The midterms are barely over, the newly elected not even sworn in yet and already a new movement has started to try to take back America. The group called No Labels is targeted at middle America, not in Iowa and Missouri, but the people who are fed up with the likes of Sarah Palin, Fox News, and right wing conservatives along with those on the left that are characterized by No Labels as supporters of moveon.org.
It’s no wonder that another group, movement, party is ready to take on the whackos on both the left and the right because polls show so many people fed up with the extremes and the gridlock they’ve created in Congress. “It’s time to work together to get so many things done for Americans”, these people claim.
No Labels is led by Democratic fundraiser Nancy Jacobson and Republican strategist Mark McKinnon, who were introduced to each other by Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg's political adviser.
Their mission statement reads as follows:
“We are not labels – we are people. We care deeply about our country. We are frustrated and concerned about the tone of politics. We are passionate about addressing America’s challenges. We are Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Most importantly, we are Americans. We believe hyper-partisanship is destroying our politics and paralyzing our ability to govern. We may disagree on issues, but we do so with civility and mutual respect. We believe in the vital civil center — a place where ideas are judged on their merits. We believe that together we can make the future better and brighter — and give us what we all deserve — a government and a political system that works — one driven by shared purpose and common sense. We believe our politics can change, so that government will work again and produce better results. The consequences of inaction have never been greater, because the issues we face have never been more serious, more complicated, or more dangerous. And yet, we have a crisis of governance – A crisis that compels us to work together to move America forward. We must put our labels aside, and put the issues and what’s best for the nation first. A promising future awaits us."
The group has raised more than $1 million to seed its effort against what it calls "hyper-partisanship." Backers include co-chairman of Loews Corp. Andrew Tisch, Panera Bread founder Ron Shaich and ex-Facebook executive Dave Morin. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, as well as US senators Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Michigan's Debbie Stabenow, will attend the New York launch.
"No Labels," has drawn support from supporters and advisers of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the country's most powerful independent politician, raising questions about his national political ambitions. Bloomberg has been invited to attend the group's December 2010 launch.
The first national leadership meeting is scheduled for December 13, 2010 in New York City. One thousand people representing all 50 states will gather at the conference.
If this new movement believes it will develop a new party for Bloomberg in the future, they have to buck a ton of negative history. Third party political movements have never garnered more than 27 % of the vote in any major election in America. We have to give them credit for trying whatever the long-term outcome…they can’t possibly be worse than the existing political mess we’re in at this critical time in American history.
Certainly, if someone like Sarah Palin can stir up the voters with demagoguery and the left continuing to look at old political ploys to solve problems that haven’t worked for years, maybe some good will come out of this movement.
"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty."
Thomas Jefferson
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