The Unrepresented Center

I have long lamented that there isn't a political party in this country for someone like me: a centrist who sees value in some of the positions of both the conservative Republicans and the liberal Democrats. There's no group that speaks for someone who is fiscally conservative and socially liberal, but isn't aligned across the board with the philosophies of political parties which are being driven by their most extreme elements. There hasn't been a halfway-realistic third party movement in this country since John Anderson's strong showing in the 1980 election.

There appears, though, to finally be something close an alternative. The group which calls itself Unity 08 professes to speak for the political center by advocating a mixed ticket of centrist Republican and Democratic candidates and attempting to drive the national agenda away from domination by single-issue interest groups back toward the fundamental interests of the great majority of Americans in the political center...the Silent Majority, to use an old and somewhat shopworn expression.

I only learned about this movement yesterday, and haven't had a chance to thoroughly check it out and evaluate its philosophies and electability, but a quick scan of its website (http://www.unity08.com/believe) is promising. If, like me, you are tired of whining Democrats and arrogant Republicans (or, since the midterm elections, arrogant Democrats and whining Republicans), take a look at the "what we believe" section of the Unity 08 website and see if it doesn't ring a bell with you.

We are a year and a half away from the 2008 presidential elections, and America is in crisis. We have vast problems on our agenda that the major political parties are unable to solve because they are locked into rigid philosophical positions because of the pressures of their supporting special interest groups. No single party can solve illegal immigration, environmental degredation, political accountability, and the myriad other problems we face. It's time for the unrepresented center to speak up and let the major parties know that neither of them speaks for us.

It's time for a government of common sense, not sound bites and bumper stickers. And it's time for us to send that message loudly and clearly to the Republican and the Democratic leadership alike. I don't claim the Unity 08 movement is the answer, but the fact it exists at all is a promising development. Check it out, and think about what you really want in 2008: more of the same, or a change to government that speaks for you - the only special interest that matters.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo