<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=us-ascii"><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;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-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.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:157818619;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-933337708 693822654 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-text:%1>;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:443231977;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1359243324 -182030636 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-text:%1>;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.75in;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></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>Hello All . . .<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Comments on the hot topics of the last weeks in one e-mail.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ballot Access (OK, SD, others?)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our overriding primary objective, judging from the allocation of discretionary funds, is obtaining ballot access with an ultimate goal of 50+. This being the case, we should be very good, if not the absolute best, at managing ballot access petitioning drives. To me, this means that our staff should be the tops in managing petitioning drives. A Libertarian with the knowledge and experience of Andy Jacobs should be on staff, or at least a retainer of some sort. If that means we give up other things, like hawking tee shirts and coffee cups, so be it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The problem is that we rely on a volunteer to achieve this objective. The problem is not with THE volunteer, but that we rely on A volunteer. Keep in mind that volunteer implies an individual who is unpaid, has a day job, a significant other, a family, perhaps a house, perhaps a church, and all the other personal demands/obligations we all have. Expecting an unpaid volunteer to do the job of professionally managing projects in the $250,000 per annum ball park is asinine. Especially true when several petitioning drives are active simultaneously. The lesson to be learned from all this is that having a paid ballot petitioning expert on staff (or under a retainer of some sort) would have actually been more efficient economically than relying an unpaid volunteer.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Web Site<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We now live in a Google world. Whenever a question arises, the immediate response for most is to “Google It”. The first impression (see below) is generated by the web site. Our many years of hard work have earned us the number two slot on the Google result list when “libertarian” is the search word. A click through gets you to the web site and five seconds later, the surfer has established their first impression. Currently, the first impression is more than likely to be that of a dry goods store hawking Tee shirts marked down from $39 to $20.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We all appreciate that fund raising is our top goal as without funds we can’t do anything. However, surfers who Google “Libertarian” do not do so with the intent of spending money or making a donation. Our “first impression” must consist of the thought: “Hey! This is might be what I was looking for.” The web site must then draw the surfer in and, hopefully, immediately connect them to an equally attractive and effective affiliate web site. (Affiliate web sites being yet another challenge which we must address if either the national or the affiliate is grow in numbers and influence; but that is another issue.)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Presidential Candidates<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All parties with any kind of ballot access have a large number of presidential candidates, most of which are not serious candidates. Since we try to be like the major political parties, we should not consider this aspect of doing so a burden. What we can do is:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>List all candidates who have announced and meet the basic qualifications on our web site.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>For those that submit a decent photograph (the Executive Director can decide what is, or is not, decent), we’ll post the photograph.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>3><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>For those who have a website, we include a link to the web site providing that the APRC deems the web site to be largely consistent with our platform.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>4><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Candidates with decent pictures and acceptable web sites get listed first with appropriate emphasis.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>5><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Candidates without pictures and/or acceptable web sites get listed last with diminished emphasis.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in'>As far as publicity is concerned, candidates must do their own heavy lifting. The marketplace will separate the wheat from the chaff.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dress Codes<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It’s still true: “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”. This is especially true in politics since for a politician, most everyone you get to meet is a one-time shot; you are not likely to ever see that individual again. Also, your appearance is also a matter of respect. Showing up at an event inappropriately attired is an act of disrespect to the folks who taken the time to attend your event, or who have invited you to their event. If you want to earn respect, you must first give respect. A three piece suit is not always appropriate; a tee shirt, shorts, and sandals is almost always inappropriate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Norm <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>--<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Norman T Olsen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Regional Representative, Region 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Libertarian National Committee<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>7931 South Broadway, PMB 102<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Littleton, CO 80122-2710<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>303-263-4995<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>