New Member

Found this site a few months back, and thought the Platform was great. I had recently joined the LP, and was all gung-ho about my new party, so I didn't join.
I am still in the LP, but I have about had it with all the bickering and fighting in the party.
I still love the BTP Platform and had to join, but I have a couple of questions. How do you keep track of members? I was only asked for a user name and e-mail address. Also, is it the intent to never have dues, and just support Candidate's Campaigns, and ballot access through State Affiliates?

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Submitted by doghouse on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 22:01
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planetaryjim:

Primarily, we do not keep track of members. The national party is online, even our conventions are online. So, we don't send you a lot of junk mail. Having no mailing addresses means we have no mailing list to sell.

Which has, I believe, proven to be a source of corruption within the LP. I'm quite glad, really, that my address cannot be sold to Richard Viguerie nor to Bob Barr, because the LP hasn't seen my membership renewed since 1998.

It is not only the intent to never have dues, but to never have the national party raise more than a total of $5,000. Keeping below that figure means we have no obligations to the evil Federal Elections Commissariat.

Candidates and state affiliates are empowered to raise money as they wish, in accordance with rather idiotic and byzantine laws. Though, I gather the Alabama state affiliate has chosen to similarly avoid reporting requirements by not raising money as a state organisation. That still leaves local party groups in different counties or state senate districts, plus campaigns.

Can our candidates win election without national monetary support and attendant national corruption? Perhaps not. But, winning elections isn't necessary to changing political view points, as David Friedman points out in a recent blog.

08/19/2008 - 04:15