405: What On Earth is Happening at the Libertarian Party of Delaware!? -with Amy LePore

Brian Nichols  
You heard the name Eagles but now you need to remember my delta eight from the same people who brought you Eagles my delta eight is delta eight THC, offering a Sennheiser data physical sensation without the overwhelming mental simulation of Delta nine THC resulting in a smoother and much milder experience both eagles and my delta eight offer both best quality product and customer service in the industry from helping manage chronic pain, anxiety, depression and more. The reviews are in folks both evals and my delta eight are truly game changers as a natural alternative to Big Pharma drugs and hey yours truly here The Brian Nichols Show can vouch for the quality of eagles and at my delta eight having to deal with a herniated disc in my back plus years of sports injuries evals and my delta eight offer relief were generic medicines simply mask the pain and did you know you can get evals and my delts a delivered right to your door at a special discounted price. That's right all members of The Brian Nichols Show audience we use promo code TMS at checkout and boom discount apply it again that's code TBS at checkout and get the highest quality CBD and delta eight THC on the market delivered right to your door one more time the code is TBMs at checkout Victor Antonio Welcome to the program

Victor Antonio  
selling is all about really it's we're not selling a product you're not selling a service you're not selling value you're not selling whatever you think you're selling a solution you're selling change Welcome

Brian Nichols  
to The Brian Nichols Show your source for common sense politics on the we are libertarians network as a sales and marketing executive in the greater telecommunications cybersecurity industry, Brian works with C level executives to help them future proof their company's infrastructure for an uncertain future. And in each episode, Brian takes that experience and applies it to the liberty movement. And this is why we talk about being the trusted advisor you should be able to help us that expert guidance and all the opinions that I'm sure that you have and help lead them towards not just a decision but the right decisions. Instead of focusing on simply winning arguments or being right. We're teaching the basic fundamentals of sales and their application in the world of politics, showing you how to ask better questions, tell better stories and ultimately change people's minds. And now your host, Brian Nichols.

Whoa, what's up there, folks, Brian Nichols here on The Brian Nichols Show. And thank you for joining us on of course, another fun filled episode. As always, I am your humble host. Today we are talking L P. Politics. I know half of our audience groaned don't have said yay. And it's because LP politics seems to be something that is top of mind right now for a lot of people, especially when they're looking at the state of Delaware, some inner workings, yes, we're going to be getting behind the weeds. So that being said, Amy Laporte, Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Delaware, welcome to The Brian Nichols Show.

Amy LePore  
Ryan, thank you for having me on.

Brian Nichols  
Absolutely. Amy, thank you for joining us. And I know we're recording here early morning on a Saturday, because we were going to record this past week, you were a little busy, because you were coming back from Boston from the libertarian National Committee meeting where some very important decisions were made. But before we get there, because they do impact the the topic of conversation today being one state of Delaware in the Libertarian Party chapter there. But let's rewind because for your average listener, let no let's just pretend your average listener has no idea what I'm talking about here, because we kind of avoid sometimes the inner workings of the Libertarian Party, you know, the inner workings of state politics and the national politics, which will have specific episodes here and there. But by and large, we focus on sales and marketing. But this this what's been happening in Delaware, me, it raised a lot of red flags across the board, much like what's happening up in New Hampshire. So let's start off at number one, introduce yourself to the audience. But number two, what is happening in the great state of Delaware, the Libertarian Party?

Amy LePore  
Yeah, Brian, thank you for the opportunity to talk about what's going on in Delaware because it's not just Delaware. That is dealing with some of the internal politics in the LP really, it really is a struggle for other states as well. We're just having our turn right now. My name is Amy Laporte, and obviously I live here in Delaware with my family in New Castle County and we are active members of both our county affiliate and certainly the the LPD. In generally activist across a series of issues here in Delaware. Um, since you might have folks who haven't you haven't heard about exactly what has occurred in Delaware. In October, the half of the State Board found out that another half of the state board had hidden a change to our bylaws. And that change would go on to permit only two people to remove three people from the State Board in secret, outside of proper procedures outside of our bylaws and outside of parliamentary law. Robert's Rules of Order as well. And so what unfolded after one half of the board was improperly removed is a, a splitting of the Libertarian Party of Delaware of the two organizations now, with a claim to that title, one of which does not have a proper legal or procedural claim, and one of which the OPD of which I am the Vice Chair. Certainly does and having to kind of battle this out here in Delaware, certainly, you know, headed to the court system, and then also with the National Party, which is new reference Boston. So that's what we were there doing is kind of battling out on behalf of our membership.

Brian Nichols  
A lot of things are taking place, internally over the past year will be taking place over the next two months. And I think we're seeing right now a big switch in the Libertarian Party now, for your average listener for the show who's who's not really, you know, privy to the inner workings of ELP. We've seen over the past, let's just be fair, I'll say two years or so, a really big groundswell in what we would call the Mises caucus, which is led by Michael hice. And really fronted by Dave Smith, Tom woods, and it focuses on bringing in the idea is really that Ron Paul, approach to libertarian ideas, Liberty values, and, and hopefully turning the Libertarian Party into something that would manifest that at a national scale. And we've seen over the past few years, as the Mises caucus has really established itself, more so than just a group online and really into a well oiled machine that is going out and making not only changes in these different, you know, whether local or state affiliates, but now they're helping get people elected to state and local offices, as big L libertarians, they're having a very big opportunity. And they are showing that they're having success in doing so in bringing this this approach to liberty and actually helping people see the value. And now we're fast forwarding to looking I think it's in February is when we have our convention take place for the Libertarian Party nationally. And this has all been kind of working towards this. I've seen you know, we saw this happen in New Hampshire where there was the attempted coup, we see what's happening right now with Delaware, we saw I think was in Pennsylvania, something very similar. So talk to me any what your you're more purview, privy rather to the the purview of the inner workings of the LPU. You know, you go into the meetings, I try to avoid as much as I can the nitty gritty. So can you kind of help outline, in your experience? And based on your kind of expertise? What's What's the argument in terms of going this this approach? Like, let's try to steal man, the best we can the just for the sake of the conversation here, we'll say the old establishment LP what what is there in their eyes that they can get as a positive outcome from trying to do what they're doing here, not only in Delaware, but what they've been trying to do in New Hampshire and gosh, in a national level as well.

Amy LePore  
Yeah, so So what surrounds us and I can speak really well to what's going on here in Delaware. And I can assume it's kind of a microcosm of what's occurring. What is going on here in Delaware's is fear. The folks who have been around for a long time, many of them support or do not support rather this this coup attempt. Many of them support the chair, you know, the the chair of LPD behinds myself and the other members, regardless of their affiliation with a caucus or, or lack thereof. But what we're dealing with here in Delaware is fear. There's a fear of people who are new of people who might be a little bit different, and who might not have been here for a decade, to be a member of kind of this very small, very sparsely active party. So in Delaware, there have been incredible people for a long time. But they have really been waiting for an army of folks to come in to be activists and to be in communities and to be setting up issue oriented coalition's and you you talked a little bit about the Mises caucus and Delaware has a heavy presence of Mises caucus members. And one of the things that makes us incredibly successful is our ability to work with literally anyone on issue oriented campaigns. And so whereas the Libertarian Party of Delaware didn't have much of a presence or a name or reputation, it does now because we're working with the medical freedom community. We're working with the Second Amendment community we're getting ready to to initiate a defend the guard initiative, which we think will see you know, kind of support across every every party here in Delaware and that's kind of the the coalition we seek to build. So it is, I think, It is fear of stepping out into the unknown, of becoming a presence in Delaware. I think there are folks who maybe don't feel ready for that. But there has been no better time in any state to advocate for for freedom oriented politics.

Brian Nichols  
You the last part, you said their fear of being a presence in Delaware, this rate there is I think the epitome of what's been holding us back in actually is the last two parties that the fear of the unknown, and then the fear of being the the, the idea of the top of mind to the people being present. And that right there is why we haven't grown. Why because we are comfortable in what we have established as our little bubbles. You mentioned, you know, fear of the new people who have been in their libertarian, you know, Secretary role for 20 years. And well, this is how we've always done thing as a salesperson. That's one of my worst things to hear anybody ever say this is how we always done things? Well, great. Well, guess what? You're going to keep on getting the same results, then how's that been helping you out? And you've been bringing something different? And that's what's exciting for people who are looking for the change, but also what is fearful the people who have been the establishment or the status quo in this case, maybe we should start calling the status quo libertarians versus the establishment libertarians has more of a, I think, a resounding truth to it. But Amy, I'm, I'm curious in terms of the going forward, because these, I say these people, those status quo libertarians, right, they're not going to just go away quietly. And we've seen them try to do some silly things in terms of trying to hold on to these little ounces of power. And I'm glad we're seeing this happen now at a you know, local LP affiliate versus you know, when third the head of the FDA or something like that. But like let's let's talk about what we can do to try and get these these status quo libertarians on board. Is it a matter of trying to sell the new solutions that we're bringing to the table? Or is it a matter of simply saying, Hey, you are no longer our target market? Sorry.

Amy LePore  
So what is really curious is we speak with people from all over the country, and in so many other states, they're having incredible luck. So even if new members are members of a caucus, specifically the nieces caucus, they're welcomed with open arms, by party members who have been around for a couple of decades, because those party members see the value in the work. Now, why that didn't go on here in Delaware is a curiosity. And I would be remiss, and I didn't mention it when you asked part. But I would be remiss to not mention that the culture war very much has seeped into LP politics. So part of what has gone on in Delaware, Delaware is a very blue state, and the Libertarian Party way has been a mixed bag, but some of the people currently Empower are very much a party to social justice, Warrior politics, and very much are coming from the left and want to pander to Democrats in Delaware. And we're now while we work with Democrats and Delaware not going to pander to their terribly left leaning politics. And, and so part of the reaction against new membership has been, Oh, my goodness, you operate from the middle, you'll work with the right, you'll work with the left, you'll work with the independence. And I think that part of the reaction that we're seeing is, is really about the culture war coming to bear in the Libertarian Party. So but you asked how, you know, how do we get members who have been around for some time to kind of see the value in in building, really an army around activism? And again, I think in other states, it has gone well, and, and those other states are succeeding here in Delaware. The response was was unwarranted and unexpected. And again, I think it kind of nests in the broader culture

Brian Nichols  
war. Yeah, pander versus and I think this is where we need to get better building coalitions with people on very key Top of Mind issues. Um, we see this a lot. And you're you're talking about the culture war permeating into the LP of Delaware, we see this, I think, on a national level as well, you know, that the conversation should not be we need to be actively anti racist. No, that's not the libertarian position. Why are we why are we trying to frame this as a position from a national messaging perspective? And anybody who says that messaging doesn't matter, I'm sorry. And sales, you know, for a fact that messaging is one of the most important if not key aspects of your outreach methods. So we need to have coherent and sound messaging and I think right there when you're pandering to people on the left, like you can go and build like true coalition's with people on very key issues that are, I would say top of mind, especially when they're based on like the principles and the issues people are experiencing, first and foremost. So like right now, what are people experiencing in their purview? You inflation, just economic uncertainty, the the uncertainty from how the government's responding to COVID. And that then the just the absolute insanity that is our health care system. So with those four top of mind issues, it's not hard to look and see who has been better on those top four issues, if you have to be objective in the right or the left, and it's the right objectively, so you're not pandering when you're reaching out to those people, but rather, you're acknowledging the elephant in the room, that they are, by and large, correct. On right now, the most important issues but if you rewind to 2000 in 2002, right, let's just go back to a short 20 years ago, you look and see what was happening, then, the Democrats were standing up against what was the most important issue of the day, and that was the war on terror. And it would make sense not to pander to the Democrats, but rather to agree with them on their solution for the most important issue of the day, which was the war on terror. So it's not a matter of pandering but rather figuring out who is your target market establishing those coalition's because you have those like minded not only problems you've identified, but a coherent solution that you can at least agree to in principle, and then you know, yes, are there going to be areas that you're going to have people fall off the bus, of course, and that's going to happen, but let's at least get to that conversation. Let's first have the ability to even have that conversation. It starts with us getting somewhere so who cares who you're reaching out to and building successful relationships with to actually get things better? Is that not the goal of what we're trying to do is objectively get things better? And I dare say me, a lot of the status quo libertarians out there, I think they just look at the LP as one big club, and they just want to keep it this very exclusive club, feel that they're very special in that exclusive club and try to keep it as walled off, ironically, of course, from outsiders as possible.

Amy LePore  
That's certainly been our experience here in Delaware. And, and what is what is most interesting is how we started recruiting. You know, I think, this time last year, if you were to ask me, I would have told you first time, I did not know about a Mises caucus, probably until December of last year. So in terms of recruitment, it was after that, that really, people became interested, they said, there, there might be a spot for us in an active Libertarian Party. And the way to get there is going to be through the Mises caucus, that was a decision a lot of us made. I think that the the newness of so many of the members of the Libertarian Party of Delaware, having grown from maybe 20 active members, across all three counties in Delaware, and in their county business meetings, to now more like 50 or something, right. So it's really I mean, while still small, I get that we're three counties, we're less than a million folks. For one year's recruitment, getting that many active people, that's just who shows up to monthly business meetings. That is it's incredible growth. When you look at the growth in coalition's the things that the party was not doing before versus the the span of people we are working with now. incredible growth, and it's going to continue. I see really no other way forward. And and the good news about libertarian activism, right and coalition building is we're going to do that, regardless of what these other six or seven people who happen to have a little bit of power are saying we're going to do it while we're in court, we're going to do it while the LNC scratches their head and tries to figure out what happens next. We're going to do it while we're having a convention. So our work is absolutely not going to stop. And I think that's really the message for other folks is, you know, it, we're here, we're active in Delaware. We're building coalitions right now around again, defend the guard. We've already got Democrats on board Republicans on board libertarians on board independents on board. And we took that initiative off on Wednesday. And that's just again, one example. And Brian, you said yourself, you know, you and I met at Liberty speaks an opportunity for over 200 Delawareans to come together and to hear from some of the biggest names in the Liberty business really, and Opportunity never had in Delaware prior. So So that's an example of our work.

Brian Nichols  
Yeah, well, and people are looking for they're looking for an alternative right now. And this is where I get so frustrated with the more status quo libertarians is what what do you want? And I think this is where I forget who it was I was listening to recently, but it was the ideas of goals. But behind the goal, the intent behind said goal, and it's become increasingly apparent that the intents of certain status quo libertarians are not The same intense of other libertarians, I would say who are more in the idea of, are we not in this to try to make things better to make people's lives more free, especially when we're focusing on you know, right now top of mind authoritarianism across the world. I think that's kind of our role right now of all times. And yet, when you look at the intentions of more of those status quo libertarians, it's not to make things more free, it's to be more right to be able to feel confident that yeah, I am not only right in my idea, but also, I have a little club of people who are going to tell me that I'm pretty right that they're going to tell me that I'm right. And it's uncomfortable to all of a sudden have new people come into a movement, who are going to challenge you to push you to be better. And that right, there is why I think we have not really grown over the past 4050 years the way that we have wanted, because unfortunately, a lot of the people at the the core leadership positions have been in that status quo position, they don't want to have more people come into the movement, who aren't libertarian, yet, they want to be a pure libertarian club. And that's just not how reality is like, we have to take what we think would be the best solution and then take where we are, and figure out how to get from point A to point B, when we're talking about this in sales. This is one of the hardest things for somebody, when you're helping them the buying process to get over is once I've signed my name to the contract, let's say they become a libertarian, then what helped me feel that I'm going to be able to get the most out of this new solution. And I'm going to feel comfortable and confident that I'm going to be in a good spot going forward, if we're not doing a good job at that. And the other parties are just doing an above average, not even an above average, a just a sub sub level below average. Okay, kind of approach. I mean, it's like the Walmart approach to shopping like, do they do great? No, but do they do terrible? No, I guess I'll go to Walmart, right, if you need to get whatever the good, or the item is, that's how people have approached politics with the Liberty or with the Democrats and the Republicans. Yeah, I don't really like 100% of what they do. But hey, if it's a choice between Walmart, Target and not being able to get my goods at all, I'm gonna have to pick one of the two. And that's what the American public has done. So it's on us, we have to not just be the third option, we have to be the better option. And we have to be okay with people who aren't 100% libertarian coming in learning about our other options. And then it's on us to help make it easier for them to actually be the better libertarians that we so badly want them to be. So I know I went off there, Amy. So let's do this. As we go towards the tail end of the conversation, obviously, we want to make sure people who are listening today specifically as they're focusing on the LP of Delaware, know what they can do to help because this has been something's been happening over the past few months. I know you just have some some actual pathway forward. That was determined here back with the the meeting we talked about in Boston. So Amy, let's do this. For the last part of the conversation outline. Number one, what are things looking like from your standpoint, as the you know, you're looking at where LP Delaware would end up? But also what can the audience do to help you guys out on that path?

Amy LePore  
Thank you. Yeah, Brent, those are two excellent questions. So the first, what is the path forward look like? The chair of LPD behinds, and I believe that, you know, there are 2100 registered libertarians in the state of Delaware. And by our bylaws, they are members, those 2100 libertarians have been kicked out of the other LPD and are not considered members until they are whitelisted and voted in by a majority of state board members. And so our path forward is to invite 2100 libertarians to a convention where they will sound off on who their leadership is, and we will be giving them that opportunity. And that's the motion that the LMC has made, which is the convention that is most well attended. And presumably which follows bylaws and parliamentary law. To the closest possible way. We'll we'll be the victor here will be the Libertarian Party of Delaware. And we've signed up for that we we agreed the membership should be able to weigh in on that. But again, Bill and I believe that that's 2100 libertarians and not 30, as I think are currently recognized by this other faction. So that was your first question, what's the path forward look like? We're going to have a big old convention and membership is going to be able to determine who their leadership is. And the chairman, I will will support that and make sure that as many folks you know are notified and get out to that event as possible. In terms of how people can help you know, everyone has been incredible. They have been sharing our content from from Twitter and From Facebook, but if you're in Delaware, you know, we want you to join. If you are, and we have a new website it is LP dash delaware.org. So you know, you can fill out that contact form, they're going to LP dash delaware.org and join up but if you're not in Delaware and you're wondering how you can help you can join your Libertarian Party. I think that the more the merrier and the growth has been exponential here in Delaware. I know many other states are having that same experience. But Brian, as you said the issues couldn't be more pressing right now. Kind of the most authoritarian time certainly in our life in our lifetime. And the fact that the LP and then the LPD prior had been pretty silent on these issues speaks volumes and means that we need more people to start to spread the message.

Brian Nichols  
Yeah as a my good buddies over at the sound mind creative group say they have this new Docu series follow the science on lockdowns and liberty. This is the fight for our lives. We're seeing your right now I mentioned this quite often I have non political guests on the show. I'll say you feel it right you feel that something is changed. The conversations out there have changed and people are open to new solutions Hey, LP is on us to actually go ahead stand up not just be that alternative solution, but be the better solution and Hey, as long as we have folks like Amy Laporte and the amazing folks at LP Delaware fighting the good fight Hey, I think we're we're on the right path being that of liberty for the masses going forward. So what we'll do folks will make it easy for you to go ahead and support the LP of Delaware and Amy and all of their their endeavors as we move forward here. We'll include all those links in the show notes. All you got to do is click The Brian Nichols Show artwork in your podcast catcher. It'll bring you right to today's episode, where you can find all of Amy's links all of LP Delaware's links Plus, you can find all 400 Plus episodes of The Brian Nichols Show. Oh and by the way, the entire transcript of today's episode as well. That being said, Amy Lapore, Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Delaware, thanks for joining the program.

Amy LePore  
Thank you so much, Brian. Good to see you.

Brian Nichols  
Thanks for listening to The Brian Nichols Show. Find more episodes at the Brian Nichols show.com If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe. Want to help us reach more people? Give the show a five star review and tell your friends to subscribe to find us at Brian Nichols show.com and download the show on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow me on social media at V. Nichols liberty and consider donating to the show at Brian Nichols show.com forward slash support. The Brian Nichols Show is supported by viewers like you. Thank you to our patrons Darryl Schmitz, Maura Stanley, Miko Lima, Mitchell, Mankiewicz, Cody, John's, Fred de caster, and the we're libertarians network. audio production for The Brian Nichols Show is brought to you by dB podcast audio Learn more by emailing enquiries to WM at dB pod audio.com.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai