Dear All, As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members. A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules. Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals. The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form. Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes. The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it. Yours truly, Nick
Nick, Thank for the clarification. I've informed the Region 3 state chairs and provided Dan Fishman's email. Only Kentucky isn't an FEC filling state affiliate in Region 3. LPIN, LPO, and LPMI, could set-up a similar link with LP national, as they're FEC filing state affiliates. Hopefully, they'll available themselves of the opportunity. Cheers, EVH --- Elizabeth Van Horn LNC Region 3 Representative (IN, MI, OH, KY) Chair-Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus http://www.lpcaucus.org/ On 2019-10-16 16:16, Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
It is active. I look forward to setting this up with other states. Dan --- Daniel Fishman Executive Director The Libertarian Party Join Us <http://www.lp.org/join> On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 6:50 PM Elizabeth Van Horn via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Nick,
Thank for the clarification. I've informed the Region 3 state chairs and provided Dan Fishman's email. Only Kentucky isn't an FEC filling state affiliate in Region 3. LPIN, LPO, and LPMI, could set-up a similar link with LP national, as they're FEC filing state affiliates. Hopefully, they'll available themselves of the opportunity.
Cheers, EVH
--- Elizabeth Van Horn LNC Region 3 Representative (IN, MI, OH, KY) Chair-Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus http://www.lpcaucus.org/
On 2019-10-16 16:16, Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
Would have been nice if this had been shared with the LNC. Can't ask questions about things no one is told about. I don't think it is too much to ask. Was the regional representative consulted? Why not? This is a big problem we have as communicated elsewhere. *In Liberty,* * Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. * On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 5:30 PM Daniel Fishman via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
It is active.
I look forward to setting this up with other states.
Dan
--- Daniel Fishman Executive Director The Libertarian Party Join Us <http://www.lp.org/join>
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 6:50 PM Elizabeth Van Horn via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Nick,
Thank for the clarification. I've informed the Region 3 state chairs and provided Dan Fishman's email. Only Kentucky isn't an FEC filling state affiliate in Region 3. LPIN, LPO, and LPMI, could set-up a similar link with LP national, as they're FEC filing state affiliates. Hopefully, they'll available themselves of the opportunity.
Cheers, EVH
--- Elizabeth Van Horn LNC Region 3 Representative (IN, MI, OH, KY) Chair-Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus http://www.lpcaucus.org/
On 2019-10-16 16:16, Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
To answer your question, no, I was not aware of this despite regular talks with people in CO. Glad to see something like this being implemented though. Richard Longstreth Region 1 Representative (AK, AZ, CO, HI, KS, MT, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY) Libertarian National Committee richard.longstreth@lp.org 931.538.9300 Sent from my Mobile Device On Wed, Oct 16, 2019, 17:41 Caryn Ann Harlos via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Would have been nice if this had been shared with the LNC. Can't ask questions about things no one is told about. I don't think it is too much to ask. Was the regional representative consulted? Why not? This is a big problem we have as communicated elsewhere.
*In Liberty,*
* Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 5:30 PM Daniel Fishman via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
It is active.
I look forward to setting this up with other states.
Dan
--- Daniel Fishman Executive Director The Libertarian Party Join Us <http://www.lp.org/join>
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 6:50 PM Elizabeth Van Horn via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Nick,
Thank for the clarification. I've informed the Region 3 state chairs and provided Dan Fishman's email. Only Kentucky isn't an FEC filling state affiliate in Region 3. LPIN, LPO, and LPMI, could set-up a similar link with LP national, as they're FEC filing state affiliates. Hopefully, they'll available themselves of the opportunity.
Cheers, EVH
--- Elizabeth Van Horn LNC Region 3 Representative (IN, MI, OH, KY) Chair-Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus http://www.lpcaucus.org/
On 2019-10-16 16:16, Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
Mr. Longstreth, I did not mean by Colorado, I meant after Mr. Sarwark was contacted. I would hope it is routine to loop in the Regional Representative. I get requests for assistance on things weekly in which I always asked if they have reached out to their regional representative, and if it is something I can directly do for them, I loop in the RR. The Colorado people doing this are not the board so I doubt it would have occurred to them to get in touch with you. This isn't something ran by the Board but does have the blessing of the state chair though she wasn't involved at all other than that. That of course raises a whole other issue for me as a Colorado state party member on why the board was not brought in. The movers in this are activists just trying to get things done. *In Liberty,* * Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. * On Thu, Oct 17, 2019 at 4:34 AM Richard Longstreth < richard.longstreth@lp.org> wrote:
To answer your question, no, I was not aware of this despite regular talks with people in CO. Glad to see something like this being implemented though.
Richard Longstreth Region 1 Representative (AK, AZ, CO, HI, KS, MT, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY) Libertarian National Committee richard.longstreth@lp.org 931.538.9300
Sent from my Mobile Device
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019, 17:41 Caryn Ann Harlos via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Would have been nice if this had been shared with the LNC. Can't ask questions about things no one is told about. I don't think it is too much to ask. Was the regional representative consulted? Why not? This is a big problem we have as communicated elsewhere.
*In Liberty,*
* Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 5:30 PM Daniel Fishman via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
It is active.
I look forward to setting this up with other states.
Dan
--- Daniel Fishman Executive Director The Libertarian Party Join Us <http://www.lp.org/join>
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 6:50 PM Elizabeth Van Horn via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Nick,
Thank for the clarification. I've informed the Region 3 state chairs and provided Dan Fishman's email. Only Kentucky isn't an FEC filling state affiliate in Region 3. LPIN, LPO, and LPMI, could set-up a similar link with LP national, as they're FEC filing state affiliates. Hopefully, they'll available themselves of the opportunity.
Cheers, EVH
--- Elizabeth Van Horn LNC Region 3 Representative (IN, MI, OH, KY) Chair-Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus http://www.lpcaucus.org/
On 2019-10-16 16:16, Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
I am not convinced that this is not a special agreement with a state. My question about who is paying the credit card processing fees was not answered, so I presume that means that the LNC is eating that cost. Let's suppose our discount rate is 4%. If the LNC processes a $50 payment and sends a full $25 to the state, our own credit card processing fees just doubled to 8%. In addition to that amount, which can potentially add up to non-trivial money when you get a lot more states involved, we're also expending our staff time on the state's fundraiser, with all that invested time eating into the $25 - $2 credit card fees = $23 donation that the LNC received. Our staff has to track the numbers, cut checks to each affiliate, etc. Our staff routinely tells us they don't have time to do the things that the LNC has directed them to do, and this is tasking them with an extra arrangement not even agreed to by the LNC. This free labor and free credit card processing deal is only being offered to FEC filing affiliates, not to all our affiliates. In this instance, it was first offered to only one state right before a critical deadline in which they are competing with other states, and once other states found out that it was available they will have little time to plan and make use of it. All of this feels like a special agreement to me. -Alicia On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 1:16 PM Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
While I am prejudiced in favor of Colorado, I agree with Ms. Mattson. On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 4:07 AM Alicia Mattson via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
I am not convinced that this is not a special agreement with a state.
My question about who is paying the credit card processing fees was not answered, so I presume that means that the LNC is eating that cost. Let's suppose our discount rate is 4%. If the LNC processes a $50 payment and sends a full $25 to the state, our own credit card processing fees just doubled to 8%. In addition to that amount, which can potentially add up to non-trivial money when you get a lot more states involved, we're also expending our staff time on the state's fundraiser, with all that invested time eating into the $25 - $2 credit card fees = $23 donation that the LNC received. Our staff has to track the numbers, cut checks to each affiliate, etc. Our staff routinely tells us they don't have time to do the things that the LNC has directed them to do, and this is tasking them with an extra arrangement not even agreed to by the LNC.
This free labor and free credit card processing deal is only being offered to FEC filing affiliates, not to all our affiliates. In this instance, it was first offered to only one state right before a critical deadline in which they are competing with other states, and once other states found out that it was available they will have little time to plan and make use of it.
All of this feels like a special agreement to me.
-Alicia
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 1:16 PM Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
-- *In Liberty,* * Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
We are paying that bounty for the national membership, which I am doing everything I can to increase. We actually pay a much higher commissions to contractors via the referral program. I'm greatly appreciative to the states for the cheap acquisition costs. And of course the same plan is available to other FEC filers. I have inquiries from DC and Georgia that are waiting on their copy to go live, which I anticipate happening *any day now* Dan --- Daniel Fishman Executive Director The Libertarian Party Join Us <http://www.lp.org/join> On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 10:54 AM Caryn Ann Harlos via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
While I am prejudiced in favor of Colorado, I agree with Ms. Mattson.
On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 4:07 AM Alicia Mattson via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
I am not convinced that this is not a special agreement with a state.
My question about who is paying the credit card processing fees was not answered, so I presume that means that the LNC is eating that cost. Let's suppose our discount rate is 4%. If the LNC processes a $50 payment and sends a full $25 to the state, our own credit card processing fees just doubled to 8%. In addition to that amount, which can potentially add up to non-trivial money when you get a lot more states involved, we're also expending our staff time on the state's fundraiser, with all that invested time eating into the $25 - $2 credit card fees = $23 donation that the LNC received. Our staff has to track the numbers, cut checks to each affiliate, etc. Our staff routinely tells us they don't have time to do the things that the LNC has directed them to do, and this is tasking them with an extra arrangement not even agreed to by the LNC.
This free labor and free credit card processing deal is only being offered to FEC filing affiliates, not to all our affiliates. In this instance, it was first offered to only one state right before a critical deadline in which they are competing with other states, and once other states found out that it was available they will have little time to plan and make use of it.
All of this feels like a special agreement to me.
-Alicia
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 1:16 PM Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
--
*In Liberty,*
* Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
I’m a bit chagrined that there is a failure to recognize on the part of the promoters that TIME is the issue and this gives an unfair national boost in a competition to just one state. Without a time machine, the same offer cannot be given to other states. -Caryn Ann On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 1:58 PM Daniel Fishman <dan.fishman@lphq.org> wrote:
We are paying that bounty for the national membership, which I am doing everything I can to increase. We actually pay a much higher commissions to contractors via the referral program. I'm greatly appreciative to the states for the cheap acquisition costs.
And of course the same plan is available to other FEC filers. I have inquiries from DC and Georgia that are waiting on their copy to go live, which I anticipate happening *any day now*
Dan --- Daniel Fishman Executive Director The Libertarian Party Join Us <http://www.lp.org/join>
On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 10:54 AM Caryn Ann Harlos via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
While I am prejudiced in favor of Colorado, I agree with Ms. Mattson.
On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 4:07 AM Alicia Mattson via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
I am not convinced that this is not a special agreement with a state.
My question about who is paying the credit card processing fees was not answered, so I presume that means that the LNC is eating that cost. Let's suppose our discount rate is 4%. If the LNC processes a $50 payment and sends a full $25 to the state, our own credit card processing fees just doubled to 8%. In addition to that amount, which can potentially add up to non-trivial money when you get a lot more states involved, we're also expending our staff time on the state's fundraiser, with all that invested time eating into the $25 - $2 credit card fees = $23 donation that the LNC received. Our staff has to track the numbers, cut checks to each affiliate, etc. Our staff routinely tells us they don't have time to do the things that the LNC has directed them to do, and this is tasking them with an extra arrangement not even agreed to by the LNC.
This free labor and free credit card processing deal is only being offered to FEC filing affiliates, not to all our affiliates. In this instance, it was first offered to only one state right before a critical deadline in which they are competing with other states, and once other states found out that it was available they will have little time to plan and make use of it.
All of this feels like a special agreement to me.
-Alicia
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 1:16 PM Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
--
*In Liberty,*
* Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
--
*In Liberty,* * Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *
To add a little institutional memory for context, I believe this policy was created in response to a similar situation. I don't remember if it was only one of these two examples, or both of them combined but I believe the policy was probably a result of: 1) an affiliate was bundling its own newsletter inside of issues of LPNews sent to addresses in that affiliate. The affiliate used the same print house as LPNews, paid their own costs, but merely had the newsletter inserted into the national one for delivery. AND/OR 2) an affiliate had a joint outreach effort with national to recruit new members from recently registered Libertarian voters in that state -Alicia On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 3:07 AM Alicia Mattson <alicia.mattson@lp.org> wrote:
I am not convinced that this is not a special agreement with a state.
My question about who is paying the credit card processing fees was not answered, so I presume that means that the LNC is eating that cost. Let's suppose our discount rate is 4%. If the LNC processes a $50 payment and sends a full $25 to the state, our own credit card processing fees just doubled to 8%. In addition to that amount, which can potentially add up to non-trivial money when you get a lot more states involved, we're also expending our staff time on the state's fundraiser, with all that invested time eating into the $25 - $2 credit card fees = $23 donation that the LNC received. Our staff has to track the numbers, cut checks to each affiliate, etc. Our staff routinely tells us they don't have time to do the things that the LNC has directed them to do, and this is tasking them with an extra arrangement not even agreed to by the LNC.
This free labor and free credit card processing deal is only being offered to FEC filing affiliates, not to all our affiliates. In this instance, it was first offered to only one state right before a critical deadline in which they are competing with other states, and once other states found out that it was available they will have little time to plan and make use of it.
All of this feels like a special agreement to me.
-Alicia
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 1:16 PM Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
Dear All,
As you are aware, there is a deadline for convention delegate allocation that comes up at the end of this month. Many of your state parties, as well as mine, are doing what they can to sign up additional national members.
A Colorado member contacted me around October 5 with a plan to solicit registered Libertarian voters to encourage them to join both the Colorado and national Libertarian Party at the same time. The challenge he had was not soliciting the potential members, but having a way to make sure that they would also be able to sign the pledge to become sustaining members of the national party and not violate any FEC rules.
Since there is not a legal barrier to transfers between FEC reporting party committees, I suggested he contact Dan Fishman to figure out how to get the Colorado effort a mechanism to process these new memberships and renewals.
The solution he came up allows the LNC to collect a minimum of $50, with the prospective donor being clearly informed that $25 of their donation will be given to the LPCO, which allows them to recoup their marketing expenses. Since the Colorado group is soliciting the extra amount to be sent back to LPCO, there is no cost or loss to the party for sending that amount back, but it's logistically easier for the new member to only have to fill out one web form.
Prior to this request, there was not a way for an FEC filing state to solicit joint donations to the national party. Now there is a mechanism to do so and Mr. Fishman also informs me that the same form can be adapted for any other FEC filing state affiliates. I do not interpret this as a special agreement with with the state affiliate, just an implementation of a single form that will allocate the donors funds as the donor wishes.
The Colorado team took the initiative to recruit new members and have started their work to mail and call people, including a link to the web form that was implemented. I will be instructing Mr. Fishman to activate that link as well as to make a similar form available to any other FEC filing state affiliates who request it.
Yours truly, Nick
participants (6)
-
Alicia Mattson -
Caryn Ann Harlos -
Daniel Fishman -
Elizabeth Van Horn -
Nicholas Sarwark -
Richard Longstreth