LoungeMachine
06-07-2006, 09:56 AM
05/31/2006
Grassroots 'Unity08' campaign takes fresh approach to picking a U.S. president
BRUNSWICK — Former Gov. Angus King, fed up with the way the country is being run, hopes Mainers will rally behind him in support of a bipartisan presidential ticket in 2008.
You read it correctly: a presidential election that might put a Republican and a Democrat in Washington as president and vice president.
A new idea? Relatively.
Possible? Yes.
Probable? King thinks so.
"We're striking at the heart of the current polarization," said King to reporters Tuesday after the concept was unveiled nationwide. "We're not spoilers. Is it winnable? Absolutely."
The concept, called "Unity08," is spearheaded by Doug Bailey, a former Republican political consultant and founder of "The Hotline," and Hamilton Jordan, former White House chief of staff for Jimmy Carter.
Other than a bipartisan White House, Unity08 seeks to hold the first-ever online political convention that involves millions of qualified voters. Another goal is to force the major political parties to focus on what Unity08 calls "crucial issues," like education, energy policies, deficit spending, global terrorism, health care and proliferation.
Less important, according to Unity08, are issues like gay marriage, gun control and abortion rights.
Unity08 does not accept donations from corporations or political action committees. Instead, the organizers are confident that the presidential ticket will be supported by small donations from millions of Americans.
King said the whole idea is based on the premise that the national political climate — not to mention the way it's perceived by voters — is ripe for change.
"I am doing this because never in my life have I been so concerned about the fate of the country in one way or another," said King. "I'm really worried. We're polarized and paralyzed and we can't deal with the very serious issues before us. It's time for this kind of approach."
Among the most serious of those issues is the federal deficit that future generations will pay for. King hopes that that fact spurs young voters into supporting Unity08.
"For decades now, students across the country have been quietly turning away from our political system," said Zach Clayton, a senior at University of North Carolina and along with King and many others, a member of the Unity08 Founders Council. "Unity08 is the best opportunity in a generation for students to turn that frustration into action, fix Washington and change the country. Students will show up for this."
Unity08 will seek the opinion of the Federal Elections Commission to interpret the law in places where this mechanism breaks new ground. Among the chief concerns is the legality and security of the planned online convention and the issue of whether Unity08 constitutes a third party.
Unity08 has no candidate until voters choose one during the online convention, which will be held in early 2008.
Jim Jonas, Unity 08 president and chief executive officer, said the initiative will be a catalyst for progress.
"The partisan bickering in Washington is causing Americans to believe 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," he said.
Grassroots 'Unity08' campaign takes fresh approach to picking a U.S. president
BRUNSWICK — Former Gov. Angus King, fed up with the way the country is being run, hopes Mainers will rally behind him in support of a bipartisan presidential ticket in 2008.
You read it correctly: a presidential election that might put a Republican and a Democrat in Washington as president and vice president.
A new idea? Relatively.
Possible? Yes.
Probable? King thinks so.
"We're striking at the heart of the current polarization," said King to reporters Tuesday after the concept was unveiled nationwide. "We're not spoilers. Is it winnable? Absolutely."
The concept, called "Unity08," is spearheaded by Doug Bailey, a former Republican political consultant and founder of "The Hotline," and Hamilton Jordan, former White House chief of staff for Jimmy Carter.
Other than a bipartisan White House, Unity08 seeks to hold the first-ever online political convention that involves millions of qualified voters. Another goal is to force the major political parties to focus on what Unity08 calls "crucial issues," like education, energy policies, deficit spending, global terrorism, health care and proliferation.
Less important, according to Unity08, are issues like gay marriage, gun control and abortion rights.
Unity08 does not accept donations from corporations or political action committees. Instead, the organizers are confident that the presidential ticket will be supported by small donations from millions of Americans.
King said the whole idea is based on the premise that the national political climate — not to mention the way it's perceived by voters — is ripe for change.
"I am doing this because never in my life have I been so concerned about the fate of the country in one way or another," said King. "I'm really worried. We're polarized and paralyzed and we can't deal with the very serious issues before us. It's time for this kind of approach."
Among the most serious of those issues is the federal deficit that future generations will pay for. King hopes that that fact spurs young voters into supporting Unity08.
"For decades now, students across the country have been quietly turning away from our political system," said Zach Clayton, a senior at University of North Carolina and along with King and many others, a member of the Unity08 Founders Council. "Unity08 is the best opportunity in a generation for students to turn that frustration into action, fix Washington and change the country. Students will show up for this."
Unity08 will seek the opinion of the Federal Elections Commission to interpret the law in places where this mechanism breaks new ground. Among the chief concerns is the legality and security of the planned online convention and the issue of whether Unity08 constitutes a third party.
Unity08 has no candidate until voters choose one during the online convention, which will be held in early 2008.
Jim Jonas, Unity 08 president and chief executive officer, said the initiative will be a catalyst for progress.
"The partisan bickering in Washington is causing Americans to believe 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," he said.