LPM OnlineMay 22, 2007 |
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New Newsletter Editor, Submission Deadline May 31st Greg Stempfle was chosen to take over editing the LPM newsletter at the last State Convention. Send all of your news, affiliate updates, advertisements, or anything else for the next Michigan Libertarian in by May 31st. Please send all material to stempfle@hotmail.com. Convention Photos Wanted If any delegates to the state convention took any nice photos, please send them to our new newsletter editor, Greg Stempfle at... stempfle@hotmail.com I would specifically like pictures of some of our speakers or of members of our party addressing the convention floor. Thanks. LP Presidential candidate hopefuls Alden Link, Michael Imperato, and Bob Jackson addressed the Convention. They are among several candidates who are seeking the 2008 nomination for Libertarian presidential candidate. Outgoing LEC members, present at the convention, were Chair Scotty Boman, Vice Chair James Hudler, Secretary Arthur Gulick (he spent his birthday at the convention), Treasurer Will White, Political Director Leonard Schwartz, Communications Director Tom Bagwell, and Membership Director James Allison. The convention was attended by guests and 46 registered delegates. The most notable change in the Bylaws was a return to an LEC composed of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and 5 at large members. This brings an end to the two year experiment with functional directors. The new LEC includes a sitting Mayor Pro-Tem. Erin Stahl became mayor Pro-Tem of St. Clair Shores after being reelected to their City Council. She is our new Vice Chair. High profile attorney general candidate, and veteran Libertarian Bill Hall is now Chair. Other new officers include: Former Chair Emily Salvette is now Secretary. Macomb County Activist Nicole Michalak is now Treasurer. The return of Greg Stempfle as Editor of the Michigan Libertarian (also on the LEC). Former Treasurer Will White returns to the LEC as a member at large. Former Communication Director Thomas Bagwell returns to the LEC as a member at large. Former Membership Director Jim Allison returns to the LEC as a member at large. West Michigan Leader and Convention organizer Eric Larson is now a member at large. In addition to bringing professional leadership to the LEC, I think the new team can also remind prospective members that women are welcome in this party. After-all, the first woman to get an electoral vote was a Libertarian. Other changes include an addition to our Platform of a statement that the State should not discriminate against individuals based on sexual orientation. Jerry Bloom and Leonard Schwartz have joined me on the Judicial Committee. A plank in support of equal parental rights (for mothers and fathers) was supported by the majority of delegates present, but could not be added to the platform because of time limitations. (see apology from out-going chair for clarification) I regret to inform supporters of the equal parenting plank that it cannot be included in the platform. If you need someone to hold accountable, then let it be me. The Libertarian Party of Michigan has always supported fair treatment of parents in custody cases. The interests of the child being the primary focus. However, our platform has not said this specifically. So there was a lot of support for such a plank, in principle. Unfortunately, I was not attentive to time limitations and Roberts Rules of Order. The vote was taken when the convention was officially concluded. Therefore, it never passed. I added it to the online platform prematurely, and will be removing it. It read as follows: "We support equal treatment and oppose sexual discrimination in any judicial proceeding adjudicating a parent's right, privilege or obligation concerning his or her child." We still support equal treatment under the law. This was the spirit of proposal 2. We have another convention next year, so here is an idea for a new resolution. |
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