Time to get caught up on your reading! 3 articles were written either about Unity08 or mentioning us over the weekend.
1. "Web Site Aims to Unite Political Parties on One Ticket"
MySanAntonio.com, Spencer Washburn
"We can make the Internet not just be an entertainment tool, but we can make it as part of our fabric of our democracy," said Robert Bingham, CEO of Unity08. Read the full article.
2. "Former Sen. Sam Nunn Weighs Run for White House"
AJC.com (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Jim Galloway
"Nunn said he's been in touch with Unity '08, a group with a goal of fielding a bipartisan or independent ticket for president. Initial talks began with Hamilton Jordan, a co-founder of Unity '08 and former chief of staff to President Jimmy Carter." Read the full article.
3. "More Oh-eight: Nunn Back in the News"
MSNBC.com, Domenico Montanaro
"If they build it, the candidates will come, right? That was the claim by the founders of Unity08, the group trying to recruit a bipartisan presidential ticket. Well, the first major elder statesman outside of New York City has acknowledged his interest: former Georgia Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn." Read the full article.
Tags: 
unity08, election, president, government, bipartisan, politics, news and politics, sam nunn
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I'm not sure if it would conflict with any FEC rules regarding endorsement, but might it be possible if Unity started putting up some basic biographies of the candidates that are "in tune" with what we are doing? That is, they are "more likely" candidates than Obama, for example.
Thus far it would be Hagel, Bloomberg, and Nunn. I think one of the disadvantages in the current approach is that people that don't know about these candidates have no lead in to learn more about them. Of course, they can google them, but in the age of the net, we tend to drift from one link to another.
Some brief bios and links to their sites (if they have one) would be nice. Otherwise we get a skewed version of them based on by our own incomplete knowledge of them (let's be honest, we tend to remember critiques of people more than praise).
-GP
Let's do as The Beatles' said: "Come together, right now. Unity." Something like that... ;)
When we want to hire people for Positions that control the Company's Daily Business and Short & Long Term Future ..
We Don't Call For Biographies - we Require Detailed Resumes Of Education, Work Experience, Performance On The Job, Contribution To Corporate Growth ..
We also require Evidence of Dedication to The Job & Personal Integrity ..
This is Capped Off With A Request For Referances we check and double Check ..
We also Present Each Applicant With A Job Description AND A Sample Of Our Employment Contract & Terms/Conditions Of Employment ..
You See GP this is the only sure way we've found of Keeping Our Company Healthy, Profitable and growing under all conditions that we may face !!!
You see GP this is "Pete's Plan For Political & Management Reforms" , so we can turn things around ..
You see GP - we don't do any of that now in Electing and Empowering People For Jobs in The White House and Congress, we elect those that can afford to put on the biggest and best campaign - then send them up to DC to become part of a snake pit that's been makeing up rules we know nothing about and have no control over for decades now - THE PROOF OF THIS DANGEROUS PUDDING IS THE MESS IT'S GOTTEN US INTO AS WE FACE THE ELECTIONS OF 2024 !!
GP and the rest of you Delegates THIS IS THE REALLITY - we are burdened with A Congress that's Staffed by People Whose Wisdom, Dedication and Integrity Is Subject To Question AND that Operates Without The Benefit Of Essential Disciplines, Checks & Balances & Oversight .. AND IF WE DONT FIX THE SYSTEM WITH MY PLAN OR A BETTER ONE IN TIME FOR 2024 .. it wont matter who gets Elected - or which of the two major parties comes out on top - WE LOSE - AGAIN for another 2 to 8 Years or More.
IS WHAT I SAY TRUE - YOU SEE & FACE THE SAME THINGS I DO EVERYDAY ??
YOU ALL KNOW AS WELL AS I DO - WHEN THE EXPENDITURES EXCEED THE INCOME & YOU'RE LIVING ON BORROWED MONEY YOU ARE A HOUSE OF CARDS VULNERABLE TO THE FIRST ILL WIND THAT BLOWS !!
My Plan Will Work - it's up to Y'all to decide if it will get the chance to prove itself.
Let me know
popo
My suggestion was just something simple so that people new to Unity08 and people who don't live and breathe politics would have something simple that gives them a basic idea about the potential candidates. Otherwise the majority of people just know the "big names" that are in the major parties. These are candidates who aren't going to running with Unity anyway. It would be prudent to provide a "potential candidate" section of those more likely to be on the Unity list.
Consider Chuck Hagel. He expressed some interest in what we are doing here. He is a potential candidate. But visitors to this site only know that if they've been regular for the last few months. Talk of him has faded into the background of these boards.
There's nothing much else here that you give anyone any idea about him unless you go digging into the messages. Most people won't do that. Most people are just going to take a glance at the surface or at most the threads at the top of the forum.
I think we'd improve our cause if we had a running list of potential candidates and important points. Pete, I do understand your passion and appreciate that you have a lot of detailed plans written out. But the vast majority of any web audience takes about 2 minutes to scan through things. We have to respect this reality as much as we may not like it. That being the case, a "quick list" of potential Unity candidates is useful. A thesis on them is not. It's like the instruction manual for a DVD player; it's there, but nobody really reads it. They just read the "quick start" guide.
-GP
Let's do as The Beatles' said: "Come together, right now. Unity." Something like that... ;)
Common sense - the cure for stupid!
You wouldn't need much, just a short blurb like you get in the voters pamphlet. Just a nudge to get peoples interest up to do a little reading or follow up.
Richard
You Identify Strengths & Weaknesses, You Build on The Strengths - Try To Eliminate or Neutralize The Weaknesses ..
Our Strengths are Our Form of Government - Formalized in our Declaration Of Independence, Our Constitution & Bill Of Rights ..
Our Weaknesses are The Procedures We Employ - To Elect, Empower, Monitor & Fire - Incompetent and/or Corrupt Elected Government Officials ..
Until we set Required Standards For Qualifications, Job Performance & Accountability - Appropriate To Changing Domestic & World Conditions, We Will Continue to be Vulnerable NO MATTER WHO'S PRESIDENT OR WHAT PARTY CONTROLS WHAT !!
I contend any and all Candidates able to Offer A Track Record Clearly DEMONSTRATING - Wisdom, Dedication & Integrity in His or Her Working Life, Has The Ability To Lead This Country, those that can't should not be considered as viable Candidates for the White House or The United States Congress !!
My reasoning is simple : Elected Officials are required to make vital decisions on matters in which they have no experience, as long as the individual has demonstrated - wisdom, dedication and integrity, THE CHANCES OF THEM "SCREWING UP & ALLOWING CATASTROPHIC SITUATIONS TO DEVELOP - IS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED OR ELIMINATED" !!!
It's just common sense : Qualified People In Decision making Jobs - Performing Their Duties In Accordance With The Most Up-to-date Management Practices & Procedures ..
GP in my almost 60 years in Int'l business operations, I've never heard of anyone surviving without these basic items in place and operational.
I have no illusions about the habits and attention span of most Americans, unfortunately in this arena THE QUICK START GUIDE does MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
Well GP - you and I are not going to solve this by ourselves - tonight, I'm going to turn in - catch up with you tomorrow some time.
God Bless - be Well..
popo
It's going to be a long road for sure. We'll have time for the nitty gritty details as things get more organized. For now, we just need some simple ways to get people's feet wet.
I personally love quick start guides for things I am not familiar with. I think that a lot of Unity members are going to be people who don't live and breathe politics. They need an easy way into this world that doesn't come off as thesis, but more like a new friend that can show them the ropes. That's my intent with the quickstart way.
Put another way, people like us that are "really into politics" have a tendency to WANT others to be into like we are. We set out to convert them. Unfortunately, experience shows that people just don't like that. We need to be a fellow citizen at the door and willing to respect their level of involvement, even if it's just casual. Otherwise we'll come off as the car salesman that won't take no for an answer. And we all know how we react to that sort of person.
-GP
Let's do as The Beatles' said: "Come together, right now. Unity." Something like that... ;)
existing problem with the use to political philopicies to appoint supreme court justicies...who then try to expand the constitution..if we actually went by the const...we would not have the feds involved in all the things they are involved....and then you have the assumption that to protect minorities.....use cost the majority their rights.....
I agree with GP that we need to start a "Possible/Eligibles" list and post some info on them. I would start with the ones that are NOT running now in the 2 Kabuki Dance Contests foisted upon the Amwerican Public. Get some info, bio etc on some good "possible-eligibles" like Chuck Hagel, Bill Bradley, Christine Todd Whitman, Bill Cohen, Sam Nunn, Bob Kerrey, John Breaux, John Danforth, George Mitchell, Mike Bloomberg, Warren Rudman, Gary Hart, Evan Bayh, Lee Hamilton, Joe Lieberman, Leon Panetta, Arnie, etc. We could even get them to do interactive backgrounder bloginars for us on a topic/issue they believe strongly in.
Above all we need to start the conversation and considering these "possibles-eligibles" and their experience on the key issues. They do not have to commit to being Unity candidates (call them Council of Experts or Friends of Unity or something) but we need to tap into some of these people to start the conversation on the biggie issues impinging on this blessed Republic. Let's not leave the political conversation with the pandering "American Idols" dog-and-pony sound-bite heaven shows of the 2 Parties. We need to start a rational reasoned response that informs the future of this nation with wisdom and some serious doable options!!
Candidates, Issues and Branding will all have a synergystic effect on any Unity08 success. Right now there is scant little and having some "possible-eligibles" on our site and talking the big issues will really jump start uor branding all the way around and make us REAL contenders and not just Cyberspace ether. And it will start us toward what we ultimately need here in Unity-land with our base - forming a trust, a bond, and a relationship!!
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
Hagel is an "open borders" advocate...Bloomberg is a trillionaire with no real connection to the common man. Surely we can do better... and break out of this
political fix that seems to always dominate our elections.
Time to elect "Non-politicians"! Or said another way... NO POLITICIANS!
No BOTH just came from the common man from the REAL world and they are BOTH self-made entrepreneurial success stories - that cannot be said about most the other candidates out there. They are not my first choices but can't do much better than those 2!!
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
While Doug Bailey happily used the example of the TV hit show "American Idol" in his January/February, 2024, The Atlantic.com article, as analogous to the part Unity08 will play in the upcoming presidential elections, Robert Bigham [sec] now believes "American Idol" more represents the cacophony of presidential candidates produced by our present, corrupt two- party political system in their recent televised debates.
Clearly, the seriousness of selecting the next leader of the most powerful nation in the world seems nothing by a game to these people.
ex animo
davidfarrar
How about giving each of the potential candidates blog space to write about their ideas for change in government and visions for America?
Steve Bonomo
Crossroads Technology Team
Common sense - the cure for stupid!
Sounds like a fine idea to me.
Only downside I can see is that you may get too many dingbats replying endlessly with their pet issues.
Providing their blogging includes answers to two simple & mandatory questions ..
1. Do you recognize the American peoples legal right and responsibility to control the conduct of their Governemt ??
2. If you are elected will you abide by a Legally Constituted Peoples Mandate for Reform ??
The answers need to be in writing on the blog ..
popo
Actually, the U.S. is a constitutional republic rather than a pure democracy. We elect representatives to run our government for us, rather than all of us vote on every issue. Perhaps with the advance of the internet we can, as citizens, someday take more direct control.
Steve Bonomo
Crossroads Technology Team
Rather than more direct control steve, we might achieve much better accountability on our officials with real time info flowing both ways from our elected down to the citizenry. Wouldn't want direct democracy or control, but we do need ways to make them (The elected/govt officials) AND us the citizenry more accountable! The web does have that potential if used right! If used wrong it could be a disaster for democracy!
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
You're right, direct control at this point isn't what is needed. Two way communication with our representatives would be helpful for us and them, though.
Steve Bonomo
Crossroads Technology Team
I am not really sure what you mean by "direct control". I don't see direct control ever being achieved by integrating the Internet into our political system to its furthest reaches. In fact, what we have at present is pretty much direct control of the electoral process by our present two-party system.
If you can't see the part a powerful Internet 3rd Party can play, not only in helping increase the P2P information flow, but in making it harder to directly control the political process, than guys simply haven't been keeping up with the industry -- shame on you!
ex animo
davidfararr
Direct control might mean the people voting directly on certain issues rather than through their representatives. Like the Unity08 delegates voting at the convention, rather than appointed party loyalists acting as super delegates.
One problem is that the internet itself isn't totally secure or reliable. But I assume Unity08 is working on a way to make its convention as glitch free as possible.
Steve Bonomo
Crossroads Technology Team
Dave, Steve, I'm all for the fostering the tremendous potential power of the P2P and CRM models in the political arena. Steve is right on the Direct Control thing. What we need to focus on is direct ACCESS to relevant vetted information placed in Context. Right now in the P2P and CRM models in politics we have a virtual bit bucket where we have access to everything yet access to nothing (info info everywhere and not a thought to think). Information to be acted upon effectively by BOTH the elected and the electorate must be vetted and placed in its proper informational context in some better way than it has. That is all I am saying and we better have the means here in Unity land to do just that When the American Agenda and the Convention opens its doors next year!
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
And I can tell you right now, Untiy08's open sourced webware isn't going to cut it -- which is why they are implementing the "you-pick-my-question" approach -- saves a lot of coding. But the problem is presently solveable and an effective Internet 3rd party can be created with that functionality.
Again, I have to say; I'm surprised Steve and his, CrossRoads Team, is, apparently so baffled by this issue.
There are plenty of other Unity08 delegates who believe Untiy08 must become a viable political third party to be effective. If you would like to join a discussion group to address this issue, please go to The Unity Cyber Party Yahoo Group
ex animo
davidfarrar
The Unity Cyber Party
belittling comments to a misunderstood post won't advance the dialog here. I'm not a software pro, so I can't argue webware with you. The original post by popo on 8-21-07 had two questions; My comments were on the first of them.
Steve Bonomo
Crossroads Technology Team
I really don't understand your post, frankly.
I assume you think when people use the Internet to vote on issues directly rather than through their representatives, that's bad. However, when Unity08's delegates vote at the convention, rather than appointed party loyalists acting as super delegates, that's good.
And you, as a Crossroads Technology Team consultant, can't see your way around the fact that the Internet isn't totally secure or reliable enough yet to form an effective Internet 3rd party?
ex animo
davidfarrar
You net experts should know better than I whether or not we'll get a lot of spam and ineligible votes come the convention. I could even foresee overseas meddling as a problem. I hope I'm wrong. I'd like to see this succeed.
Steve Bonomo
Crossroads Technology Team
...but are not dispositive. Issues of spam and security have largely been eleminated by the structure of the network, being self-contained in local website, much like Google Group or Yahoo groups.
ex animo
davidfarrar
Once the convention hall doors are open, I think there is going to be that functionality on that web site.
ex animo
davidfarrar