[Lnc-discuss] Reimbursement of LNC members for travel/lodging costs of cancelled meeting

Geoff,

  Again you imply that any LNC member who questions funds being raised by the party to reimburse the travel expenses of LNC members is questioning the generosity of our donors, without providing any evidence to support the charge. I certainly haven't heard anyone questioning the generosity of those who donated, nor am I doing so myself, as I thought I made clear in my previous reply to you on this point, to which I have not yet seen any response (see excerpts of correspondence below).

  On the contrary, I feel any LP donors who gave money to help LNC members with their travel expenses irrespective of actual financial need were being generous to a fault! This talk about "looking a gift horse in the mouth" seems to suggest that anyone who has issues with how the appeal for donations was made is suspicious of the donors themselves. That is not the issue at all, and I believe you know it. It would be misleading and disingenuous to communicate any such thing to donors about LNC members or others who question the party's making a fundraising appeal for this purpose.

  I do strongly agree with you that to use funds for any purpose other than that for which they were donated without a donor's permission is wrong. However I think it's reasonable to assume that most LP donors would rather see LNC members give $5 or $50 or $500 or whatever to the party in order to advance freedom than to spend it on personal expenses, so long as we are not thereby imposing undue hardship on ourselves or significantly impairing our ability to work for the cause in other ways, so in the absence of more data I have no ethical qualms about putting my share of any reimbursements towards that end. It would be perverse and beyond stupid for the Executive Committee to deny Steve Linnabary or myself a share of reimbursement monies on the grounds that we intend to give the funds to the LP!

  Nevertheless, I believe the best course of action is to let donors know the situation and give them the option to keep their money, donate it to another LP project or expense of their choice, or reward those LNC members willing to forego reimbursement by giving us their blessing to allocate the funds to the party as we see fit.

Love & Liberty,
                                  ((( starchild )))
At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee

On Dec 11, 2013, at 8:34 PM, Starchild wrote (in part):