Hi Sean,
Thank you for responding. However, I confess I find your response somewhat disappointing. First, how many LP candidates this year are faced with being denied ballot access? Your response indicates that the national office sees putting in long hours to benefit the chances of this small minority of candidates as more important than even having a simple list of all the Libertarian candidates on LP.org. Isn't this a little bit backward? Do you set your own priorities in these matters, or is someone else (e.g. Robert Kraus, Bill Redpath) telling you to devote your time in this fashion and giving you no choice in the matter? If you don't have time to personally list all LP candidates on the site and provide information so that they may be compared on the basis of ideology, will you please solicit volunteers to get the job done?
Second, you did not respond to my criticism of Candidate Tracker or suggested alternate approach. It seems rather political to neither agree nor disagree with something I've said, but to simply mention your wish to expand Candidate Tracker as if I'd said nothing to gainsay such a step. If you disagree with me, please don't beat about the bush -- let me know precisely what you think and why!
Third, you seem to be under the impression that promoting candidates is "the whole reason why we are a political party in the first place." Actually, as LP co-founder David Nolan has recently explained, this was *not* the thinking of the people who founded the party. It was not until 1992, if memory serves, that the LNC adopted a "mission statement" to that effect (something they arguably had no authority to do for the party as a whole). There is no rule that says a political party has to be exclusively about electing candidates, or even that this must be our primary goal. We need to be more flexible and outside-the-box in our thinking so as to be ready to take advantage of opportunities to move the public in a pro-liberty direction that may arise from unexpected directions!
On the positive side, I commend you for your openness regarding the dissemination of what you say via email (you'll notice I'm copying several lists on this correspondence in order to get a frank and productive dialogue going). I also happened to hear that you strongly criticized an LP candidate, Kevin Barrett(sp?) for allegedly making threats of mass executions of reporters for "treason" (ironically, a crime against the State!), and suggesting that the Holocaust did not occur. If these allegations are true, I agree that they are beyond the pale and the LP should seek to distance itself from him, and I appreciate you speaking out forcefully about it.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))