There is a new movement whose supporters want to reshape the American political system.
Unity08 is a group of citizens “deeply concerned that the wheels have come off our political system, that the American Dream is slipping away, and that time is short to get things back on track,” according to the movement’s Web site.
What does that really mean? This is an impressively non-partisan group that includes some hefty members who are fed up with the Democratic and Republican parties alike and want to see change, now. They are committed to the election of a “Unity Ticket” in 2008 that includes a president and vice president from each party or who are members of other parties or independents.
You might be thinking, “So what? There have been attempts to change the system before.”
That’s what I thought the first time someone sent me a link to Unity’s Web site a few days ago. Then I got the link from another person. Then another. Then another.
Then yesterday at lunch, a prominent Democrat in town handed me his business card, but not before writing Unity’s Web address on the back.
News of this group is really spreading, and people are excited. People are fed up with the system.
Maybe that’s why they didn’t vote in last week’s primary election in Doña Ana County.
Unity’s founding members include college students, professionals and former national political leaders from around the nation. They include the former Carter White House chief of staff, a former governor of Maine, a former staffer for the 2004 Howard Dean campaign, a former White House communications director, a former California secretary for environment, and a former Wyoming state GOP party chair and U.S. ambassador to Guatemala.
“Unity08 believes that neither of today’s major parties reflects the aspirations, fears and will of the majority of Americans,” the Web site states. “Both have polarized and alienated the people. Both are unduly influenced by single-issue groups. Both are excessively dominated by money.”
The group wants a return to the middle.
“We are not looking to build a new and permanent party. That might happen, but our objective is to fix the old parties,” the group states. “A Unity ticket in office for one term or even taking part in just one election can bring new ideas, new integrity and new leaders to the fore.”
The group also pledges to focus on “crucial issues” – terrorism, the national debt, dependence on foreign oil, the emergence of India and China, nuclear proliferation, global climate change, the corruption of Washington’s lobbying system, education, health care and “the disappearance of the American Dream for so many of our people.” It pledges to acknowledge the importance of issues such as gun control, abortion and gay marriage, but not let them dominate or crowd the agenda, as they have less of an impact on most Americans than the other issues, but tend to consume more attention.
This is a group worth checking out. The Web address is http://www.unity08.com/.