[CALPCandidates] who else is doing stuff?

TJ,

  What you say about local chapters recruiting candidates in their areas and statewide recruiters only focusing on statewide offices makes sense, although we can all try to help each other wherever efforts may fall short. I'm also with you on supporting non-LP candidates with strongly libertarian views. Although I believe the LP is the best long-term choice, not only to ensure that people can vote for a party fully committed to libertarianism but also in order to end the two-party monopoly cartel and make the United States a real multi-party democratic republic, the libertarian movement should first and foremost be about promoting freedom and not any particular party.

  On Wednesday I flew to Chicago, and yesterday drove to Iowa where I am now, to help Ron Paul's campaign on the ground here in advance of the upcoming Jan. 3 caucuses. Ron Paul is now the frontrunner to win in Iowa, and I believe he has a real shot at getting the GOP nomination. If he does, I think he would beat Obama. This should be exciting to all who love freedom -- it represents the best chance I've seen in my lifetime, perhaps ever, for serious libertarian change in this country. It is sad that Bruce wants to devote his time to attacking this man who, win or lose, is doing so much to spread libertarian ideas, and whose campaign is attracting large numbers of new young activists who are poised to be the future of our movement.

  Bruce is right about the phone calls and transparency stuff however. Kevin hasn't simply been too busy to return calls -- it appears by all indications to be a deliberate policy, at least toward some of us, not to return our calls or emails. Our paid staffer, Beau, takes his marching orders from Kevin and is for the most part similarly uncommunicative, as is our state Secretary Lauren Hilton, although they are generally cordial in person and Beau has talked when I've reached him directly by phone. I was hopeful that communication would improve after we discussed ExCom communications at our recent meeting in Panorama City at my request. Kevin did indeed include that discussion on our agenda as requested, although he never responded to my request or published an agenda before the meeting and so I did not know until a hard copy of an agenda was distributed the morning of the meeting that my requested item had been included.

  The upshot of the discussion was that we brought back the LPC ExCom email list (copied on this email), however it is still closed to LP members not on the committee, and at least so far does not seem to have improved communications or transparency. Voting on the motion I introduced on Dec. 2 to improve transparency and allow for public input with regard to ExCom voting by email, which was seconded by Michael Pickens and voted on by at least several ExCom members, was scheduled to have concluded no later than Dec. 7. That date came and went with nothing being published regarding the results of the vote, and when I asked Lauren for the results over a week later, the only response was silence. It's now Dec. 30, and I have still heard nothing from her or from Kevin on these missing vote results.

  We will be in a better position to get more done if we have leadership that practices good communication and seeks to empower people at the grassroots level and work with them as a team.

Love & Liberty,
                                   ((( starchild )))

Who else is doing stuff? Great question! Of course, it depends on what "stuff" means. As a debating society, we do a LOT! Anyway, everybody have a great new year!!

Marcy