Yes... we cannot focus to much on winning this first run... rather having the biggest impact so that we are permitted into the process in 2024... don't get me wrong as I feel we should go for the throat with a radical leadership that stops short of attacking them on the stage as we have nothing to lose this first run! Always remember it is the non-voter and the youth that we must draw for victory! - Earn Snyder
Author "$aving the bureaucracy - Killing the beast"
Modern Progressive Independent
www.appyp.com/fix_main.html

You good folks analyzing unity 08 so closely will kill it before it ever gets started. I think it is a good movement and needs to proceed. If nothing else if it can get two candidates to run for President and Vice President, compile a platform based on real reforms so badly needed I think many will vote for it. If the movement draws millions of votes, make no mistake the two major parties will notice and I believe start adopting some of unity's reforms and that my friends is the name of the game. So lets not kill this good thing before it even is launched.

I think the Unity08 idea for a ticket in 2024, as currently structured, will not work. There are too few national figures with sufficient credentials to be a president or vice president who are not currently Democrats or Republicans. Any current Democrat or Republican who ran against the nominee of their party in 2024 would be signing their political death sentence with their existing party. That's alright -- so long as they have a "new home" to go to once they do. But unless Unity08 creates a third party, they will not have such a home. Ergo, the only people who would agree are "statesmen" -- which, as Harry Truman would say, is the definition of a politician who lost an election.
Create a real party, based generally on strong national defense, constructive engagement abroad with like-minded countries, fiscal conservatism and social libertarianism. Those of the right and left who believe that government should attempt to create a morally perfect society (whether the touchstone of perfection is conservative theology or political correctness)could remain with the rump of the existing parties.

As a movement, I think it is an excellent idea for U08 to publish a Standard of Moderation for all office holders to accept or remain silent about. When the media is asking candidates everywhere 'why not'...we are off and running.

Bill"for what we are together"

The reality is that it is too late for Unity08 to form a party, raise money, and identify viable candidates. Presidential campaigns take years to mount. In political time, November 08 is right around the corner. That said, Unity08 could have a big influence on the elections if it creates a set of standards by which to identify candidates – like a platform and helps those candidates it supports to overcome the negative campaigning they will face by both parties.

Why not start a forum to look at all the potential presidential candidates and allow people to voice their concerns about each. The forum should be issue based rather than personality based and really take a hard look at each candidates position on the “critical issues” you have identified.

This would be an amazing public service if done right and would put Unity08 on a trajectory to have input during the campaign season.

Bill-

I fully concur with your definition of the difference between a movement and a party, and that Unity08 is, if anything, a movement. Unfortunately, the antipathy from a significant segment of the members toward both major parties doesn't bode well. To be succesful there needs to be an infiltration of reform-oriented Democrats and Republicans within their own parties, coupled with an attraction of independents to generate some sort of critical mass.

There is a book quite popular in Democratic activist circles by George Lakoff called Don't Think of an Elephant (he's a hard-core Berkley liberal but a pretty shrewd scholar) that focuses on framing - something the GOP has done very well for the past couple of decades. The underlying theme is that you won't appeal to people by calling them wrong, or evil or stupid - which is what a large contingent of the members here are saying to both Democrats and Republicans.

All of this said, it is important to recognize that "movements" don't get ballot access. It might also be instructive to look back to 1992 when John McCain on the GOP side and Bill Bradley on the Dem side were both positioning themselves strongly as reform candidates. They got crushed in the primaries not because Americans didn't favor reform - because they do. These two patriots got crushed because they didn't have the benefit of a suportive movement up and running in place early enough to effect their own primaries and/or to draw new blood into the process. Unity08, in its apparent unwillingness to engage in the 06 cycle, will find itself in the same boat...too bad.

Read the "need your help" topic I posted. This can work.

Just a suggestion but I think if we are going to form a new third party we should give it a name worthy of this cause. I suggest

"THE AMERICAN FREEDOM PARTY"

Isn't it time we Americans free ourselves of the two party system, of polarized politics, of names like conservative or liberal?

Are we not all Americans? Do we not all wish to uphold the constitution which formed this government? Do we not want fair representation by our elected officials instead of party loyalty despite constituents concerns? Isn't it time to send a message that "Enough is Enough!"

Just a thought...

The Democrats and Republicans are beyond saving. TIme to start over.

...because otherwise the unity convention will end up as nothing more than a media blurb about a popularity contest.

Anonymous wrote:
>Unity is for sure not a party, seeking to elect a full range of
> candidates and political appointees to execute governance.
> Unity is not even a movement for it has no 'idea' other than the rather
> vague move the Donkey's and Elephants closer together.

I think the vagueness is the essential element that makes this movement so great. It enables anyone motivated with a basically similar comittment to nonpartisan, civil, inclusive, compromise-oriented focus on the welfare of America... to grab things by the horns and start accomplishing stuff.

I am firmly in favor of getting access to the ballot for the Unity Movement and especially the Unity Convention.

In order to get the ballot access we will need (on a state by state basis) cooperation with a pre-existing party or a party of our own.

If you've in favor of getting access to the ballot in November 2024 then there is a conversation that you should be a part of.

-Jennifer

Well perhaps Political Phenomenon, a one time jolt designed around the National Executive Ticket.

Unity is for sure not a party, seeking to elect a full range of candidates and political appointees to execute governance.

Unity is not even a movement for it has no 'idea' other than the rather vague move the Donkey's and Elephants closer together.

Unity is Political Theater.

Unity08 I think is the next best thing to a third party.

If enough people can come together to make a statement that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, then maybe we can restore common sense back to American polictics and move the nation towards real problem solving.

We also need to become more powerful than the lobbyists. The past few years of investigation into our congress has clearly shown how our issues have been ignored while lobbyists issues are given top attention. Maybe if we can send our elected officials on expensive trips and whine & dine them they will take up our issues.