Gather round moderates, centrists, what-have-yous. There's a little story I know and I'd like to share. I heard it back when I was going to the University of Missouri-Columbia. Don't know if it's true or not, and I may get some details mixed up along the way, but it goes a little something like this...
The story starts out with a test. A final actually. I think it was a philosophy class. Maybe an ethics course? I heard the professor was one of those people who didn't like doing things the normal way. One year he made everybody write a short story for their final. Another year, they had to draw a comic. The year I'm talking about presented a new and equally interesting challenge. Sure, some would say it was a little less creative than previous years, but it was certainly no less daunting. See, the final consisted of only one question: What's the bravest thing you've ever done?
Everybody knew what kind of shenanigans this professor pulled, but how do you study for a final you can't really study for? The question threw a lot of those in the room. Many set out to explain their bravest act and tie it back into what they learned over the semester. Others simply explained their acts and left it at that. However, one student had an act that bested all others. So he or she (I'm not sure
Eventually the teacher graded the tests, and the curve was pretty much what you'd expect. I think I even heard that he graded his final a lot easier than the rest of the tests he gave that year because it asked so much from his students. However, there was only one A+ that year. I imagine you've already guessed which test got it.
So then, what was the word? Well, I'm not giving it to you that easy.
You see, first you're going to have to hear about my frustrations right now with politics. Basically, I see a political system in our country today that doesn't award bravery. Lots of polls, lots of safety, lots of couching. And it's very clear there aren't a lot of original thinkers. After all, we're a two party country. Not much room for ideas that fall outside of party ideology.
The power brokers have a strangle hold on the ways and means to shift policy and opinion, and they're not letting go anytime soon. The culture of corruption in our halls of government isn't betrayed solely by the whispers of Abramoff. No, we see corruption every single day when we're fed the same tired ideas, but with new, shiny wrappers on them.
I want to see new thinkers, fresh ideas, a more honest approach to fixing this country's problems. I want to see the people running the government who'd get an A+ on a test that asked, "What's the bravest thing you've ever done?"; because there answer would be simply "This." They'd turn their test in and walk out of the classroom. And yes, that was the word. Just "This."
Something tells me that those who would be so brave and so bold are going to emerge out of movements like Unity08. Now more than ever we need people who aren't afraid to tell their party that they're tired of the bankrupt ideas and corrupt logic that drives each party further and further into intellectually dishonest places.
Yes, we deserve better. That's right, I'm talking about you and me and the guy down the street and the woman up the block. But we can't just sit back and wish a better country into existence. We have to be citizens who demand better. We must ask for real answers and clear, concise logic.
But most importantly, we must always ask for "This."
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MANAGERS OF UNITY 08,
We are tired of the bankrupt ideas and corrupt logic that drives each Unity08 further and further into intellectually dishonest places.
Yes, we deserve better. That's right, I'm talking about you and me and the guy down the street and the woman up the block. But we can't just sit back and wish a better country into existence. We have to be citizens who demand better. We must ask for real answers and clear, concise logic.
Yep, that about covers it.
Justin! Justin! Justin! Bravo my brother! For it is virgin and common technology tha will unite, like the days we they looked across the Mississippi and wondered! We now see the elimination of process, bureaucracies, healthcare costs and insurances of all kinds... this God given of computers has yet to be realized... and this is our common ground... God bless mankind, the United States and the founders of Unity08.... www.appyp.com/fix_main.html
This organization has all the characteristics of Tom Delay. He put all his relatives and friends on the payroll and skirted all the election laws and Unity08 seems to follow in kind. Where is Tom Delay anyways? Could he be here in stealth?
Re:Donklephant: This I Know
posted by Justin Gardner on July 18, 2024 - 12:29pm
What an odd story. I'm not impressed even a bit. Is this what this organization is all about? Gimmicks and schemes! Thinking outside of boxes - pushing the envelop! Let's do a reality check. We are involved in the process of electing the president of the US, a leader in the free world. It deserves more respect than sophomoric Dave Letterman type skit. Grow up Mr. Gardner!
They are shills. Get rid of them.
This.
I suppose the author is not too far out of school and yearns for those days when the hardest act was getting up and going to class.
Please. There is a real world out there that requires more from a political site than philosophical flights of imagination and pleasant but pointless "gee, wouldn't it be nice. . ." spiels.
I am grateful that some of our youth feels motivated to do more in politics. It's good that they show an interest, and they should be encouraged. But somebody please tell them the facts of life. The seem to have skipped that class.
Interestingly after the mad as hell comment the "Committee on the Platform" forum no longer offers a place to post, wazzup? Is it the beginning of the purge already?
http://unity08.com/node/53#comment-6873
We apologize for the comment box shutdown. We’re working out a bug that periodically changes posts from “read/comment” to “read only.” We’re switching them back to “read/comment” ASAP.
Thanks, computer glitches can be a pain!
As I am a newbie to this site, I could not figure out how to comment to a recent shoutbox post, so I thought that is would be the most appropriate place as it overlaps with this topic.
The CORE problem is probably the reason why the USA had been so successful in the past - the SIngle Member District System (SMDS). With a few exceptions at the local level, in the USA, we almost exclusively the SMDS for elections, whereby the representation of a locality, be it for the state legislature, Congress, or even the President (modified as the Electoral College) is given to a single individual from a party.
Although incredibly stable, the SMDS allows a single person to represent their party's ideology for the whole locality, although they may have only garnered 50.1% of the vote (even less in those allowing plurarity victory), leaving the "losing" side without ideological representation.
This SMDS has many effects, but most importantly it has (naturally) led to a two party system by an effect similar to the statistical phenomenon known as the Poisson Distribution - whereby ideology will naturally evolve towards equality of power. On a macroscopic scale, as the "left" becomes more popular, it has the momentum to shift further "left" and in order to regain popularity, the "right" will move towards the center to re-establish parity (obviously "left" and "right" could be juxtaposed).
Other byproducts of the SMDS are the tendency for candidates to "shift" to the center after the primary, the collusion of redistricting to keep incumbents in power, and the dramatic power of the left-right special interest groups (almost by definition the "center" cannot bea special interest!)
Short of a constitutional change to a parliamentary system, unfortunately, the likelyhood a sustained centrist movement may be doomed for failure because of the SMDS (before it even starts), unless centrists adapt to the system. Although desirable, enforcing centrist policy change, (such as term-limits, campaign reform, etc), is unlikely and will only shift the deadlock to another playing field.
Perhaps, the easier answer for centrists to mimic the parliamentarians, but to do so will cause it to develop it own internal SMDS. Rather than try and "find" reluctant candidates and 33.4-50.1% of the vote, a small percentage (3-7%) of cohesive centrists can effect change by block voting and demanding a voice in the government in exchange for its voting. They could shift almost any election and thereby the policy of any candidate to the center, because except for the most liberal or conservative districts, a 6-14% swing would determine any election. But by block caucas voting, centrists would have to have the discipline of an internal SMDs, meaning that it would have to lean in entirity towards the candidate that may only have 50.1% of its "internal" vote!
As a small example, consider the mythical "Ohio" party, a 3rd party which would put Ohio first regardless of left-right politics. Its congressional members, as a bloc,k could but Ohioans in power by demading key positions for in exchange for its block vote for house and senate leadership. It could secure key cabinet positions and polictical promises favroing specifically Ohio, its industries, and its share of federal funding, simply by controlling the electoral votes that would determine who won presidency. Any large swing state with current near left-right parity could do this and dominate national politics if it could remain cohesive. Can't be done? Look to history (unfortunately it has only been done by far right parties such as in pre WW2 Germany, or far left parties as in the Soviet Union or SE Asia). More recently, and as better examples, look to the German Federalists of the 70's-80's, or even the developing Northern and Western "green" parties.
EarthBard
We are indeed predisposed Constitutionally to a two party system, even though I don't know what to make of Poisson Distribution. I simply attribute it to Art II Section 1 as interpreted under the 12th Amendment, which requires a majority of electors, otherwise the president is chosen by the House. At that point common sense takes stock of the mathematics (though I suspect it is more intuitive and less with reference to Poisson Distributions) and 3rd parties fall by the wayside.
(Thought I'd mention here that the Republicans were the only 3rd party in our history to succeed. They displaced the Whigs and became the second of just two parties.)
But the main point I gleaned from your post is that moderates can have an effect, though they must be organized to achieve ther ends.
In the context of "block voting", we already have the Congressional Black Caucus. There was also that block of moderate Senators(Gang of 14) who vowed not to allow a filibuster as long as Bush didn't nominate a conservative ideologue to the Supreme Court.
It has been here done before. No reason we can't encourage more of it.
I have only a moment...
Your observations are acurate as far as they go, and your focus on Congrssional and legislative seats is one that you'll have to keep drum-beating to sell to the Unity08 caucus which mistakenly believes that reform starts at the top. We can and should be a movement, not a Party, and we can and should adopt a centrist reform agenda and throw our votes as a bloc behind whichever candidate from whichever party in any and every race publicly and most strongly vows to promote and support our centrist and reform agenda.
Less than 10 percent of voters participate in Party primaries where candidates are selected. We can and should endeavor to have a greater influence than these wing-nuts when it comes to the general election. And we should penalize any candidates who choose to abandon their commitments to us after winning our support by actively and aggressively supporting a more centrist opponent in the next round. We have the "big stick," our votes. Let's keep beating this beast until it gets back on course.
Three names spring to mind in regards to bridging the divide and uniting America, three senators who also happen to be among the most respected in America. And these three are not out or the realm of possibility for Unity08 because of their independent streaks.
Some combination of:
-Joe Lieberman of CT
-Chuck Hagel of NE
-John McCain of AZ
Thanks to all who've commented.
This isn't abut wishing something into existence. It's about hope. And movements are based on both hope AND real action. Some more actionable things are needed from Unity 08, I agree, but it's now how many months old? Two? Let's not drive the nails in the coffin just yet people...
I'm 68 yrs. old, married to the same woman for 50 yrs. Was a registered Republican until George W. Bush. Was a Navy Medic for 11yrs in the 50's & 60's. I used to be so proud of my country I was willing to die for it. It's been said and said again; this is no longer a representative government. If you allow lobbyists to influence our representatives your vote ceases to have any value. All of our elected representatives should have an interactive web page and they should be required to actually listen to their constituancy. The heart and soul has been ripped out of this country. People no longer feel their vote makes any difference and it makes no difference which crook gets elected. I'm hoping Unity08 can bring about some real change. There are some giants out there, i.e. Gates, Buffet, men and woman of that stature. We need men and women who have been so successful in their lives that they can't be bought. Not for any price. Then we need to give them the kind of support that will make it worth their while to be willing to represent the will of the people. If you go seeking politicians from either party, you are just going to get more of the same. Look for the real leaders! It's time for a real change.
What Has Value
Don Weiss on July 23, 2024 - 6:07pm
I bet you don't complain when the VA lobbies for more Veterans benefits. Not do you hissyfit when AARP lobbies for more retirement entitlements. Or prescription drug subsidies. Nor Joint married tax advantages.
To Anon, the cynic. Not everyone thinks as you appear to. I happily support public and private education though I do not have kids. Providing education is simply the right thing to do for my friends, my community, and my country.
RE: What has value
Anonymous on July 23, 2024 - 6:41pm
OK, I'm game. Just what type of lobbists offends you?
RE: What has value
Anonymous on July 23, 2024 - 6:41pm
Does "happily supports" mean you forego your Veterans tax deduction?