I really did want to attend the Denver national convention last May. But overriding family and house concerns kept me from the trip. Having served on the LNC for the last two years and not seeking to renew the contract, I compromised with my wife and let others talk me into serving as Chair of the LPNY. Depending on how you look at it, I could either do more harm or good in that position, than any part of the mob that presides over about a million and a half of Libertarian treasure. 
This last weekend was another LNC meeting in DC and apparently a lot of the meeting involved the status of Angela Keaton. AK has come out critical on many aspects of the new LNC and its direction. For a while she was posting all LNC list correspondence on her blog, affectionately titled Anarchist Bitch. Somewhere a long the line she stopped that effort based on some unknown factors. Still, she's very popular amongst the anarchist flank of the party. As she 'twittered' this weekend about the meeting and devoted followers kept abreast of the news, one of her entries mentioned talking about Jesus, Sundwall, Rand & Knapp . . . Boy it would have been fun to follow that one, I think (er . . . hope).
This last weekend and the one before, I re-devoted myself to the kitchen floor project that started on Memorial Day weekend. Between general summer activities and six weeks of a petition drive smack dab in the middle, I spent far too much time ignoring personal matters to get Wayne Root on the ballot in New York. I have an entry in the wings should old WAR actually be certified on the ballot. At which point I can legitimately purge myself.
As it is, I probably spend too much time trying to protect the anarchist flank within the party. While so many 'happy anarchists' don't bother to dirty their hands in the electoral muck for a variety of reasons, an equal amount with the LP feel that in fact the anarchists should be purged in order to more effectively promote the smaller government, lower taxes mantra that still acts as an anathema to the more devoted abolitionist sect (aka anarchists). Indeed that is the general philosophical problematic as Sartwell outlines in his recent effort. It's doubtful there will ever be a happy compromise, the Dallas Accord came close, but the Machiavellian temptation within the tenuous 'majority' has been taking hold for a number of years now.
I am glad that my productivity this last weekend was devoted to my floor. Ripping out hand hewed joists and rerouting plumbing and electrical seems for more productive personally than any contribution to Angela's list. A list btw the way that includes an interesting subsection of supporters and followers. Indeed her effort has almost single handedly brought the LNC to its knees during the course of the weekend. If one little spunky anarchist from West Hollywood can muck up the proceedings for the entire weekend during a really important election cycle, perhaps we are in fact winning.
Transparency and productivity seem to be the biggest issues that the LNC will have to deal with. Whether or not some absurd notion of holding a convention on a cruise ship or an Executive Director will ever be appointed seems like trivial matters in comparison to the greater struggle of Liberty. Whether or not membership will increase as a result of the Barr campaign is yet to be seen. It does seem like many are taking a big risk for the Enterprise by constantly sacrificing the hard work of ballot access and ideals for celebrity and vague notions of success.
I wish Angela well, she's taken a Joan of Arc stance during this term. I'm flattered that my voice somehow has a positive (hopefully) influence in her actions and deliberations. The idea that I could somehow be on par with Knapp, let alone Jesus and Rand, is somewhat amazing, considering his constant effort in these types of arenas. I'm just a country bumpkin with some Kierkegaard under my belt. I got involved because I wasn't content with being a 'happy anarchist' anymore. If the LP can still manage to take in them, it should not be a problem to manage statist-lites, pontificators and the a whole host of disgruntled agitators who realize the two dominant parties are utterly corrupt and must be countered on a meaningful electoral basis. It may be that we are crushed, hammered, mocked and spit upon, but the effort is important.
If we fail, nothing may ever change. If we don't try, we are no better than they.
A lot of us non-anarchist types are pretty sickened by this whole thing too. I hope I don't have to join a faction just to say I think the LNC is acting like a bunch of twits.
I suppose you don't.