If you haven't heard already there is a new third party forming called Unity '08 :
Unity08 believes that neither of today’s major parties reflects the aspirations, fears or will of the majority of Americans. Both have polarized and alienated the people. Both are unduly influenced by single-issue groups. Both are excessively dominated by money.
For most of the 20th Century, the contest for the U.S. presidency was waged over those “in the middle.” Recent Presidential elections, however, have not been focused on the middle but on the turnout of each party’s special interest groups – with each party’s “base” representing barely ten percent of the American people.
We believe that, while the leaders of both major parties are well intentioned people, they are trapped in a flawed system – and that the two major parties are today simply neither relevant to the issues and challenges of the 21st Century nor effective in addressing them.
As a result, most Americans have not been enthusiastic about the choices for President in recent elections, the key issues they ran on, or the manner in which the campaigns were conducted.
Therefore Unity08 will act to assure that an alternative ticket is presented to the American voters in 2008.
- Goal One is the election of a Unity Ticket for President and Vice-President of the United States in 2008 – headed by a woman and/or man from each major party or by an independent who presents a Unity Team from both parties.
- Goal Two is for the people themselves to pick that Unity Ticket in the first half of 2008 – via a virtual and secure online convention in which all American voters will be qualified to vote.
- Goal Three, our minimum goal, is to effect major change and reform in the 2008 national elections by influencing the major parties to adopt the core features of our national agenda. With a group of voters who comprise at least 20% of the national electorate, we feel confident that our voters will decide the 2008 election.
'Unity '08' Seeks Third Party Path
Doug Bailey
Unity '08 Founders Council
Tuesday, June 27, 2006; 12:00 PM
Doug Bailey , a member of the Unity '08 Founders Council, was online Tuesday, June 27, at noon ET to discuss the group's goal of a third party option in the 2008 presidential elections. Unity '08 is comprised of political consultants, both Democrat and Republican, who feel that neither party is providing adequate leadership for the country. The group hopes to put forth a presidential ticket with one candidate from each side of the partisan divide.
Bailey is also founder of The Hotline, a political newsletter, and former political media consultant to President Gerald Ford .
The transcript follows.____________________
Harrisburg, Pa.: It is my understanding that you intend to put up two independent candidates to appeal to people disappointed in their respective parties. Does this mean you will promise to run a candidate from an unrepresented faction of both parties? For instance, it would not be fair should you nominate two similar candidates from one side and two diverse candidates from another side such that one side is disadvantaged.
Doug Bailey: the Unity08 online convention will nominate one R and one D, in whatever order for a Unity Ticket. they will run for the nomination as a team and they will be nominated by the convention as a team (just the way we vote for the two top slots with one vote in November). Independents may also run if they present a unity team that includes member of both parties.
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St. Mary's City, Md.: As an independent voter, I hope Unity can get some traction. My big concern is that one of the Big Two has been hijacked by religious conservatives who are using that party to push a reactionary agenda.
Do you see Unity as luring classic small-government conservatives away from the GOP? Or would Unity serve as a moderating influence on both parties, helping to marginalize the extremists?
Doug Bailey: Unity08 will draw on members of both the big parties who have been alienated by their leadership. We want everybody. We feel that only about 25% of the electorate is really satisfied with either of the two big parties.
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Houston, Tex.: Our Libertarian friends would argue that there's already a third party, and it's them. Are there any efforts to bring Libertarians into the Unity fold?
Doug Bailey: No one has to leave his/her party to join us at Unity08. Just come to Unity08.com and sign up. We want independents, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, vegetarians et al.
Also please take the time to drop by their site to read up and sign onboard.
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