The Unity CampaignProgressives UNITED to Beat Bush
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The Unity Coalition is a project of the Progressive Unity Voter Fund, a political committee registered with the Federal Election Commission. The Unity Coalition unites, mobilizes, and informs progressives to help beat Bush – and to counter the threat posed by Ralph Nader's divisive candidacy. This is uniquely vital in 2004, especially in swing states, in this incredibly close election, and with so very few undecided voters. Progressives can make the difference. We can deliver Kerry the presidency, and gain a new seat at the table based on victory and results – instead of pious complaint, more electoral failure, and four more catastrophic years of George Bush.

The Unity Campaign is a successor campaign to RalphDontRun.net, which no doubt stands among the most successful “failed” internet campaigns in American political history. It drew 300,000 website visitors in six weeks, and reached 60 million Americans in four days via pervasive media coverage around Nader’s candidacy announcement. Sadly, against the advice of nearly all those closest to him, Mr. Nader is running and apparently in the race to stay. Other projects of the Fund include DontVoteRalph.net, PollWatch04, and the “Ralph, Tell the Truth” internet petition drive.
Our theme is unity among progressives of any description. Look at just a few of those who supported Nader in 2000, but who see that this year is crucially different: Noam Chomsky, Ben Cohen, Peter Coyote, Phil Donahue, Ronnie Dugger, Jim Hightower, Robert McChesney, Michael Moore, and Bonnie Raitt. In fact, one is hard pressed to think of a single prominent Nader supporter from 2000 who supports him in 2004. Are we all members of Nader’s derided “liberal intelligentsia?" Or is the Bush presidency simply such a disaster that we realize there is only one responsible action for real progressives? Despite Mr. Nader’s inevitable disagreement, we don’t think everyone is out of step but Ralph.

The Progressive Unity Voter Fund is not affiliated with any candidate, party or organization. It is led by John Pearce and Kathy Cramer, with Flash development by Paul Erskine of Turtle Rock Films of San Francisco; Flash and movie development, measurement and delivery technology by Cinemetrix of Newton, MA; website development and technology consulting from Aaron Murphy; and strategic counsel from Gloria Totten, Executive Director of Progressive Majority, and Jeff Cohen, formerly Communications Director of Kucinich for President.

We invite your comments at info@dontvoteralph.net, and urgently request your contributions to support our work by credit card, check, or PayPal. All contributions will be applied entirely to the costs of this campaign and its further promotion.

Thanks for your interest and participation.


John Pearce is the founder of RalphDontRun.net, and now runs DontVoteRalph.net. He has appeared on CNN's Inside Politics, the CBS Evening News, Fox News, the BBC World Service and CNN Radio, and has placed OpEd articles in a host of leading newspapers including the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Houston Chronicle, and San Jose Mercury News. John was founder and for 16 years Chairman & CEO of MediaMap, a media research and software company for the public relations industry. Prior to MediaMap, John worked for Digital Equipment Corporation, Congressman Michael Harrington (D.-Mass), and in the U.S. House and Senate press galleries for the Associated Press.

Kathy Cramer, John’s wife, is a creative force in the Ralph, Don’t Run and Don’t Vote Ralph campaigns. Kathy is founder and former director of the National Work Family Alliance (now the Alliance of Work Life Professionals).

Paul Erskine is founder and principal of Turtle Rock Films, a digital video production studio based in San Francisco. Paul’s credits include dozens of corporate, entertainment, and political new media productions encompassing video, live action, animation, and graphic design. He is creator and host of Open Shorts, a new filmmaker's showcase program for the Bay Area.

Cinemetrix, Inc. is the developer of the NetSuasive (SM) movie platform that enables the fast loading, intelligent delivery, data capture, and performance evaluation of Dont Vote Ralph Internet movies. Cinemetrix can be reached in Newton, Massachusetts at 617-630-0200 and on the web at www.cinemetrix.com.

Gloria Totten is Executive Director of Progressive Majority, a multi-issue independent political organization dedicated to electing progressive champions at the federal and state levels, and is a strategic advisor to DontVoteRalph.net.  One of the top political organizers in the country, Gloria was named a “Rising Star of Politics” in 2002 by Campaigns & Elections magazine. She also runs ProNET, a national coalition of 68 progressive political organizations, and served as Political Director for NARAL from 1996-2001.  Directly, or through independent campaigns, Gloria has worked on and managed more than 75 federal campaigns

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