[Imc-newsroom] The Independent Appeal

[Sarah Lyons]

Dear IMC:

Below is a press release and promotional
flyer for "The Independent Appeal", a 
national effort now underway to 
unify the independent political movement.  

.  (The petition is 
available online at: www.cuip.org.)

There is a growing controversy connected
with this effort.  One issue it raises is 
whether to build a strong third party or 
whether to build an independent movement that 
is broader than any of the existing parties.

Please contact me at your earliest
convenience.

Sarah Lyons
212-803-1884

~ The Independent Appeal ~

The Hottest Thing Going in Independent Politics
______________________________

Thousands signed up in the first few days.
Hundreds of CSPAN viewers called in after hearing the message.
Here's what audiences have been saying:
______________________________

"I am very excited about the prospects of 
unifying independents across the ideological divide."

"As a Black senior citizen (64 -years old).  I feel obligated to 
actively become part of keeping America free."

"Much of my younger life I was a Democrat.  I changed to 
Republican for most of middle age, but I voted for Ross Perot 
in 1992. I now hear a new and more appealing message from you."

"As a 22 year veteran Green Party person, and someone who 
collected 4,000 petition signatures in 2000, I'm eager to see unity."

"I'm going to get this posted in my campus newspaper which is read 
by almost  18,000 students every day.  I want to see some change."

"I am fully convinced that the stranglehold of two-party system shall
remain in place 
so long as the mighty army of independent and third-party activists in this
country stay 
trapped in their ideological prisoner of war camps and spend the vast
majority of their time 
either "shining their armor" or fighting one another.  Unite and fight -
from the left and right!"

"I am a registered Democrat, but I know that if I had the opportunity to hear 
from all  candidates at the debates, then I would not now feel as if I wasted 
my vote  on a party that is not interested in fighting for relevant issues.  
Please join together and make this march happen!"

______________________________

Here's what listeners are asking:

· Why now?  · Why these leaders?  · Why aren't the Libertarians involved?
· Why not Buchanan?  
· Didn't Perot leave the movement?  · What's the status of the Reform
Party?  · What is the Natural Law Party?  · How is Black America
represented?  · What about campaign finance reform bill?

Contact:  	Sarah Lyons 
212-803-1884 / 917-586-0786

COMMITTEE FOR A UNIFIED INDEPENDENT PARTY
225 Broadway, Suite 2010, NY, NY 10007
ph: 212-803-1880 fx: 212-803-1899 ~ www.cuip.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT
March 15, 2001			Sarah Lyons 212-803-1884


Independent Activists Launch National Petition Drive to
Lobby Leaders Ventura, Nader and Perot to Unify,
Lead Million Independents March on Washington


A group of independent activists have launched a national petitioning drive
to pressure the pillars of the independent political movement - leaders
Ventura, Nader, and Perot - to set aside differences, unify their bases and
lead a Million Independents March on Washington.

Representing a cross-section of the independent movement, the initiators of
the drive include a high-ranking member of the Ventura administration,
executive level leaders of the Reform and Natural Law Parties, and chairs
of state-based independent parties and community-based political reform
organizations.

The petition is being widely circulated through a host of grassroots
networks.  It states, "Over the last ten years, the independent movement
has taken different forms: 20 million votes for Ross Perot, the election of
Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, John McCain's popularity in the
presidential primaries, Ralph Nader's 2.7 million votes for president last
year, and popular support for term limits, campaign finance reform and
non-partisan presidential debates. The movement is out here growing, but
waiting to be led."  

The petition then urges the movement's most prominent leaders - Ventura,
Nader and Perot - to cross their respective ideological divides, connect
with each other and unify the broader movement which has popularized their
varied efforts. The petition is available on line at www.cuip.org.

Co-initiators of the drive are: · Dean Barkley, Chair, Governor Jesse
Ventura's 1998 Election Committee; former Chair, Minnesota Independence
Party · Kingsley Brooks, Chairman, Natural Law Party · Linda Curtis,
founding member, Austin Independents  · Joyce Dattner, Chair, County
Council San Francisco Reform Party · Dr. Lenora Fulani, Chair, Committee
for a Unified Independent Party (CUIP) · Wayne Griffin, Chair, United
Citizens Party of South Carolina · Frank MacKay, Chairman, Independence
Party of New York · Jim Mangia, Founding National Secretary, Reform Party. 

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