The Siren Song of the Bipartisan Unity Ticket

The problems and dangers of the latest No Labels effort

Over at the Los Angeles Times today, I have a piece addressing the latest effort by No Labels to secure a line on the 2024 presidential ballot in all fifty states. They’re trying to put an independent or bipartisan unity ticket on the ballot, or to at least extract demands from the major party candidates.

In the piece, I point out:

• Some group has tried almost this exact thing in just about every presidential election this century, with very little to show for it.

• It’s based on a fundamental misreading of American politics — just because people express dissatisfaction with the major parties and say they want more options doesn’t mean they’ll vote for another option. Quite the opposite, actually.

• This is all in service of a “common-sense, moderate, independent platform” that no one can define.

• This effort won’t win, but it could affect which of the major party candidates does win by drawing unequally from their supporters.

Anyway, I hope you read it.

A very happy Easter to all who celebrate and a delightful Passover to all who are observing that.