Unity08. A people's movement to take our country back.

Today is another day in both our state and federal legislatures. A few independent minded folks that seek solutions and the balance trying to insure re-election with just the right statement or position paper for that day.

I believe that the sickness is endemic in Washington DC in particular and that they all fear the "Third Rail"....to hard right or hard left.

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Please be sure to enter as one of your platform planks the following:
All lobbyists will serve a 10 year sentence in a federal prison with no plea bargains or any other early out. 10 years period. And while you are at it make the same sentence apply to all politicians who take money from lobbyists!!!

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So you do not believe citizens should be able to band together to seek or oppose legislation?

Now this IS NOT to say that the existance of lobbyists to pursue what various factions of citizens want has not caused problems and it seems every time we attmept to regulate the lobbying function things get worse.

Interesting approach to governance... would make life much easier for the incumbent legislators...

vry,

RET

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lame question. aren't we all here because this is the problem?

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Not necessarily. I'm here because the party I've called my own doesn't seem to represent me anymore. I think the fighting has always existed, the media just magnifies it.

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History repeats itself because of our two party system that naturally divides deeper and deeper until a civil war... this is a war between Johny Reb and the Blue Bellies again... The Union is under attack by the slave owners who want to bring slave labor to our shores in the form of legislation they call "Immigration Reform"... only this time we will work within the system and avoid all that heel to toe and blood as Lincoln did... we will use this communication to exodus both parties and find our center as independents and prevent a civil war because we have learned from the past or have we?... for more www.appyp.com/fix_main.html

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I am worried about the results of our primary and fall elections being manipulated by "hackers."

Multiple choice ...

a)governments-ours and theirs
b)foreign & home grown terrorists
c)political parties
d)corporate america
e)FED UP TO THE KAZOO

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My observation is that things got ugly when Clinton won after 12 years of Republican presidents. He was too smart and he wasn't in Big Oil's pocket. He respected the human citizen and was wary of the corporate citizen.

That scared a lot of people who rely on ignorance and base emotions for their continued ability to rob. It got nasty then and it has only grown nastier since.

Not that I have an opinion on it...

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I have always been opposed to third parties but I have recently concluded this is the only way we can get the attention of both current parties that they are failing us. The current parties will not address the big problems. Therefore as Ron Dzwonkowski of the Detroit Free Press says they have beocme "irrelevant". I am sick of right wingers whinning about Bill and Hillary and really sick of the left's viscious attacks on Bush. We need a new attitude from the people as well as a new party. We don't need concensus on the big issues, just aggrement that these issue need to be worked with a willingness to compromise.

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The Bush administration and the Republican Congress are leading us in the direction of a totalitarian government thus relating to their move towards a political regime based on subordination of the individual to the state and strict control of all aspects of our lives by coercive measures. I for one am sick and tired of the lies and deceit that come out of this administration and their move towards eliminating democracy in this country. It is time for a change and a new direction in this country. Our problem is that to many of us are sheep and as long as we feel that we are receiving ours, then we don't want to be bothered. It is time to stand up and vote these people that are trying to destroy this country out of office. We can vote for a change or live as sheep while this government continues to give this country away to the super rich, China and others.

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Something for everyone to remember... the Republican Party (GOP) isn't that grandly old... in 1856 it was a third party... in 1860 it created a split in the jefferson democrats and won the election for Lincoln.

We have a rich history if third parties, and I embrace them... we just have ti remember that the power of the third parties of recent years are in the addressing of issues that need to be addressed.

If unity08 can overturn politics as usual, amen, but if they can just refocus the two main parties on what they need to be worrying about, then their mission is complete.

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There is less cooperation and no hands across the aisle, no compromise between the parties and absolutely no fairness in decision making. The bottom line concludes that we, the American public who voted for these representatives, are no longer a part of the picture. We have ceased to exist.

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I am convinced that both parties have been taken over by election guru's that advise them to be strident in demonizing the other side. This encourages their 'base' to vote, and so disgusts the majority in the middle that we are dropping out (not voting). This simplifies the process for the election guru, and if your base is bigger than their base, you are elected. Heaven knows most of them just want to be elected for the power.

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I have been trying for some time to find out what the two parties do about kids that survive a military death in Iraq. Does the mom or dad go to work? Does the Government provide training for the surviving spouse? Are the surviving kids supported until they are 18? 20? Is college for the kids paid for by the government? Is there any training paid for by the government for the surviving spouse? I know the surviving spouse receives 100K when her person is killed but that does not last long with 2-3 kids to support.

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This country is undoubtedly getting split up between two extremes. The only thing that can work right now is a combination of fiscal conservatism and open-minded social liberalism. Unfortunately, those kinds of policies don't sit well with either urban minorities, who are a major Democratic constituency, or poorer envangelicals, a major Republican constituency.

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I know that Unity08 won't support everything I want done by our present government but merely having a third party will correct much of what is wrong in American politics by offering another choice.

So I will support this party wholeheatedly with the hope that it will do some good. It cannot possibly do worse than the present political parties. I am ready to try anything and this is the best solution to this mess yet suggested.

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Our politicians have been "playing politics" long enough. Lets all try to elect some politicians who actually work at the job.

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the only problem there is that open-minded social liberalism isn't open-minded any more - if you don't exactly agree with them they shout you down - there is no more debate, it is shout down the other guy - take a look at college campuses, the pc crowd shouts down ANYONE who supports any opposing few - they will not debate or discuss - this is a major problem today

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Anon; Good observation one can hope that Unity08 will actually accomplish its hoped for Campus inroads and will allow for a more civil debate in the center.

vry

RET

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Is it possible for a 'grassroots' campaign to produce an agenda for Congress, promote it widely, and hold elected officials accountable for their voting record during the next election? (I guess that's the same as asking if a true democracy is possible.)

A web-based 'score card' with routine polling of citizens (results accurately reported) would be brilliant.

If Unity08 can produce a platform that does in fact avoid those hot-button cultural issues like abortion/contraception and gay marriage and instead, focus on issues of central concern to most citizens, such as the war (and the underlying reasons for hostility toward the US in the first place), global warming/energy, minimum wage and immigration, then Unity08 is likely to be strongly supported nationwide.
I'm anxious to see how Unity08 manages the development of the platform. I'd love to see 'townhall' meetings across the nation, facilitated by people well trained in conflict resolution (more modeling of respectful interchange of ideas is essential for any real dialogue).

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I notice the criticism by this post is anonymous, which makes me beleieve it may be someone to criticise anything posted that takes a negative view of the far right. I am also sure that there are some posts from the other side, exactly the reason we need unity. The constant attacks of one side against the other leaves those of us in the middle caught between these two extremes. Liberal and conservative mean nothing except the agenda of the very few. If you make a post, use your name and do not hide behind "anonymous". The era of hate politics can only be stopped by the majority and I contend that majority is in the middle of the political landdscape. Let us all refuse to be manipulated by BOTH parties.

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