Jerry Rafshoon is a member of Unity08 Founders Council and White House Communications Director under President Jimmy Carter.
If Democrats win in a significant way next Tuesday, they will do so not only on the strength of rallying their “base” but on drawing far more independent votes than the party has in the past few elections. To me, such a development would be a sign that voters in the middle are beginning to reject the type of politics that Republicans have used so effectively to win the past few elections – campaigns that starkly divide the country, draw contrasts between its extremes and in my opinion leave everyone feeling alienated.
I would see such a development as an early good sign for the 2024 presidential election and what Unity08 plans to achieve. Voters rejecting divisiveness are the very types who are becoming the force behind Unity08, those who will lead our charge to place a bipartisan “Unity Ticket” in the White House.
But even if the Democrats fail in their bid to gain control of Congress next week, I am confident that America will be left with such a bad taste in its collective mouth from this ugly campaign that voters will welcome a less combative, less money-driven, more issue-focused choice for our nation’s highest elected office.
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I was hoping Unity 08 was going to be a movement that did not embrace either side of the political spectrum. I see I was mistaken the more I read the blogs and forums the more I see this Unity 08 is made up of a bunch of disgruntled democrats. I am going to stick with it awhile longer but I am becoming more disenchanted by the day.
I'm second to no one in my high regard for Jerry Rafshoon's work, yet must take exception to the implication of this particular posting. Without question the Republicans have employed a divisive strategy in recent elections--and so have the Democrats. Each side strives to frame issues in ways that not merely seek to prove the other side "wrong," but to virtually demonize them in order to motivate prospective supporters. Just one example from the Democrats' side, for parity in this context: their ongoing attacks that limit serious discussion of reform to safeguard the future of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. From my point of view, the promise and importance of Unity 08 is that it is a challenge to party politics as it is now practiced on all sides. And it is a supportive challenge, one that should empower reformers in both of the legacy parties, by giving them the leverage of another electoral vehicle at the presidential level. That is a large aspiration, one with room for people who start off in differing places to end up together.
Jim Strock
Please don't give up - there are many of us who are trying to keep a non-partisan flavor here, and we keep losing by attrition.
You are welcome to join us at http://unitysupporters.com/forum/ if you'd like. There is some partisanship there, but it's respectful.
When "a member of Unity08 Founders Council" engages in partisan rhetoric by bashing one party while ignoring the faults of the other, it certainly leaves a bad taste in MY mouth.
Surprisingly, I haven't seen Barack Obama's name mentioned much throughout this site.
If the problem of political diviseness truly lies with our system (rather than with individuals), then Obama will not be successful in bringing everybody together after all. He will be a victim of the same ugly campaign finance system that keeps the fat cats in control and the voters on the sidelines - and also brings you mudslinging 24/7 on your TV set...
Or - maybe he will be innovative with his financing. He recently came to Seattle (as part of his book tour) and spoke to a sold-out crowd in our symphonic auditorium downtown. The Seattle Times reported that the crowd was very diverse - economically, racially, etc. As far as I know, this is a fairly unique way of raising money - kind of a counterpoint to the $5,000 per plate dinner.
Maybe Obama will pick up the internet where Howard Dean left off. Just because he's a Democrat doesn't mean he has to use their machine for everything...
I agree that too many of the blogs and reforms have a mild to severe parisien flavor but I have been hanging on to see where this movement/party or whatever is going. Like I said before if things get too one sided then there is a real possibility of Unit08 splitting the Democrats influence by drawing their supporters away and thereby helping the Republican side. We are supposed to be taking away from both sides so that we will have real influence to change things for the good of all.
I am a huge fan of Obama and if he chooses to get in as I expect I expact all my eggs to be in that basket...
It is important for all to recognize that there are far deeper and more fundamental differences between Democrats and Republicans than platforms and policy. I have read several books over the last couple of years that have scientifically outlined these, and they are quite enlightening. One of the foremost is the observation that there is indeed a wide diversity of viewpoints on policy matters among Democrats, and I can assure you that Obama's insistence on seeking a middle ground, respecting the power of spirituality, pragmatic approaches to economics, military and foreign policy, etc. will not go over swimmingly with certain contingents of the Democratic "base." I believe that these same aspects of his philosophy will find broad appeal among independents, undecideds and moderate Republicans who find themselves feeling homeless right now.
One of the most interesting observations came from George Lakoff, a very left-wing Berkley linguist who was instrumental in message framing for the Dean group early on. While the bulk of his views run a good deal to the left of mine, I think his academic analysis of Progressives vs. Conservatives is sound. In a nutshell, he argues that Progressives operate a worldview that promotes collaboration, consensus, etc., what he terms the "nurturing family" model, while conservatives are more aligned to the "strict father" model wherein an authoritarian leader or leadership group dictates and the lowly masses follow. I find this analysis to be quite compelling in my observations of the two parties.
What is most amazing about the Bush phenomenon is that this administration has managed to a degree that the Democrats would never have been able to muster on its own to unite all the disparate cliques that have previously been unwilling to come together. I think this is much the same phenomenon that Reagan was able to amplify and exploit to such advantage when he was able to pull the social conservatives that had been previously uninvolved into the camp run by the fiscal conservatives. Now it is the fiscal conservatives who find themselves over-run and homeless as the fundamentalists have taken things over.
Erik, I would not dismiss out of hand the power of an Obama or a Powell or some other centrist Democrat or Republican to use their star power to pull together an appealing ticket in 2024. The challenge will be for anyone to profoundly modify one of the parties to hang onto this appeal and grow it into an identifiable mantle for the entire group. I will continue to pursue this goal amongst my Democratic brethren, but with no illusions that success will be arrived at easily.
Mark Greene
Texas Democrat in the Middle
The biggest problem we face, unfortunately is a foundational one. Mark points out that it is ideological differences which divide us, and those differences guide policymaking. What a party feels is the best way to resolve a problem becomes the foundation for the policy that is introduced. What is most striking to me, is that it is often NOT the best way for the people. Ideologues are important of course, but when they interfere with the democratic process (getting third parties on the ballots for example), and fail to represent the people's needs we have a problem.
Jerry: You sound like a staunch democrat and that is fine, but I thought unity 08 was about finding the middle road between the two extremes, yes according to my view both the democrats and republican parties have been taken over by the right and left wing of each party. Your fierce attack on the republicans was not followed by any condemnation of the extreme left leaving me to wonder again about this movement, and you are one of the founders. I am going to keep watching and hoping this movement will wind up in the middle, but I have serious doubts that it will. Sorry that is the way I see it, I sincerely respect your right to your views.
It would seem that Unityo8 is a centrist organization. Seeing how nothing really important happened in the Clinton administration because of Bill's centrist views it would seem to me that at least the Bush White House is creating a stir everytime George opens his mouth.
Americans are passionate in their politics, finances, careers, and wars. Being passionate in change is not one of our attributes.
If I have to live another eight years under another no change policy president then I suppose I shall die rather than live.
Obama may look like a pleasing change of view, and he may represent pleasing politics. Does he stand for change or standing still?
The definition of Spiritualality is, I change myself thereby changing my view of the world.
Bush is doing the opposite of spirituality. Will Obama be any different?
Blessing's
Blake Hayner
I'm not sure Unity is going to be much help if there is no recognition of the basic problem.
The problem is not simply that both sides simply seek to perpetuate their own power.
The problem is not simply that both sides demonize each other, are uncivil, cross all traditional lines of decency, violating all desirable community standards for political discourse.
The problem is that both sides are equally guilty of having turned the entire government at the state and federal level into a fraud by which incumbents distribute spoils -- our tax dollars -- to their friends and sponsors.
Both sides ignore the public interest -- neither side has any shame whatsoever about this.
Over the last several decades both parties, Presidents and lawmakers alike, have forgotten and abandoned principles, have become enamored with power and position, and have put politics over policy.
What we want is not merely civility, but rather real institutional reforms for a Congress and an Executive branch that have grown increasingly arrogant and corrupt.
I do not mean to suggest that only the Federal government should be our focus - for if anything, the arrogance and corruption at the State level dwarfs that on the Federal level.
We want politicians who will put the public interest first, who will champion national issues, not local pork projects or the creature comforts of high office.
Perhaps that is simply not possible - in which case the United States is merely a shell - a poor imitation of itself at various times in its history when it rose above the slime and stench of corruption to achieve great things for its people and for peoples around the world.
We are literally teetering on the brink -- we are at an historic tipping point. We either reform this country and rise again -- or we shall surely fall.
A kingdom founded on injustice never lasts. Every man prefers belief to the exercise of judgment. Shall I tell you what the real evil is? To cringe to the things that are called evils, to surrender to them our freedom, in defiance of which we ought to face.
While I completely agree that a balanced blog is essential, it's asking quite a bit to insist on this balance in every single post. The current Administration is Republican; its faults are currently foremost in our minds. This doesn't discount the glaring faults in the Democratic party to which I belong. It has a long, long, long history of pork and rolling over for lobbyists, so bashing that aspect is the pot calling the kettle black.
That said, we should all be concentrating on our own parties' faults and doing what we can to ameliorate them, rather than bashing the opposition. We've already been there and done that and look where it's gotten us.