[Lnc-business] The Cold Equations - We are not cancelling this convention

[Francis Wendt]

To my fellow members of the LNC,

I wanted to take a minute to present the perspective of some of the 
people I have been discussing the situation with the Rosen group over 
the past few days. I want to preface this in saying that the about 3/4 
of the state chairs in Region 1 are in favor of canceling and moving the 
convention online. This isn't new information and has been their 
position since Austin was in question in March. I want to take a moment 
to present some of the other perspectives in this consideration.

That is the real point I'd like to make: we have been trying since March 
to give our members and delegates a plan forward. We have all failed in 
that duty. It is harsh to say, but we have second guessed ourselves, 
shifted our positions, changed our policies, and truthfully shot from 
the hip for the past three months. Despite our best efforts, the 
environment that we living in today doesn't support certainty in any 
action.

I would like to also say that I have had the conversation with the 
Colorado State chair, (among many others). Money has already been spent 
by a number of our delegates, some people are not staying at the venue, 
and thus will not be party to the negotiations for addendum to contract. 
When we are considering financial impacts, we have to also consider that 
personal transactions have also happened based upon the plan that we 
laid out in May.

In March when this whole situation became apparent, many members of this 
committee asked the CoC for options to be presented in April. We didn't 
receive any. In April it was asked again. At our May meeting we still 
didn't have any tangible path forward so were forced to move online. At 
that meeting I advocated to move the in-person portion to August only to 
be told that it would be impossible. Now we are seeing the results of 
our failure to consider that as an option. At the end of May we finally 
had a venue and contract, but everyone on this committee decided they 
could do it better, and the internal battles are still raging. We 
created this situation, make no mistake about that.

Another point is that this LNC was doomed from the start when the 
Judicial Committee was not seated, thereby giving the members and 
affiliates no recourse to the actions of this committee. That was a 
mistake and a failing of this committee. The mistakes and failings have 
continued to this current discussion. It is time to realize that we 
cannot fix this anymore and the term ends on July 12th, 11 days from 
now. We need to plan for that ending.

As we are concerned with financial risks to the party and our members we 
need to realize that we are past the point where we can fix this. In 
reading over the contract cancellation will put us at greater financial 
risk for the party and our members. That is not a good decision for the 
future, because our members are our future. We should have planned to 
hold this in August, and we should have trusted that the members of this 
board had the best interests of the party in mind. We didn't, and now 
here we are.

Regardless of what any survey says we need to start trusting each other. 
I know that about 40-50% of the delegates from Region 1 will not be in 
Orlando, myself included. Region 1 has three states that have resolved 
to disaffiliate should full remote participation not be authorized. By 
my rough count, 4 full delegations will not be traveling. No matter what 
we think or feel, the delegates in Orlando will be only a fraction of 
the representation chosen by the affiliates.

The best, and simplest course of action is to work with the Rosen group 
when they present their addendum, advocate for full remote 
participation, and wrap up this term because it is a month overripe. 
It's time to reelect our leadership, and look forward to supporting Jo 
and our other candidates this cycle, growing the party membership, and 
planning for wins in 2022.

Best Regards,

---
FRANCIS WENDT
LNC Region 1 Alternate
  406.595.5111

On 2020-07-01 01:45, Caryn Ann Harlos via Lnc-business wrote:
> PS my husband is no longer the CO state chair.  it is of personal 
> interest
> because it is my state chair and I have to face her.  And I will not 
> look
> her in the eye and say too bad so sad you are out that money unless I 
> am
> willing to make her whole.
> 
> *  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) in an actual email, please contact me privately and let me know.  
> *
> 
> 
> On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 1:43 AM Caryn Ann Harlos 
> <carynannharlos at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> Everything I have to say assumes that nothing else changes such as the
>> chair choosing to vote on that email ballot early or the state of 
>> Florida
>> shutting things down.
>> 
>> Fact:  We have a perfectly acceptable location.  I do not find the
>> stretches to try to find ways this is materially different 
>> particularly
>> credible but as a justification to relitigate this issue that the 
>> delegates
>> already decided.
>> 
>> Fact:  The soonest we can meet is July 4.  I am not available.  Of 
>> course
>> a meeting can take place without me but that would then prove 
>> contradictory
>> to the repeated concerns of disenfranchisement of anyone.  Not that 
>> this
>> difference of one day really matters.
>> 
>> So we meet on July 5. You really think we are going to cancel on July 
>> 5?
>> That is grossly abusive to delegates.  Some of them ARE ALREADY 
>> DRIVING
>> DOWN.  It is too late.  This is a fact and not all the wishes of a 
>> magic
>> lamp changes that.
>> 
>> Further, I am hearing from more people and I am not even certain now 
>> that
>> finding out that the original delegates changed their mind is enough 
>> (if
>> they have).  Why?  People have spent thousands in detrimental reliance 
>> on
>> our decision.  Including the Colorado state chair which is of personal
>> interest to me.  Anyone voting to cancel, I do hope you will volunteer 
>> your
>> own money to make these people whole.
>> 
>> It is over IMHO unless someone can show me where my reasoning is 
>> wrong.
>> The sooner we stop sabatoging the will of the delegates (which we
>> criticized the chair for) the sooner we work to make this a success 
>> under
>> difficult circumstances.
>> 
>> We don't get to override the delegates.  We don't get to cause people 
>> to
>> lose money because we have cold feet,.
>> 
>> *  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) in an actual email, please contact me privately and let me know.  
>> *
>>