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Open Letter to "Unity 08" Independent Presidential Initiative Organizers
Added: (Mon Jun 26 2006)
Hartford, Connecticut -- Today, Webster Brooks, Vice-Presidential candidate on the Imperato/Brooks 2008 Independent ticket forwarded the following Open Letter to the organizers of the Unity 08 presidential campaign effort.
Open Letter to Unity 08
On behalf of the Imperato/Brooks 2008 presidential campaign, I wish to convey our congratulations to the organizers of the Unity 08 initiative to elect a presidential Unity ticket in 2008. We share your view that Democrats and Republicans are not solving the nation's pressing problems, and the most energetic efforts must be undertaken to offer America a viable political alternative to restore responsible government to our citizens.
The Imperato/Brooks campaign anticipated that growing numbers of Americans impatient with partisan warfare, gridlock and special interests groups subverting our political process, would transform their discontent into action in the 2008 elections. Unity 08's early commitment to have Americans vote for a presidential ticket via an on-line convention in June 2008, is yet another sign that the independent movement to gaining maturity and strength. Unity 08's effort can potentially usher millions of Americans into the political fray, and all Independents and third parties should welcome this development.
As an independent centrist campaign we applaud Unity 08's objective of trying to build a presidential ticket headed by a woman/and or man from each major political party, or by an independent who presents a Unity Team from both parties. Further, we understand your desire to build a new bipartisan consensus from the "moderate middle." However, we respectfully question your assumption that should the Unity 08 attract significant support, "leaders in both parties will see that a Unity Ticket in 2008 represents the jolt the political system needs to get back on track."
History and the Perot experience has taught us that the two parties can co-opt an issue, and even a movement, but they have no desire to fix a broken political system. Institutionally speaking, they are substantially vested in its spoils. The Perot revolt forced the two parties to balance the budget for an election cycle. Since then, both parties have returned to government spending run amok and record deficits. Furthermore, neither party has made a serious proposal to reign in the explosive growth of entitlements. The system needs more than a jolting--its policies and leadership need to be altered in a fundamental way.
For these reasons, the Imperato/Brooks campaign strives to move beyond tapping the legitimate frustration the electorate feels toward the political cesspool in Washington, D.C. That simply won't be enough. In many respects the magnitude of the issues our nation confronts are unprecedented and unique to the American experience. Their resolution will demand a new universe of solutions that must be forged over an extended period of time. Accordingly, we have been advancing a forward-leaning long-term agenda on foreign policy, the Iraq War, globalization, building an energy economy, immigration, deficit spending, education and other issues, to sustain a movement of centrists, independents and the moderate middle as a permanent fixture in our national body politic.
Like Unity 08, the Imperato/Brooks campaign is not advocating the formation of a new third party. That might happen, but it is doubtful such a third party can contend with the machinery of the Republicans and Democrats unless it is sufficiently grounded on a political and moral foundation. The experience of the Reform Party is a case in point. Notwithstanding the issue of a third party, there should be no doubt that an independent ticket can garner enough states and electoral votes to emerge victorious in the 2008 presidential campaign.
If independent presidential efforts are to be consequential, we must shed the tendency to belittle and even ignore strategical and tactical imperatives. Ross Perot captured almost one-fifth of the national vote and in 1992, but did not win a single Electoral College vote. In the 2000 election, had an independent presidential candidate won 3 Electoral College votes or one state, the election would have been deadlocked and the outcome thrown to Congress.
As Unity 08 opens it website to debate about the 2008 presidential race, we urge your consideration of an effort to expand the number of states that have adopted proportional representation to award Electoral College votes. Currently, Maine and Nebraska are the only two states with such a system. Increasing the number of states with proportional representation for the 2008 election will make the presidential campaign more competitive, fair and dramatically improve independents chances of winning electoral college votes. It is the single most important reform that can be achieved before the 2008 election to tilt the playing field in our direction.
Finally, Imperato/Brooks sees tremendous opportunities for breakthroughs by independents winning congressional seats in 2008. Similar to the 2008 presidential race, we believe that control of Congress may hinge on a few key elections in both chambers. The election of a few independents could allow a relatively small group of Congressmen and Senators to hold the balance of power between the two parties. We trust that your effort will encourage and animate others to this task.
The 2008 presidential election is going to represent a turning point in American political history. The dye is already cast. The Imperato/Brooks ticket looks forward with great anticipation to Unity 08's participation in the noble enterprise of expanding the estate of our nation's democracy.
Daniel Imperato &
Webster Brooks
June 23, 2006
About Daniel Imperato, Presidential Candidate
Daniel was born in Boston, Mass (1958), and began his business career in 1977 transforming the manufacturing facilities in Israel through adapting them to the global marketplace along with bringing financing to the factories for global expansion. He also operated a trading company in Singapore and owned a manufacturing company in Belgium. Daniel brings over thirty years of experience in global business planning and development and has personal relationships at high levels around the world. Daniel has consulted for Fortune 500 corporations, with a mix of product lines, consisting of telecommunications products and services, telecommunications equipment including v-sat terminals and handheld mobile satellite telephones, along with passport and identification cards services and secure documents for foreign governments around the world. He is currently a Papal Knight with honors from the Vatican, and a board member for the African Center Foundation, a United Nations NGO, and the founder of Imperiali Organization ( www.imperiali.org). Presently, he has organized a Presidential Committee in order to organize support for a run at the White House in 2008.
About Webster Brooks, Vice Presidential Candidate
Webster Brooks was born in Colorado in 1956, and was raised in Detroit. In Detroit, Brooks saw the pride and spirit of Middle America growing up in a town that was heavily influenced by the auto industry and Motown music. Twenty Four years later, he ran for Mayor of Washington DC in 1990 as independent, and then worked with many democrats, republicans and independent in politics. In 2002, Brooks' organization, The National Black Republican Network, became the most popular public forum for Black conservatives and Republicans, but included independents as well. Brooks chaired the National Draft Colin for President Committee, active in 16 states in 1995, and was called an 'Intellectual Tour de Force' by the Detroit News. During this time, Brooks chaired the National Congress of Black Conservatives and the National Black Coalition for School Choice. He currently resides in Hartford, CT with his loving family.
For More Information Contact:
Imperato-Brooks 2008
Press Department
860-706-7765
info@imperatobrooks.com
www.imperatobrooks.com