Marxist to the Left, Fascists to the Right. What’s a country to do?

“Gridlock and partisanship. Lobbying corruption and money influence. Paralysis and Extremism. The familiar words for our political landscape, at the sound of which our minds go into a kind of protective crouch,” Sam Waterston

The American Political system has become polarized with each party beholding to their radical elements. Democrats can’t win their nomination without kowtowing to the extreme left and Republicans have the same problem with their extreme right. Civility has disappeared in a fratricidal fight for power leaving the public confused and disgusted with the political process.

A poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates shows 73 percent of Americans would like to see more choices in the 2008 election and 63 percent would be interested in a ticked containing both a republican and Democrat.

Today’s political parties are under the influence of their extremes, a new organization is out to change that. Doug Bailey, former Republican political consultant and founder of The Hotline, and Hamilton Jordan, former White House Chief of Staff in the Carter Administration have formed Unity08, a nonpartisan internet based political movement with the goal of electing a Unity ticket in the 2008 Election.

“Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the ability of their elected officials to get things done because in recent elections, candidates have focused on the turnout of their parties’ vocal single-issue interests.” they claim.

In order to change the political dynamic from confrontation to cooperation they have formed Unity08, a one time, Internet based, movement designed to bring political power back to the center,

“We are not in this to be spoilers or to hurt either party. We are in this too win, give the White House a Unity Team that can provide leadership, and along the way jolt each party back toward the voters in the center. 2008 is an historic moment of truth for the parties, the people and the nation,” said Bailey and Jordan.

The movement is registering delegates at its website www.unity08.com. they expect to hold the first on-line convention in early 2008 and gain access to the ballot in all fifty States.

Candidates wishing to run for the White house must team up with a partner from another political party, and anyone eligible for the office may run for the nomination.

Independents and third parties have been the proving grounds for new ideas, but with the exception of the Republican party, none have proved competitive in American politics. They are viewed as ‘spoilers’ and traditionally have had a hard time getting on the ballot. It will be interesting to see if the Internet can change that dynamic.


Baily and Jordan say they are not forming a third party. This is supposed to be a one time effort to jolt the major parties back to reality. Will it work? Stranger things have happened in American politics.