By Elmer Whittaker
Dissolvment of
County Chapters
I think this is the first and foremost ground of
contention within the LPN. For many years the Libertarian Party of Nevada was
comprised of the State Chapter (LPN) and three county affiliate chapters. The Clark
County Libertarian Party, the Nye County Libertarian Party and the Capitol
Libertarian Party in the Reno, Carson City area.
Although there are sixteen counties plus Carson City as an independent city, considering Nevada’s population centers the three territorial county or area affiliates seemed a pretty good solution to have the most efficiency for impact in local politics following the grassroots principle from the bottom up.
When some one and a half years back the LPN Executive
Committee (Ex-Com) under Chairman Joe Silvestri voted to dissolve all county
chapters in a regular teleconference business meeting and integrate them along
with their funds into one LPN chapter under the leadership of one Ex-Com under
one chairman, namely Joe Silvestri, many disenfranchised party members left the
LPN altogether and others in a state of great discontent are determined to replace
the current Ex-Com along with Chairman Silvestri so they can re-affiliate their
county chapters.
Personally, I have never heard of any party
disaffiliating all of their chapters, but I am sure it has happened. As I have
not been involved with the LPN at the time of the disaffiliation, I do not know
what the reasons given were, but in general under the US and Nevada Constitution,
power comes and grows up from its people starting at the local grassroots level.
Only in totalitarian regimes does the power come from the top or the
government.
Many longtime members content that the county chapter
disaffiliation was done solely to consolidate power under Chairman Joe
Silvestri and to silence and disempower opposition and opponents of the
chairman.
The rest of the current internal problems of the LPN seem
to stem from the usual struggle of totalitarian regimes to stay in power, by
disempowering its citizens, in this case members, by means of abusing the
regimes power to further themselves and stay in power, instead of using their
granted powers for the best of the country and citizens and in this case to the
best of the party and its members.
Convention Voting
Fee
Apparently for the first time in LPN’s history, LPN
members who wish to vote in the elections for a new or recumbent Executive
Committee in the 2013
Libertarian Party of Nevada State Convention are forced or coerced to pay a
rather high convention entrance fee in order to be able to cast their votes.
Such fee for voting is commonly known as “voting” fee”.
Many longtime members content that coercion of a “voting”
fee” of $65 - $125 on top of membership dues was done to keep voting and
election participation from the general membership low to favor the recumbent
Ex-Com.
Membership dues should be the only requirement and prerequisite
for LPN members to vote in the internal party elections. If the elections were
to be part of a high priced convention, the voting could have simply been made available
without a coerced “voting fee” by holding the business part of the elections at
a especially reserved time and portion of the convention, like before or after.
There are a number of LPN members who have already
announced they cannot afford $65-$125 and might not be able to vote due to financial
hardship.
High Convention
Entrance Fee
Apparently also for the first time in LPN’s history a high
priced venue for the 2013 LPN State Convention at the Suncoast Hotel &
Casino was chosen and the highest entrance fee ever of $65-$125 is required for
those wishing to attend the LPN State Convention.
Again, like in the issue of the “voting fee”, many members
content that high entrance fee serves to keep voting and election participation
from the general membership low to favor the recumbent Ex-Com.
Many members content that in former years the LPN Convention
was held in most suitable venues for a much more affordable price exposing the
contradiction of the current Ex-Com of wasting money while supposedly being a
fiscal conservative party.
Delegate State ID Requirement
at Convention
Also for the very first time LPN delegates (voting
members) are required to present a Nevada State ID in order to vote.
Again, many LPN members content that this is part of the
plan to keep voting from general membership at the LPN Convention at a minimum,
to favor the recumbent Ex-Com.
Indeed, the national Libertarian Party has taken an
official stance against National ID requirement which have been proposed. There
really is no difference between the principles of requiring National ID and
State ID. It’s the same difference.
A Nevada Voter Registration should be sufficient to
participate in LPN’s internal elections.
Lack of Advertisement and Promotion of Convention
This is probably the most damning circumstantial evidence
against the conspiracy and the abuse of power of the current Ex-Com in order to
retain their power and I have written about this before in my blog: First Impressions of the LPN
The LPN has neither sent out email notices nor letters to
those without internet nor make phone calls to current due paying membership nor
to ex-members or those who’s dues are past due.
This should have been the absolute necessity and basic
for any organization holding a convention. The LPN has also neglected to post
notices, announcements or invitations to the following free mediums to their
disposal:
There is simply no excuse for this, unless it is the
Ex-Com’s wish and intention to keep the participation and voting by its current
and former membership to a minimum. Needless to say that all of LPN’s social
media outlets are controlled, moderated and censored (where applicable) with
the expectation of the LPN Facebook group.
In all fairness though, LPN Secretary Jared Thomas Lord
did, after my urging and the release of my blog “First Impressions of the LPN” on
March 13, post the announcement of the LPN Convention once the LPN Facebook Page.
Although he said he would bring the issue to the attention of the rest of the
Ex-Com no further advertisement o promotions could be observed anywhere.
As an interesting twist though and a sign that the LPN
Ex-Com would prefer a low member participation in the elections but would still
make some money of the convention, an at least once daily advertisement of the
Luncheon with Katie Kieffer for $95, which o course is part of the LPN
convention is posted to LPN’s Twitter feed for several weeks now, painstakingly
avoiding any mention of the LPN Convention or an election. From the LPN Twitter
Feed: “LPN
Luncheon with Keynote Speaker Katie Kieffer, April 27 – RSVP”
Facebook Group
Probably due to ever-growing popularity, activity, dissent
and outspokenness on the LPN Facebook group, which is still in the control of
ousted former LPN Secretary Brett Pojunis and not like all other LPN social
media sites in control and censorship of the current Ex-Com, LPN Secretary
Jared Thomas Lord is now pushing for handover of control of the Facebook group,
who he claims rightly belongs to the party.
While I simply do not have the insight to say with any
certainty if the LPN Facebook group belongs to the LPN or its current administrator
Brett Pojunis, it does not seem like the right time to explore this issue any
further so close to the LPN convention as the group is the only uncensored
medium the LPN membership currently has to its disposal.
After an inquiry to the LPN Facebook group membership by
Brett Pojunis, the members including me, openly expressed their fears of losing
this uncensored method of communication to the control and censorship of the
Ex-Com. The membership clearly asked administrator Brett Pojunis to keep this
channel of communication open and uncensored at least until the LPN convention
is over.
Summary
As a brand new member who has joined the Libertarian
Party of Nevada just a couple of months ago and who has no allegiances nor
animosities with anyone, I can only conclude and attest that the complaints and
fears of the general membership are fully justified and that there is an irreparable
break in trust and confidence in the current Ex-Com under the leadership of Chairman
Joe Silvestri from the general membership and that the replacement of said
Ex-Com would be in the best interest of the Libertarian Party of Nevada and its
members.
