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

Sat May 9 01:24:04 EDT 2020

Madame Secretary, I’m well aware of who has been discussing what. The
humility I’d like to see is members of this committee setting aside
commitments to positions already taken in order to move forward with
business entrusted to it.

On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 10:16 PM Caryn Ann Harlos <caryn.ann.harlos at lp.org>
wrote:

> Mr. Anderson this is exactly what a majority of LNC members have already
> been discussing, and it has nothing to do with humility but with honouring
> our bylaws.
>
> On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 9:02 PM Phillip Anderson via Lnc-business <
> lnc-business at hq.lp.org> wrote:
>
>> 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
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
> --
>
> *In Liberty,*
>
> * Personal Note:  I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome
> (part of the autism spectrum).  This can affect inter-personal
> communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas.  If anyone
> found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux
> pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
>
>