The level of dues isn't at all a matter of principle, so the extreme affect surrounding this issue surprises me. I've been close to resigning my 30-year LP membership lately, over dissatisfaction with the national office (whose starboard list is relentless, and whose creativity seems at the moment more desperate than intelligent), and have in fact curtailed my donations; but dues have nothing to do with it. I assume the optimal level of dues is what would maximize revenue, but I have no idea what that level is. If dues had kept pace with inflation, I assume they would be at least $50 by now. (A quick calculation suggests more like $100.) At some point, clearly, raising dues would drive away members and become counterproductive, but I wouldn't have thought that boundary so low. On the other hand, it might make most sense to abolish dues, and make the Party dependent on donations. If people were concerned about attracting members without real commitment, we could make them sign some off-putting loyalty oath. . . .