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

Following the suggestion I made to Doug Bailey - Pick A Ticket & A Platform - (And Run With It) I've given my recommendations for both on my Blog www.popopete.com), The Ticket I Picked Is Serious and Based On Knowledge, Experience For The Task Involved - The Platform Is Based On Attacking/Resolving Core Issues For Reform To Set The Stage For Taking Back Our Country ..

It will be controversial - Millions Will Relate To Its Possibilities If It's "leaked" to the press in an appropriate form.

If you click on - scroll back to December 24 - then come forward, you'll have the complete picture and rationale.

With all due respect - I can't think of a more effective way to grow the movement in the kind of time frame we need to be able to work.

Hamilton, you were around when I first tried to do something about this in the late 1960's, I was doing a consulting assignment for a major corporation involved in International business - I came across some warning signals and did my damnedest to warn both parties and President Nixon (through Bob Halderman) before he actually took office. Ted Kennedy, Gerald Ford, and many others were warned along with readers of Knight Newspapers (in those days).

I've been dealing with the Middle East for years - I've spent almost 60 years working with Foreign entities including Governments at the operating levels ..

When you see my choice for Pres & VP, and see my rationale - you of all people should recognize its potential for achieving a number of worthwhile objectives.

Sorry to get so long winded ..

Just trying to help !

Citizen Evans of Boynton Beach, Florida (popo)

One of the problems I am encountering in my efforts to encourage people to go to Unity08 is apathy. A feeling of "things will never change, so why bother". I am no tech wiz or anything ( I don't even know how to edit a wiki) but what I am doing is sending playlists to friends of politically inspiring music. Guthrie, Seeger, Lennon for my friends. I know for different generations and different people it will be different music but somehow music is breaking down the apathy. Just a thought.
K Johnson

Good question. Don't forget that we - you and me - are building this citizens' movement from scratch to turn this country around. There is no exact model for what we are doing. While they might be some suggestions and ideas from the "national office" (check out the What We Believe section of the website), this effort is going to depend on people like me and you to be creative in building this grass-roots army.

Several specific suggestions:

1. Send short note to your email list, describing the reasons YOU believe in Unity08 and refer them to website for sign-up or just a look see.

2. Try to find neighbors and friends who will be part of a local organization. Get them together, sign them up and get them on website. While the Internet is crucial, we must undergird our internet support with local people and local leadership. By bringing people together, you will be able to identify what support we have in your community and what skills, abilities and commitment we have.

3. Whether they sign up or not, discuss the issues and concerns that you and they have.

4. Create activities that spread word and Unity08 "brand," letters to editor in local paper, organized call in to talk shows that discuss politics and current events.

You let me know what is working in your area and I will let you know what is working here in Atlanta.

Thanks for your effort and commitment!

Thank you Hamilton for the your advise "to go do it". This is what many of us wish to do. What guidelines do we use? What materials are available? I do not wish to veer from the founders and members position when recruiting or spreading the word of Unity 08. Honestly is easy. Meaning is easy. Wording is everything. Guidance is important. Any guidance or suggestions to these questions will make recruiting/informing people of Unity 08 alot easier. Thanks

Being of a skeptical mind, I'm always poised to expect the worse from any-one/thing connected with politics especially campaigns. Seeing the a good number of the founding members are media connected,political consultants, film/tv producers .. etc, can I take it on faith that NONE of these directors will benefit personally, or have contracts, or be awarded financially?

Would the founding members do a pledge and publish publically that they will remain independent and maintain a volunteer status with respect to Unity08?

I do expect an answer.

Thanks for your good question.

I agree with every suggestion you made...but implementing them will take energy, innovation, commitment and some time.

Let me make one important point. Working together, we have introduced this concept of Unity08 and had a strong reaction. However, it is still very, very early in the electoral process, and most of the attention of both parties, their activists, and fundraisers are on the 2024 elections. While most of us in Unity08 - I think and hope - are focused on the presidential contest in 2024 like a laser beam. While we have had a good public reception from the pundits, 99.9% of the American people [and voters] have never heard of Unity08. So, we all have much to do to spread the word and explain the concept. And I am fully aware that major aspects of who and what we are it not yet decided and will be decided by our online supporters.

While Unity08's future and ability to grow exponentially, select candidates, and have an on-line convention is largely dependent on the power of the Internet, I believe that we have to leverage our current supporters and interested friends - who have come to Unity08 by way of the Internet - with more traditional state, city and local organizations.

We are going to attempt in the Fall to begin to organize in a handful of states and develop on-line internet tools so that interested citizens like yourself can take and apply in your own area.

BUT, don't wait for us. Feel free if you wish to proceed to organize in your neighborhood, town, city or state. Innovation is the heart and soul of this citizens' movement that we are trying to build in hopes of turning this country around!

We have time but not the luxury of time. It is 28 months to the general election, but there is much to do to challenge and change our political system. We started early so that we could build this mechanism that would enable a "national conversation" about our flawed political system, develop a broad consensus about a "national agenda" and ultimately a discussion and decision about which candidates we will support on the Unity08 ticket.

The group of us who started this movement are not trying to or going to "cram down the throats" of our supporters exactly how this should all evolve and develop. We are just trying to provide a framework and mechanism that contain and exploit the best features of open debate and democracy.

Thanks for your interest and comment.