<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Lucida Handwriting";
panose-1:3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Consolas;
panose-1:2 11 6 9 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";}
span.PlainTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Plain Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text";
font-family:"Consolas","serif";}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 77.95pt 1.0in 77.95pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It costs the average delegate about $2,000 out of pocket to attend a four day convention. Add lost pay, or the value of two vacation days, and the true cost is about $3,000. That’s $750 a day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Let me make you an offer. I have single day tickets providing participation Libertarian National Convention for an entire day of By-Law debate for the low low price of $750 a pop. Any takers out there? How about a day’s worth of haggling over the Platform for the low low price of $750? Any takers? How about a real deal: Two days of haggling over what the meaning of “is” is for the low low price of $1,400. Any takers?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Given that we have been around for 43 years, our success in the political arena is rather poor. Many of our members would say dismal. Is our lack of success because our By-Laws are not up to snuff? I know, I’m out of touch. Our lack of success is because our Platform hasn’t been tinkered with enough. Or, maybe our lack of success is due to the fact that we habitually violate rule 23.4 (iii)(g) on page 472 of Roberts Rules of Order.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Of course, I’m being facetious. We should be putting on conventions our members can afford to attend, where members will participate in political action, where the delegates are better activists when they return home. Four day conventions on a non-holiday weekend make our conventions so expensive that roughly only a third (half on presidential years) of the delegate slots are actually filled. We need to put on conventions where 1,000+ think it worth the time and money to attend, especially in the off years. We need to put on conventions that young people, especially students, are anxious to attend and can afford to do so. Saving a few bucks on the room rate would be a welcome improvement, but that represents only a small portion of the true cost of attending a convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Our members want more political action, not more governance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Norm<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>PS> Cost of attending the Columbus convention:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Airfare: $ 500<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hotel (4 nights @ $130) $ 520<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Airport Transportation (to, from, to, from, plus parking) $ 100<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Meals/Sundries/Tips at airports: $ 100<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Gold Convention Package: $ 400<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Meals (not covered by Gold Package) $ 200<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Entertainment/Beverages/Sundries $ 100<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Lost Pay/Value of 2 vacation days $1,000<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Total Cost $2,920<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Cost per day $ 730<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>For 400 delegates $ 1,168,000<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Did we get our money’s worth? The surest way to reduce the cost of attending a convention is to have a shorter convention on a holiday weekend. To have a better convention that 1,000+ delegates will attend requires much less “governance” and much more “activism”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>--<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Handwriting";color:#1F497D'>Norman T Olsen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Regional Representative, Region I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Libertarian National Committee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>7931 S Broadway, PMB 102<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Littleton, Colorado 80122-2710<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>303-263-4995<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Norman.Olsen@lp.org<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Gandhi<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces@hq.lp.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Scott L.<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 17, 2014 8:38 AM<br><b>To:</b> lnc-business@lp.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Lnc-business] FW: convention duration and costs<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Starchild asked me to forward the petition below to the LNC.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> Scott Lieberman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> Re: [Lnc-votes] [Lnc-business] convention duration and costs<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> Excellent call, Daniel! We agree staff's list of unneeded expenses that could cut our national convention costs in half so we spend $60,000 rather than $120,000 should be documented. As members of the Libertarian Party, we share Daniel's interest in seeing this information shared, and seeing it acted upon. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> While we welcome and thank Wes Benedict for coming forward with this information, however, we do not like the idea of shorter conventions as a way of saving money. Conventions are vital to our party's governance, and they happen only once every two years. We want a more bottom-up party with more time at conventions for members to engage in party governance (update platform and bylaws, pass resolutions, and hear debates among candidates for LNC positions), not less. At our June 2014 convention, there was an important resolution that did not get considered and debated because we ran out of time, and few proposals were considered from the floor. For those who find the current format boring, longer conventions would give us time to work in lots of fun stuff and local activism as well as our business sessions. There should also be a full, open investigation by the Convention Site Selection Committee into holding conventions at less expensive, non-traditional venues.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> By the way, we request all of you on the LNC to include your names and contact info on your email messages to the LNC list, as Wes Benedict did below, to make it clearer who is saying what. That way LP members reading messages forwarded from the list will be able to clearly identify who is saying what, and how to reach them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> For liberty,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> Starchild (California)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Additional signers subsequently signed on:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Mike Shipley (Arizona)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Sharona Nelson (Kentucky)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Roderick Long (Alabama)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Bruce Majors (District of Columbia)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Jerry Dixon (California)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>P.S. - Would a member of the LNC please forward this message to the LNC list so it appears there for the record, since we cannot post?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> On Sep 1, 2014, at 6:16 PM, <a href="mailto:lnc-votes@hq.lp.org">lnc-votes@hq.lp.org</a> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> Wes,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> I am a little lost here..Not sure where Mr Olsen’s referenced email is. If there are blatant unneeded expenses then please share those here with us Wes. Consider this a formal request from the District 7 Regional Alternate for the information.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> Daniel Hayes<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> On Aug 31, 2014, at 4:07 PM, Wes Benedict <<a href="mailto:wes.benedict@lp.org">wes.benedict@lp.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> I'm confident a survey of members would show people would prefer shorter conventions. (I think that's what Mr. Olsen is suggesting below.) I don't recall that question being asked in a survey in recent years. But I do hear the complaint quite often that the conventions are too long, too boring, too much parliamentary theatrics, and too expensive. Shorter would be less boring and less expensive. Training could more easily be fit in before the convention for those that enjoy hanging around for more days. And for those that try to squeeze in local sight-seeing, a shorter convention would make it easier for delegates to join their families. One less average hotel night per convention would be a great goal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> LP Texas had over 300 attendees at its 2014 convention at a cheap venue. I don't know the total budget, but I'd like be interested in knowing. And I'll take a guess it cost $25,000. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> The 2014 national convention in Ohio cost over $120,000.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> I'm pretty confident Robert Kraus and I could design a pretty good 2018 national convention for 400 to 700 delegates that cost $60,000. That's because he and I know of a lot of costs at the 2010, 2012, & 2014 conventions that could have been reduced or avoided. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> $60,000 versus $120,000. Our services and advice are available upon request (but preferably not this coming week due to other priorities).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> Wes Benedict, Executive Director<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> Libertarian National Committee, Inc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> New address: 1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> (202) 333-0008 ext. 232, <a href="mailto:wes.benedict@lp.org">wes.benedict@lp.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> facebook.com/libertarians @LPNational<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> Join the Libertarian Party at: <a href="http://lp.org/membership">http://lp.org/membership</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> On 8/31/2014 1:21 PM, Norm Olsen wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>>> The schedule of official business of the 2018 national convention of the LNC shall consist of 2˝ days, commencing on the morning of Saturday, May 26, 2018 and adjourning by 2PM on Monday, May 28, 2018.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> _______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>>>> Lnc-business mailing list<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>