New Path for the LP is a slate of candidates for the Libertarian National Committee. The following was emailed to Paulie by New Path Chair candidate George Phillies:

New Path is issuing its program poposal for the LNC.

To read the full document: http://NewPathForTheLP.org.

Copies of letter CDs have been mailed to state chairs and a few others across the country.

A Simple Summary:

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Business plans sensibly start with a serious look at the situation. Where are we? What do we do well? What’s stopping us from succeeding? Where do we have opportunities? What is threatening us? The answers appear as bullet-pointed lists.

SWOT Analysis

LNC Inc. suffers from an extensive series of long-term weaknesses. These have now combined into a threat to its continued existence. If these weaknesses are not corrected soon, the National Party will cease to function in a meaningful way. On the other hand, there are enormous opportunities awaiting an active, effective party.

Strengths

First consider the places where we are doing well.

Great loyalty of our party faithful in face of adversity and defeat. Name recognition. People know now our name ‘libertarian’ and what it means. State affiliates. We are the only third party truly active in most states. Ballot access. We actually know how to get on the ballot across the country. Money. A million a year in income, with a large contact list; could be effective if used well. Core beliefs. A solid core of libertarian beliefs, most supported by almost every libertarian.

Weaknesses

Negative momentum — the National Party is going backwards. Weak leadership. A National Committee not focused on substance. Purges and witch hunts. Activists leaving party. Poor financial management. Too much money going to things that do not do politics, communicate our message, or add value proportionate to cost. Weak staff development and supervision. No Executive Director for a year. AN LNC press release absurdly attacking Libertarian author and candidate Mary Ruwart. Lack of vision: Where should we go? What could we be? Dilution/diminution of core libertarian message. Core positions tossed aside in name of expediency. Faux libertarians leaving the impression that we are social conservatives. Lack of affiliate support. Management by inertia. No priority setting. No focus on younger potential members. Potential libertarians being lost to campaign for liberty, tea parties, and friendly groups who are more libertarian than we are. Parliamentary Paralysis — Obsession with Robert’s Rules of Order to the point of fetishism.

Opportunities

Opposition Republican Party handing itself over to people who most Americans realize are idiots. Opposition Democratic Party copying key Republican positions. Americans are absolutely furious. Far right has lapsed into low level insurgency with assassinations (Tiller), violence (Texas IRS office attack, Congressional district office attacks), and incivility (Tea parties). Majority of Americans now tending independent in their political allegiance. Heavy polling support for a new third party. Young people who support our social freedom stands. Overwhelming supportfor marijuana legalization and equal rights for sexual minorities. Public support for libertarian stands — no bailouts, ending the Asian wars — with the other two parties in opposition.

Threats

Plummeting party income. Crashing renewal rates. Member disinterest and cynicism. Decreasing credibility — fundraising appeals now lose money. Continually diminishing activity. Emerging competition. Party being confused with Republican crackpots. Political infighting at the destroy the opposition level. Treading water — the National Committee response to the above is to keep repeating the same activities on a smaller and smaller scale.

Summary

Despite enormous mismanagement, our strengths are with us. We may not yet be the majority party, but we are far stronger than any of the other third parties.

Our opportunities are enormous. They have never been better.

The threats we face are existential. If they are not overcome, our party will effectively cease to exist.

We have a long list of weaknesses. Until we overcome them, our strengths will be neutralized, our opportunities will lie fallow, and our threats will continue to mount.

Our Response

Those are the problems our Party faces. They’re very serious.

But we’re not dead. Not quite yet.

Let’s turn to our solution — The New Path to Libertarian Revival.