Unity?
As if the 2008 President race isn’t groundbreaking and historic enough, there is another twist. Being out temporarily out of the country, I get my copy of the Atlantic Monthly a little later than everyone, so this might have been covered by others, but an intriguing concept has been profiled here by The Atlantic’s Joshua Green – a centrist National unity third party founded by old political insiders of both parties who cannot stand the direction that elections in this country have gone. Called Unity08, they are dedicated to holding an online primary, qualifying for the ballot in all 50 states, and then allowing Internet users to nominate a Democrat and a Republican in a truly centrist, national unity ticket.
For a long time, I’ve been thinking about the American party system is in flux and could be ready for a major re-alignment. The traditional winning Republican alliance of Libertarians, social conservatives and business was doomed from the start, and the Democratic coalition of liberals, soft-leftists, labor and interests like Nursing and Teachers is an equally tenuous combination.
Then again, historian Richard Hofstadter wisely noted that “Third parties are like bees: once they have stung, they die.” Indeed, Unity08 is not meant to be a permanent realignment, but merely a shot of venom into the political system to force politicians away from the political fringes, and back towards the moderate center. Unity08 may not provide a massive electoral shakeup, and new political cleavages, but it may provide the sting that the American political system so desperately needs.
For a long time, I’ve been thinking about the American party system is in flux and could be ready for a major re-alignment. The traditional winning Republican alliance of Libertarians, social conservatives and business was doomed from the start, and the Democratic coalition of liberals, soft-leftists, labor and interests like Nursing and Teachers is an equally tenuous combination.
Then again, historian Richard Hofstadter wisely noted that “Third parties are like bees: once they have stung, they die.” Indeed, Unity08 is not meant to be a permanent realignment, but merely a shot of venom into the political system to force politicians away from the political fringes, and back towards the moderate center. Unity08 may not provide a massive electoral shakeup, and new political cleavages, but it may provide the sting that the American political system so desperately needs.
