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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white 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'>“Non-responsive state-affiliates” is a very visible symptom of a much deeper problem. Most of our affiliates consist of a mailbox, maybe a phone number, and a dozen or two activists which keep it alive, mostly with their own personal contributions.<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'>A simple document (doesn’t need to rise to the level of an agreement) which states what the state affiliates can expect (and possibly not expect) from national and what national expects from the affiliate is all that is necessary and would be a step in the right direction. I find the idea of “requiring” anything of the affiliates (other than what is spelled out in the by-laws) to be totally naïve.<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'>The lack of organizational strength of our affiliates is the underlying problem of which “non-responsiveness” is only one of the many visible symptoms. Building organizational strength at the state, and county, affiliate level is where future success lies.<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><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";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces@hq.lp.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Scott L.<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 01, 2014 2:42 PM<br><b>To:</b> lnc-business@lp.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Lnc-business] LP National's dilemma Re: DenverPost Voter's Guide contact information<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Some might construe this idea as off-topic, but I don’t think it is.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>This has probably been implemented before, but since we are again facing the problem of non-responsive state-affiliates, perhaps this would work:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Most state affiliates do not have enough money to hire anyone full-time, or perhaps even part-time. However, in unity there is strength.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>I did a <u>very, very rough</u> back of the envelope calculation, and came up with a figure of $10 per <b>National</b> LP member per year to have a full time employee whose sole job would be to act as a remote office-manager for the 30 smallest state affiliates. I understand that due to FEC regulations this would probably have to be organized by the states, and that state LP membership is likely to be a smaller number than National LP membership in a given state. I am hoping that we have enough fund-raising expertise in our party to teach our affiliates to be able to raise this amount of money for that purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>This full-time employee would essentially be working full-time for 1 ½ weeks each year for each state that they were working for. The 30 smallest state affiliates all have fewer than 200 National LP members, so my guess is that 1.5 weeks per year is enough time to keep up the state’s database, make sure the web site is kept up to date with logistical content (contact info, event info, etc), and answer the phone for that affiliate. I assume the next largest 15 states could hire another employee to perform a similar function, and I assume there are 5 states that can take care of these functions on their own.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Perhaps the National LP’s contract with affiliates should include a provision that affiliates must have a live person available to answer the phone from 8am until 8pm local time (phone trees would be permissible for this purpose), and that this office manager would fill that requirement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>So – when a media call came in for a given state, this employee would call each person on the list in a given state until they reached someone. This might require enabling the Chair, Vice-Chair, and one other person the authority to answer media inquires, but that would help guarantee that media inquires would be answered by an in-state LP official. Of course, you don’t need an employee to have a phone tree, but I would guess that it is always better for the media person to be able to initially reach a live person within one minute.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Obviously the goal is to grow all of our affiliates to the point that all of them can afford to have at least one full-time employee, but the above suggestion is the first step towards that goal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Volunteers are great, but if you absolutely, positively do not want stuff to fall thru the cracks, you need to pay someone to get that kind of service year in and year out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> Scott Lieberman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='color:windowtext'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> Lnc-business [<a href="mailto:lnc-business-bounces@hq.lp.org">mailto:lnc-business-bounces@hq.lp.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Norm Olsen<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 01, 2014 12:07 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'Wes Benedict'<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:lnc-business@hq.lp.org">lnc-business@hq.lp.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Lnc-business] [Statechairs] LP National's dilemma Re: DenverPost Voter's Guide contact information</span><span style='color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hello Wes . . .<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'>With regard to your message:<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=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>National is capable of supporting a full time staff of 6(?). State Chairs and other affiliate officers are all volunteers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Maybe two or three affiliates have a full (or even part time) employee which is not a volunteer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>3><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>National should respond to all reasonable requests in this very busy time of year in a reasonable manner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>4><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Affiliates where the requested information is not easily accessible to media are in no position to complain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>5><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The judgment of the Executive Director and the Political Director should be trusted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>6><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>More frequent contact between national and the affiliates would establish some report and thus reduce substantially this type of paranoia which is hurting us.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>7><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Yes, staff has a lot to do, but general elections only occur once every two years.<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><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</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><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";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> Statechairs [<a href="mailto:statechairs-bounces@hq.lp.org">mailto:statechairs-bounces@hq.lp.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Wes Benedict<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 29, 2014 2:56 PM<br><b>To:</b> Chuck Plunkett; <a href="mailto:statechairs@hq.lp.org">statechairs@hq.lp.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [Statechairs] LP National's dilemma Re: Denver Post Voter's Guide contact information<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Perhaps you can imagine the dilemma we face at LP National. Do we help expedite coverage for our candidates in a quick efficient way, or put another thing on the plate of the state chair, or engage in a sometimes time-consuming cumbersome permission process with the state chair?<br><br>It's quick and easy for us to make a list and send it to a reporter. It's even quicker simply to forward a note like this to a state chair. It's time consuming to contact the state chair, wait for a response for hours or days, then decide what to do if a response is not forthcoming.<br><br>Based on participation rates on recent IT Committee surveys, LP News affiliate submissions, and responses to requests for updates to things like State Chair contact lists, I think most state chairs are quite busy and don't have time to respond to lots of things like this. <br><br>I don't think sending a list of contacts to a reporter violates state affiliate autonomy. I think telling a state affiliate they are required to send a list to a reporter DOES violate state affiliate autonomy. <br><br>In this particular case for Colorado and the alleged Denver Post contact, I'm going to pass the buck and ask our political director Carla Howell to use her best judgement (meaning to judge whether or not the contact is legit and is a legit and important enough media outlet to warrant a list, is it important enough for us to send a list, should the state chair be contacted first for permission, etc.)<br><br>I've heard from one person "it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission" and also "don't talk to any media in my state." <br><br>LP Colorado, please speak up if you have an opinion on this in the mean time. I know some states are quick to respond and some almost never respond. Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Wes Benedict, Executive Director<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></blockquote><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>