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{{Short description|Political organization}}

[[Image:Unity08 logo.png|200px|right|Unity08 logo]]

{{dablink|"Unity08" may also refer to the 2008 convention of [[Unity Journalists of Color, Inc.]]}}

'''Unity08''' is an [[United States|American]] [[political group]] whose aim is to build a coalition of supporters from both [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party ]] through various methods, mainly their web site. Unity08 started as (and is currently) a 527 non-profit organization though its legal status may evolve depending on rulings of the Federal Election Commission on how and whether Unity08 can legally do what it intends to do in 2008.

[[Image:Unity08 logo.png|200px|right|thumb|Unity08 logo]]

'''Unity08''' was an American political reform movement that sought to offer all voters an opportunity to directly engage in politics by ranking the most crucial issues facing the country, discussing them with the candidates and engaging in an online, secure vote to nominate a [[bipartisan]] alternative to the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] [[Ticket (election)|presidential tickets]] for the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 U.S. presidential election]].<ref name="VandeHei">{{cite news |last=VandeHei |first=Jim |title=From the Internet to the White House |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/30/AR2006053001139.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |page=A04 |date=2006-05-31 |access-date=2006-10-20}}</ref> Founded in [[2006 in politics|2006]], the group gained attention from various media outlets, with ''[[Newsweek]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Jonathan Alter]] dubbing the group's efforts a kind of [[Open-source model|open source]] politics.<ref name="Alter">{{cite web |title=A New Open-Source Politics |publisher=[[Newsweek]] |last=Alter |first=Jonathan |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13006799/site/newsweek/ |access-date=2006-10-21 |date=2006-06-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061015010848/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13006799/site/newsweek/ <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-10-15}}</ref>

== Organization ==

In January 2008, Unity08 organizers announced that the group had suspended operations due to funding problems.<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--unity080110jan10,0,5005029.story Group suspends ballot access project for bipartisan ticket], Newsday.com Retrieved on 2008-01-11.</ref> [[Americans Elect|Americans Elect 2012]] is an organization that was formed by many of the individuals that were responsible for Unity 08, and had substantially identical goals for the 2012 presidential election cycle. Americans Elect also failed to nominate a candidate.

The first three people involved in Unity08 as an idea were [[Doug Bailey]], [[Hamilton Jordan]], and [[Gerald Rafshoon]]. They reached out to other people including: Roger Craver, Nicco Mele, Jim Jonas, [[Angus King]], Dave Maney and college students Lindsay Ullman and Zach Clayton. This group recruited rest of the the Founder's Council which existed before Unity08 became an official organization. <ref name=gov>{{cite web| title=The Governance of Unity08 | url=http://www.unity08.com/about/governance | accessdate=2006-09-22}} </ref> <ref name=founders>{{cite web| title=Unity08: Founders Council (in process of formation) | url=http://www.unity08.com/founderscouncil | accessdate=2006-06-12}} </ref> After the announcement of Unity08 at the beginning of June 2006, people began organizing around the group in a less tightly coordinated way. The first political candidate running under the Unity banner and explicitly inspired by Unity08 is [[Harry Welty]]. Grassroots organizing efforts like the [http://unitysupporters.com/forum/ Unity Supporters] formed and began to grow. At the same time, Unity08 began a general public outreach, based mostly its official website and outreach to college students (spearheaded by Lindsay Ullman) via on-campus activities and [[Facebook]].

== BeliefsHistory ==

As the Unity Movement gained support (possibly in part due to public pressure on its web page for more transparency<ref name=askfounders>{{cite web| title=Forum: Ask Unity08 Founders | url=http://www.unity08.com/forum/24 | accessdate=2006-09-22}} </ref>), people became involved in its governance in more formal ways: a steering committee (composed of four people from the founders council) was formed<ref name=gov>{{cite web| title=The Governance of Unity08 | url=http://www.unity08.com/about/governance | accessdate=2006-09-22}} </ref> to oversee Jim Jonas (the already announced CEO of Unity08) and a rules committe was formed to develop written recommendations<ref name=rules>{{cite web| title=Rules Committee | url=http://www.unity08.com/rulescommittee | accessdate=2006-09-22}} </ref> on the basis of public comments<ref name=askrules>{{cite web| title=Forum: Unity08 Rules Committee | url=http://www.unity08.com/forum/25 | accessdate=2006-09-22}} </ref> for the way the online Unity Convention should operate in 2008.

The political reform movement was founded as a [[non-profit organization]] by several political figures: Democrats [[Hamilton Jordan]], [[Gerald Rafshoon]], and Republican consultants [[Doug Bailey]] and Jim Jonas and the former two-term [[Independent (politician)|independent]] [[Maine]] [[Governor]] [[Angus King]].<ref name="VandeHei" /> Unity08 attempted to leverage online technology, such as secure voting, to allow American voters to determine the most crucial issues facing the country, discuss them with potential nominees, and participate in an online convention to nominate a bipartisan presidential ticket. In an interview that aired on ''[[The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer]]'' in May 2006, Unity08's founders said that the group was formed in response to the polarization between the Republican and Democratic political parties. The group also cited a poll it commissioned from Princeton Survey Research and claimed that 82 percent of Americans think that the two major political parties are unable to address the country's problems and that 73 percent of Americans are in favor of alternatives to the two parties.<ref name="newshour">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june06/unity_05-31.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615223539/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june06/unity_05-31.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2006 |title=Online NewsHour: Unity Party Eyes 2008 election |website=[[PBS]] |access-date=2006-10-20}}</ref>

The group's status as a [[non-profit]] organization came into question when they asked the [[Federal Election Commission]] whether the group could defer registering as a [[political action committee]] until after its candidates for the 2008 presidential election were named. A draft released by the commission in July 2006 concluded that "Unity08 must register as a policy committee and therefore is subject to the reporting requirements and limitations and prohibitions."<ref name="CLC">{{cite web |url=http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/press-2118.html |title=Roll Call: FEC Counsel Skeptical of Unity08 Request |last=Ackley |first=Kate |date=2006-07-16 |publisher=Campaign Legal Center |access-date=2006-10-20 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070207030250/http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/press-2118.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-02-07}}</ref> In October 2006, the commission voted on the matter and declared that the group must register as a political action committee.

== Beliefs ==

Unity08 claims that neither the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] or the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party ]] reflect the will of the majority of Americans. Among its claims are that both parties have polarized and alienated their [[constituent (politics)|constituents]] and that both are unduly influenced by single-issue groups, as well as excessively dominated by money.

However, the decision was appealed to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]]. On March 2, 2010, the appeals court reversed the lower court and allowed Unity08 (or any entity like it) to operate without having to register with the FEC.<ref name=FEC_ruling>{{cite court

The organization believes that while the leaders of both major parties are well intentioned people, they are trapped in a flawed system &ndash; and that the two major parties are today simply neither relevant to the issues and challenges of the [[21st Century]] nor effective in addressing them. <ref name=about>{{cite web | title=Our Beliefs, Our Goals & Why We'll Succeed | publisher=Unity08 | url=http://www.unity08.com/believe | accessdate=2006-06-12}}</ref>

| litigants = Unity08 v. Federal Election Commission

| court = D.C. Cir.

| date = March 2, 2010

| url = http://www.fec.gov/law/litigation/u08_ac_opinion.pdf

| access-date = February 3, 2012

| quote = The judgment of the district court is Reversed.

}}</ref>

Unity08’s spokesperson was actor [[Sam Waterston]].<ref>Unity08.org: [http://www.unity08.com/news/pr_120506 "Actor Sam Waterston Calls on Americans to Join Growing 2008 Political Movement, Unity08"] Retrieved 2008-01-04.</ref> Waterston discussed the organization on programs such as ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'' and ''[[Hardball with Chris Matthews]]''. On June 28, 2007, Doug Bailey, the co-founder of Unity08, appeared on [[Stephen Colbert]]'s ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' and spoke about the organization. Shortly after announcing a poll to the "Colbert Nation" about whether Colbert should run for president, the web site servers crashed due to the overwhelming traffic.{{citation needed|date=September 2007}}

===Suspension of activities===

In January 2008, Bailey and Rafshoon announced that they were leaving the organization and were planning to launch a national effort to [[Draft (politics)|draft]] [[New York City]] [[Mayor]] [[Michael Bloomberg]] to run for president.<ref>{{cite web |title=Two from presidential reform group quit to draft Mayor Bloomberg for 2008 bid |last= Danis |first= Kirsten |publisher= NYDailyNews.com |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/01/11/2008-01-11_two_from_presidential_reform_group_quit_.html |access-date= 2008-01-11 |date= 2008-01-11}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, representatives for Unity08 announced that the organization was scaling back operations and suspending activities, citing lack of adequate funding and disputes with the [[Federal Election Commission]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Unity08 Scales Back, Co-Founders Split For Draft Bloomberg Committee |last= Benjamin |first= Elizabeth |publisher= NYDailyNews.com |url= http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/01/unity08-scales-back-cofounders.html |access-date= 2008-01-12 |date= 2008-01-10 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080113112906/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/01/unity08-scales-back-cofounders.html |archive-date= 2008-01-13 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Unity08 was unable to resume operations prior to the 2008 presidential election.

==Grassroots presence==

Prior to the organization's suspension of activities, Unity08's web site was a community for members to communicate and participate via [[blogs]], [[Internet forum|forums]], and polls.

The movement also had a presence on [[Facebook]], [[MySpace]] and [[YouTube]].

Unity08 had leveraged the online event tools of [[Meetup.com]] and [[Eventful]] for members to organize local gatherings.

However, Unity08 was also characterized, by critics, as an example of [[astroturfing]].<ref>See [[Unity08#Criticism|Criticism]]</ref>

== Goals ==

According to Unity08's web site, the organization hashad threefour specificmajor goals:

*Enable Americans to rank America’s most crucial issues.

#The election of a Unity Ticket for [[President of the United States]] and [[Vice President of the United States]] in 2008 – headed by a woman and/or man from each major party or by an independent who presents a Unity Team from both parties. <ref name=about />

*Empower Americans to draft or evaluate Unity08 candidates and actively engage them in debate about the crucial issues.

#For the people themselves to pick that Unity Ticket in the first half of 2008 – via a virtual and secure online convention in which all American [[voters]] will be qualified to vote. <ref name=about />

*Empower Americans to nominate a bipartisan Unity ticket via an online convention and secure voting process.

#To effect major change and reform in the 2008 national elections by influencing the major parties to adopt the core features of their national agenda. <ref name=about />

*Elect the Unity08 presidential ticket to national office.

The Unity08 presidential ticket was to consist of two candidates that come from different political parties. This bipartisan team was to propose a bipartisan cabinet in an effort to end paralysis in government. Co-founder Doug Bailey explained "What we are trying to do is to create a forum for people who are in the middle who have been left out of politics."<ref name="VandeHei" />

In addition to these goals, Unity08 claims that its effort is not to begin a new third party, but to "fix" the two major ones. However the organization does not rule out the possibility of a new party forming because of the action taken by the project. <ref name=about />

== Speculated candidates ==

Because of its democratic and electoral nature, the organization does not have a platform and does not

Actor and spokesperson [[Sam Waterston]] acknowledged in an April 25, 2007, interview on [[washingtonpost.com]]'s "PostTalk" show that Unity08 would need an appealing candidate at its center to succeed. This was in response to speculation that Unity08 was pursuing New York City Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], or [[Nebraska]] Senator [[Chuck Hagel]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Unity08 Seeks Middle-of-the-Road Candidate|work=[[Washingtonpost.com]] |last=Cillizza |first=Chris|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/25/AR2007042502379.html |access-date=2007-12-21 |date=2007-04-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_170181024.html|title=Bloomberg: 'I Intend To Be Mayor For 925 Days'|access-date=2007-12-21 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071211122037/http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_170181024.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-12-11}}</ref>

take sides on issues. However, the organization has divided issues (presumably that its elected nominees will have a platform for) into two distinct groups: crucial issues and important issues. Crucial issues are those that the country's future is dependent on, such as foreign or economic policy. Important issues are polarizing "[[wedge issue]]s" issues such as [[gay rights]], [[abortion]], and [[gun control]]. <ref name=about />

Neither Bloomberg nor Hagel chose to run for president. Former [[U.S. Senator|Senator]] [[Sam Nunn]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], a one-time prospective Unity08 nominee,<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Nunn Mulls Presidential Bid on Unity08 Ticket|publisher=OutsidetheBeltway.com |last=Joyner |first=James|url=http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/08/sam_nunn_mulls_presidential_bid_on_unity08_ticket/ |access-date=2008-01-03 |date=2007-08-20}}</ref> also chose not to run and instead endorsed Democratic candidate [[Barack Obama]].<ref>{{Cite news

The organization has also introduced the [www.unitypetition.com][Unity Petition]] effort, aimed at gathering over one million signatures of people supporting the organization's goals during the 2006 midterm elections on November 7, 2006. <ref name=about />

| title=Sam Nunn lines up behind Barack Obama as best equipped to stop political 'demonizing, dumbing down'

| newspaper=[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]

| date=2008-04-18

| url=http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2008/04/18/sam_nunn_lines_up_behind_barac.html

}}</ref>

== Criticism ==

Campaign watchdog groups such as The Campaign Legal Center and [[Democracy 21]] criticized the group's initial classification as a non-profit organization, "because Unity08 makes clear that its principal purpose is to influence the 2008 presidential election".<ref name="CLC" />

{{unreferenced}}

Many people in the left-wing political [[blogosphere]] have expressed frustration with the amount of energy going into the project. {{fact}}

StillThe othersgroup ofalso allcame under criticism by [[political stripescommentator]]s contendsuch as [[David Harsanyi]] of ''[[The Denver Post]]'', who contends that the Unity08 ticket willwould have serveserved as a "[[spoiler effect|spoiler]]" for one party's ticket, siphoning off enough votes from one candidate and delivering the election to the other (while failing to win the election itself). CriticsHarsanyi pointpoints to the third party tickets of [[Ross Perot]] in [[1992 election|1992]]United andStates [[1996presidential election|19961992]] and [[Ralph Nader]] in [[2000 United States presidential election, 2000|2000]] that he claims may have delivered those elections to [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]], respectively.<ref name="Harsanyi">{{cite web|last=Harsanyi|first=David|author-link=David Harsanyi|title=Unity08 should stick to Kumbaya|date=31 May 2006 |url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3885250|access-date=2006-10-21|publisher=[[The Denver Post]]}}</ref>

Others on the left contend that Unity08's "pox on both houses" viewpoint concerning the major parties is unfair to many recent centrist Democratic presidential tickets. They contend that the likes of [[Bill Clinton]], [[Al Gore]], and [[John Kerry]] have tried to skirt polarizing issues, while Republicans have used those issues to motivate their conservative base.

[[Modern liberalism in the United States|Liberal]] bloggers also expressed frustration with Unity08 because they contend that the group promoted "[[The Establishment|establishment]]" [[centrist]] or [[center-right]] politicians in the molds of [[Joe Lieberman]] and [[Michael Bloomberg]] while at the same time doing little to promote the progressive values it would seemingly represent. [[Chris Bowers]] of the political blog [[MyDD]] called the group's supporters "rich, center-right, '[[non-partisan]]' donors who trash [[Progressivism in the United States|progressives]] and never criticize [[Conservatism in the United States|conservatives]] in power," and claimed that the movement has no [[grassroots]] support.<ref name="Bowers">{{cite web |url=http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/12/4/19375/7945 |title=Unity08 has no grassroots support at all |publisher=[[MyDD]] |last=Bowers |first=Chris |access-date=2006-12-04}}</ref> Other bloggers also criticized the heavy representation of [[lobbyists]] among the organization's officers.<ref name="Irregular Times">{{cite web |url=http://irregulartimes.com/unity08unansweredquestions.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205101030/http://irregulartimes.com/unity08unansweredquestions.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 5, 2007 |title=Lobbyists and Unity08 |access-date=2007-02-02}}</ref>

Still others of all political stripes contend that the Unity08 ticket will serve as a "[[spoiler effect|spoiler]]" for one party's ticket, siphoning off enough votes from one candidate and delivering the election to the other (while failing to win the election itself). Critics point to the third party tickets of [[Ross Perot]] in [[1992 election|1992]] and [[1996 election|1996]] and [[Ralph Nader]] in [[United States presidential election, 2000|2000]] that may have delivered those elections to [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]].

== References ==

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== External links ==

*[http://www.unity08.com Unity '08 Homepage]

*[http://unitysupporters.com/wiki/ The Unity Wiki]

*[http://www.unitypetition.com Unity Petition Homepage]

*[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june06/unity_05-31.html NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, ''Group Seeks Cross-Party Ticket for 2008 Elections'', May 31, 2006]

*[http://campaigns.wikia.com/wiki/Unity_Movement Campaigns Wikia on the Unity Movement]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unity08}}

[[Category:Electronic advocacy]]

[[Category:Defunct American political movements]]

[[Category:Internet-based activism]]

[[Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States]]

[[Category:PoliticalAmerican political websites]]

[[Category:Politics and technology]]

[[Category:2008 United States presidential election]]

[[Category:Centrism in the United States]]