spend so much time bickering online and it’s really nice to get
> the real life experience of each other. I have come away from each national
> convention liking my fellow Libertarians so much more than I often do
> arguing online.
>
> So, unfortunately, we will have no in-person convention during Memorial
> Day weekend.
>
> ________________________________
>
> ALTERNATIVE #1
>
> One alternative solution is to move the date of the in-person convention.
> We do not yet know how long travel or gathering restrictions are going to
> last, and even when they have been lifted, we don’t yet know how many
> delegates would not be able to attend due to health concerns (themselves or
> those they live with) and also adjusting for new travel location and time.
>
> Besides the possibility that attendance will be lowered, this creates an
> issue of perhaps a poor representation of the delegates if, say, all older
> delegates do not attend due to health concerns.
>
> This also creates issues with ballot access for some states (which is also
> being worked on) and even more: campaign time. Waiting until July or August
> to nominate minimizes the amount of time our nominee has to campaign/take
> donations/try to get media attention towards themselves and the Party.
>
> I will attend any in-person convention that occurs, because I have low
> person risk of major Covid-19 complications, the ability to quarantine
> myself, and an annoying sense of duty to ensure my voice as a delegate is
> represented no matter what.
>
> I realize others cannot make that same choice.
>
> ________________________________
>
> ALTERNATIVE #2
>
> A second alternative solution is to have an all-online convention using
> video meeting software like Zoom. This would allow delegates (and
> alternates) to log in from their computers at home and participate in floor
> discuss, debates, votes etc. This would allow people to participate
> wherever they are without travel restrictions or health concerns.
>
> This also has issues: 1000 people logging in to participate, proposed
> resolutions, debate, discussion, votes? In the in-person convention hall it
> has its own faults, but there’s also controls: limited microphones, a stage
> from which the meeting is run, and the self-restraint that is (somewhat)
> created by the fact that individuals attending actually had to pay to get
> there, and aren’t going to do things that would get them thrown out. We DO
> behave ourselves better in person than we do online.
>
> There may or may not also be issues if there’s an online-convention with
> states (or state parties) recognizing the delegate vote on the presidential
> and vice presidential nominees.
>
> Also, let’s be honest: the national convention IN PERSON is a HUGE
> fundraising opportunity for the party. There are NUMEROUS avenues, from
> gala dinners to pie-throwing afterparties, where we make money, and an
> online convention DOES make that harder.
>
> ________________________________
>
> PROBLEMS VS SOLUTIONS
>
> Along the way, observing this, I have been disappointed in the amount of
> “problem seeking” behavior rather than “solution seeking” behavior of some
> people inside the party and on the LNC.
>
> Many of the people who are adamantly opposed to online convention will
> disrupt one. Many of the people who are adamantly opposed to an in-person
> convention will emphasize the risks, the ballot-concerns. These ARE valid:
> online conventions can be disrupted in ways IRL (in real life) ones can’t.
> There may be ballot issues, health risks, and representation problems.
>
> Ultimately, it appears that many people may refuse to acknowledge the
> result of a vote cast in either situation, claiming it’s not
> representative, or within order, or whatever.
>
> No matter what way we decide: we will have huge numbers of this convention
> feeling disenfranchised, poorly represented, or potentially ignored, and
> this may affect support for our candidates.
>
> What can be done about that?
>
> ________________________________
>
> A BETTER SOLUTION
>
> I can’t honestly see that either an exclusively online or exclusively
> in-person option will work.
>
> As someone who has attended years and years of National and State
> conventions, here is my preferred solution – one that utilizes online
> voting and possibly in-person confirmations.
>
> We have an online vote among delegates for our President/Vice President
> candidates, and then potentially move the in-person convention to later in
> the year.
>
> BUT BASIC POLLING ISN’T ENOUGH. There are things we need to be able to do
> that basic polling does not allow.
>
> ________________________________
>
> ONLINE VOTE PROCESS:
>
> First – state delegate chairs or state party chairs need to ensure they
> have the best contact information for their delegates – both email and
> phone. We need to confirm methods of communication, and we ALSO need to be
> VERY communicative about timelines.
>
> We should make our decisions about when these things will be happening and
> then giving, say, a week notice so that people can make sure they’re
> looking out.
>
> SO, I’m going to suggest timelines here, which are not binding, they are
> examples:
>
> We tell delegates this weekend, that P/VP nomination process will be
> occurring beginning on May 21st, and a calendar for the next dates is then
> created based on this start date. This calendar of the timeline should be
> PUBLIC, posted on the LNC website and emailed to delegates, alternates AND
> even party members (who have an interest in observing).
>
> ________________________________
>
> TOKENS
>
> So, normally at a National Convention, the delegates receive tokens, which
> they can use NOT for their vote for President and VP, but to determine who
> they want in the official LNC debate. This narrows the field for the debate.
>
> We need to emulate this process. Delegates (only) should have the ability
> to give their tokens via a vote distributed via email. Perhaps the link to
> the vote is sent to the email on file, but the password to login is called
> or texted, reducing chances of hacking or others using their code. There
> are multiple ways to validate votes.
>
> Let’s say this is emailed out on May 21st. Delegates will have 24 hours to
> respond – I highly recommend someone from each state is determined by each
> state party to call/email/remind delegates to do this. I would agree to do
> this for CA if needed.
>
> The LNC collects the results of the token vote. This determines (based on
> number of tokens received) who is in the main debate. There is a minimum
> number required from the conventions that I can’t remember right now (30?).
> This would be the same.
>
> ________________________________
>
> DEBATE
>
> The LNC hosts a live Zoom debate (say on the 23rd) using a moderator who
> was going to be chosen for the in-person debate anyway. The only
> participants will be the debate moderator and the candidates who qualified.
> This will be recorded, for distribution to the delegates.
>
> SPEECHES
>
> At each convention, we allow the candidates (I believe anyone who was
> nominated and then seconded?) to address the convention in a limited speech
> (5 mins?) in which they can speak themselves, or have others speak on their
> behalf.
>
> Candidates would be given the right to prepare a video of the same length
> as the usual speech, which could potentially feature other people who speak
> on their behalf, or might be a well-produced campaign video. Whatever they
> want, within the time limitations. These videos will be hosted on various
> video platforms, and collected by the LNC.
>
> ________________________________
>
> VOTE #1
>
> The LNC, on May 24th, would then send out an email to all members, with a
> link to the debate, as well as a link to each candidate video. Also, to the
> delegates: a link to the first Presidential vote. (Again, perhaps requiring
> a password that was sent separately, again to better validate the votes).
>
> The delegates would have 48 hours (or perhaps 24 hours) to vote (this
> allows for what usually happens during an in person convention – internal
> caucus and campaign lobbying can occur via phone calls and emails). This
> puts us at the 26th if we’re doing 48 hour votes.
>
> The results of this vote would be emailed to the delegates/members (and
> shared on social media) and then if another round is required, we do the
> same thing we would do at the in-person convention, with a slightly
> different timeline: candidates have say, 12 hours to send new time-limited
> videos dropping out/endorsing anyone, before another round of voting.
>
> This continues in the same fashion until we have determined our nominee by
> over 50% of the delegate vote. The same process occurs for the VP spot.
>
> This should land us into the very beginning of June with our results.
>
> ________________________________
>
> POTENTIAL IN-PERSON CONVENTION
>
> Once the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates are chosen, we can
> begin petition collecting or ballot efforts or campaigning and volunteers
> and whatever the heck we need to begin doing to support them.
>
> We plan for an in-person convention in, say, August or even September.
> This allows us to do platform, bylaws, officer elections. We can also
> certify the vote made in late May/early June regarding our P/VP nominees.
>
> This in-person convention can also have the Presidential and Vice
> Presidential nominees as the keynotes, and operate much like other
> conventions: celebrating an already determined nominee, and generating
> press and interest for that. As well as fundraising.
>
> THE BIG IF:
>
> IF as we get into June, we find that an in-person convention is less
> likely even as far out as July or August or September, we still have a much
> longer timeline for determining what changes we need to make when: perhaps
> officer elections also become an online process like P/VP.
>
> Perhaps a motion is made to reserve bylaw and platform changes to the 2022
> convention in order to acknowledge this unprecedented event globally, and
> then we do some sort of online state chair convention to ratify the P/VP
> election. I’m not sure, but the fact is we can spend months figuring out
> the right solution for THAT. We just can’t spend months waiting on our
> Presidential/VP ticket.
>
> Please feel free to contact me for further clarification, questions, or
> help.
>
> I look forward to learning what the LNC decides.
>
> Best,
> Avens O'Brien
> CA Delegate 2020
> Former LPNH Vice Chair, 2006-2008
> 818.308.5098 | avens.obrien at gmail.com
>
> ...
>
> Avens O'Brien
> http://www.avens.me
>
>
>