Impartial opinions rare, but valuable to our process
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A couple of weeks ago in this column, I expressed my feelings that what I believe is missing in our political system is the middle ground, political leaders capable of abandoning the hard-line political stance of party politics in favor of considering ideas based solely on their merits. In other words, the moderates who have been purged from the ranks of the Democratic and Republican parties.
It seems I may not be alone in that line of thinking.
Next week — Monday to be exact — a new organization is being launched. It’s called No Labels and its purpose is to bring together those — regardless of political affiliation — who believe it’s not a matter of moving to the right or left, but rather moving forward.
It’s not a new political party. In fact, organizers aren’t asking anyone to abandon their political affiliation — just put the party label aside when the campaigning is over and do what’s best for America.
According to its press release, “No Labels believes that the answers to the challenges we face as a nation get lost in the political posturing that all too often results in nothing getting done to help the American people.”
There’s nothing in that statement that anyone can disagree with. However, in this politically-charged environment, I’m sure there are some who could find something in it to disagree with.
Political luminaries
The official launch will be held in New York City. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is among the list of speakers scheduled to attend, along with U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., outgoing U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., Republican and now independent Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Ronald Reagan’s former director of communications David Gergen and former Republican Virginia Congressman Tom Davis — among others.
Davis on street
I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a few of those men through the years, including Gergen and Davis.
When I first met Davis, he was chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, the highly political organization with the single-minded goal of electing Republicans to Congress — at any cost.
I met him again about a year later during a non-working trip to Washington, an unplanned meeting. We bumped into each other on the street, an opportunity to chat when he wasn’t so focused on winning elections at any cost. In other words, it was a casual conversation about how things were going and not centered and completely focused on the “party line.” It was refreshing.
Gergen at academy
Same with Gergen. I met him during a visit to the Coast Guard Academy where he was lecturing on foreign policy issues — and no one told him there was a reporter in the house.
When I introduced myself afterward, he expressed some concern that he might have said something that he might not otherwise have said if he knew I was there. I assured him that I didn’t think he had. I’m not sure he believed me. He wasn’t pushing the party line during his speech to the cadets — just an honest assessment of the world as he saw it. Also refreshing.
Which leads me back to my original premise of a couple of weeks ago — what’s missing today are those who can put aside the party label and talk honestly about issues based on their merits.
Those people do exist and it’s nice to see some of them coming together to champion the cause.
Ray Hackett is the Norwich Bulletin’s editorial page editor. He has more than 20 years covering Connecticut politics. He can be reached at (860) 425-4225 or rhackett@norwichbulletin.com
It seems I may not be alone in that line of thinking.
Next week — Monday to be exact — a new organization is being launched. It’s called No Labels and its purpose is to bring together those — regardless of political affiliation — who believe it’s not a matter of moving to the right or left, but rather moving forward.
It’s not a new political party. In fact, organizers aren’t asking anyone to abandon their political affiliation — just put the party label aside when the campaigning is over and do what’s best for America.
According to its press release, “No Labels believes that the answers to the challenges we face as a nation get lost in the political posturing that all too often results in nothing getting done to help the American people.”
There’s nothing in that statement that anyone can disagree with. However, in this politically-charged environment, I’m sure there are some who could find something in it to disagree with.
Political luminaries
The official launch will be held in New York City. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is among the list of speakers scheduled to attend, along with U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., outgoing U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., Republican and now independent Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Ronald Reagan’s former director of communications David Gergen and former Republican Virginia Congressman Tom Davis — among others.
Davis on street
I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a few of those men through the years, including Gergen and Davis.
When I first met Davis, he was chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, the highly political organization with the single-minded goal of electing Republicans to Congress — at any cost.
I met him again about a year later during a non-working trip to Washington, an unplanned meeting. We bumped into each other on the street, an opportunity to chat when he wasn’t so focused on winning elections at any cost. In other words, it was a casual conversation about how things were going and not centered and completely focused on the “party line.” It was refreshing.
Gergen at academy
Same with Gergen. I met him during a visit to the Coast Guard Academy where he was lecturing on foreign policy issues — and no one told him there was a reporter in the house.
When I introduced myself afterward, he expressed some concern that he might have said something that he might not otherwise have said if he knew I was there. I assured him that I didn’t think he had. I’m not sure he believed me. He wasn’t pushing the party line during his speech to the cadets — just an honest assessment of the world as he saw it. Also refreshing.
Which leads me back to my original premise of a couple of weeks ago — what’s missing today are those who can put aside the party label and talk honestly about issues based on their merits.
Those people do exist and it’s nice to see some of them coming together to champion the cause.
Ray Hackett is the Norwich Bulletin’s editorial page editor. He has more than 20 years covering Connecticut politics. He can be reached at (860) 425-4225 or rhackett@norwichbulletin.com
