Ballot Initiative

Activists List
1

Sorry about that Marcy, I guess I overlooked or forgot that part of
your message. All right, I'm interested in being on the committee. How
do we decide committee meeting schedule and action? Is someone in
charge?

      <<< Starchild >>>

Hi Starchild,

1. Yup, Ballot Initiative Committee it is. Created while I was
composing my e-mail to this list a couple of days ago (you read the e-
mail because you responded to it!)

2. As is the case with all LPSF committees, everybody is a member who
wants to be one. "Appointing" Libertarians is a contradiction ...
like "herding" cats.

Marcy

--- In lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com, Starchild <sfdreamer@e...>
wrote:

  Thanks for the clarification, Marcy. Ballot Initiative

Committee? I

didn't know we had such a committee. Does it have any members, and

if

so, who are they and when were they appointed?

Yours in liberty,
        <<< Starchild >>>

Hi Starchild,

Poor sentence punctuation on my part! Only the first part of the
sentence regarding the complexity of the initiative process was
intended to be attributed to you!

We did mention methods of choosing an initiative at the last

meeting;

however, it is not clear to me right now what exactly the

different

methods were (I think because they might have gotten buried amid
discussion). I suggest that the Ballot Initiative Committee

clearly

puts forth the methods in an "A, B, C" fashion, and specifically
request either the vote of the Ex-Com, or a "straw poll" from the
membership (whichever the Committee prefers).

After such a vote is accomplished, we will be ready for the next

step.

Marcy

--- In lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com, Starchild <sfdreamer@e...>
wrote:

Marcy,

  I didn't say a ballot initiative *shouldn't* be undertaken

unless we

have firm commitments. Only that our chances of actually getting

it

on

the ballot will be in jeopardy if we *don't* have a strong enough
commitment. There are benefits to be gained from circulating

petitions

for a ballot measure even if it doesn't in the end make it onto

the

ballot -- although we should make every effort to see that it

does.

  Before deciding which measure to go with, we were going to

adopt a

method for making that decision. Since we discussed the

possibility

of

weighted voting based on how much money or how many signatures a

person

is pledging, some people may be waiting to express their personal
commitments until it's determined how we will select a measure.
Therefore my recommendation is that the ExCom to adopt a method

ASAP,

and if in doubt as to which method to adopt, seek further input

or

take

a poll, but do it quickly.

  Choosing a ballot measure is a significant enough decision

that I

would prefer to see the ExCom make a decision based on the

results

of

an online vote or "straw poll" (whether conducted on the basis

of "one

person one vote" or otherwise) rather than just on the

preferences

of

the officers. It would be nice to say let's just wait and decide

at

the

next meeting, but such a delay would be costly.

Yours in liberty,
        <<< Starchild >>>

Hi All,

I said to Phil (our resident Initiative Expert, along with
Starchild), that I would share my feelings about the Ex-Com

stepping

in and picking an initiative, as was suggested at the last LPSF
meeting. I have been consistently speaking in favor of

proposing

an

initiative as means to place the LPSF name before the general
public. However, I have not perceived enough support (i.e.,

firm

commitment to either work or donate funds) for this project from

our

activists. As Starchild has described, placing an initiative

before

the voters is a sizable endeavor, and not a project that should

be

undertaken without such firm commitments. Therefore, as a member

of

the Ex-Com, my vote would be "none of the above." Obviously,

this

vote does not prevent continuation of the discussion among those

who

wish to proceed with this project. I would consider those brave

souls

members of the newly created (I just created it) "Ballot

Initiative

Committee." A request for a formal motion to refer this subject

to a

special committee will be on the next agenda, if nothing else is
firmly decided before the next LPSF meeting. Hopefully,

activists

who want to work on a ballot initiative will get together and

make it

happen. Also hopefully, other activists will be working on

plans

for

the Pride Parade (in June, and their website is already up), the

next

social event (great way to bring in more activists), the

Juneteenth

Festival (I believe Mike Denny encouraged us to participate last
year), etc. It would be terrific if by the next LPSF meeting
everybody is ready to sign up for one of these, or other,

activities!

Regards,

Marcy

Yahoo! Groups Links

Yahoo! Groups Links

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for
anyone who cares about public education!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/69cplB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lpsf-activists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos