I'm Shopping for Platform Shoes

To whom it may concern:

The Libertarian National Committee will soon select five members of the 2018 Platform Committee as provided for in Article 11 of the Libertarian Party's national bylaws.

There's some internal debate on the LNC as to the content of the application for that selection process, but I expect that the process will begin soon, so I'm going to go ahead and announce my interest in filling one of those committee seats and ask for the support of interested LP members in getting one of them:

Hey, everyone! I'm interested in filling one of those committee seats and request your support in getting one of them!

Q: Florida was one of the state parties entitled to appoint platform committee members. Why didn't you go for THAT seat?

A: I'm fairly new to Florida and to the Libertarian Party of Florida. I want to be a more experienced state party member with a longer and more distinguished record of uncomplaining work for the LPF that I'm asked to do before I start asking them to give me the jobs I want.

Q: What makes you think you're qualified to serve on the Platform Committee?

A: Obviously different people will have different opinions as to whether or not I am ideologically qualified, and I'll get to that below. As to qualification by experience and prior party and political work:

• With the exception of a break I took from 2010-2014, I've been a party member, and usually a fairly active one, since 1996.
• I've run campaigns for city council, school board, state legislature and (twice) for Congress as a Libertarian. I never won, but I did pretty well as compared to usual LP performance and my perception is that I did not embarrass the party as a candidate.
• I served for eight years as one of a handful of Libertarian appointees to federal office (local draft board member, Selective Service System) under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I resigned that post when I moved from Missouri to Florida.
• I've worked as a volunteer, staffer or manager on numerous Libertarian campaigns, including everything from winning campaigns for local office (e.g. Tamara Millay, City Marshal, Greendale, Missouri) to pre- and post-nomination LP presidential campaigns (media coordinator, Badnarik for President).
• I've served on numerous county LP committees (including as chair of the largest county LP in Missouri, 2008-2010), several terms on the Missouri LP executive committee, a term on the LP's national Judicial Committee, and a partial term as a replacement alternate on the Libertarian National Committee.
• I am a writer by trade with several thousand published libertarian op-eds to my credit.

An additional qualification: I'm willing to do the job. My understanding is that in addition to attending the 2018 national convention (which I intend to do), I'll probably have to make at least one trip for a physical meeting of the Platform Committee. I'm not personally wealthy, but I'll find a way to make that trip.


Q: OK, but you mentioned ideology. What do you want to accomplish on the Platform Committee, and what is your position on [insert my pet issue here]?

As I've already stated elsewhere, I do intend to be the water carrier for one platform modification. I want to see Plank 3.4 of the LP's platform amended as follows, and will attempt to get the committee to recommend that amendment:

3.4 Free Trade and Migration

We support the removal of governmental impediments to free trade. Political freedom and escape from tyranny demand that individuals not be unreasonably constrained by government in the crossing of political boundaries. Economic freedom demands the unrestricted movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders. However, we support control over the entry into our country of foreign nationals who pose a credible threat to security, health or property.

Apart from that, I consider myself fairly open-minded to any proposed changes that harmonize well with the party's Statement of Principles. I also want the party's platform to be well-written -- concise and precise on the one hand, rousing and passionate on the other. I think I can help the committee achieve that result in its recommendations.

As to your pet issue, I'll be happy to address it in comments.

Q: What do you mean when you say you want my support?

A: If you think I'd make a good platform committee member, watch this blog and when I announce that I've put in my application (which I intend to do as soon as that process actually begins), I hope you'll contact your regional LNC representative and the at-large reps and officers, respectfully ask them to vote for me from among the applicants, and explain why you think they should. Thanks in advance.