RECORDS OF THE 1989 NATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
CONTENTS
A. Officers and Personnel
B. Committees
C. Credentials Report
D. Treasurer's Report
E. Bylaws and Rules Amendments
F. Platform Amendments
G. LP Program Committee Report
H. Election of National Committee Officers, Members, and Alternates and
Judicial Committee Members
1. Chair
2. Vice-Chair
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. At-Large Members
6. Judicial Committee
7. Regional Representatives
I. Resolutions
J. Other Business
APPENDICES:
I. Credentials Statistics
II. List of Delegates and Alternates
III. State-by-State Voting Records
RECORD OF THE 1989 NATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
September 1-3, 1989
Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel, Seattle, Washington
A. OFFICERS AND PERSONNEL
Convention Manager: Don Ernsberger (PA)
Convention Oversight Committee: Don Ernsberger (PA), David Walter (PA),
Steve Givot (IL)
Registrar: Frances Eddy (MD)
Chair: David Walter (PA)
Vice-Chair: David Bergland (CA)
Secretary: I. Dean Ahmad (MD)
Treasurer: Steve Fielder (WV)
Timekeepers: David Bergland (CA) and Dean Ahmad (MD)
Vote Teller: Jeff Smith (CA)
B. COMMITTEES
CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE: Elected by National Committee: I. Dean Ahmad (MD)
temporary and presiding chair, Frances Eddy (MD), Gary Johnson (TX)
Karen Huffman (CA). Elected by the five largest state parties: Kevin
Delaney (NY), Mary Alice Strzlka (IL), Iris Bryan (PA). Also elected,
but not attending were: Sharon Freeman (DC), elected by the National
Committee, Cullene Lang (CA) elected by California, and Peter Elloway
(TX) elected by Texas.
BYLAWS AND RULES COMMITTEE: David Nolan (CO) presiding chair, Lyn
Sapowsky-Smith (CA) temporary chair, Toni Black (PA), Don Ernsberger
(PA), Paul Kunberger (MD), David Horne (VA), Vicki Kirkland (NY), Gerry
Walsh (IL), George O'Brien (CA), Bill White (CA).
PLATFORM COMMITTEE: Elected by National Committee: Steve Givot (IL)
temporary and presiding chair, Jorge Amador (PA), Bill Bradford (WA),
Ted Brown (CA), Larry Dodge (MT), Bill Evers (CA), Mike Iddings (CA),
Kathleen Jacob-Richman (AR), Willy Marshall (UT). Selected by the ten
largest state parties: Margaret Fries (NY), Henry Haller (PA), Steve
Reed (IL), Laura Stewart (NJ), John Vernon (CA), Don Warmbier (MI), and
three unidentified delegates elected by Texas, Florida, and Colorado.
Also elected but not attending were Amy Marshall (NV, elected by
National Committee) and Robert Murphy (OK, elected by MA).
C. CREDENTIALS REPORT
The Credentials Committee convened at 10:25 a.m. on August 30, 1989 at
the Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The committee unanimously elected Dean Ahmad committee chairman and Gary
Johnson as committee secretary.
The committee reviewed state by state the source material sent in by the
affiliates giving the names and addresses and/or rules for their
delegates and alternates. It discussed applicable sections of the Party
Bylaws and Convention Rules in relation to its work.
44 delegate lists were accepted as having been timely submitted.
4 affiliates sent in no delegate/alternate information in violation of
the Bylaws: Articles 11, Section 6, Delegate Allocation, last
paragraph.
The following 3 affiliates sent in delegate/alternate information late
(i.e., after Aug. 1, 1989) in violation of the Bylaws--Article 11,
Section 6, Delegate Allocation, last paragraph: Arkansas, Missouri,
Rhode Island.
The job of the Credentials Committee is to implement the Bylaws
pertaining to it; the Committee has no authority to credential state
delegations not in conformity with the Party Bylaws. Therefore the
committee instructed the registrar at the Credentials Desk not to
credential delegate/alternates from the above listed states. At the
recommendation of the committee, however, the convention suspended the
rules for the purpose of seating these delegates.
For those delegations which we have seated, we have accepted the lists
submitted by the affiliate parties, as amended by the affiliate parties,
with the following exceptions:
Due to a technical error by the Credentials Committee John Robertson of
Norman OK was not credentialled by the Credentials Committee as a
delegate from California. Ahmad asked for a technical correction which
was approved by unanimous consent.
The following persons were not credentialled because no address was
given for them, in violation of Article 11, Section 6: Dil Bini (VT),
Sean Breen (VT), Donna Bini (VT), and Dana Johnson (VT).
A credentials report was given at the beginning of the general session
on Friday, Sept. 1 and a report of the maximum number eligible to vote
was given at the opening of each morning and afternoon session
throughout the convention. Attached is a tabulation of delegates state
by state, showing (1) the total number (excluding ex-officio) allocated
to each party, (2) the total of all delegates and alternates who
actually registered by the end of the convention, and (3) the maximum
number of eligible votes at the beginning of each session. (See
Appendix I).
Throughout the meeting various delegations called for a suspension of
the rules to amend their delegation lists. All such amendments were
approved and the registrar's list amended to conform, except for an
attempt on the last day to which there was an objection.
A complete list of delegates and alternates is given in Appendix II.
Those who actually registered are indicated by a check mark in the last
column.
D. TREASURER'S REPORT
Steve Fielder delivered an oral report. Fielder reported that the Party
has been completely out of debt since the end of April and that no FEC
fines or penalties have been incurred since Sam Treynor assumed the
Treasurership. Fielder answered questions from the floor. A. Clark
(CA) moved to postpone approval of Treasurer's Report until all
delegates have copy of the report, which should be delivered at the
earliest opportunity. The motion passed on a voice vote, but no copies
were delivered nor was the report taken from the table.
E. BYLAWS AND RULES AMENDMENTS
Bergland assumed the Chair during the Bylaws debate.
David Nolan presented the report.
The Bylaws and Rules Committee met on August 29 and 30, and presented
their recommendations to the Convention on Sept. 1. Proposals were
debated and sometimes amended from the floor. The following amendments
to the Bylaws and Rules were adopted:
1. Article 8, Section 7:
[Move to beginning and renumber accordingly. Insert after the word
\"Bylaws\":] The Libertarian National Committee shall establish and
oversee an organizational structure to implement the purposes of the
Party as stated in Article 3.
2. Article 8, Section 1 (b):
[Delete section, and renumber following sections accordingly]
3. Article 8, Section 1 (d):
[Replace \"5\" with \"10\"]
4. Article 8, Section 1 (d):
[After the word \"representative\" insert:] and one alternate
5. Article 8, Section 1 (c); Rule 11:
[Replace the word \"seven\" with \"five.\"]
6. Article 6:
[Insert after \"Columbia\" in Section 2:] hereinafter, state.
[Replace \"organization\" with \"Party\" in Section 2]
[Insert after \"Principles\" in Section 2:] and file a copy of their
Constitution and/or Bylaws with the National Secretary.
[Delete \", territory, or the District of Columbia\" from Section 3]
7. Rule 1, Item 5:
[Add:] (Non-nominating conventions only)
8. Rule 1, Item 6:
[Add:] (At non-Presidential nominating conventions only deletions may be
considered).
9. Rule 1, Item 7 and Rule 8; Article 5:
[Delete Rule 1, Section 7 and renumber the following rules accordingly
and transfer Rule 8 from convention rules to Bylaws as a new Article 5,
\"Libertarian Party Program\" with the following changes:
Replace Section 1 with: \"(a) The National Committee shall adopt and
report the LP Program to the membership.\"
Replace \"Convention\" in Section 2 with \"Committee\".
Replace \"a draft program to the National Committee at least 210 days
before the first day of the Convention\" in Section 3 with \"draft program
planks to the National Committee\"
Replace Subsection 4 with \"Motions to approve planks require a 2/3 vote
of the entire National Committee.\"]
10. Rule 10, Section 2:
[Replace \"four\" with \"two\"]
11. Article 12 (formerly 11), Section 4:
[Replace Paragraph (a) with: \" a. One delegate for each 20 members or
fraction thereof, of the National Party (at least one such delegate must
be a resident of that state); plus]
[Delete Paragraph (b) and renumber subsequent paragraph]
12. Article 16 (formerly 15).
[Add:] A copy of these Bylaws and Convention Rules shall be provided to
each member of the National Committee, each member of the Judicial
Committee and each Chair of an affiliate party within 90 days of
adoption.
13. Article 9 (formerly 8), Section 9:
[Delete the rest of the sentence after \"Secretary\"]
14. Article 9 (formerly 8), Section 9:
[Insert, after \"Secretary\":] The Secretary shall establish procedures
for identifying voters in a mail ballot, and may accept votes through
any mail system, including facsimile and electronic mail, for which such
procedures have been established. Votes from alternate regional
representatives will be counted, in accordance with the ranking
procedure of the region, only if the regional representative fails to
respond to the ballot.
15. Article 9 (formerly 8), Section 1:
[Replace \"seven\" with \"five\"]
16. Article 10 (formerly 9), Section 1:
[Replace \"five\" with \"seven\"]
17. Article 10 (formerly 9), Section 3:
[Replace \"The Judicial Committee shall submit the Rules of Appellate
Procedure to the National Committee\" in the second sentence with \"The
existing Rules shall remain in effect until and unless the Judicial
Committee submits new proposed rules to the National Committee\"]
Bylaws and Rules Committee proposals which failed to receive the
necessary approval by the convention were:
1. Addition of a new Section 2 to Article 8 to authorize the Executive
Committee and mandate that it make written reports to the National
Committee.
2. Amendment of Article 12, Section 2 to make signing a contract with
the National Committee a prerequisite for eligibility as LP candidate
for President.
3. Amendment of Article 6, Section 5 to require affiliate parties to
maintain a minimum National membership of 10 to retain affiliation.
4. Amendment of Article 11, Section 3 to require all convention
delegates be members of the Party.
5. Amendment to eliminate the Presidential election bonus delegates to
the convention by deleting Article 11, Section 4(c)
An attempt to suspend the rules to consider additional amendments failed
to receive the necessary approval by the convention.
F. PLATFORM AMENDMENTS
David Bergland assumed the chair for the Platform debate.
Steve Givot presented the report. The Platform Committee met on August
29 and 30 and submitted their recommendations to the Convention on Sept.
2. As many proposals as time permitted were debated and sometimes
amended from the floor before being voted upon. The following
amendments to the Platform were adopted:
1. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
5. Justice for the Individual
[Replace \"the rights\" with \"exercising their rights\"]
2. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
8. Government and Mental Health
[Replace \"community\" in Subsection d with \"tax-
supported community\"]
3. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
11. The Right to Property
[Delete \"recent\" from the fourth paragraph]
4. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
17. Immigration
[Replace \"would punish\" with \"punish\" in the third
sentence]
5. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Colonialism
[Delete the comma after \"them\" in the second sentence]
6. DOMESTIC ILLS
1. Energy
[Replace \"as\" with \"to be\" in the fourth paragraph]
7. DOMESTIC ILLS
7. Poverty and Unemployment
[Replace \"privacy-invading\" with \"invasion of privacy\"
in the fourth paragraph]
8. DOMESTIC ILLS
9. Resource Use
[Replace \"private use, voluntary transfer of water
rights, or of the\" with \"private use or voluntary
transfer of water rights or\" in the second paragraph]
[Replace \"Engineer's\" with \"Engineers'\" in the third
paragraph]
9. TRADE AND THE ECONOMY
3. Inflation and Depression
[Replace clause d of the last paragraph with \"d. the
elimination of laws setting margin requirements on
purchases and sales of securities;\"]
10. TRADE AND THE ECONOMY
5. Government Debt
[Replace \"over-ride\" with \"override\" in clause a of the first
paragraph]
11. TRADE AND THE ECONOMY
7. Subsidies
[Replace \"interest\" in the first sentence of the second paragraph
with \"interests\"]
12. TRADE AND THE ECONOMY
6. Transportation
[Replace \"the federally imposed 55 mph speed limit\" at
the end of the last paragraph with \"federally imposed
speed limits.\"]
13. TRADE AND THE ECONOMY
2. Taxation
[Insert before the last paragraph:]
We oppose any and all increases in the rate of taxation
or categories of taxpayers, including the elimination
of deductions, exemptions, or credits in the spurious
name of \"fairness,\" simplicity,\" or alleged \"neutrality
to the free market.\" No tax can ever be fair, simple,
or neutral to the free market.
14. TRADE AND THE ECONOMY
6. Public Utilities
[Insert \"cable television,\" after \"natural gas,\" in the
first sentence]
15. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
19. Women's Rights -> Women's Rights and Abortion
[Instead of adding a new plank on Abortion Rights, the
convention voted to change the title of the section on
\"Women's Rights\" to \"Women's Rights and Abortion\"]
16. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
22. The War on Drugs
[Add a new plank:]
The so-called \"War on Drugs\" is a grave threat to
individual liberty, to domestic order and to peace in
the world; furthermore, it has provided a rationale by
which the power of the state has been expanded to
restrict greatly our right to privacy and to be secure
in our homes.
We call for the repeal of all laws establishing
criminal or civil penalties for the use of drugs and of
\"anti-crime\" measures restricting individual rights to
be secure in our persons, homes, and property, or
limiting our rights to keep and bear arms.
17. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
9. Freedom of Communication
[Delete the word \"legislative\" from the third sentence
of the sixth paragraph]
18. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL ORDER
15. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms
[Insert \"or requiring\" after \"restricting\" in the 1st
sentence]
19. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
2. Central America -> Latin America
[Rename the Central America Plank \"Latin America\" and
replace the first four paragraphs with: \"We oppose the
current thrust by the U.S. government to establish
American political control over the Western Hemisphere
and its growing involvement in internal conflicts in
Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, we
oppose the continuing U.S. campaigns to overthrow the
government of Nicaragua; to intervene in the internal
politics of Panama to overthrow its ruler; to fight
'drug wars' in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, and Columbia; and
to prop up the government of El Salvador by sending in
military personnel and foreign aid.\"]
20. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
3. The Middle East
[Delete the last paragraph]
21. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
4. China
[Add new final paragraph:]
We support the aspirations of the Chinese people to
free themselves from their oppressive government, and
we look forward to the day when both personal and
economic liberties are respected in that country.
22. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
5. Southern Africa
[Replace the current plank with:]
We oppose apartheid as a fundamental violation of
individual rights. At the same time, we applaud
efforts by Africans of all races to free themselves
from governments that deny them economic and personal
freedom.
However, since we believe in the right of free trade
without the interference of any government, we oppose
any mandatory sanctions against Americans doing
business with South Africans or buying their products.
The imposition of sanctions violates the free market
and causes unemployment of black South Africans, the
same people the U.S. government has stated it intends
to help through this legislations.
We recognize that foreign business and trade has in
many cases undermined apartheid and helped improve the
standard of living of blacks, coloreds, and Indians.
Nevertheless, we believe that opponents of apartheid
and of South African regime may choose to cease their
business activities in South Africa or organize
voluntary boycotts against South Africa (or any other
nation) if they so desire.
23. DOMESTIC ILLS
2. Pollution
[Replace \"permit continued degradation of the
environment and continued violations of individual
rights. 'public property'\" in the first paragraph with
\"block privatisation of the use of the environment and
hence block resolution of controversies over resource
use.\"
24. DOMESTIC ILLS
8. Health Care
[Replace \"prescription requirements\" in the last
sentence of the third paragraph with \"laws requiring
prescriptions\" and insert a new third paragraph:] Since
a person's body is his or her own property, we favor
repeal of the existing prohibition on the commercial
sale and purchase of body parts.
The following recommendations from the Platform Committee failed:
1. A motion to add a new abortion rights plank was replaced by
substitute motion 15 above.
2. A motion to add a new plank on Military Forces was tabled.
3. A motion to add a new plank on Military Alliances was tabled.
4. A motion to add a new plank on Offensive Weapons and Nuclear
Deterrence was tabled.
Time expired before action could be taken on the other proposals of the
Platform Committee.
Motions to suspend the rules to consider various other changes to the
platform were all defeated.
G. LP PROGRAM COMMITTEE REPORT
T. Brown (CA) moved that the rules be suspended to permit the Program to
be handled by the NatCom in the manner specified by the newly adopted
Bylaws. The motion passed on a voice vote.
H. ELECTION OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE OFFICERS, MEMBERS, AND ALTERNATES AND
JUDICIAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
1. CHAIR
David Bergland assumed the chair for this item. The order of nominations
was determined by lot.
Robert Waldrop (UT) nominated Robert Murphy (OK). Darlene Brinks and
Dottie Lou Brokaw seconded the nomination.
Andre Marrou (NV) nominated David Walter (PA). Karl Hess (WV) and David
Nolan (CA) seconded the nomination.
Ron Paul (TX) nominated Matt Monroe (TX). Alicia Clark (CA) and Murray
Rothbard (NV) seconded the nomination.
Cullene Lang (CA) nominated None of the Above.
The results of the balloting were Walter 149, Monroe 64, Murphy 49,
None-of- the-Above 34. Walter was declared the winner.
2. VICE-CHAIR
David Walter resumed the chair. The order of nominations was determined
by lot.
Karl Hess (WV) nominated Mike Iddings (CA). Jeff Smith (CA) and Darlene
Brinks (CA) seconded the nomination.
David Walter (PA) nominated Mary Gingell (CA). Karen Allard (WA) and
Tonie Nathan (OR) seconded the nomination.
Alan Turin (FL) nominated Charles Manhart (FL). Jim Culberson (FL)
seconded the nomination.
The results of the balloting were Gingell 176, Iddings 62, Manhart 42,
None of the Above 6. Gingell was declared the winner.
3. SECRETARY
The order of nominations was determined by lot.
Paul Smith (OR) nominated Joe Dehn (OR). Mary Gingell (CA) and Tonie
Nathan (OR) seconded the nomination.
Ted Brown (CA) nominated Lyn Sapowsky-Smith (CA). Steve Fielder (WV)
and Gary Johnson (TX) seconded the nomination.
The results of the balloting were Dehn 162, Sapowsky-Smith 90, None of
the Above 11. Dehn was declared the winner.
4. TREASURER
Steve Fielder's nomination was uncontested. Fielder was elected on a
voice vote.
5. AT-LARGE MEMBERS
The order of nominations was chaotic.
Steve Givot (IL) nominated Gerry Walsh (IL). Walsh seconded the
nomination.
Steve Dasbach (IN) nominated Gary Johnson. Chris Fielder (WV) seconded
the nomination.
Robert Murphy (OK) nominated Jim Turney. Steve Dillon (IN) seconded the
nomination.
Bill McMillan (NY) nominated Dean Ahmad (MD). Robert Creager (MD)
seconded the nomination.
David Walter (PA) nominated Steve Alexander (CA). John Vernon (CA)
seconded the nomination.
Jim Lewis (CA) nominated Norma Segal (NY). Robert Murphy (OK) seconded
the nomination.
Frank Burns (NJ) nominated Toni Black (SC). Larry Dodge (MT) seconded
the nomination.
James Lark (VA) nominated Bill Redpath (VA). Redpath seconded the
nomination.
The results of the balloting were Ahmad 188, Redpath 151, Segal 127,
Alexander 125, Black 125, Walsh 122, Turney 78, Johnson 63, and None of
the Above 13. Ahmad, Redpath, Segal, Alexander, and Black were declared
elected.
6. REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND ALTERNATES
A 20 minute break was called for Regional Caucuses. The following
regional alignments and their election results are recognized:
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES ALTERNATE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Region 1: AK CO HI ID MT OR UT WA WY
Karen Allard (WA) Lynn House (AK)
Region 2: CA Region 2
Geoffrey Neale (CA) Lyn Sapowsky-Smith (CA)
George O'Brien (CA) Sam Treynor (CA)
Region 3: IN KY MI OH VA WV
Stephen L. Dasbach (IN) Janet Parkes (MI)
Region 4: AR DC FL GA LA MS NC OK SC TN
Ron Crickenberger (GA) Paula Zimmer (FL)
Region 5: DE MD NJ PA
Clifford Thies (MD) Robert Creager (MD)
Region 6: CT MA ME NH NY RI VT
Vicki Kirkland (NY) Nick Youngers (ME)
Region 7: IL IA KS MN MO NE ND SD WI
Steven I. Givot (IL) Dawn Hageman (WI)
Region 8: AZ NM NV TX
Gary Johnson (TX) Joe Lusardi (TX)
Alabama remained unaffiliated with any region.
7. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE
Bill Winter (NH) nominated Scott Bowden (NH). Al Anders (IN) seconded
the nomination.
Steve Dasbach (IN) nominated Steve Dillon (IN). Scott Miller (KS)
seconded the nomination.
Bill White (CA) nominated David Nolan (CA). Ruth Bennett (WA) seconded
the nomination.
Sylvia Barton (CA) nominated Alicia Clark (CA). Mary McEwen (WA)
seconded the nomination.
Karen Allard (WA) nominated Paul Smith (OR). Tom Verkuilan (WA)
seconded the nomination.
Cullene Lang (CA) nominated Mary McEwen (WA). Karen Huffman (CA)
seconded the nomination.
Alicia Clark (CA) nominated Bill White (CA). Ruth Bennett (WA) seconded
the nomination.
Sharon Ayres (CA) nominated Jack Dean (CA). Mark Hinkle (CA) seconded
the nomination.
Norma Segal (NY) nominated Bruce Martin (NY). Vicki Kirkland (NY)
seconded the nomination.
David Nolan (CA) nominated Alan Turin (FL). Jeff Daiell (TX) seconded
the nomination.
The results of the ballot were: Nolan 113, Clark 112, Walsh 94, White
86, Smith 80, Turin 60, Dean 56, Dillon 49, McEwen 40, Bowden 33, Martin
32, None of the Above 7. Nolan, Clark, Walsh, White, Smith, Turin and
Dean were declared elected.
I. Resolutions
Time expired before reaching this part of the Convention.
J. Other Business
Time expired before reaching this part of the Convention.
The convention adjourned at 3:40 p.m. on Sunday Sept. 3, 1989.
Respectfully submitted,
I. Dean Ahmad
