Well, the response to my article on Huffington Post yesterday, entitled Wanted: Multimillionaire With Conscience To Launch Third Party, was a bit overwhelming. Unbelievably, an honest-to-goodness millionaire contacted me and he and his friends are considering kick-starting the effort by helping create a website and getting us a web presence in the social media world. If there are more of you millionaires out there burdened with a conscience, please contact us as there is always more we can do with proper funding.
More amazing was the reader response. I have written enough articles now on the web to understand that bloggers can be a tough crowd, as Rodney Dangerfield always professed. But, the response we got yesterday was incredible. Not only was it 90% supportive, it was an intelligent discussion of how best to implement the idea without any of the pettiness that sometimes blogs degenerate into, especially between liberals and conservatives. Of course some missed the point entirely and suggested that a third party was not needed. They said all we needed to do was pass a constitutional amendment or pass a new law making lobbying and big campaign contributions illegal or enact a plan for publicly financed elections. While all great ideas, I am not sure who in Washington they thought would vote for such changes in the law. The whole idea of this effort is to get some people into Washington that would support such efforts.
The key in making this a reality is to get people to believe that it really can succeed. I'm not talking about being a minor irritant to the major parties, I mean to start to win local and national elections. Rome wasn't built in a day, but the speed we do this at is solely dependent on you. The more you network with your friends and family, the faster the idea spreads. I understand the negativity of those readers who thought it was an impossible task, but I believe that it is just this negativity that we need to overcome if we are to be successful. World events today and wars are depressing, foreclosures are depressing, joblessness is depressing. Figuring out how to fix it all can be very uplifting. You just have to suspend belief for a short period of time until you begin to see the results of people working together. It is a magnificent feeling if we can pull it off. What's the alternative, listen to the music on the Titanic?
I want to create a new website as soon as we get a little money and tech support that will be capable of capturing names and emails of people who are interested (no, we won't be selling your private information to fund our vacations). No fundraising at this stage, just expressions of interest. Then, I would like to announce when we have successfully signed up 50,000 people or 100,000 people or 1 million people. I have no idea how long this will take. It could take three weeks or three months or three years. But, I am encouraged by the fact that Charlie Sheen signed up 1.1 million Twitter followers in just three days. I know, I am no Charlie Sheen, but you have to admit it does demonstrate the power of connecting on the internet. If Tunisians and Egyptians could do it, I am sure Americans can figure out how to do it.
So, the next step is to find a name for the new party. People like the fact that the new party will represent the people, but the People's Party or the Workers' Party may sound a bit too Marxist/Leninist for a broad cross section of Americans. And I really want the party to appeal to all Americans across the broad political spectrum. I like the fact that we only have one platform issue, getting rid of lobbyists and money in politics. Once we get rid of the money and lobbyists, policy issues will be decided by what a majority of Americans want to do, while giving proper respect and protections to the minority. If you look at polling data today most of the things that Americans are plainly in favor of seem pretty reasonable, they just aren't being implemented by our government. Any party names that can connote these ideas would be great.
Please use the reader comments below to submit your suggested name for the new party.
Hopefully, very soon I will be back to you with a name of the movement and a website where we can all sign up and get going. At least then I won't have to hear anymore from people who say they agree that the system is broken, they agree that something needs to be done, but there is nothing one person can do and there is no place to organize and join an effort to fix the system. Sign up now and change the world!
John R. Talbott is a best selling author and consultant. His new book is mandatory reading for anyone interested in learning the real reasons for this crisis and how to protect yourself going forward. You can read more about John and the new book at www.stopthelying.com or at amazon.com. Information for media contacts is available at www.stopthelying.com.
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After all, who will love this party the most? Knottfeinstein
How little expendature of energy do any of you feel is allowable considering the existing Congress, and Senate do so little (obviously) with all their holidays, breaks, and unlimitted sick days off?
I say we should INSIST on our money's worth, and not reward lazyness. That's how we got in this mess we're in, Bubba'.
Imagine the expense, and chaos involved in such a movement. It could do just what we fear about the Independant voter's spltting the vote's, and perhaps allowing the wrong person into the circle again, as we have today.
I will be sitting here waiting for an idea which excites me with it's brilliance... Please hurry!
In politics, why do they always seem to name things exactly the opposite of what they truly mean or are designed to do?
Someone else mentioned the "Reform Party" and I think this is the best name as it is exactly what is needed. REFORM! The Reform Party itself is still around, and is nearly half of it's platform is lobbying reform. Reference: http://reformparty.org/core-principles.
Full disclosure: I am a member of the Reform Party, but please take look for yourselves. In any event, let's do something, somehow, somewhere. Get involved, get educated, learn the voting and ballot and petition procedures of your state. It's better than sitting at home watching sports or mindless dancing and talent competitions.
A) a Progressive third party is developed, and despite not taking lobbying money, it grows large enough to beat both the Democrats and the Republicans, without once handing an election to the Republicans by splitting the liberal vote; or
B) More good Democrats are voted into Congress, of the caliber of Barney Frank or Russ Feingold, and they use the existing stature of their party to pass reforms.
I know why A) is more appealing to a lot of you: because it's so hypothetical, you haven't even figured out yet why it won't work. B) is hard work, and you know it's hard work, but it at least has the advantage of being a workable path to reform.
Oh, now.
It's really a simple problem. You see, these people have had lots of time to forge connections, what some refer to as the 'good ol' boys network.' See, we've known about it long enough to give it a cute name that suggests some fellahs sitting in the kitchen drinking beer, smoking stogies, playing cards.
Of course, it's nothing so benign, and something needs to be done to stop it. Congress seats have become the seat to riches as connections are made, tips are passed, fortunes are gained. That's probably why Thomas Jefferson thought a revolution every twenty years or so was a good idea.
We better move on this fast, but it can't be a one trick party like the net neutrality bunch, the Pirate Party. Where does it stand on environmental issues? If we wreck the planet in a quest for riches, there really won't be any reason to continue wallowing in toxic mud and breathing poisoned air while munching on Monsanto corn chips.
My suggestions: make it impossible for a congresscritter to use his/her office to enrich themselves. Doesn't anyone wonder why these millionaires want a position that pays less than their money earns?
Corporations are not people or individuals. Let's stop that nonsense right now.
Get religion out of politics, period. I'm really sick of the God Squad trying to reshape secular society to reflect THEIR values.
Why should we not impose a temporary hyatus on all foriegn aid..to all country's, and causes, drill our own oil fields in the Alaskan tundra, and bring home our troops from wars which have no benefit, or even a finish in sight? Next, we should also take care of the border problems, and stop all trafic both ways... Keep American money in America.
If any country whom we have supported in any way, turn on us for this self protecting 'must do', then they were never our friends, and should be promply removed from future consideration.
With our troops returning, it is they who deserve the jobs , however so humble, that are now being taken by the Illegal aliens...and, if we American's can face loss of a job, then so can the Illegal's.
Life is a byatch sometimes, but somebody has to live it.
"I believe that every an[d] any interest group should be able to reach out to elected officials.Â.. it is up the those officials to have a good conscience and be ethical in how they sift through the various viewpointsÂ.”
My response:
It really comes down to how lobbyist reach out. I agree that we have a right to petition the government - that is the legit side of lobbying. We have a right to free speech - that is the legit side of lobbying. We have the right to assemble - that is the legit side of lobbying. The problem is why politicians listen to lobbyist more than their own constituents.
If organized lobbies did not expect something tangible for their contributions they would never give them. It they have never received any benefit for their contributions they would not continue to give them. If this were a bribery case and we were not the Casey Anthony jury - circumstantial evidence would lead to a quick conviction.
I'll paraphrase Mark Twain. "America doesn't have a truly criminal class, unless you consider Congress." Perfect - "it is up the those officials" - they make the laws on what is and isn’t bribery. I am not holding my breath for the "good conscience and be ethical" behavior. It will take an outside political force to effect change. As miss-guided as the Tea-Party folks might be, progressives should take a page out of their playbook.
US Party
Party that Works
Democracy Party
We Are All Equal Party
or Equality Party
Working Middle Party
Thinking, then Doing Party
Get'er Done Party
I don't know if you have the winner here, but you definitely win the award for the most number of suggestions.
This new party needs to start as a self-styled movement. If there is any steam in the movement you can move to establish a party mechanism. We need to establish who we are, what we are about and our goals first without attracting a lot of political mercenaries. The left's best argument against the Tea Party is that it is mostly astro-turf. Political operative will be attracted to either personally get in front of the movement or co-opt and assimilated it into an establish party. Create a strong brand with good market identity - the rest will follow.
This link is a discussion of business models but has application in our discussion.
http://www.claytonchristensen.com/disruptive_innovation.html
Names: Party is not a requirement. To use the word may actually turn people away before they actually look at the details.
Disrupting innovators - too aggressive?
American innovation - my fav!
A new third party of progressives is every bit as likely to damage the progressive cause as the Tea Party has damaged its own conservative cause.
And make no mistake, the rise of the Tea Party did not lead to GOP or conservative successes in 2010, it caused voters to recoil in horror and it limited the GOP's gains in both the House and Senate. Even this morning we see that Tea Party demands are making it impossible for the mainstream GOP to advance conservative goals.
In the US political system, the rise of a third political party invariably hampers the success of the mainstream party that is most like it, and instead results in greater successes by the party it most opposes.
If this were a parliamentary system, no one would have to propose a third party, they arise automatically. In our system, they pop up with a great deal of noise, they fail, they disappear.
If progressives are serious about pursuing progressive goals, they need to apply pressure to the Democratic party... while helping to elect Democratic majorities. There really is no alternative under our system, except in Wishful Thinking scenarios.