Joe Lieberman: Give No Labels a Chance in 2024
Most Americans are dissatisfied with both major political parties and their likely presidential choices. July 23, 2023 12:50 pm ET The No Labels launch event in New York, Dec. 13, 2010. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images William Galston helped found the No Labels movement. So, we were disappointed to see him dismiss both No Labels’s efforts to get on state ballots for a possible bipartisan unity ticket next year and the ideas in our Common Sense policy booklet (“No Labels Will Make 2024 Even Worse,” Politics & Ideas, July 19). Most Americans are dissatisfied with both major political parties, their likely choices in the 2024 presidential election, and the dominance of the angriest voices in our politics. No Labels spent over a year listening to tens of thousands of voters to understand what they care about, and Common Sense is the result. T
The No Labels launch event in New York, Dec. 13, 2010.
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
William Galston helped found the No Labels movement. So, we were disappointed to see him dismiss both No Labels’s efforts to get on state ballots for a possible bipartisan unity ticket next year and the ideas in our Common Sense policy booklet (“No Labels Will Make 2024 Even Worse,” Politics & Ideas, July 19).
Most Americans are dissatisfied with both major political parties, their likely choices in the 2024 presidential election, and the dominance of the angriest voices in our politics. No Labels spent over a year listening to tens of thousands of voters to understand what they care about, and Common Sense is the result. There is more agreement among the people than the politicians in Washington.
Most Americans want to get the budget in balance to prevent the threat our mushrooming deficit poses to our country and our kids. They think we should have the best schools in the world, especially since we spend more per pupil than anyone else. They want stronger borders but also believe legal immigrants have been very good for America and we need more of them.
They aren’t getting common-ground ideas on these priorities or others from Democrats and Republicans or from President Biden and former President Donald Trump, which likely explains why both have sub-40% approval in the polling Mr. Galston cites. In the same poll, Mr. Biden carries only one in six battleground states that he won last time in a head-to-head matchup with Mr. Trump.
Mr. Galston may see this as cause for No Labels to “stand down.” We see it as a reason for more Americans to stand with us to support bipartisan solutions to our biggest problems, and a third choice in next year’s presidential election if we don’t get better choices from Republicans and Democrats.
Joseph Lieberman
Founding chairman, No Labels
New York
Mr. Lieberman was a U.S. senator from Connecticut, 1989-2013.
I believe Mr. Galston speaks too soon in dismissing the fortunes of a No Labels third-party candidate. First, Mr. Trump still has a series of trials to undergo, wherein he may be found guilty. Second, there’s the unknown persona of the No Labels candidate, who could have great appeal relative to Messrs. Biden or Trump. Third, there’s the questionable health of Mr. Biden. Were he to be judged by the electorate as unlikely to survive a four-year term, the Democrats’ vice-presidential candidate could swing more votes toward a third-party candidate.
Lawrence G. Karch
Gainesville, Va.
Mr. Galston wants No Labels to “stand down” because it has no chance of winning and would materially help Mr. Trump’s chances. I have a better suggestion: If No Labels fields a sane, moderate ticket against Messrs. Biden and Trump, let Mr. Biden and the Democratic Party drop out of the race. Then, watch the sane moderate win in a landslide, so that America and the world can breathe a big sigh of relief.
Mark Abraham
Los Angeles
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