Libertarian Reform Caucus of California

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HOME | California Libertarian Reform Project The California Libertarian Reform Project is focused on making the California Libertarian Party a more professional political party and implementing reforms that will make the party more representative of and accountable to Libertarian voters.

In 2019 the Reform Caucus was formed in response to the Libertarian Party of California Judicial Committee overturning the will of the delegates at the 2019 state convention by reinstating the platform that the delegates had voted to delete.

However, this caused a rift in the party. Today, the Reform Caucus supports the compromise to FIX the Platform instead of deleting it. Therefore, we support the minority report of the Platform Committee.

We can compromise on how things are to be done without compromising on the underlying principles.

Experience matters! When electing individuals at the Libertarian Party of California state convention this year please vote for the best candidate! Jillian Olsen has been doing a great job serving as the Secretary of the state party! She should be elected to complete the term. She has proven to be very effective in doing her job and going above and beyond what the bylaws demand.

With the continued dysfunctional nature of realistically reforming the Platform at convention, we urge other counties to help us make the Libertarian Party of California Platform irrelevant. We urge County Central Committee members to adopt the following resolution in their counties:

We, the undersigned county Executive Committees of the Libertarian
Party, hereby sign onto the following resolution:
Whereas, the Libertarian Party of California’s Judicial Committee has
ruled against a decision made by a quorum of delegates at the
Libertarian Party of California Convention in 2019,

Whereas, the Libertarian Party of California’s Judicial Committee has
callously ignored the will of the membership body of the Libertarian
Party of California,

Whereas, the Libertarian Party of California’s Judicial Committee has
been found to no longer represent the will of LPC members nor the best
interests of the Party,

We, the undersigned county Executive Committees of the Libertarian
Party hereby resolve to repudiate and refuse to recognize the decision
of the Libertarian Party of California’s Judicial Committee
overturning the deletion of the previous Libertarian Party of
California Platform.

Signed,

Libertarian Party of Fresno County, June 13, 2019
Libertarian Party of Kings County, June 14, 2019
Libertarian Party of Solano County, June 15, 2019

We urge you to vote in favor of the recommendations made by the Platform Committee and to vote as follows:

For At-Large Members of the Executive Committee:
Jillian Olsen
Rachel Johnson
Eduardo Flores
Wes Martin

For At-Large Alternates:
Angela McArdle

For Judicial Committee:
Bob Weber
Matyas Homer
Chuck Hamm
Kevin Shaw
Jose Castañeda

This is the twentieth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the eighteenth and final of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

Currently there is no requirement to give written notification to a suspended member. This amendment would require that a written notice be sent to a member suspended for cause and provide additional time to appeal.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XX XX. Recommendation: Bylaw 5-Membership Suspension Reason Currently there is no requirement to give written notification to a suspended member. Impact This amendment would require that a written notice be sent to a member suspended for cause and provide additional time to appeal. Proposed Amend...

This is the nineteenth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the seventeenth of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

With the State moving the primary elections to March, this does not allow the State Executive Committee to endorse candidates for the primary election with enough time to write a statement of endorsement for the ballot. This amendment would allow for the State Party to hold two conventions - one to conduct Party business and the other to endorse candidates in a timely manner.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XIX XIX. Recommendation: Bylaw 22-Nominations and Endorsements of Candidates for Public Office Reason With the State moving the primary elections to March, this does not allow the State Executive Committee to endorse candidates for the primary election with enough time to write a statement of endors...

This is the eighteenth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the sixteenth of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

In the recent past no Bylaws Committee Report was presented at Convention as the committee was unable to meet the stringent requirement of having its report finalized 70 days prior to the convention. This amendment would allow for the Bylaws Committee to have a meeting closer to the time of the convention. With the revision changing the deadline to complete the report to 30 days it will make it more likely that a Bylaws Committee Report is presented at each convention.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XVIII XVIII. Recommendation: Bylaw 15, Section 2-Bylaws Committee Reason In the recent past no Bylaws Committee Report was presented at Convention as the committee was unable to meet the stringent requirement of having its report finalized 70 days prior to the convention. This amendment would allow fo...

This is the seventeenth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the fifteenth of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

Since its inception, the Program Committee has been generally dysfunctional, either preparing a Program late in the year or not preparing a Program at all. This Amendment would eliminate the Program. This amendment was authored by Rebecca Lau last year.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XVII XVII. Recommendation: Repeal Bylaw 21-Program Reason Since its inception, the Program Committee has been generally dysfunctional, either preparing a Program late in the year or not preparing a Program at all. Impact This Amendment would eliminate the Program. Proposed Amendment The Bylaws Commit...

This is the sixteenth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the fourteenth of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

During the 2019 Convention the delegates voted to delete the Platform in its entirety but the Judicial Committee ruled against that decision stating that the Bylaws required the Party to have a Platform. This Amendment would eliminate the need to have a Platform.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XVI XVI. Recommendation: Bylaw 20-Platform Reason During the 2019 Convention the delegates voted to delete the Platform in its entirety but the Judicial Committee ruled against that decision stating that the Bylaws required the Party to have a Platform. Impact This Amendment would eliminate the need...

This is the fifteenth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the thirteenth of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

In the past, many Bylaws Amendments made from the floor were not considered or failed due to delegates leaving the floor, making it difficult to get a two-thirds vote of all registered delegates. This amendment doesn’t change the two-thirds vote requirement but only requires two-thirds of the delegates on the floor. This Amendment decreases the chance of losing quorum during the convention therefore making it more likely to complete party business as specified in the Bylaws.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XV XV. Recommendation: Bylaw 26-Amendment of Bylaws Reason In the past, many Bylaws Amendments made from the floor were not considered or failed due to delegates leaving the floor, making it difficult to get a two-thirds vote of all registered delegates. This amendment doesn’t change the two-third...

This is the fourteenth in our series of looks at the various Bylaws Amendments proposals being brought before the delegates at the 2020 Libertarian Party of California convention in Los Angeles February 15-17. This is the the twelfth of the amendments we are covering which is a substantial change in the Bylaws, and is therefore possibly a more controversial item.

As California’s membership levels make it eligible to be its own region, it makes sense to ensure that the Bylaws governing the Region 4 Representative and Alternate positions ensure that the individuals reside and are registered to vote in California (where applicable). This would help to ensure better representation for the Libertarian Party of California and its members at the National level. Those individuals who are not California residents and registered to vote in California as either Libertarian or No Party Preference would be ineligible for nomination to the positions of Region 4 Representative and Alternate.

We encourage members to discuss and debate this recommendation, to better inform the delegates at convention and to possibly help us save time during debate on this item, itself allowing us to move onto other items more quickly. So please make your arguments for or against here!

2020 Bylaws Committee Report Recommendation XIV XIV. Recommendation: Bylaw 17-National Committee Regional Representation Reason As California’s membership levels make it eligible to be its own region, it makes sense to ensure that the Bylaws governing the Region 4 Representative and Alternate positions ensure that the individuals reside and ...