David R. Jeffries wrote:
I first joined the LP back in the early '90s. At the time, in
the days long before the UMP, I sent $500.00 to the San
Francisco Libertarian Party (as it then called itself) for a
Life Membership. Since then, I have paid National Dues off and
on. I believe my most recent dues payment was $25 to National
towards the end of December. Now, if I understand correctly, no
dues are required to maintain my National membership (but I
suppose a payment may be required to receive LP News?) However,
the State party requires dues to maintain State/County
membership. The minimum level for renewal is currently $25, but
increases to $50 on September 30th.
Hmmm, interesting. I would have assumed that if you had joined as
a life member by paying dues to the county party, that would have
made you a life member of at least the state party as well, if not
also the national party. Is anyone else familiar with changes in
the relationship between the county and state parties since then?
When I go to the official site of the Libertarian Party of
California [...] and click on the link labeled "Join the LPC",
which my browser tells me should go to [...] it actually goes
(is redirected, I suppose) to the National Libertarian Party
membership page [...] where there appears to be no mention of
the national zero dues policy.
This is unfortunate; hopefully they will have new pages up
reflecting the current situation by October 1 at the latest.
Is this the right place to renew my LPC membership?
I don't believe so. Apparently the only way to take advantage of
the $25 renewal during September is to send a check through the
postal mail.
(and is it possible that if I did not renew, I would
nevertheless, confusingly, continue to be a member at the
National [$0 dues] and County [Life member] level, but not at
the State level?)
As of this moment, if you are a member of the county party, then
you are a member of the state party, and vice versa. There are no
separate dues or life memberships between them. Does anyone know
if it was possible to join the county party as a life member in
the early 1990s without thereby becoming a life member of the
state party?
Cheers,
Justin