Interesting.

Call or email me with the details if you would please.

Paulie and Chuck, I looked it over and believe it or not, there is a technical argument that it does not violate the Bylaws, because they are silent on the explicit matter.

However, the *implicit* argument is much more damning. The floor fee is set at $49, and frankly, it’s just f’ing stupid. A materials fee I could understand and even agree with, but pay-to-play for the business meeting is just wrong, and there is nothing to prevent a registered delegate, chosen by his state affiliate, from paying the floor fee and then having his credentials yanked by the CredComm and not getting his money back. No JudComm appeal on that, either. I wouldn’t put it past the CredCom to have someone on there try to “short” delegates, if you catch my hint.

Frankly, imposing a floor fee on top of the qualifications to be a delegate set by the Bylaws and the state affiliates goes beyond the pall. If the convention is a meeting of the membership delegates, where does the LPUS get off in imposing further constraints on those delegates, which interferes with the operations of state affiliates?–which *is* a Bylaws violation since Denver, BTW.

The same issue appears on state conventions in several states as well, including CA, unfortunately; however, dealing with it requires good convention planning, good economics, and ignoring the fools who claim all that is a “subsidy” for those just attending the meeting. It can be done.

There is also a way around it that could be used and definitely would raise some hell post-convention, but I’ll leave that method up to speculation.

I’ve read arguments before that it is against party bylaws, but can that somehow be enforced, and will there realistically be any attempt to do so?

According to information I have recently received, they did indeed succeed in slipping in a floor fee for St. Louis.

I did not support the resolution. It is not the job of the national party to police our affiliate’s executive committees.

Oh yes, God forbid that that Libertarian Party police itself by punishing the scam artists, liars, and incompetents employed by and/or contracted with LP National.

If the Libertarian Party can’t keep itself clean, then how in the hell can anyone expect the party to clean up government.

The lack of ethics and accountability in the Libertarian Party is truly disgusting and is one of the reasons that this party doesn’t get anywhere and has in fact been on a downward spiral for the past 9 years.

It is blatantly obvious that the Kohlhaas and Haugh fucked this party over royally. Anyone who can’t see that is either delusional or a liar or an idiot.

The LNC acted with gross negligence by allowing Kohlhaas to continue to make $5,000 per month (well into the 2008 election season – as can be verified on the Federal Election Commission filings at FEC.gov) and to hire Sean Haugh as Political Director and keep him on staff until December of 2008 (even though it was blatantly obvious that he was a HORRIBLE choice for the job and was screwing things up and squandering donor money).

This party needs to do a better job of cleaning up itself before it can hope to get ahead.

Corrections to the APRC committee rules that resolve some issues. One part of the recommended changes was deferred to mail ballot, but only so that the LNC can review it more carefully and understand what the five of us on the APRC (Dr Ruwart, Mr Wrights, Mr Starr, Mr Jingozian and myself) all wanted implemented.

I expect it to pass by mail ballot.

Standardized the NDA and corrected a major deficiency in the previous versions. The document that was being used was not even close to adhering to libertarian ideals, this one does. Most importantly it recognizes that the volunteer/vendor/board member may be bringing their own intellectual ideas or confidential information into the process. The old document was completely one-sided and quite draconian. This one works, since it is a mutual non-disclosure agreement.

Dr Ruwart still has some concerns, but they are related to definitions of confidentiality and are really outside of the NDA. I agree with her on her concerns, and also have additional concerns of my own. We both believe that they can be addressed and resolved by the committee, which is why she supported the NDA “with reservation.”

Third, and most important: after months and months and months (actually years at this point) we have created at least the structure of what is needed to begin focusing on supporting our affiliates. I’ve been lobbying for the concept of what we are now calling the Affiliate Support Committee as well as a rational non-disclosure since Portland in ’06, so I consider getting these two passed this weekend a major accomplishment.

If we move quickly and define the Affiliate Support Committee’s role correctly then we may actually have a functional group that can begin to effect positive change before the convention.

All the other Regional Representatives and the Vice-Chair support the creation of this committee. There were no objection to the motion from anyone on the LNC.

Paul did a great job trying to keep up with the meetings. Enen though there are several gaps in his coverage, it is on the whole a reasonable representation of the events.

I’ll probably add a few more comments later, but right now I’m starting into my first-day back crash. We got in from Nashville about 3am. I caught a few hours of sleep, so I’m about ready to sleep for a week or two.

Thanks for liveblogging, Paulie!

Thanks for reading.

Milnes,

Thank you, paulie. RP lover.

You’re welcome. If you mean Ron Paul by RP, as I’m sure you do, I like some things about him and not others. As they say on facebook…”it’s complicated.”

Thanks for the liveblog, Paulie! I read along yesterday and today with interest.

Glad I wasn’t just babbling to myself

Don’t rely too much on my notes tho….I was confused as to what was happening much of the time and couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with many other things, such as votes.

Hopefully the tape will be uploadable.

RM, my understanding is that Aaron Starr authored the resolution.

You are correct.

Thanks for liveblogging this, Paulie. It was almost as good as being there.

You’re welcome. See you in Austin and/or St. Louis, I hope.

paulie, thanks and good job, well done.

I can’t say I did a good job, but thanks for thinking or at least saying I did. ‘

I did try and hopefully this will be helpful to people in figuring out what went on. It is far from being gospel though, take everything with a healthy (or is that unhealthy?) dose of salt.

Paulie for Secretary.

Oh God no. And not just because I don’t look good in a skirt and pumps, either.

L:-P

Sullentrup really nailed that issue correctly.

226.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 11.52.40 pauliecannoli

Missed most of discussion

Nays – Hawkridge; Ryan?

227.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 11.54.55 pauliecannoli

Comments – Gordon

Flood

Lark …thanks to var. ppl including me

Dimmit – asks ppl to be added to credential committee

228.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 11.56.51 pauliecannoli

Motion?

I am confused, how are we having a motion during public comments?

Is there agenda item after public comments? I did not hear them close or ask if anyone else had comments?

229.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 11.58.41 pauliecannoli

Sullentrup taking off, Carling will now take minutes

230.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.01.43 pauliecannoli

Inquiries as to voting methods, mail ballots etc

231.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.02.42 pauliecannoli

Punted to mail ballot

232.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.03.43 Stewart Flood

I’m currently on my 9th cup of tea this morning. Starting to feel like Frye in that Futurama episode where he drank 100 cups of coffee. Everything is slowing down…

233.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.09.44 pauliecannoli

Missed something. I think agenda for Austin (next meeting).

234.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.11.03 pauliecannoli

They are trying to sort schedule so that LNC members may be able to attend some LSLA events

235.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.12.11 Stewart Flood

We moved to suspend the rules to consider appointing alternates to the Credentials Committee.

The motion was withdrawn after discussion and deferred to a mail ballot.

236.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.12.37 pauliecannoli

Dixon….staff may be needed for some of both

Redpath….allow Sat. AM for LSLA

Sounds like it was agreed to

237.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.14.21 Stewart Flood

LSLA is the weekend of Friday 2/26 to Sunday 2/28. LNC will meet the afternoon of Saturday 2/27 and the morning of Sunday 2/28.

238.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.14.57 pauliecannoli

Redpath announces he will not seek reelection as chair although he may seek reelection to committee.

Sounded like Colley said he is not running for At Large although I think he was joking.

239.
edit this on 2009.12.06 at 12.16.52 pauliecannoli

Andy tries to bring up Kohlhaas, Haugh, ruled out of order, meeting adjourned.