From IPR comments on a previous post
zapper wrote:
Dear Wes Wagner,
The Oregon LP has been wrongly attacked by many in the LP leadership culminating recently with your delegation’s exclusion from being seated at the Libertarian National Convention in Las Vegas. This was a disgraceful act.
Now I’m asking you to make a really sincere effort to help your fellow members nationwide, despite the insult and injury you have suffered, and please accept my apology as a member that these leaders of a party that I long to be able to support fully have acted so atrociously, and to please consider putting Gary Johnson and Jim Gray on the ballot in Oregon as the LP candidates for POTUS and VP this fall.
This is an opportunity for you to show that you are made of greater stuff than your enemies who have attacked you.
Wes Wagner replied:
I can’t comment publicly on what the LPO will or will not do because the board has not had a chance to consider things and make a decision.
I will state that the delegation showing that they want to move the party forward without the destructive influence of certain people (and expressed it by tossing them out of office) has pleased them.
The elections have gone a long way towards mending wounds.
Comments from Mr. Wagner on a different thread:
I have been in communication with Neale about this issue and am working with him to try to ensure that Johnson/Gray are listed. There are potential legal difficulties that I would not wish to publish in public, but we are trying to work cooperatively through them.
….
I will try as much as I can to keep this issue as transparent as it can be without jeopardizing the possibility of Johnson/Gray appearing with a giant LIBERTARIAN next to their names in Oregon.
Bruce Knight, another “Wagner faction” Oregonian, wrote on another recent thread:
I went to Las Vegas to support R. Lee Wrights, and voted for him for president. Nonetheless I think we have a great ticket in Gary Johnson and Jim Gray.
No candidate will ever be perfect, but Governor Johnson is a nominee nearly all of us can get behind. It’s up to us to make this the best year ever for the Libertarian Party.
Well, thanks for at least providing some detail, even if sketchy…
A lot of good members left the party after the, 94 or 95 Oregon LP convention in Portland. Burke held on to power by keeping those LP conventions in Portland. So many of the same things people talk about today were happening back then. There are others who know more about those troubles then I.
OK, Dave, Money Mike, or anyone: please elaborate.
If Dave can’t Money Mike might have to give it a go.
Dave,
Could you elaborate please?
In the 90’s Burke was the problem in Oregon.
How many volunteer signatures did you get in 2000?
Petitioning is a drag. I did get 300 for Ron Paul in 1988. And a few hundred here and there in ensuing years when Bruce Baechler bugged me to do it. I have no memory of 2004 except the newbie LPDC chair kept insulting me so I said fuck it… Mistreating volunteers (including through floor fees) not good way to get work out of them. But don’t worry, I’ll continue to work on the stuff I enjoy doing :-))
Actually I do both. For example, I got paid in ND this winter, but when the money ran out me and my friends stuck around and got the LP about 200 volunteer signatures each, for about 1200 total. We wanted to make sure the drive succeeded,
Petitioning doesn’t always suck; a fresh college or a festival can be a lot of fun.
Petitioning sucks, but every Libertarian should do their part and get at least 100 without asking to be paid for doing so.
If you’re not willing to do even that little bit, donate $200 to your state’s ballot access fund.
If you’re collecting thousands of sigs, or going out of state to petition, then by all means sell your time.
When I was in DC in 2004 Carol said she did not want to sign the petition for me because she was going to sign as a volunteer and get some other people to sign. She took out one page for that. I seem to remember Rich Heller telling me she never turned it in, though.
You’re refusing to collect signatures to help your party because you’re mad about a floor fee that you think hurt the party?
I are not understand this.
All,
If control over Oregon’s ballot access shifts to the Reeves officers before the election, there will be no need for Mr. Neale or others to plead or cowtow with Mr. Reeves to ensure the Johnson/Gray ticket appears on the Oregon ballot.
Richard P. Burke
Carol, if someone bribes you they are not free signatures.
How many free signatures did you collect in each of the last few times?
Yeah, LP team!! (Though somebody will have to bribe me good to collect any FREE signatures in dc. TANSTAAF – signature. At least til LNC promises no floor fee next time.)
It’s definitely good news for the LP.
I am glad Wes Wagner and Bruce Knight are willing to help get Gary Johnson and Jim Gray on the Oregon ballot. Truly admirable.
I believe that Wagner conducted himself very well over the few days of the convention in the face of much hostility. He has shown what strong character he has.
Good job, Wes, and I know you’ll do what you can to get the candidates chosen for president and vice-president on to the Oregon ballot.