Independent Nation

We all know that a house divided against itself will not long stand.

Democrats fight with Republicans and Republicans fight with Democrats. We have come to expect this. But if moderate, bi-partisan Independents can't find common ground, then how much better at unifying the country are we really going to be?

Another Question

Why, with the large percentage of Americans who classify themselves as Independent do we not have more Independents elected to office? I am from a state - Maine - in which we had the nation's first Independent Governor (James Longley, 1975-1979) followed recently by two term Independent Maine Governor Angus King (1995-2003). Maine's two highly regarded and popular US Senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, are known as highly centrist Republicans.

2008

Is there an Independent candidate that has a serious chance of winning the Presidency in 2008? I am intrigued by speculation of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg potentially running for President, and doing so as an Independent. The extremely capable and highly regarded Bloomberg is also personally worth billions of dollars, no additional small benefit when it is reported that the very top 2008 Presidential candidates are likely to eschew public financing as they raise $500 million to $1 billion apiece for their campaigns.

I guess, to paraphrase the famous saying, a few hundred million here, a few hundred million there, and pretty soon you're talking real money.

Maine and I

Not to be too hung up on my state, but Maine also has nationally leading public financing that more and more states are considering and adopting. In 2006 I was an Independent candidate for Governor of Maine. Very unfortunately for me, only a month after declaring my candidacy I was hit by a pick-up truck while a pedestrian, resulting in 29 days in the hospital followed by ten months on crutches. As a result I was not able to participate in Maine's public financing system. But I saw how it elevated the quality of participation and resulted in increased detailing of policy stances in the race.

The United States

I believe that we are a great and strong country. For all of our nation's problems, would you rather live anywhere else? I couldn't imagine it for myself. I believe in the ideals upon which this country was founded and which have evolved over the course of America's history. Certainly we all have things that we wish were different in and/or with the US, sometimes substantially so. But as we look out onto the world and all the difficulties found in many other places, I feel that it is (or should be) very easy to be grateful for the specialness of this country and what we really have.

Finally

I wouldn't care if a Democrat or Republican won the Presidency in 2008 if I felt they were best able to remedy the issues our country faces and most easily bring us together. I believe almost by definition that an Independent would be best able to do this. However, I don't know if the infrastructure, or the consciousness in regard to the power of Independent sentiment nationwide, is established enough for that really to happen now.

Remember those two Independent Maine Governors I mentioned. Both were stunning upsets, being so far behind throughout much of the race to barely be on the radar screen.

Somehow, so improbably, both of those Independents won. In the NFL they have a saying to describe the chances that an underdog still retains when facing a prohibitive favorite. It is: "That is why they still play the game" (as opposed to just mailing in the expected result).

Of course every politician says this, but I truly do strongly believe that America's best days are in front of us (wise choices will insure that). Running for Governor of Maine I was so impressed with the strength and diversity of thought and contribution of 1.3 million people. Factor that up to the size of the American electorate, and I really think that you have something breathtakingly special.

Can an Independent win in 2008? It all depends on what you (that is we as a nation, and specifically the substantial subset "Independent Nation"), think. And then more importantly the productive actions that we are willing to make together armed with that knowledge.

Alex Hammer

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