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Great things can happen when brave leaders push aside partisanship and fight for what’s right. 

We got a reminder of that important truth after we lost two heroes of our movement in the last few days: 

* Conservative former Utah Senator Orrin Hatch built a famously close friendship with liberal lion Ted Kennedy. The two men were from different political parties and disagreed about many policy issues, but built a personal bond that transcended ideology and allowed them to work together on areas of common ground. Senator Hatch did not try to take politics out of politics, but he saw the wisdom of two-party solutions to address our nation’s toughest challenges. 

* Peter Ackerman was a visionary in public life, devoting himself to the cause of nonviolent conflict resolution. A decade ago, he turned his attention to the divisions in American politics, spearheading the Americans Elect effort to place a unity ticket on the ballot in every state. After that campaign was set aside, Ackerman continued to be a vocal supporter of solutions that cross party lines. 

All around us, we see people of goodwill and courage standing on the shoulders of those like Orrin Hatch and Peter Ackerman, doing the right thing for the country to free us from the dangers posed by the extreme forces on both sides who have left our country with too much anger and too few accomplishments. 

The first step – which should be the easiest, but often seems the hardest – is to just start talking to each other again, with open minds and hearts. 

This week, Republican Susan Collins and Democrat Dianne Feinstein gathered 20 of their female Senate colleagues for a friendly dinner. Politics was not on the table. The senators just spent an evening interacting as fellow human beings. 

This sort of thing shouldn’t be shocking – or rare. Many of us have friends, neighbors, and family members who vote differently than we do. It doesn’t mean we love them any less – and if we do debate politics, we can still be close in the end. 

Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are friends – and political neighbors. They have worked across party lines regularly as co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, and this week laid out a bipartisan agenda on seven key issues including gas and prescription drug prices, energy, and immigration. 

But sadly, as the two parties move ever more toward the extremes, and as social media noise and nonsense overwhelm rational discourse, we’re losing those bonds that cross party lines – and more and more Americans find themselves politically homeless. 

Check out our new video on this topic, which will be an important theme for us in the months ahead: 

No Labels is working to build a place for those left behind by the politics of rancor – a new political home for those who feel the major parties have lost their way. A movement based on respect, pragmatism, and problem solving. The two parties clearly aren’t providing that home – and if they don’t, we will. 

Friend, the time is coming. We’re entering an important midterm election season, and already seeing the first moves in a presidential race that will define a generation. Partisanship shouldn't be at the center — people should be. Many Americans are starting to feel politically homeless, and it shouldn't be that way. Stand with No Labels, stop the extremes of both sides, and help bridge the partisan divide NOW. 

I’ve worked with Nancy Jacobson since we created No Labels a dozen years ago. We agree that – as Nancy wrote this week in The Hill – “the moment is ripe for a big disruption.” The two parties are on course to ignore the millions who want change in the next presidential election, which, Nancy says, “would open the door to a new, unique, and underappreciated possibility – namely the likelihood that a third, independent candidate could emerge as a credible contender for the Oval Office.”

Stay tuned. 

Margaret White
Co-Executive Director