<div dir="ltr"><div><div>Wes,<br><br></div>I'm not wedded to any particular set of criteria, and I'm all for simplicity.  I'm open to any set of standards which will weed out those candidates who are pretty clearly fringe/frivolous -- the ones who have no hope of seriously competing for our nomination, and are either delusional or just in it because they think it would be neat to declare themselves to be Presidential candidates.<br><br></div>Dan Wiener<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 9:11 AM, Wes Benedict <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:wes.benedict@lp.org" target="_blank">wes.benedict@lp.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
  
    
  
  <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
    Dan,<br>
    <br>
    Just to be clear on the Presidential candidate listings, staff
    follows the instructions of the chair and LNC. If the criteria is
    changed, we'll try to follow the criteria. However, if you do change
    the criteria, I hope you can find a way to do it that doesn't create
    a lot of busy work for staff, the LNC, the candidates, or the state
    chairs. Requiring a certain number of supporters to be listed, 
    (e.g. chairs, members, LNC members, etc. ) is the kind of busy work
    I'm hoping is avoided.  <br>
    <br>
    Conducting, for example, an approval voting process at the upcoming
    LNC meeting, where those with more than 50% support by LNC get
    listed, would not involve a lot of busy work. It's still objective
    criteria, just not overly engineered and time-consuming, and
    amendable by email ballot after the fact if necessary, such as if
    someone new files.<br>
    <br>
    If a few were pulled off our current list, I don't think there'd be
    a lot of comlaints. There'd be a lot of people happy about that. If,
    on the other hand, most were removed and only a few remained, then
    you'd probably see a lot of complaints.<br>
    <br>
    <pre cols="72">Wes Benedict, Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314
<a href="tel:%28202%29%20333-0008%20ext.%20232" value="+12023330008" target="_blank">(202) 333-0008 ext. 232</a>, <a href="mailto:wes.benedict@lp.org" target="_blank">wes.benedict@lp.org</a>
<a href="http://facebook.com/libertarians" target="_blank">facebook.com/libertarians</a> @LPNational
Join the Libertarian Party at: <a href="http://lp.org/membership" target="_blank">http://lp.org/membership</a></pre><div><div class="h5">
    <div>On 2/9/2016 12:51 AM, Daniel Wiener
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    </div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div class="h5">
      <div dir="ltr">
        <div>Kevin, I agree with you that I don't like our party being
          embarrassed by fringe candidates.  I have urged for a long
          time that we create more stringent criteria for officially
          acknowledging those individuals who've decided to run for the
          LP's Presidential nomination.  (Not to stop them from running,
          just not publicizing them.)  Four years ago I proposed a
          Policy Manual amendment to do just that (see the email below),
          but it went nowhere.  Who knows, perhaps the LNC may have more
          interest now than it did then in coming up with <u>something</u>
          to distinguish serious candidates from frivolous ones.</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>However, back in 2011 I did succeed in adding the following
          provision to the Policy Manual:</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px">
          <div><strong style="font-size:12.8px">Section 2.06 PARTY <span>COMMUNICATIONS</span></strong></div>
          <div><strong style="font-size:12.8px">5) <span>Assuring</span> <span>Quality</span> <span>Communications</span></strong></div>
          <div><span style="font-size:12.8px">If a majority of all LNC
              members notify the Secretary of their belief that a
              proposed or actual public communication is detrimental to
              the image of the Party, such notification to occur no
              later than 72 hours after the public communication is
              published, the Secretary shall inform the Executive
              Director and Chair of this finding, and such communication
              shall not be further disseminated, and to the extent
              possible, already-disseminated material shall be promptly
              removed from the public sphere.</span></div>
        </blockquote>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>You should keep this provision in mind for any future
          instances in which you've spotted something which you think is
          "detrimental to the image of the Party".  Whether it's
          something new on the LP web site or Facebook page or whatever,
          you should immediately email the LNC with your objection.  If
          a majority agree with you and act fast, it can be quickly
          deleted.  Failing that, four LNC members can sponsor a motion
          to delete it, although the voting on such a motion will take a
          lot longer.</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>As a member of the Advertising & Publication Review
          Committee, I should also mention that the APRC does look at
          all LP communications.  However, its role is officially
          limited to assuring that the Platform, Bylaws, and Policy
          Manual are not violated, and its deliberations are required to
          be confidential.  So when issues arise from time to time, no
          one outside the APRC sees what things are prevented from being
          published, nor does anyone else hear the concerns and
          arguments (and disagreements) which are expressed within the
          committee.  That can often be frustrating for those of us on
          the committee, but those are the limitations we have to abide
          by.</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>Dan Wiener</div>
        <br>
        <div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
          From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Daniel Wiener</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:wiener@alum.mit.edu" target="_blank">wiener@alum.mit.edu</a>></span><br>
          Date: Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 9:14 AM<br>
          Subject: Policy Manual motion on Presidential candidates<br>
          To: LNC Discussion <<a href="mailto:lnc-discuss@hq.lp.org" target="_blank">lnc-discuss@hq.lp.org</a>><br>
          <br>
          I haven't seen any further suggested modifications for the
          last five days, so at this time I am proposing a motion to
          make the following changes (underlined in blue) to Section
          2.08(2) of the Policy Manual, and I am asking for co-sponsors.<br>
          <br>
          Daniel Wiener<br>
          <div class="gmail_quote"><br>
            <blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right:0px">
              <div>
                <div>
                  <div>
                    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"><b>Section
                            2.08(2) Limitations on Party Support for
                            Public Office</b></font></span></p>
                    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"></span></p>
                    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"><b>Party
                            resources shall not be used to provide
                            information or services <u><font color="#3333ff">or promotional material</font></u>
                            for any candidate for public office prior to
                            the nomination unless:</b></font></span></p>
                  </div>
                </div>
                <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><b><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"> </font></span><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri">•
                        such information or services <u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"><font color="#3333ff">or promotional material
                              facilities</font></span></u> are available
                        and announced on an equal basis to all
                        Libertarians who have declared they are seeking
                        the nomination for President or Vice-President,
                        <u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"><font color="#3333ff">providing that a candidate
                              is qualified according to the following
                              criteria:</font></span></u></font></span></b></p>
                <div>
                  <div>
                    <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><b><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span>      </span></span></span><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">The candidate is a
                              sustaining member of the national party;
                              and</font></span></u></b></p>
                    <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri"><br>
                            </font></span></u></b></p>
                  </div>
                </div>
                <p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt 0.5in"><b><font color="#3333ff"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span>      </span></span></span></font><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">The candidate
                          supplies a list of at least 100 sustaining
                          members of the national party who have
                          declared that they consider the candidate to
                          be "acceptable"; and</font></span></u></b></p>
                <p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt 0.5in"><b><font color="#3333ff"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span>      </span></span></span></font><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">The candidate
                          has raised at least $5,000 in campaign
                          contributions from donors other than the
                          candidate or the candidate's immediate family.<br>
                        </font></span></u></b></p>
                <p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt 0.5in"><b><font color="#3333ff"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span>      </span></span></span></font><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">During the
                          month immediately prior to the national
                          nomination convention, an additional criterion
                          is that the total money which the campaign has
                          raised since the candidate announced </font></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">shall have
                          exceeded $10,000</font></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri"> </font></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">(from donors
                          other than the </font></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">candidate or
                          the candidate's immediate family)</font></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri">.</font></span></u></b></p>
                <p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt 0.5in"><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"></span></u></b></p>
                <div>
                  <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"></span></p>
                  <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"><b>•
                          <u><font color="#3333ff">or,</font></u> such
                          information or services are generally
                          available and announced to all party members</b></font></span><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"><b>
                          <font color="#3333ff"><u>in the case of
                              non-national candidates</u>.</font></b></font></span></p>
                  <div>
                    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"></span></p>
                    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"><b>•
                            or, the service or candidate has been
                            approved by the state chair <font color="#3333ff"><u>in the case of
                                non-national candidates</u>.</font></b></font></span></p>
                  </div>
                </div>
                <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><b><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font face="Calibri"><font color="#3333ff">Qualified
                            Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates
                            may, with the assistance of any LNC member,
                            post promotional material to the LP Blog,
                            but the total number of such posts shall be
                            limited to the number of 30-day periods
                            prior to the nomination convention (rounded
                            up) from when a candidate first became
                            qualified.  A list of qualified candidates
                            along with links to their web pages shall be
                            featured on the </font><a href="http://www.lp.org/" target="_blank"><font color="#3333ff"></font></a><font color="#3333ff"><a href="http://www.lp.org" target="_blank">www.lp.org</a></font><font color="#3333ff"> web site and in LP News,
                            and may be included in appropriate
                            publications and mass emailings to
                            members.  In each case there shall be a
                            disclaimer stating that the party does not
                            necessarily endorse or agree with the
                            candidates or the contents of their web
                            pages. <br>
                          </font></font></span></u></b></p>
                <div>
                  <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height:115%"></span></p>
                  <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><u><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><font color="#3333ff" face="Calibri"><b>The above
                            restrictions do not apply to the
                            dissemination of newsworthy information
                            about candidates and their campaign
                            activities, where the source or the object
                            of the information involves significant
                            media outlets which are not affiliated with
                            the candidate.<span>  </span>Contemporaneous

                            newsworthy information about a candidate
                            shall be aggregated to the maximum extent
                            practical. The APRC shall be authorized to
                            resolve any uncertainties by majority vote.</b></font></span></u></p>
                  <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><u><span style="font-size:8pt;color:rgb(31,73,125);line-height:115%"><span style="text-decoration:none"></span></span></u></p>
                </div>
              </div>
            </blockquote>
            <div> </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <br>
      <fieldset></fieldset>
      <br>
      </div></div><pre>_______________________________________________
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</pre>
    </blockquote>
    <br>
  </div>

<br>_______________________________________________<br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font size="1"><i>"In general, we look for a new law by the following process. First, we guess it (audience laughter), no, don’t laugh, that’s the truth. Then we compute the consequences of the guess, to see what, if this is right, if this law we guess is right, to see what it would imply and then we compare the computation results to nature or we say compare to experiment or experience, compare it directly with observations to see if it works.<font size="2"><b> If it disagrees with experiment, it’s WRONG. In that simple statement is the key to science.</b></font> It doesn’t make any difference how beautiful your guess is, it doesn’t matter how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is. If it disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong. That’s all there is to it.”</i> -- Richard Feynman</font> <font size="1">(<a href="https://tinyurl.com/lozjjps" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/lozjjps</a>)</font><br></div></div>
</div>