Don't worry, this isn't a thread about Soap Operas, but rather one about the passage of time from the perspective of the Unity08 delegates. I thought it might be fun to keep a thread chronicling of the way the world looks from our eyes at certain points in time.
400 Days to Go
As of 10/2 that's how many days we have until the 2024 US presidential election. Tuesday, November 4th, 2024. That's the big day. Today, 10/3/2007, Unity has over 112,000 members. Recent appearances on the Colbert report and FOX news have brought lots of new people, and many viewpoints. Daily postings are becoming more common and active delegates are getting to know each other.
No candidates have been endorsed, which is according to plan, but the names of Mike Bloomberg, Sam Nunn, Chuck Hagel, and others have been bandied about. The delegation has participated in a survey, an informal poll asking what "other" issue would be important sparked an active debate. Members of the delegation are active on their blogs, and a delegate wiki has been created.
On the front of our opponents, the ever-present Democrats and Republicans, Hillary Clinton appears to be the definitive front runner, outstripping rivals in both money and poll numbers. Obama, in terms of money, remains close in second place. John Edwards and Bill Richardson are in a more distant 3rd and 4th place.
On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani is the clear money favorite, and appears to be the poll leader as well. Recent entrant Fred Thompson is hanging around 2nd place, followed by others such as John McCain and Mitt Romney. Ron Paul, the passionate candidate from Texas, has been the most vocal critic of his Republican party, and has taken a particularly distinct direction different from his peers, and enjoys a strong internet following similar to Howard Dean in 2024.
The war in Iraq continues to be a topic of heated debate, as well as health care. The President's approval rating sits terribly low, and the rating of Congress is even worse. The nation is ripe for change, and the Unity08 faithful march onward...
This is how the world looks to me with 400 days to go. What does it look to you?
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
Internal interaction among delegates seems to be picking up while a small small minority is obsessed with knowing details of an American Agenda that is still emerging at this point. A delegate wiki started a couple weeks ago promises to help us organize thoughts, information, and give us a more coherent direction.
Ballot access and recruiting new delegates are two priorities that U08 has challenged delegates to pursue.
A sampling of an initial linescale survey has given us the basic corraboration we need to continue as we are. Polls and more surveys are promised to help prepare us for the time when we will actually vote at the online convention. All seems to be on track. It almost goes without saying that we will always want to be further ahead than where we are.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
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That is easy and obvious david - lack of I-C-B (Issues they identify with/stand for; Candidates that identify openly with Unity; and Branding due the the lack of the previous 2). All are being worked and is a work in progress. As the I and the C picks up the B will be better and the delegates as well. Feb/March 2024 is the key sowing season, but Unity has to til the soil intensively and on the I and the C in the next 4 months to get ready for the March-June sowing season where it will all converge. Doesn't happen by magic so theiir is some tough sowing/planting ahead before anyone can even start to think about the reaping! As always in politics its a crap shoot!
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
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David, I think you are missing the key here. Our success does not depend so much on the number of people here as it does on the number of people out there for whom our agenda resonates.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
Well, growth for social/political movements tends not to be linear, as in the same number of people per day. They mostly snowball. The ten million figure is an ideal, not a necessity.
The number of members we have now is already more than the delegation than either of the major parties have when deciding agenda and candidate, and it's more than any third party effort.
Lots of time remains. As appearances increase we'll gain more members. Nothing's "wrong" with Unity relative to the stated goals. It's just a hard thing to get 10 million people into a new political movements when less than 100 million vote to begin with.
In any case, it's always best to shoot for the stars...
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
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All that's significant is getting into the televised debates. The candidates take it from there. The number of people who sign onto this website will not make as much difference at that point.
The vast majority of people decide based on television, not based on websites. That's why third parties are historically stuck with tiny contingent votes. Perot made it on TV and his vote totals were significant.
And before you spew your next heap of negativity, yes Unity08 has a plan to get on television.
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
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U08 doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of fielding a winning ticket in '08. At best this organization could play the role of spoiler in the upcoming election. However, being primarily an internet movement if U08 does get MSM exposure it will bring supporters of the political King of the Internet flocking here in droves and be another feather in the cap of Ron Paul!
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Ron Paul will have to win the Republican nomination to have any chance. He can't run in any other way, because of the sore loser laws that many states have. These laws dictate that anyone running for the nomination of one party cannot switch to another if they don't win the nomination. Enough states have these laws as to prevent him from being able to win a general election.
One point we might agree on is that these laws are pretty evil and anti democratic.
Incidentally I do hope Paul somehow manages to win the Republican nomination. That will clear a lot more ground in the middle for Unity08.
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
He has the GOP nervous as a long tailed cat in room full of rocking chairs! If he does win the GOP nomination he will win the White House and any U08 ticket will only assist him to that end. Since you would like for him to win the GOP nomination please vote for him in the primary. Where are all these "centrists" anyway?
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Thank you. Will make my vote that much more meaningful.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
The reason he has the GOP nervous is because he'll be stomped in the general election. I appreciate many of the things he has to say, but all his opponents need to do is to put him on the spot for his stances about abolishing government institutions. Put simply, his Libertarian "credentials", though "heroic" to a small contingent are just not acceptable to most people. It's a long rope already around his neck. The opponents only have to pull on it a bit.
This was already showcased in the last debate, by opponents in his own party. It shows in the polls too (no, not the internet ones gamed by the 18-25 demographic, but the professionally conducted ones). In the general election he'll be painted far right and easily beaten by any of the Democratic candidates.
The postive, for Unity would be that many people who don't want to vote Dem, but have just as little interest in Paul will be very open to a 3rd party candidate. Centrists are swing voters; the ones that have no religious attachment to either party's ideology or candidates. They just take a common sense look at the options and choose accordingly. The aren't thrilled about Hillary, but they would also not prefer a radical like Paul.
If it helps you consider this from a more centrist point of view, consider Ralph Nader. Think about what you think of him. That disgusting feeling you're getting ("a filthy heathen liberal" most likely); that's how Paul comes off to those on the Democratic side (but the angry words would be more like "right wing loony"). Those in the middle, who are leaning left these days won't have that sort of reaction, but between Hillary, Paul and a centrist candidate, they'll be far more likely to choose the Demo or the Centrist.
Hillary vs Paul would probably be the best possible scenario Unity08 could hope for. It's what I am hoping for.
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
Let's see the only anti-war GOP candidate will be stomped by a pro-war Dem in the general election when a large majority of Dems are opposed to the war? You had better re-think that one! Hillary, or any other Dem, versus Paul is also what I am hoping for! A toast to getting what we both want, and may the best MAN win! As for the "professionally conducted" polls, most don't even offer Dr. Paul as a choice!
It is not politics as usual any longer. The sheeple are waking up! They are disgusted with this administration and this congress like never before. The 18-25 demographic is up in arms and spreading the word about Dr. Paul and his message of freedom, peace and prosperity! I agree that if Dr. Paul wins the GOP nomination it will be a landslide victory, for the good Dr.!
I want you to think about those "professional polls" after the results come in from Iowa and New Hampshire, I have a feeling you will see them in whole different light.
Here is a little clip of what Hillary's run will look like:
http://www.321gold.com/mustread/spotgold500_grrrrrr.html
I could never vote for Hillary. I don't like her either. But my dislike of her is not seething. I just don't like what starts looking like a Bush/Clinton aristocracy.
But my point of Paul's viability is not about his Iraq stance. I applaud him for that. It's the other "burn it down" libertarian stuff that's scary to most people. Speakly bluntly, its absurd. It's the same stubborn sort of thinking that the current administration uses and people are sick of it.
Paul is the first true Republican anti-war candidate, but he is NOT by any stretch the first anti-war candidate. People in the center, who vote for either part recognize this. Paul is not unique to them. He's just the first right winger to speak out against the war.
By way of comparison, Dean, Nader, Obama, and pretty much all others but Hillary are on the same page. In taking Iraq away, and then looking at other issues, Paul comes off as kooky to the dems, and "a bit too extreme" to those in the center. The dem, or a Unity candidate then has a far better chance.
That's why I want Paul to win the Republican nom.
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
Davey me boy - co- uple of things you are overlooking - we're over 100,000 and we ain't done nothing yet except show our face and say we're going to change things .. Wait until WE SAY HOW & WITH WHOM - watch the numbers begin to GO THROUGH THE ROOF !
popo
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With 400 days left I see Hilary & Rudi as front-runners, with Obama & Romney as players if they do well in early primaries.
Obama & Romney are cleary extremists appealing to the core of their parties.
Hillary is a liberal, but can pull in moderates with smoke & mirrors. Rudi is a New York conservative for all that means.
If the front-runners previal Hillary & Rudi, they will move very hard & fast to the middle to out-flank the other one. Unity wont have time to manuever into position. Unity can run as a new reform type party, against Washington, but wont pick up more than 25% anywhere. It will be a classic 3rd party flop.
To avoid this fate we should have our convention March 1 or sometime soon thereafter.
Alternative scenarios are that Obama and/or Romney do well early and the major party candidates engage in fights for their base; leaving the center open for a few months. We may be well positioned in that story.
I expect, with no satisfaction or enthusiasm, that there will be attacks on US soil before GWB leaves office. If attacks are on a big enough scale, that changes the language for public discussion. Unity may be the only alternative to the Republicans in that case.
kim i think hillary is a moderate like rudy is a conservative.
essentially they both stand for one thing, getting power as opposed to working for the people who elect them.
so hc you are just here to espouse your ant-semitic viewpoints and stump for ron paul?
and df you are the most negative person i have ever read. and spare me that you are being realistic. you have no idea if unity will gather momentum or not. you are just guessing with a severely negative bent. i still havent figured out your motives, you did post you will vote for paul, so like hc you are here for???????????
edit
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I think people when they come to Unity08 expect fairness. They expect their voices to be heard and accurately counted. When they don't see this happening, for whatever reason, they don't trust the organization. When people don't trust an organization, they don't go out and get their mother's, father's, aunts and uncles to sign up, as I am sure you haven't done to this point.
who doesn't trust the organization? have we done a "trust" poll?. have you?
is that statement based on any factual data? or is this your personal take?
i see discourse on the posts not distrust.
and yes i have talked to everyone i know about unity. you said that you are sure i have not, you seem intelligent but you make assumptions that are just plain old ridiculous. i think herein lies the problem with your outlook dave. it is strictly negative filled with doubt, distrust, and judgemental of other members and their motives.
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one sister one brother (working on the other two) and two cousins have signed up so far.
david what i am asking you is why would you care about unity if you are voting for ron paul? he won 't be a unity candidate.
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so your going to write ron paul in regardless of who the unity candidates are?
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David, making Unity work is not up to the "owner", it's up to the delegates. We don't need die hard dem/rep/libertarian/etc. we need open minded people who can look beyond the sound bites, MSM and their party non-answers or non committal answers. We need people willing to look at a the issues without preconceived opinions and suggest a way forward that is both effective and doable.
If you are so set on the Libertarian agenda, then why are you here? Unity states that it's goal is to the force our elected officials to behave in a bi-partisan manner, not with a no compromise attitude.
Betty
David,
You state that "I am interested in helping create an authentic Internet 3rd party". I would suggest that all of your negative posting does nothing to help and most probably hurts by driving away posible members. You also state that "from a historical perspective, a bipartisan ticket has never worked before and I have seen very little reasoning put forth by the four owners of Unity08 as to why they think it will now work" well, from a historical standpoint an authentic internet 3rd party has never existed, but you know what? We're here to change that also. Why are you so worried about membership goals? What are you realy looking for? As far as membership goes, as I've stated before, the only thing that matters is having a position which attracts the most voters in November 08! How about you do as you stated and start "helping create" instead of continuing your attempt to tear down?
bob read one of your posts somewhere today and it really hit home for me.
the bottom line is no candidate (with a real possibility of getting the nod)is looking out for the working man. the only 2 out there that actually stick to their principles and don't flip flop are kucinich & paul, and i don't think either have a chance.
S&S,
I don't believe I have ever supported Kucinich, and where I agree with Many of Pauls ideas, I don't think he has a snowballs chance in the oven!
I like Lieberman because he's a conservative Democrat, like many used to be before the party was hijacked by the Move On types, and I like Thompson for the same reason, except replace Move On with any of the extreme right groups and add the question; When did Republicans become the party of Big Government?
david can you read? i have tried to get everyone i know to sign up. and i will continue to keep trying. i have gotten some to sign up and others are still undecided.
i find your answers disingenuous. you say you want to help unity to organize a third party yet you say that a bi-partisan ticket will never work (mr. negative) so again i ask why are you here? unity as you know intends to put together a 2 party ticket as was always the intention yet you say it will never happen. bottom line is i don't believe anything you say about your intentions. you asked me for honesty, i gave it to you. how about you returning the courtesy?
why not start your own third party organization? why continue to do your best to be a cog in the wheel here?
david you posted--But do you realize just how revolutionary it would be in a constitutional republic to have a political party that accurately reflected its memberships' voices? If that was what was truly happening here at Unity08, we wouldn't be able to hold the doors open wide enough to accommodate all the people who would want to join. But that isn't happening here at Unity08. Why
do you david realize how revolutionary it would be to get a third party elected even if it did not fit your personal criteria. baby steps.
your posts are constantly negative, why because unity is not doing it your way, the way you think it should work, kind of like a dictatorship. this begs the question why you don't start your own third party movement?
why don't you tell us, and as you ask for, be honest.
Everybody is against the war - except the terrorists that have declared war on us : WE WERE & STILL ARE DOING OUR DAMNEDEST TO "WAGE PEACE IN IRAQ & THE MIDDLE EAST" - THEY JUST WONT LET US ..
Any idiot that thinks families that have Fathers, Mothers, Sons and Daughters, in Iraq and Afghanistan want war - are out of their cotton pickin minds : WE ARE STUCK WITH IT - THE TASK NOW IS TO DO OUR DAMNEDEST TO KEEP IT OVER THERE UNTIL WE CAN FIND AN HONORABLE AND INTELLIGENT WAY TO WIN THE PEACE IN IRAQ AND NEUTRALIZE AL-QAIDA, THE TALIBAN AND THE EXTREMISTS IN IRAN ..
All of us had better thank God - whichever one is yours : That we have people, men and women - young and older, that are willing to risk their lives for what America stands for - in spite of those who've politicized this war for reasons of their own.
I don't care if you're a Republican, Democrat, or what you are - Every damn Republican and Every Damn Democrat - that's allowed this war to cause them to prostitute themselves for political purposes - should lose their position of power, their pay, their perks and their pensions, and be exiled to an island where they can live out the rest of their lives with the snakes and the spiders.
My word on this ..
Peter K (popo) Evans
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The Ron Paul Revolution that is! His is a campaign gathering momentum at more than the rate U08 would require to be a factor and is probably a one of the reasons U08 is floundering so miserably, another is the plethora of statits quo posters here!
interesting, we have hc here a member of unity who has no intention of supporting a unity candidate and continually posts anti-semitic vitriol. and we have david farrar another member, who says he wants to help unity but will vote for ron paul. hmm.
reminds me of the old saying..."with friends like that who needs enemies?"
I don't believe it is a good thing for members of our government to hold dual citizenship, especially those in any national security capacity. It is also funny to me that any one who questions the actions or motives of Israel, AIPAC, the ADL or any other of a myriad of jewish organizations is instantly branded an anti-semite! I have nothing against the descendants of Shem!
The only remedy for what ails America is a return to the Rule of Law and the Constitution. Ron Paul is the only candidate who is running on this platform and the only one with a record to prove he will follow through with it! The GOP was hijacked by the neocons and the Dems have not changed one iota from the big government idiots they have always been. If you think for one minute that the PTB's will let U08 get on the ballots with candidates that will upset their apple cart then you are out of touch with reality.
The party is winding down in America. Our jobs have been exported in the name of globalization, the almighty fiat dollar is toast as foreigners have quit buying our debt, our military is stretched thin fighting illegal and immoral wars based on lies to line the pockets of the military industrial complex, our sovereignty is being trashed by the Bush/Clinton crime family and a corrupt, incompetent Congress, our elections are a joke with the MSM telling the People who is a vialble candidate and who is not, all the PTB's have to do in elections now is keep it close enough to rig the results with electronic voting machines. We now have free speech zones away from political events as opposed to the time when all of America was a free speech zone. Goldman Sachs now runs our corrupt treasury department. The middle class is disappearing as wealth is transferred to the elites and this with the fact that jobs are leaving is drying up the tax base.
I have never voted for a Bush or a Clinton and people tell me that I just wasted my vote. I tell them that maybe I did waste my vote but that anyone who ever voted for a Bush or a Clinton has wasted our country!
you still haven't stated why you are here hc. you clearly are voting for ron paul even if you have to write it in. and i doubt that i am the only one here who has noticed that many of your posts blame israel or the jews for many problems with america even if your info is from questionable sources. so what is it that you are contributing to the unity platform, that is the question that remains unanswered.
I am here to try and persuade U08 delegates to nominate the only candidate who has a handle on our problems and solutions to them. The Libertarian Party and the Constitution Party are behind Dr. Paul. If he wins the GOP nomination and has it coupled with a U08 endorsement he may just go into the White House and put a stop to the AIPAC, MSM backed Bush/Clinton Crime Family!
HC,
I believe Ron Paul has stated that if he doesn't get the GOP nomination he will not run as a third party candidate. With this in mind, and knowing that Unity08 wants a bi-partisan ticket, your efforts seem futile. If, for any reason, Mr. Paul changes his tune, then wouldn't that reflect badly on him.
My point is, I have to agree whole heartedly here with Scandalsandskelletons and ask why you are here.
David,
We do not need to gain a certain number per day, we merely need the final number to agree with our candidates position come November 2024. We do not require any particular pollitical affiliation to participate here, and we don't even require people to sign up if they just want to look around and keep an eye on things. You may be suprised at how many people actually keep an eye on the discussions here.
[Unity Moderation Team: 2024-10-15: Deleted: davidfarrar, you have persisted in behavior that violates community guidelines; the content of your post has been deleted]
Can you, or any of the management, tell us just how many hits this site is receiving?
David,
I am not manipulating numbers, so I'm going to assume that by "you", you meen "anyone trying to extrapolate this information". That said, once again I must say that it does not matter if Unity08 only registers 500,000 people, as long as our final product appeals to the masses enough to get their votes.
Please explain why, if you are so sure we cannot gain enough members to be politically significant, you don't just move on to a party that you can agree with, and that you feel has a chance? I cannot for the life of me imagine spending as much time as you do on something that you are so sure will fail. Please don't say that it's because you believe in the movement, because if that were true you wouldn't be playing Eore.
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In the name of fairness, let me answer that question: yes, the traffic information is available (and accurate) through net traffic monitors like Alexa.com. Before I post this link, I'd like to pose a challenge to David:
If you really care about Unity08. That is, if you really do want it and a net-based party to succeed, would you be willing to put that sharp mind of yours towards improvement and not merely criticism?
A difference between us is that when looked this up I tried to think of every way I could to generate excitement for this community (the wiki is one such idea). Much of the time it just feels like you want to destroy it. When you trash Unity, you're also trashing the people on here who are trying. You're kicking all of us in the face so to speak, and I suspect you're smart enough to realize that.
We still have a chance. There's still lots of time. I would like to issue this challenge to you, David:
For every 10 negative words you say, could you offer 20 words of what could be done to improve our endeavor? Could you try this?
Without further mincing of words, here's the data you're looking for:
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=unity08.com
This is what it should look like (I'm not a Ron Paul supporter, but I am honest in my assessment of facts. Whatever he is doing is working):
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=ronpaul2008.com
To others reading this: How should we change this? What are you willing to do?
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
ok i get it now. you are here to promote your candidate and your agenda (blame the jews).
i just wanted you to be clear on your intentions. that is honest.
you posted:
I don't believe it is a good thing for members of our government to hold dual citizenship, especially those in any national security capacity. It is also funny to me that any one who questions the actions or motives of Israel, AIPAC, the ADL or any other of a myriad of jewish organizations is instantly branded an anti-semite! I have nothing against the descendants of Shem!
so hc are you stating that you are not anti-semitic? please, this is a simple yes or no question.