The Valley Forge State Meeting

[Roy.Minet]

I agree with Erik.

[GlennRobinson]

But that recruitment piece must be well planned and the message the guests receive must be consistent, logical and well delivered. 

Anyone in attendance must come away knowing these things:

1. The Libertarian Party is a real and viable alternative.
2. The Libertarian Party represents my beliefs.
3. I want to help the Libertarian Party in my local area and I know who to contact.

Also, we must capture names, addresses and phone numbers and most important, e-mail addresses for everyone in attendance.

[vern]

2. The Libertarian Party represents my beliefs.

This is the key phrase that prevents us from inviting our entire neighborhood to join the LP.  We have a list of principles now that are fairly universal.  Let's build on that.

Consider why the R & D parties are so corrupted, then ask yourself how we can prevent our own party from being so corrupted.  Is it because we haven't listed a specific "Contract for America"?  I don't think so.

[djahn]

1. The Libertarian Party is a real and viable alternative.

And, knows how to focus on races they can win.  And, doesn't waste resources on races that aren't winnable.

2. The Libertarian Party represents my beliefs.

That would be difficult to discern from our current vague platform.  For some reason, we prefer not to reveal our positions on specific issues, or maybe we don't have any.  I'm not even sure what we stand for anymore, and I would like to believe I have been paying attention.

3. I want to help the Libertarian Party in my local area and I know who to contact.

That would be a great outcome.  Let's hope for the best.

Also, we must capture names, addresses and phone numbers and most important, e-mail addresses for everyone in attendance.

Great idea.  I hope we are that organized.  Although, the way this weekend has been promoted, I suspect anyone who shows up is already in the loop.

[vern]

What the LP should stand for is a new majority in America, a party of Principle.  Our platform speaks to that.  Beyond principles, it's more an issue of membership and growth, not refinement of policy.  Let the candidates do that, and the activists who do the work getting signatures.

I'll be frank with you David.  I am completely opposed to what the Republican party is doing in Washington these days.... with the full complicity of Obama and a majority of Democrats.  The public issues of our day, currently the "debt ceiling" debate, enrage me to no end, as they enrage most common people.

But the R&D parties provide no representation of the general public.  They don't even abide by common sense.  Hell, they can't even use honest terminology:  "job creators" = "hedge fund managers"... Really dude?

The US Congress and Senate are owned, OWNED, and not by you or me.  Who does the LP speak for?  Who would you speak for as an elected representative?

Considering some of the "beliefs" I've heard here, it would seem that the latest bill from the US Congress is a great Libertarian victory of some kind.  As if Mitch McConnell himself is a libertarian conservative!

We should be a party of Principle, not a secular cult.

[mark.d.crowley]

I’m not sure what I’d like to see end first, this platform debate or the hot weather. 

Let me share a phone conversation I had the other day.  Right after getting home from work I got a call from a “Young Republicans for <something, I forget>” who had a short phone message and a one question survey.  The phone message wasn’t that short (they never are), but here’s how I recall it went after hearing the message:

Caller: "Did you hear the message?"

Me:  "Yes."

Caller:  "Now our poll question.  What is the worst thing that Obama has done as president?"

Me:  "He continued most of George Bush's programs."

Caller:  (sorta befuddled) "Oh."

Me:  "Didn't expect that answer, did 'ya?"

Caller: "(something unintelligible)"

Me:  "That's why I'm a Libertarian.  Have a good evening.  Bye."

Now that phone call, this platform debate and the delirium from the hot weather got me thinking about an alternative.  What if the first thing they saw on our web page was something like the attached file?

[GlennRobinson]

2. The Libertarian Party represents my beliefs.

This is the key phrase that prevents us from inviting our entire neighborhood to join the LP.  We have a list of principles now that are fairly universal.  Let's build on that.

Consider why the R & D parties are so corrupted, then ask yourself how we can prevent our own party from being so corrupted.  Is it because we haven't listed a specific "Contract for America"?  I don't think so.

Nothing prevents us from inviting the whole neighborhood.  If the Libertarian philosophy is presented properly, many hard line Rs and Ds will support it.  Its all in the message.

1. The Libertarian Party is a real and viable alternative.

And, knows how to focus on races they can win.  And, doesn't waste resources on races that aren't winnable.

2. The Libertarian Party represents my beliefs.

That would be difficult to discern from our current vague platform.  For some reason, we prefer not to reveal our positions on specific issues, or maybe we don't have any.  I'm not even sure what we stand for anymore, and I would like to believe I have been paying attention.

3. I want to help the Libertarian Party in my local area and I know who to contact.

That would be a great outcome.  Let's hope for the best.

Also, we must capture names, addresses and phone numbers and most important, e-mail addresses for everyone in attendance.

Great idea.  I hope we are that organized.  Although, the way this weekend has been promoted, I suspect anyone who shows up is already in the loop.

Viable alternative = can win

The platform is excellent, as written.  It is there to BROADLY outline general positions.  We should never count on it to speak to details of issues.  That is up to each candidate to lay out how he/she will go about implementing/repealing legislation to meet the platform.  Any LP candidate should be free to be extreme or moderate as their personal beliefs or political realities dictate.

You NEVER "hope" for an outcome.  You plan and execute a solid communications strategy.  In the immortal words of Yoda, "No try!  Do or do not!"

Again, you don't "hope" to be organized.  You either are or are not.

[Dr. Tom Stevens]

Thanks to Jim Babb and his wife for running a great barbeque! I stayed 5 hours and the party was still going strong when I left. In fact, some people started taking off their clothes!

[bdively]

Great to see everyone and lively discussions.   Sorry I had to leave early.

[Roy.Minet]

GREAT barbeque.  Many thanks to Jim and Chris Babb; I saw Kat pitching in a lot too.  Sorry I had to leave early and in condition to drive!

[vmays]

Glenn Robinson Said:
2. The Libertarian Party represents my beliefs.

David Jahn Said:
That would be difficult to discern from our current vague platform.  For some reason, we prefer not to reveal our positions on specific issues, or maybe we don't have any.  I'm not even sure what we stand for anymore, and I would like to believe I have been paying attention.

Stop complaining about the Platform, David.  There's a simple solution that SHOULD satisfy almost everybody in the party...POSITION PAPERS to cover specific issues.  That way you get your wish and those of us who truly LIKE the new platform get our wish.

[djahn]

Stop complaining about the Platform, David.  There's a simple solution that SHOULD satisfy almost everybody in the party...POSITION PAPERS to cover specific issues.  That way you get your wish and those of us who truly LIKE the new platform get our wish.

Vance

Hiding behind position papers may satisfy those who wish to transform the party into R&D light, or those who are ashamed of libertarian issues, but fortunately, there are many who see the current platform as a deal breaker.   With any luck we will have a good turnout of principled libertarians attending this years convention.  There is reason to believe we will be leaving there with a real platform.  So, the damage done by the R&D light platform should be limited to this one year.  Any libertarians who are interested in working on a real platform should let us know.

 

[vern]

we will have a good turnout of principled libertarians attending this years convention. 

David, I'm sorry, but I don't see the term "principled libertarians" as being the same as "anarcho capitalists" or whatever you define as "principled".  Do you oppose any single platform we have now?

It seems that there is an effort by a growing minority, let's call them the "old guard", to wrest some sort of ideological control back to the enclave of a chosen circle.

And at ever step, for the past two years, no effort has been made to exclude "anarcho-capitalists" from the LPPa as being somehow "unprincipled".  Yet there is a great deal of anger coming from the other side.

It's too late David.  The party will grow quite a bit in the coming 9 months, and the anarcho-guys just don't have the recruiting capability.  It's a dead ideology in the modern world.  Again, you're free to hold your opinions on policy, but I believe you will be resisted at the convention by a majority on grounds of Common Sense.


Are we to put the next 9 months of our effort into this internal struggle over Ideology, or are we going to build a political party capable of influencing real-life problems in America?

[Eviker]

Nobody can define for anybody else what a "principled libertarian" is.  And anybody can say they know what a "real platform" is.  That sort of "line-in-the-sand" fussiness will do nothing to promote Libertarian ideals in public policy by getting Libertarians elected. 

You could just as easily claim that the MOST principled Libertarians cared enough about liberty to drive to Franklin, PA and decide what the current LPPA platform should say, and that all those who failed to attend the most recent convention are the unprincipled libertarians. 

Absurd.

[bdively]

For $.75 (plus s/h) you can own a copy of Robert’s Rules – In Plain English.  From our meeting Saturday, a good majority of us need to read this.  This version is an awesome quick read, covers the very basics of moving discussion in a structured manner and it’s CHEAP.  114 pages, big type, small pages.   

Please, please buy the book.  . .    I beg you.   (the link is below

Great to see everyone. 

http://product.half.ebay.com/Roberts-Rules-in-Plain-English-by-Henry-M-Robert-and-Doris-P-Zimmerman-1997-Paperback/102845946&tg=info