My Libertarian Party Cruise Convention Concerns

I'd like to raise some questions regarding the upcoming cruise, which some on this list may be able to answer.

(First off, just for the record, I am ambivalent about the cruise. Undecided as to whether it's a good idea.)

But here's some issues I worry about:


* TIME FACTOR. At our last state convention, many resolutions submitted by the Platform Committee and Program Committee never made it to a floor vote, because of lack of time.

I later heard grumbling from some delegates that other delegates had intentionally delayed the floor votes by raising endless trivial questions and objections and suggestions. This was because these delegates feared they would lose the vote, so they killed resolutions by preventing them from coming to a vote.

This is not good. Delegates should have the opportunity to vote on every resolution, and not lose that opportunity due to the clock.


Now I see that during this cruise we'll only have one day for business. Partially, I suppose, because people want to have fun on a cruise. Which means still less time for business. Not good.


* QUORUM FACTOR. A few times at the last convention it looked as though there may not be enough delegates on the floor for a quorum. In which case, no business could get done.

Apparently, many delegates kept wandering off to attend hotel convention events.

On a cruise, there'll be many more events to compete for delegates' attention (and please don't assume that won't happen just because there'll only be one day of business).

What if more delegates than usual show up, hoping to have fun on a cruise (which already shows you why they're there), but an even greater percentage of them don't show up for business. Will we have a quorum? Maybe not. Again, not good.


As I said, I'm undecided about this cruise, but it seems we need to consider the LACK OF TIME to do adaquete business, and a LACK OF QUORUM that may also ensue.


Whatever we do, I strongly urge the party to insure that there is adaquete time for all convention business, even if it means extending the business session for several hours or even another day.


-- Thomas M. Sipos, Vice Chair, L.A./Westside Region.