Why I Fight to Unite

New York State, and the entire country, is trapped in a duopoly that robs us of our freedom, mutes our voices, takes power from the masses, and concentrates it in the hands of the few. Not Google and Facebook – I mean the Republican and Democratic Parties.  Independent voters are being intentionally shut out of […]

Governor’s Race – Government Reform Taking Center Stage

Unite NY has been diligently advocating to any candidates for Governor willing to listen the importance of pro-democracy reforms like Open Primaries as tools to fix this broken system. That’s why we were excited to see Larry Sharpe formally announce his candidacy this week. Larry has been a strong supporter of Unite NY’s efforts to […]

Why I Fight to Unite

Our political system in American is suffering from the long-term effects of a two-party stronghold that has made reasonable political discourse and good governance nearly impossible. Our political differences are constantly inflamed by both major parties, intent on stoking emotions and inflaming animosities with buzz words and phrases. The good news is the voting populous […]

Why I Fight to Unite

This country is desperately looking for an outlet or an escape hatch from the current vice grip of our failed two-party system, run by Democrat and Republican leadership that have completely lost their way. They clearly do not care for the American people or this sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in, as […]

The System Is Rigged…But It Doesn’t Have To Be

I recently had the opportunity to join Keeler in the Morning for a lively discussion on the problems posed by party primaries in New York and the benefits to opening up the political process to allow unaffiliated voters to participate.  I advocated opening up the primary process, as is done in 41 other states, could […]

Why I fight to Unite

For most of my adult life, I have watched the political world around me crumble. Partisanship has driven wedges between my friends, family, and neighbors.  Many of my state’s leaders have resigned or been imprisoned due to corruption. Debt levels have risen to extraordinary and unsustainable levels.  Education has fallen by almost every metric. Our […]

Why I Fight to Unite

Since the launch of Unite NY a few months ago, the feedback we’ve received has been strong. Our message of People Over Party is resonating. Everyone is tired of hyper-partisan finger pointing. Our leaders need to focus on finding solutions to our most pressing issues! Fixing a broken system isn’t easy – and starting a new political […]

A Win for Democracy in Buffalo

Last week something remarkable happened, with two separate court rulings netting a significant victory for everyone who believes ballot access is fundamental to a well-functioning democracy. This happened when judges in separate proceedings in state and federal courts both ordered the Erie County Board of Elections to put Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown’s name on an […]

The Party Problem

Looking at the political landscape in New York’s largest cities, it is fair to say, most people are left out of the political process and only a fraction of New York voters are making our state’s political decisions.   In our large cities, the winners of sometimes competitive Democratic primaries coast to victory with almost […]

The Primary Problem

While New York has many political problems, one gaping issue in front of both Parties is the fact that we have a closed primary system.  That means that in order to vote in a Party Primary, you must be an enrolled member of that Party.  Most New Yorkers think, “of course you do!  Where in […]