<div dir="ltr">
<p class="MsoNormal">Where is George Santayana when you need him?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayana">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayana</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayana"><br></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oh, I guess he can’t be bothered right now.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But, he was right.<span>
</span>Those who cannot remember the past ARE condemned to repeat it.<span> </span>Or won’t remember it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here we go again.<span> </span>The
LNC, which has unfortunately limited resources, now can barely wait to give away
funds to almost any candidate for public office who comes along.<span> </span>Who could not see this coming?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am, and plan to continue to be, a pretty consistent “No”
vote on LNC subsidization of campaigns.<span>
</span>The reason is that there are more important matters to which the LNC
needs to devote its resources.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But, first a step back.<span>
</span>I see the role of the Libertarian Party in the current political system in
the United States largely as being a protest political party.<span> </span>I don’t like that; but, objectively, it is
what I observe.<span> </span>I want that to
change.<span> </span>I work hard and give a lot of
money, including to the Joe Buchman Campaign, to change that.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I will again state (and I do not mean to sound negative, but
forthright) that the Libertarian Party will not be an electoral success in the
United States until we have some form of proportional voting system(s) in the
United States.<span> </span>That is why I am on the
Board of Directors of FairVote, as well as on the LNC.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Until then, the LP should work to change the election system
(which it does way too little of, in my opinion) to allow the US to become a
multiparty system, and, in turn, the LP would become a major party in the US.<span> </span>In the interim, we should strive to be the
best and biggest minor party in this nation by running as many non-embarrassing
candidates for public offices at all levels of government as possible.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yes, there is some progress over the years to report for the
LP.<span> </span>Unfortunately, downdrafts in our
fortunes have historically frequently occurred and are largely outside our
control.<span> </span>And, I do not agree with the “Build
from the Bottom Up” theory of party development that emphasizes “winnable” lower
level races for public office.<span> </span>I don’t
buy it in theory and, as of today, there is 45 years, 7 months and 4 days of
evidence that says it is working far too slowly, if it is even working at all.<span> </span>I don’t see how we can sustain a national
political party with people running only for local offices.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There have been numerous instances of bad LNC candidate
funding decisions, but certainly the biggest was for the Ed Coleman Campaign
for Indianapolis City/County Council in 2011.<span>
</span>The LNC gave $50,000 to that campaign.<span>
</span>I voted to Abstain only because the vote went around the table the other
way and was already decided.<span> </span>I’ll admit
that I took the path of least resistance there, but I would have felt impelled
to vote “No” if Alicia Mattson had come my way first.<span> </span>Mr. Coleman incurred a large electoral loss
and left the LP shortly thereafter.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fifty-two weeks ago tomorrow, I told the LNC at our Las
Vegas meeting that contributing $10,000 to the John Moore for Nevada House
Campaign would be “throwing money down a rat hole.”<span> </span>Afterword, I felt angst that perhaps I spoke
too harshly.<span> </span>In retrospect, if anything,
I was too kind.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are other examples, but I won’t belabor the point.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As to the argument that we need to give money to our candidates’
campaigns in order to help persuade the older parties’ politicians to come over
to our camp, all I can say is that I profusely welcome them to the LP, but they
had better come over with their eyes wide open with knowledge gained beforehand
as to what they will be up against.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some may state that we can afford the $5,000—it isn’t that
much money.<span> </span>That is the argument used by
advocates for government subsidization of public broadcasting.<span> </span>And, it will only stimulate contribution requests
from many more candidates going forward.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think we have more pressing needs, including finishing the
Ohio petition drive and helping the Tennessee and Alabama parties achieve ballot
access.<span> </span>We should help the Georgia party
knock down that state’s egregious non-statewide ballot access restrictions, and
there will be petition drive needs in 2018 to maximize the number of candidates
that we can run nationwide next year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The LNC could give funds to FairVote (Conflict
Statement: I am its Treasurer) or other
organizations that are working to change the US voting system to make it welcoming to more than the two older parties.<span>
</span>That is what would really make our candidates electable far and wide.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And, although I do not favor prepayments on the LNC building
mortgage, even that would be a better use of funds for the long term viability
and strength of the Libertarian Party.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joe Buchman is a long, long time dear friend of mine.<span> </span>I love the guy.<span> </span>It appears he is doing a great job with his
Campaign for US House, Third District, in Utah.<span> </span>To say I wish him the best in this endeavor
is an understatement.<span> </span>But, he is almost
certainly not going to win this election, and we should employ our limited
funds for other purposes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Until the LNC is much more flush with cash, we need to cease
contributions to our candidates’ campaigns and allow our members and friends of
the LP to do that directly.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We need to stop this.<span>
</span>The time to stop it is now.<span> </span>I
vote “No” and ask my fellow LNC members to do the same.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bill Redpath</p>
</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 15, 2017 at 11:01 AM, Caryn Ann Harlos <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:carynannharlos@gmail.com" target="_blank">carynannharlos@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">I vote Yes.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 15, 2017 at 3:36 AM, David Demarest <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dprattdemarest@gmail.com" target="_blank">dprattdemarest@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">I vote YES.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Salut to Dr. Joe Buchman!</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">~David Pratt<br><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Freedom, Nothing More, Nothing Less<br><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">~David Pratt Demarest</div><div dir="auto">LNC Region 6 Representative</div><div dir="auto">LSLA Vice-Chair</div><div dir="auto">LPNE SCC Secretary</div><div dir="auto">LPRC Board Member</div><div dir="auto">LPRC Nebraska State Coordinator</div><div dir="auto">Roads to Freedom Foundation, Founder</div></div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div class="m_-9123149021973766574h5">On Jul 15, 2017 3:16 AM, "Alicia Mattson" <<a href="mailto:agmattson@gmail.com" target="_blank">agmattson@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"></div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div class="m_-9123149021973766574h5"><div dir="ltr"><div><div>We have an electronic <span class="m_-9123149021973766574m_-2631443861197344781m_-861965292322660540gmail-m_6324776411065130667gmail-m_1398300420053645662m_3190443451192923416gmail-il">mail</span> <span class="m_-9123149021973766574m_-2631443861197344781m_-861965292322660540gmail-m_6324776411065130667gmail-m_1398300420053645662m_3190443451192923416gmail-m_-3236448625161631958gmail-m_-8379118852138647182gmail-m_-6417268801349296248gmail-m_1986229171992062500gmail-m_1181632840545237343gmail-m_5539741857281978456gmail-m_3269739548110022274gmail-m_-7417594590945562825m_-3106942960241565296gmail-m_2797144110872258469gmail-m_7277579120155508541gmail-m_9149391285218628846gmail-il"><span class="m_-9123149021973766574m_-2631443861197344781m_-861965292322660540gmail-m_6324776411065130667gmail-m_1398300420053645662m_3190443451192923416gmail-il">ballot</span></span>.<br></div><br><b><u>Votes are due to the LNC-Business list by July 25, <span class="m_-9123149021973766574m_-2631443861197344781m_-861965292322660540gmail-m_6324776411065130667gmail-m_1398300420053645662m_3190443451192923416gmail-m_-3236448625161631958gmail-m_-8379118852138647182gmail-m_-6417268801349296248gmail-m_1986229171992062500gmail-m_1181632840545237343gmail-m_5539741857281978456gmail-m_3269739548110022274gmail-m_-7417594590945562825m_-3106942960241565296gmail-m_2797144110872258469gmail-m_7277579120155508541gmail-m_9149391285218628846gmail-il"><span class="m_-9123149021973766574m_-2631443861197344781m_-861965292322660540gmail-m_6324776411065130667gmail-m_1398300420053645662m_3190443451192923416gmail-il">2017</span></span> at 11:59:59pm Pacific time.<br></u></b> <br><u>Co-Sponsors:</u> Harlos, Bilyeu, Demarest, Starchild<br>
<br><u>Motion:</u> for the LNC to contribute $5,000 to support the Congressional campaign of Joe Buchman (Utah)<br><br></div>-Alicia<br><br></div>
<br></div></div>______________________________<wbr>_________________<br>
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<br></blockquote></div></div>
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<a href="mailto:Lnc-business@hq.lp.org" target="_blank">Lnc-business@hq.lp.org</a><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="m_-9123149021973766574gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font size="4" color="#666666" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b>In Liberty,</b></font></div><div><font size="4" color="#666666" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Caryn Ann Harlos</b></font></div><div><font size="1">Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee </font><span style="font-size:x-small">(Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - <a href="mailto:Caryn.Ann.Harlos@LP.org" target="_blank">Caryn.Ann. Harlos@LP.org</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small">Communications Director, <a href="http://www.lpcolorado.org" target="_blank">Libertarian Party of Colorado</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small">Colorado State Coordinator, <a href="http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org" target="_blank">Libertarian Party Radical Caucus</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small">Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee</span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small">A haiku to the Statement of Principles:</span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small"><i>We defend your rights</i></span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small"><i>And oppose the use of force</i></span></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small"><i>Taxation is theft</i></span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size:x-small"><br></span></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</font></span></div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br></div>