Libertarian national convention May 27–30 in Orlando (Official thread)

[jct74]

This can sort of be the official thread, for anyone that wants to follow it closely.

Libertarian National Convention to be held May 27–30 in Orlando

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Convention theme: #LegalizeFreedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. — All eyes will be on the Libertarian Party National Convention from May 26 through May 30 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando. With the theme, “Legalize Freedom,” the convention will draw delegates from across the country to select the candidate who will challenge the Republican and Democratic nominees, whose front-runners are both candidates with the lowest approval ratings ever to represent their respective parties.

“The Libertarian Party is poised to have a breakout year,” said LNC Chair Nicholas Sarwark, “in an election when the two old parties are putting up candidates with some of the poorest public-opinion numbers in any modern election. In light of voters’ extreme disillusionment, I anticipate this will be one of our most exciting conventions ever.”

Key events include:

• Convention will open with a reception on Thursday, May 26 at 6:30 P.M.
• Business session will be called to order on Friday morning, May 27, the agenda to include the party’s Bylaws and Platform Committees’ reports.
• A vice-presidential debate will be held on Friday evening at 7:00 P.M.
• Presidential nominations will start approximately 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 28.
• A televised presidential debate will be held on Saturday evening at 8:00 P.M.
• Delegates will select the presidential nominee on Sunday morning, May 29, followed by the vice-presidential nominations and election.
• Sunday evening will feature the presidential reception at 7:00 P.M. and banquet at 8:00 P.M.
• The business session will conclude on Monday, May 30.

A detailed schedule is available here.

“Right now I’m expecting up to 1,000 delegates to be seated at the convention; every day our count is increasing,” Sarwark remarked. “No matter which candidate the delegates choose to nominate, he or she will be the only candidate on every single American voter’s ballot running on a platform of supporting their right to live their life in any way they want, as long as they don’t hurt anyone else and don’t take their stuff.”

Click here to learn how the Libertarian Party selects its presidential and VP nominees.

The Libertarian Party was founded in 1972, and is today the third largest political party in the United States. Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place roadblocks in order to keep alternative parties’ candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice.

Additional information about the convention is located at www.LP.org/convention. For guest rooms in the area (the Rosen Centre has sold out), click here.

Members of the press who plan to attend this event are requested to visit the convention web site to obtain additional information and to request press credentials.

http://www.lp.org/news/press-release...-30-in-orlando

[afwjam]

Live stream here:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/libertarian-party1

[jct74]

Libertarian Party kicks off presidential nominating convention

Thursday, May 26, 2016

ORLANDO — On the eve of the opening of the 2016 Libertarian Nominating Convention, a record 985 delegates and 344 alternate delegates hailing from 50 states plus D.C. were credentialed to select the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees, possibly adopt changes to the party’s platform, and elect top party officials.

The convention will be called to order at 8:40 a.m. Friday, May 27 and adjourn approximately noon on Monday, May 30.

2016 is proving to be a banner year for the Libertarian Party:

• Dues-paying membership grew 30 percent from January to May of this year.
• Libertarian voter registration has consistently risen in the last 24 years* whereas other political parties have declined. As of February 2016, there are 411,250 registered Libertarians nationwide.
• Gov. Gary Johnson, one of the candidates vying for the LP presidential nomination, already polled in double digits twice this year against the Democratic and Republican presumptive nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump (March, Monmouth University Poll, 11%; May, Fox News poll, 10%)

The Libertarian Party is the only alternative party expected to be on the ballot in all 50 states this year.

Key events of the weekend include:

• Vice presidential debate -- Friday 7:00-8:00 P.M.
• Presidential debate Saturday -- 8:00-10:00 P.M.
• Presidential and VP election -- Starts Sunday morning 9:50 A.M.

Syndicated radio host Larry Elder will moderate the presidential debate.

More schedule details can be found here: http://Libertarian.nationbuilder.com/schedule

“We have an impressive line-up of Libertarian candidates running across the country, from local office to president,” said Nicholas Sarwark, LP Chair. “The major parties offer Americans more government. Libertarians advocate for much less government, the key to real, sustainable job creation; personal freedom; and a peaceful, non-interventionist foreign policy.”

http://www.lp.org/news/press-release...ing-convention

[jct74]

Chair's Proposed Business Meeting Agenda

The Chair's Proposed Business Meeting Agenda is provided below.

For a comprehensive daily and hourly schedule of events, including the many inspiring seminars and trainings offered throughout the convention please visit our Convention Schedule. (Last updated 5/22/16).

--

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Candidate & Activist Training Seminars, Welcome Reception and Pre-convention Meetings for the Bylaws Committee, Platform Committee, Credentials Committee, and Libertarian National Committee (LNC).

Training 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Credentials Committee Meeting 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Registration and Credentialing 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Platform Committee Meeting 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
LNC Preconvention Meeting 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Bylaws & Rules Forum 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Thomas Jefferson Welcome Reception 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Bylaws & Rules Committee Meeting 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm

--

Friday, May 27, 2016

Call to Order - 8:40 am
Welcome to Florida - 5 minutes
Credentials Report - 5 minutes
Adoption of the Agenda - 5 minutes
Treasurer's Report - 15 minutes
Bylaws Report & Debate - 170 minutes
Lunch Recess - 12:00 pm
Call to Order - 2:30 pm
Credentials Report - 5 minutes
Bylaws Report & Debate - 40 minutes
Awards - 30 minutes
Platform Report & Debate - 105 minutes
Evening Recess - 5:30 pm

--

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Call to Order - 9:40 am
Credentials Report - 5 minutes
Platform Report & Debate - 135 minutes
Lunch Recess - 12:00 pm
Call to Order - 2:30 pm
Credentials Report - 5 minutes
Presidential Nominations - 175 minutes
Evening Recess - 5:30 pm

--

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Call to Order - 9:45 am
Credentials Report - 5 minutes
Presidential Elections - 60 minutes
Vice Presidential Nominations & Elections - 70 minutes
Lunch Recess - 12:00 pm
Call to Order - 1:30 pm
LNC Nominations & Elections - 120 minutes
Awards - 25 minutes
Entertainment - 15 minutes
LNC Nominations & Elections - 50 minutes
Judicial Committee Nominations & Elections - 30 minutes
Evening Recess - 5:30 pm

--

Monday, May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)

Monday May 30, 2016
Call to Order - 9:30 am
Credentials Report - 5 minutes
Resolutions - 25 minutes
Other business - 60 minutes

Adjournment - 11:00 am

http://libertarian.nationbuilder.com/agenda

[afwjam]

I support McAfee for the nomination, he gets the attention and has the ability to articulate libertarian principles simply. I'm thousands of miles away and not a delegate, however if I were a delegate in Florida, at this point I would form any coalition with any of the other campaigns besides Johnson/Weld. Compromise is what got us into this $#@!, only revolution will get us out. We must not compromise our principles, it is clear Johnson/Weld do not have these principles on a root level. I'm not talking about low taxes and gay marriage, I'm talking fundamental principles upon which all political philosophy should come from. We own ourselves, we have no right to steal and aggress against others and we should keep our word and be honest.

We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their creater with certain inalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

[jct74]

Here's a list of speakers, I recognize a lot of these names. Kokesh, Tom Woods, Jim Rogers some of the bigger ones.

Ryan Adams | Wendy Adams | Danielle Alexandre | Robert Arnakis | Frank Atwood | Rev. Larry Beane | Ruth Bennett | Brett Bittner | Craig Bowden | Andy Burns | M Carling | Jeffrey Carson | Michael Cloud | Kirk Coco | William Coley | Lauren Daugherty | Alicia Dearn | Larry Elder | Bruce Fein | Kevin Fortune | Major Neill Franklin | Judge Jim Gray | Sam Goldstein | Sharon Harris | Daniel Hayes | Jeff Hewitt | Carla Howell | Dan Johnson | Joseph Johnson | Joshua Katz | Robin Koerner | Adam Kokesh | Eva Kosinski | Monica Lucas | Ric McCluskey | Joe McKenzie | Jeremy McLellan | Gary Miliefsky | Mark Miller | Tim Moen | Tatiana Moroz | John Moore | Avens O'Brien | Jenny Ojageer | Jordan Page | Michele Poague | Tom Regnier | Jim Rogers | Roger Roots | Larry Sharpe | Tylor Slinger | Alex Snitker | Wendell Stephenson | Jeffrey Tucker | Tim Turner | Lyn Ulbricht | Carole Beth Vest | Lily Tang Williams | Tom Woods

http://libertarian.nationbuilder.com/speakers

[fisharmor]

Here's a list of speakers, I recognize a lot of these names. Kokesh, Tom Woods, Jim Rogers some of the bigger ones.



http://libertarian.nationbuilder.com/speakers

I sure hope we get video of some of those!

[jct74]

Live stream here:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/libertarian-party1

Thanks! Also I checked the CSPAN schedule and they will be covering at the following times:


Libertarian Party Presidential Debate - Saturday 8 to 10 pm ET

Libertarian Party National Convention, Day 2 - Sunday 9:45 am to noon ET


also Weigel is at the convention and he will be phoning in to CSPAN Sunday morning at 7:05 am ET

[jct74]

some media coverage...

Libertarian Party set to pick nominee at convention

By Eli Watkins, CNN
Fri May 27, 2016

(CNN) They get the bronze medal every four years in what is really a two-person race.

That's what it must feel like to be a third-party candidate in a two-party country.

But between Donald Trump's abrupt takeover of the GOP and Bernie Sanders' climb from long-shot Democratic candidacy to head of a national progressive movement, 2016 has been a year for party outsiders. And Libertarians hope that could give them an opening.

What gives them hope?

The likely Democratic and Republican nominees each have historically high unfavorable numbers.

So it is with an air of opportunity to break out of obscurity that Libertarians, the country's most prominent third party, head to their national convention in Orlando, Florida this weekend to officially pick a candidate to pitch to angry voters.

Many expect former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the Libertarian presidential nominee in 2012, to leave Orlando Sunday evening once again his party's standard-bearer.

...

read more:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/27/politi...ion/index.html

[jct74]

Why the Libertarian Party convention matters

By W. JAMES ANTLE III
5/26/16 12:01 AM

The contested convention that could provide conservatives with someone to vote for in November besides Donald Trump is finally here.

It's just not the Republican National Convention. The Libertarian Party is gathering in Orlando, Fla., over Memorial Day weekend to choose its 2016 presidential nominee. With unpredictable (some might say quirky) party activists and no real primary system, there's no guarantee what the delegates will decide.

Normally, this is an esoteric event that attracts little serious press coverage. This year is different. First, there remain significant pockets of opposition to Trump among conservatives even as he stands on the precipice of the GOP nomination.

The Libertarians aren't an ideal third-party vehicle for many of these conservatives. But unlike other #NeverTrump alternatives, it is an established political party that has been around for over 40 years. It has qualified for the ballot in all 50 states. And it has a more than hypothetical set of candidates.

Second, those candidates. Democrats and Republicans may scoff, but this is actually an above-average Libertarian presidential field: former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, famed antivirus software creator John McAfee and former Judge Andrew Napolitano producer Austin Petersen, whose pro-life stand and defense of religious liberty has earned him surprising conservative endorsements.

...

read more:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wh...rticle/2592316

[jct74]

Unprecedented Excitement at Libertarian Party Convention

By MIKE SCHNEIDER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 27, 2016, 2:58 PM ET

The deep unpopularity of both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has led to an unprecedented level of excitement at the Libertarian Party's presidential nominating convention in Orlando this year.

Libertarian officials said Friday as the four-day convention began that 985 delegates and 344 alternates were attending from all 50 states — a record. Dues-paying members have increased by 30 percent since the beginning of the year, Libertarian officials said.

"There's a lot more energy. ... There's so much attention being given to the Libertarians," said former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who with running mate William Weld, the former Massachusetts governor, are considered front-runners for the nomination.

...

"There's so much excitement," said Austin Petersen, a presidential candidate from Missouri. "The Libertarians have never seen so many good, quality candidates. ... We've just never seen this much attention to our party, ever, before."

...

read more:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireS...ntion-39431907

[jct74]

Dave Weigel is at the convention, you can follow his adventures on his twitter account:
https://twitter.com/daveweigel

Also official account for Libertarian Party:
https://twitter.com/LPNational

Official hashtag for this year's convention is #LegalizeFreedom:
https://twitter.com/hashtag/legalize...fault&src=hash

[afwjam]

This weekend will be when the viewer count for Liberty campaigns forum surpasses the viewers of the Trump/Clinton establishment forums on RPF. Let's hope the delegates in Florida make the right choice and it stays this way here.

[undergroundrr]

Live stream here:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/libertarian-party1

Thanks for the ustream link. I'll try to follow this. Seeing the 1991 Libertarian National Convention on C-Span was a game changer for me personally. But dang, poor Andre Marrou. They couldn't have picked a more ill-fated guy.

[Michael Landon]

Here's a list of speakers, I recognize a lot of these names. Kokesh, Tom Woods, Jim Rogers some of the bigger ones.



http://libertarian.nationbuilder.com/speakers

Where's Wayne Allan Root and Bob Barr? [/sarcasm]

- ML

[William Tell]

Where's Wayne Allan Root and Bob Barr? [/sarcasm]- ML

They traded them for Weld.

[Michael Landon]

They traded them for Weld.

Hopefully we received a high end prospect in return.

- ML

[jct74]

I sure hope we get video of some of those!

here's some Kokesh video, kind of $#@!ty audio though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-74kvGt5Ds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wYkyS7bPdw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QlebnnQVQE

[jct74]

Gary interviewed on MSNBC from the convention



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gB_VpckpZ8

[jct74]

Some MSNBC reporting from the convention. 2nd video they interview LP chairman and discuss Koch bro rumors.

[jct74]

This channel is uploading a lot of stuff about the convention including capturing the live streams

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTG...7ztVQbQ/videos

[jct74]

CNN at the convention



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o55jTdOhJps

[undergroundrr]

Ewwww

[Suzanimal]

Ewwww

SMDH... This election year could be a game changer for the LP and this douche nozzle is the guy the front runner throws his support behind for VP?

[undergroundrr]

SMDH... This election year could be a game changer for the LP and this douche nozzle is the guy the front runner throws his support behind for VP?

I guess it would be good to see actual video for the context of his comment. That's really boneheaded.

[Suzanimal]

I guess it would be good to see actual video for the context of his comment. That's really boneheaded.

Even without the stupid comment, he's a bad pick.

[Sujan]

Boy what a bad pick Weld is. I just watched his speech live on Periscope. Unimpressive. He's clearly a republican. Perhaps with a bit of libertarian swing to it, but no real libertarian. Not at all. The audience seemed to be unimpressed too. He's a very hard sell. He could easily lose the VP nomination. And with that, Johnson could lose too.

[torchbearer]

Boy what a bad pick Weld is. I just watched his speech live on Periscope. Unimpressive. He's clearly a republican. Perhaps with a bit of libertarian swing to it, but no real libertarian. Not at all. The audience seemed to be unimpressed too. He's a very hard sell. He could easily lose the VP nomination. And with that, Johnson could lose too.

In 2008, Mary Ruwart and Bob Barr were neck-to-neck in support by voting delegates. Barr teamed up with Wayne Allen Root and won the ballot, also giving W.A.R. the VP slot with Barr's delegates.

In 2016 look for a similar scenario, but with a partnership between Petersen and McAfee.
That is my prediction. So, technically- if Petersen or McAfee place second on a multi-ballot contest. The third place finisher may endorse the second place finisher. And with their delegates combined- beat Johnson. and then use the delegate coalition to put the other on the VP ticket.

[jct74]

Weigel with a report from the convention:

Experienced Libertarian ticket becomes a tough sell in Orlando

By David Weigel
May 28 at 12:42 PM

ORLANDO — Upstairs, Bill Weld was the presumptive vice presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party, powering through interview after interview. Downstairs, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts found himself arguing about whether Mexico was a threat to the economic life of the United States.

“We can’t allow Mexico to continue to be dysfunctional and pass on the costs to us,” said a Libertarian delegate from Arizona.

Weld, who would have been ambassador to Mexico had antiabortion Republicans not rejected him, waited out the lecture. He paused for a picture with a camera-challenged delegate — “I can only hold this smile for 45 minutes” — then offered his solution.

“What they really need is to extend the highways,” said Weld, “to get the traffic going more easily further south.”

It was not every day that a Libertarian candidate talked about building superhighways. “The Birchers are paranoid about that,” said Ernest Hancock, another Arizona activist.

“The Birchers? They do?” asked Weld, miming the act of folding up a piece of paper. “Oh, I’d better hide this newsletter!”

Just one week ago, Weld agreed to join former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson on the Libertarian Party’s ticket. The likely nomination of unpopular major-party candidates had already spiked interest in the 40-year-old party: A chart displayed to delegates showed Web searches on the party quintupling after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) conceded the Republican race to Donald Trump. The Weld-Johnson ticket, socially liberal and economically conservative, looked to offer a historic challenge to the two-party system. But first, the ticket has to get through the Libertarian Party’s weekend gauntlet.

...

read more:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...ll-in-orlando/

[jct74]

Vermin Supreme is in attendance with his toothbrush.

I wasn't aware of this but apparently he is running for the Libertarian nomination.

http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/ha...rtarian-party/


Wonder how many votes he will get.