We believe in decentralization and accountability, and where governance exists it should be used to protect the rights of those in the group. However, as currently structured, the national Libertarian Party is a top-down organization, with accountability limited to conventions every 2 or 4 years.
We can restructure the national LP to both align with our principles and be more effective. You can read the details, but this is a proposal to decentralize the national Libertarian Party while increasing accountability:
The LNEC (Libertarian National Executive Committee), made up of 4-7 people, is small and nimble. Created to take over responsibilities to run the party day-to-day, they are also instantly accountable to the broader LNC which becomes the voice of the of the state parties.
The LNC becomes an inherently decentralized 51-member body with a member from each state party. By default, the state chair or vice-chair serves, but states can choose alternative mechanisms. The responsibilities of the LNC are reduced to only 4 high-level items:
- Hires (and can fire) members of the LNEC.
- Undo/veto anything that LNEC does.
- Holds an “up or down” vote on the Annual Budget.
- Consider any affiliation or disaffiliation of state parties.
The Judicial Committee is eliminated. The LNC can overturn the LNEC and otherwise act in the few cases where the functions of the JC would be necessary.
The need for non-presidential conventions are eliminated. We can save resources throughout the broader Party while re-focusing party activists on their state and local parties, or separate conventions into non-presidential bylaws and platform and presidential conventions.
The national party bylaws are cleaned up and streamlined, decreasing the machinations of bureaucracy in lieu of actual external political action.
State parties no longer feel disconnected from the National party, since they are the National party.
Members have a direct line to the national Libertarian Party through their state’s LNC member.
The national Libertarian Party becomes more nimble and effective while also becoming more accountable to the state parties and their members.