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

[Francis Wendt]

Madam Secretary, 

I appreciate that you disagree, I was almost certain you would on some
points. You have a tendency to refute any perspective that doesn't fully
align with your immediately so as not to lose the point. That is
detrimental to discussions and debate. I respect your passion, but,
please, realize that fair voice and equal representation of the members
of this committee sometimes require us to bite our tongue and let our
opposition have their input without rebuttal. 

I do not believe that you and I will ever see fully eye to eye, and when
we first met in March of 2017 that was my opinion. We need more than one
perspective, and need to respect that differing perspectives are also
valid. Group think has soured the efficacy of this committee, and these
types of immediate rebuttals have caused many to simply ignore your
arguments or stop responding to the business list.  

This is not a personal attack, and I hope you don't take it as such. I
send this email to do exactly what I promised the delegates who elected
me to the next term: provide professionalism, civility, and leadership
to this body. We don't always need the last word, and this will be the
last that I will input to this thread. 

Best Regards,

---
FRANCIS WENDT
LNC Region 1 Alternate
 406.595.5111 

On 2020-07-01 12:15, Caryn Ann Harlos wrote:

> Mr Wendt, I disagree with several of your factual recitations as being overly simplistic, your conclusion is correct.  Thank you for taking seriously the concerns of the Colorado state chair and others similarly situated.  This is not equivalent to Austin where people also lost money.  That was due to the state.  There was nothing we could do about that.  In this situation it would be due to us, and I do firmly believe anyone voting to cancel has in fact voted to rob those people of their money. 
> 
> I am also glad you note that the opinion of the state chairs has not changed.  I believe that belies any idea that the fact that the state chairs still think this is an accurate representation of the delegates since the delegates obviously voted differently.  The delegates are the authority here and they have spoken.
> 
> 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 12:07 PM Francis Wendt <francis.wendt at lp.org> wrote: 
> 
>> 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.  
>>>> *
>>>>