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</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'>Dr Lieberman . . .<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'>You will get no complaints from me about “sounding like a broken record” on this issue.<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'>However, may I add: A prerequisite of any electoral victory (partisan or non-partisan at any level) requires a strong and effective organization. Committee to elect Fred, for example. If Fred has to build this organization from scratch, the success probability is appallingly low. If, however, there is a strong local organization already in place that chooses to get fully behind Fred (thus eliminating the need for Fred to build an organization), the probability of success increases by an order of magnitude.<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'>If the local organization is truly strong and effective, that organization will probably have several well qualified candidates seeking the support of that organization. If the organization is the local Libertarian Party, the distinct possibility of a “win-win” situation results. That is, a libertarian minded candidate with talent, resume, some name recognition, and perhaps even a few bucks of her own, would seek the support of the Libertarian Party. Thus, a “win-win” situation is entirely possible which could very likely produce a “win-win-win” scenario; the third win being the actual election.<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'>The crux of all this is a strong local organization which can attract libertarian minded candidates to seek the support of the Libertarian Party. While we routinely run 800 candidates in every election cycle, few of these candidates are actually electable. (I know, I am one!) Electable candidates have political skills, a track record, a resume, political connections, community name recognition and, above all, a burning desire to win and serve in public office. (Some personal money is truly very helpful.) Candidates with these qualifications are not Libertarians because Libertarians do not win and, primarily, THE LIBERTAIN PARTY HAS NOTHING TO OFFER THESE FOLKS IN RETURN. This is especially true at the local/municipal/non-partisan level as the one thing, the only thing, that most all of our affiliates can offer, ballot access, is not a real need at that level. (In my home state, 25 signatures will get on just about any municipal/local district ballot in the state.)<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 our by-laws currently prohibit the LP from endorsing candidates of another political party (which is _<i>not</i>_ a bad idea), your statements regarding the success of a political party being based solely on the number of elections it wins are 100% correct. However, simply suggesting this as a strategy to a local affiliate which is operating on a $200 a month budget and has six attendees to an annual meeting which elects its officers is not going to get us anywhere.<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'>Your strategy will indeed start us on the road to success, but only at such time as there exists a whole slew of strong local affiliate. So strong that libertarian minded electable candidates to seek out the support of the Libertarian Party.<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'>How do we get there? I don’t know. I suspect that we, as a body, don’t know either. I suggest that this is our biggest challenge; a challenge which we (as a body) have been ignoring for decades. We need to learn how to cultivate strong effective affiliates at the state and local level, and then seriously fund such efforts, before any kind of electoral success will become a record of success which we can build on.</span><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'><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'>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 1<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 South 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, CO 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></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> Friday, March 20, 2015 8:56 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'lnc-business'<br><b>Subject:</b> [Lnc-business] What the experts say about political parties vs. interest groups<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"'><a href="http://www.wwnorton.com/college/polisci/campaignsandelections/ch/06/outline.aspx">http://www.wwnorton.com/college/polisci/campaignsandelections/ch/06/outline.aspx</a><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><p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";font-style:normal'>From</span> CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS: Rules, Reality, Strategy, Choice</em> <span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>(this is a book)</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> Political Parties <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'>The goal of electing public officials is what unites political parties and what distinguishes them from other groups.<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-family:Symbol'>·</span> Interest Groups <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'>An interest group, or a collection of people with the shared goal of influencing public policy, are different from political parties in that they do not run their own candidates for office, and they typically seek more specific policy goals than parties.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>I apologize for sounding like a broken record, but the above is why I keep writing over and over that this Board needs to focus on helping our affiliates elect Libertarians to public office, and helping them get Libertarians appointed to public office. And for the time being, getting Libertarians elected, or even appointed, to Federal or State level offices is going to be a very, very, very rare event. It is not a good idea to craft strategy and tactics based on events with a 0.1% chance of occurring.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>If we call ourselves a political party, but in reality we act like an interest group, then the public will view us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>as a failed political party. If the public views you as a failed organization, you are not going to get anything constructive done in the real world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The Chair’s recent proposal for the National LP to set up initiative/cause websites is not a bad idea <i>per se</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>However, focusing on increasing membership or even just collecting e-mail addresses is not going to help us achieve liberty in our time when these recruits find out that yes, we do run candidates in elections, but that we celebrate losing elections as much or more than we celebrate winning elections.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> Scott Lieberman</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>