Rep. Dean Philips (D-Minn.) said the quiet part out loud in an interview last week with Minneapolis’s News Talk 830 WCCO when he said, “I think America could be very well served by some type of a bipartisan ticket that restores faith in government.”
America is tired of the division and anger. They don’t trust the political establishment. They want unity.
We are stuck in a cycle we have seen before — the same kind of divide that led to the Civil War. An imbalance of power allows a minority power to control the government; they use federal power to serve their cause; and everyday citizens are left unrepresented and unheard.
Political power is divided into three factions: the majority power, the minority power and the powerless. In each faction, there will be radicals and moderates. When radicals gain control of the majority and minority factions, the powerless faction grows. The radicals seek control and chaos, lead with fear and swim in corruption. This fear and corruption leads people to leave the power structure, again growing the powerless faction — and leaving the government in the hands of a minority power.
Abraham Lincoln and other leaders united the powerless factions during the Civil War by hearing them out and giving a voice to those unrepresented. He understood the cause and effect of power and the positive and negative nature of energy. He balanced power by allowing different factions in his Cabinet. He fed the positive side of our emotional energy, and by doing so, he empowered the powerless and saved the Union.
Nikki Haley should follow his lead.
A unity ticket with Dean Phillips may sound far-fetched right now, but the herd mentality of politics can shift power rapidly. It wasn’t that long ago that Donald Trump was seen as a long-shot candidate, and now he is the de facto nominee even after losing the GOP majority power status.
Suppose the people have a positive message, a plan and a leader who can execute that plan. The people will support that leader.
To win the presidency, a candidate must win 270 electoral votes. Ninety-four of those electoral votes are in two states: California (54) and Texas (40). If a third candidate were to secure those 94 votes, it would be very difficult for either Trump or incumbent President Biden to reach 270, which would kick the decision to the House of Representatives. In Congress, the representatives of California and Texas, backed by the people of their states, could use their power to swing Haley the victory.
Haley and Phillips should join their operations, bringing together outcasts from majority and minority factions and reaching out and sharing power with the powerless. They should concentrate their efforts on California and Texas. Haley should take the lead in Texas and Phillips in California. They should put politics aside and create a bipartisan campaign platform that serves unrepresented and powerless Americans.
To reach the unrepresented, the campaign should create a strong grassroots network encouraging unrepresented factions to participate. Campaign funds should be spent on staff and advertising explaining the platform and how and where to vote. Advertising should be spent in local media and small businesses. Haley and Phillips should campaign vigorously in small groups on the ground, avoiding standing on a platform. Events should be respectful of the attendees’ time; arriving and ending on time is a must.
The campaign needs a positive message that speaks to everyday citizens. A grassroots network of staff and volunteers should be trained to communicate that message so it can grow. Hear them out, then give them some answers.
Listening and speaking directly with the people of Texas and California and showing them respect will build trust. Investing in local media and small businesses stretches the campaign funds. All of this will ensure Haley and Phillips can win 94 electoral votes and create a new power faction.
We need a leader who understands they alone cannot solve our problems — a leader who enlists the American public’s help to solve our division. Our republic divides, separates and balances the people’s power and then vests that power into representatives in the House. This ensures no one faction can oppress the rest and every faction is given a voice. We need a leader who will challenge Congress to meet with their constituents. We need a leader who will hold Congress accountable.
A government of representatives meeting with their constituents increases communication and accountability and makes a big government feel small. The campaign should only discuss nonpartisan issues and solutions, ignoring the Elephant and Donkey in the room. Haley and Phillips should never mention Trump or Biden’s name and refuse to answer questions from the media about them.
American families are scared. They are unrepresented and powerless. They need a leader. They need a plan. They need power. Haley and Phillips could give it to them.
Jeff Mayhugh (@jmayhugh28) is president of East Coast Operations for No Cap Fund, a former congressional candidate for VA10 and an associate editor for the Freemen News-Letter.
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