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Libertarian National Platform Committee Selected 2010

Written by Subject: Philosophy: Libertarianism
(Reported by Starchild)
 
Here are the results of the voting to fill the 2010 LP Platform Committee from this weekend's LNC meeting in San Diego. Each LNC members voted for up to 10 individuals to fill the 10 committee spots, with the candidates for committee slots (those who applied and submitted sample planks) receiving votes as follows:

VOTES       NAME
_________________________________
13                Rebecca Sink-Burris
13                Adam Mayer
12                Richard Randall
11                Brian Holtz
11                Alicia Mattson
10                Jon Roland
10                Steve Gordon
9                  Rob Power
9                  Joe Hauptman
________________________________

    Each of the 9 above-named folks got the votes of a majority of LNC members, and were therefore selected to fill 9 of the 10 committee slots. While I'm not familiar with all of these folks, I believe we once again are stuck with a committee that is OK with a "mainstream" (aka watered-down) platform. I am certain Holtz, Mattson, and Gordon lean that way, and probably Sink-Burris, Mayer, and Roland as well. That's already 6 votes out of 10, even if Randall and Hauptman favor a strong, no-compromise libertarian platform. The remaining candidates on the list to be considered received votes as
follows:


VOTES      NAME
________________________________
8                 Chris Barber
8                 Susan Hogarth
5                 Starchild
5                 John Howell

    Following some debate over when and how to fill the remaining 10th seat on the committee, the LNC held a vote between the top two vote- getters not already selected, Susan Hogarth and Chris Barber. Susan won that vote 9-5. I'm not 100% sure who the five folks were who voted against her (or for Barber), but believe the following are the most likely suspects: Aaron Starr, Bob Sullentrop, Stewart Flood, Rebecca Sink-Burris, and Dan Karlan.

    Obviously I was not particularly popular with the LNC members when it came to sitting on the Platform Committee. I expected that, so it was not terribly disappointing. I would rather court controversy by being nonconformist and outspoken in standing up for what I believe is right, than tone it down in order to win a popularity contest. I met John Howell at the LNC meeting, and he expressed his support for the Grassroots Libertarians Five Key Values, so I was discouraged that he did not make it either (not sure about Chris Barber -- anyone know anything about his views?). It is good that at least a couple strong radicals (Rob and Susan) will be on the committee, but the LNC majority obviously had little interest in giving our faction any more committee seats than the procedure they'd set up essentially required them to, given the number of folks who applied. It would have been nice to have a few more applicants who want a strong platform -- it's not too early to write up your sample planks and application now for when they select the 2012 committee in a couple years!

    Despite being passed over for Platform Committee, I was surprisingly successful in being appointed (by an 8-6 vote) to serve as an alternate to the Bylaws Committee. While that committee had already been filled, it apparently only had one alternate picked, and there was anticipation that it might not make quorum at its next meeting (in Charleston, South Carolina, on Feb. 27 during the weekend the LNC and state chairs are meeting there) unless additional alternates were selected. As usual suspect committee chair Dan Karlan nominated a couple alternates (M Carling and Vicki Kirkland), which the LNC voted in, I asked LNC member Julie Fox to nominate me as an alternate.

    To my somewhat-amazement, my nomination was approved. Just shows what can be accomplished by showing up and being persistent and assertive, even when you think the odds are stacked against you! I look forward to taking part in the Bylaws committee discussions and debate, and performing as much damage control as I can, and hopefully even helping get some changes in place to make this party more bottom-up in its governance and more oriented toward championing the hardcore libertarian values that it was formed for the purpose of advancing.

Love & Liberty,
                    ((( starchild )))
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