[CBRVFR]

If it makes the liberal and conservative idealogues blow a gasket or two, it will be well worth the effort.

Not an endorsement, the devil is in the details. Read about this in David Broder's (skeptical) column today.

www.unity08.com

What We Believe
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.
Our Goals
We have set three specific goals, and are exploring how best to achieve them.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

[luvtolean]

Interesting.

I think Bush's decision to re-back the disgusting Congressional Amendment banning gay marriage, believing it would woo conservatives back to him after years of a terrible budget and breaking down personal freedoms (not to mention, shitty timing with the economy, though it's not really his fault), is a great example of why something like this is more likely to work now than anytime in recent memory...

[Purpdust]

Don't forget Immigration

[CBRVFR]

Originally Posted by Purpdust

Don't forget Immigration

How could I ever? You lost me there.. seems like this isn't a very ideological group.


FAQ

[clutchslip]

Alright - I'll break another of my rules, as usual!, and mix poly with bikey.

Why, this splintering approach?

The Libertarian party has a sound, limited government platform. If it received more attention, more money, and thus better candidates, it might get somewhere.

There are other established parties that can already muster votes: Peace and Freedom, Green Party, etc.. Bullmoose could make a comeback.

This just seems like another, "MY ideas/party are better than yours."
Didn't Ross Perot do this idea? Remember way back then?

[CBRVFR]

The Libertarians and the others have a basic ideology that the members subscribe to, whereas this group seems to be focused along the lines of: "let's get better candidates and bypass the ideological wackheads in both major parties that control the primaries."

Most of the recognized third parties have attracted a core group of aluminum foil hat wearing members and leaders, and have no chance of getting much support from the country, despite some very good ideas.

Really, (and I don't wish to offend NH and Firefly) who gives a flying **** what the people in New Hampshire and Iowa have to say about the electoral process? The idea of state primaries bringing the "normal" voters into the decision hasn't served either party very well, not to mention the rest of us.

http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm
Here's a good list of the existing groupof minor parties. ( you have to scroll down a bit.) I'd be LOOKING for a third party if I run for local office again, and don't see much here.