All good advice. But I believe there is an important issue that you did not directly address. What about the old national committee that is likely to still exist — and may still have fangs and claws to attack with?
A new national party has to be built correctly. You covered many of the major issues. But hot button is ballot access. So this has to be a clean break.
I noticed during the Vermin Supreme interview with the LNC’s current chair her comment – and I am loosely paraphrasing to cover her intent not necessarily her exact wording – about affiliates who break from the LP needing to leave behind ballot access.
That of course is false. Ballot access would stay with the affiliate. They are recognized by their state under its election laws. They own ballot access. National parties do not. If people leave a party they of course leave ballot access behind, but if an affiliate leaves their national party they take it with them. They own it.
It also counters the LNC’s own plank about succession. Think of it this way: There is a baseball game in the park. Some players decide to leave the game. They go, taking the gloves they own with them. The LNC Chair says they don’t own them and have to leave their property for someone new to use, even though state laws say they are the owners. Hypocritical?
Of course in any such event there would be suits and counter suits tying up people and money for years. That could be compounded many times over if they then joined a new group. That is why it is better to just let existing LP affiliates alone and not solicit any of them to break from the old party. So existing affiliates “defecting” would be a nasty mess to deal with. Better to start over.
In my state, we have not even communicated with the old party. We are building a new one. To be polite, I probably should call some of my old friends, and I’m sure I will before we launch, but not just yet. Maybe some will call me if they read this.
And perhaps saying old party would be inaccurate because this will not be exactly what the LP currently is. Nor should it. Classical Liberal. Not socialists. Not fascists. No mises caucus, radical caucus, pragmatic, minarchist or even voodoo caucus!
But I can understand the need for an ad-hoc pizza caucus during meetings and certainly an opposing cheesesteak caucus – very likely multiple types of cheesesteaks caucuses! In fact, if this were an opinion piece instead of a comment I would call it “What about the cheesesteak caucuses?” to attract attention. But I’m sure an editor would pick a better name. The editors here could be more likely to support lobsters or clam chowder.
But I think I made the point. Start over. Avoid the fangs and claws.
I am sure that at some time I or other members of the team in our state will run into old colleagues from the LP either in the real world or in cyber space. Any of them who want to discuss joining us are welcome to, but we are not going to try to get their state affiliate to leave the LP and join us.
So thank you George for listing many of the important tasks for people to think about. There is a lot to do. I am glad I only have South Carolina to organize and not the entire party.
