No Labels claims to be a non-partisan centrist organization. It describes itself as a movement for the "politically homeless." But in practice, it has supported Republicans and very conservative Democrats. This year, No Labels has spent millions to secure ballot access across the country to put the group in position to run a candidate for president in 2024.
It doesn't even matter if they are absolutely serious about being an honest third alternative. Because Wall Street and Trump supporters will use the absolute heck out of them to get what they want. Of course, if they were honest, it's unlikely they would be trying to hide their donors.
I am not so sure. Since Judd wrote the piece Robert F Knownothing Jr announced his candidacy on Substack. I attempted to read the announcement but it was so full of platitudes and lacking in substance that I soon gave up and looked at the comments instead. My impression is tha he will take votes from Trump, too. Read for yourself, if you have a strong stomach.
Oh, there's a very good chance their strategy will come back to bite them in a painful spot. Doesn't change the fact that they are attempting to use him.
And, if they get what they wish for, an autocratic government will eventually come for their assets or shut them down on a whim. Maybe they should consult Jack Ma before they surreptitiously champion Trump for 2024.
You know, "they" just love the concept of "hurting others" but when it comes to "their" turn? They are wishing for dangerous things. This here genie won't meekly go back into the bottle.
I'm not sure No Labels is even thinly disguised, but it seems disguised enough to keep the corporate media from pointing out that it is an obvious effort by dark money billionaires to put Trump back in the WH.
Agreed. I personally find Nancy Jackson's stated comment that "what's best for democracy is confidentiality" appalling. Most would agree the anonymous influence of money in our politics (combined with Citizens United) has led to degradation of democracy. I don't believe individuals or corporations should be able to anonymously buy influence through campaign contributions or via misleadingly-named think tanks. If people or organizations want to participate in governing, they should take a seat at the table of public debate to champion and defend the public benefit of their positions. Too often we find private gain, not public benefit, is the goal of these nameless, faceless participants.
I'm old enough to remember when noted progressives Mitch McConnell and Anthony Kennedy both argued loudly that campaign finances laws were unnecessary if transparency was the norm/rule/requirement.
Right, Celia!!! I was reading the part where Jackson made that statement while I was drinking coffee this morning and almost dropped my mug on the floor!!
I think the best thing for democracy IS transparency. They are rich R donor funded.....don't fool yourselves. They want that quiet part left out -- but Lincoln Project has projected a light on their --- imo --- tomfoolery!
According to Rick Wilson, a resounding YES to your last sentence in your article. Wilson says---and he knows this effort and the people involved with it inside and out---that No Labels is functioning as a Trump Super PAC, contrary to what they are saying. It is run by Nancy Jacobson and Mark Penn, former Democratic fundraisers and pollsters. Bill Clinton fired Mark Penn because he thought his polling was bad, and No Labels has turned into his and his wife's revenge fantasy. Hard to believe, but listen to Wilson's interview on "The Politics Girl," and it will become crystal clear. No Labels is not what it says it is, and that is why it desperately tries to keep its donors secret. I hope AZ screws them over big time, because it couldn't happen to worse people. According to Wilson, "[Jacobson and Penn] are not good people." I believe him. No Labels is dangerous. Judd, thanks for shining the light on them. Please continue. Wilson interview: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjvvNv62dmBAxUhiP0HHbZPBzQQFnoECCgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-politicsgirl-podcast%2Fid1595408601&usg=AOvVaw3p2TAZhJTSXE34s2j3bV_k&opi=89978449
Thank you Elizabeth for pointing out this YouTube conversation between Politics Girl & Rick Wilson. It was worth every minute & IMO everyone should listen. No Labels is a secretive vindictive group working against Democracy. I Hope Arizona forces their secrets into the spotlight. Thank you Judd for opening up this conversation with your excellent reporting.
YES, OUTSTANDING CLARIFICATION OF THIRD PARTY THREATS TO BIDEN WIN 2024! Fact; no third party can win, will never reach goal, wasted vote but THREATENS DEMOCRACY. Rick Wilson most effective in explaining situation going forward ie no “No Labels”, no RFK, Jr., no Cornel West. Thank you so much for the link. I am now truly informed!
Penn got a lot of blame for HRC’s loss. He was her ‘chief strategist” and has been on a Dem’s are the ‘deep state’ binge. Jacobson is his wife.
It will be an interesting tap dance to see them argue being a political party doesn’t violate their status as a 501(c)4. A very convoluted bio — are about ballot “access”; file as a political party but are not a political party and also try to deny candidates “access”.
Thanks for sharing the link about what Lincoln Project has said /done - they have been sounding the alarm about them for MONTHS! And they have one or 2 ads on their site about them.
Sorry to report, first minutes of requests for support, then an interview with Fred Gutenberg (who suffered great tragedy from the murders at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School--not an interview with Rick Wilson....
OK, I am patient, I listened to Fred Guttenberg, and he is always knowledgeable and worth listening to. Now, I'm able to access the Rick Wilson-No Labels-Third Party interview, so, this eventually works...
Where money and power are behind the actions, DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD THEY SAY. Question every bit of this--Thank You, Judd!
And, DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD Joe Lieberman (Founding Chairman of "No Labels") says:
“…I want to assure President Biden, who is my former Senate colleague and longtime personal friend, that if No Labels concludes that a bipartisan Unity ticket has no chance to win and may only be a spoiler, we will stand down and not offer our ballot line to a third ticket."
I think even without assuming the intent of electing Trump specifically, we can conclude that this follows a pattern of ultra-wealthy and corporate donors doing everything possible to maintain their power and subvert the will of the people.
Ever since the "Citizens United" decision, most of our nation's wealthiest individuals and corporations have been working, as quietly as possible, through our political system to establish a nice, cozy, behind-the-scenes, oligarchy for themselves, hiding behind the false faith they've promoted in "free market capitalism," while working very diligently to be sure they are in complete control of that system which they had quietly redesigned to extract as much wealth as possible from the general population while insulating themselves from any responsibility for the damage they were doing and making sure that any losses which resulted from their adventurous gambling and profit mongering would be suffered by and/or covered by the tax payers.
They've been allowed to treat our nation's population as if we were simply dirt in a massive pit mine from which they were digging the valuable ore of their own wealth, while giving the leavings of their mining processes as little care and concern as the average mining company gives their own "tailings," something to be discarded and ignored until they can skip town leaving others to deal with the toxic mess they've left behind.
"No labels" is just more of the same pig excrement. Biden and the Democrats have very slightly challenged the designs of this very large, ubiquitous, "vampire squid" oligarchy, and are threatening to gather up the equivalent of the loose change under their couch cushions, but the severe psychological dysfunctions which have caused these wealthiest individuals to pursue wealth and power above all other considerations in life, are causing them to react with the "I will not part with a single coin," attitude of "Smaug the dragon," from the Hobbit movies.
It's reassuring to see that there are some individuals willing to work to reveal this whole, malignant process metastasizing throughout our society. I can only hope others will follow this example so we can more clearly see the men behind the pretty, innocent-looking, but totally opaque curtain behind which these malevolent creeps have been trying to quietly hide.
Capitalism without regulation and strong support of labor leads to oligarchy and once Citizens United came down it began to give the oligarchs the ability to dismantle the foundations of actual functioning democracy while leaving the facade intact. There is no benign way to interpret Citizens United, there wasn't before the ruling and what has happened to our country in the years since has only demonstrated this. Eventually they won't have to keep the facade in place. For many residents they've stopped pretending already. Just look at the amount of wage theft large corporations commit and the stagnant wages as well as how much they spend lobbying "our" representatives to roll back worker protections, and deregulate and understaff the agencies designed to protect our schools, health, environment and social safety nets. They want us ignorant and powerless so they can extract every resource and sell it to the highest bidder.
I apologize to my 12 year old daughter at least twice a month for bringing her into a world and especially a country that I can't tell her in good faith should improve. I just try to explain that even though Obama was far from perfect I truly believed we were moving forward and could not have imagined what's happened since I became pregnant in 2010. We can't in all likelihood even afford to move from our blue city in a red state much less to a country rated higher than 83/100 by Liberty House. All I want is for her to get out. And never come back not even to visit. And every non-MAGA mother of a daughter over 10 feels exactly the same way. Maybe less often, maybe more.
Well done Judd! Those of us in these chats are well aware that this is a right wing cover group. They know trump is a failure and desperately need to get their candidate in to control any progress by Democrats. No matter how they try to lie about polls, they are facing demise. I look forward to watching their faces when it happens. To everyone here: PLEASE post this link everywhere you can. Talk about this! It s so important.
We definitely have a problem. Money has concentrated sufficiently now that those that want to override public good can do so with greater ease, and shame no longer has much of a deterring effect in the new digital town square, cursed by its short attention span and lack of personal connection to the parties acting shamefully. We are headed for a rocky future without a reshuffling of the deck and a re-empowerment of the middle class. No Labels is the latest sign of this debacle.
"Is No Labels a thinly disguised effort by Wall Street and Trump supporters to deny Biden a second term?"
Yes.
It doesn't even matter if they are absolutely serious about being an honest third alternative. Because Wall Street and Trump supporters will use the absolute heck out of them to get what they want. Of course, if they were honest, it's unlikely they would be trying to hide their donors.
Exactly!!! And that is the danger many don't see in their search for ideological purity or some nonsense. But in this case, it quacks and it stinks.
I am not so sure. Since Judd wrote the piece Robert F Knownothing Jr announced his candidacy on Substack. I attempted to read the announcement but it was so full of platitudes and lacking in substance that I soon gave up and looked at the comments instead. My impression is tha he will take votes from Trump, too. Read for yourself, if you have a strong stomach.
Oh, there's a very good chance their strategy will come back to bite them in a painful spot. Doesn't change the fact that they are attempting to use him.
Exactly what I was going to post.
Agreed completely.
Very possible Adam. I must agree as well.
And, if they get what they wish for, an autocratic government will eventually come for their assets or shut them down on a whim. Maybe they should consult Jack Ma before they surreptitiously champion Trump for 2024.
You know, "they" just love the concept of "hurting others" but when it comes to "their" turn? They are wishing for dangerous things. This here genie won't meekly go back into the bottle.
I'm not sure No Labels is even thinly disguised, but it seems disguised enough to keep the corporate media from pointing out that it is an obvious effort by dark money billionaires to put Trump back in the WH.
Agreed. I personally find Nancy Jackson's stated comment that "what's best for democracy is confidentiality" appalling. Most would agree the anonymous influence of money in our politics (combined with Citizens United) has led to degradation of democracy. I don't believe individuals or corporations should be able to anonymously buy influence through campaign contributions or via misleadingly-named think tanks. If people or organizations want to participate in governing, they should take a seat at the table of public debate to champion and defend the public benefit of their positions. Too often we find private gain, not public benefit, is the goal of these nameless, faceless participants.
I'm old enough to remember when noted progressives Mitch McConnell and Anthony Kennedy both argued loudly that campaign finances laws were unnecessary if transparency was the norm/rule/requirement.
Right, Celia!!! I was reading the part where Jackson made that statement while I was drinking coffee this morning and almost dropped my mug on the floor!!
I can’t believe she can say that with a straight face
Exactly. That is preposterous and no better than saying "we've classified ALL of this in the name of transparency!"
I think the best thing for democracy IS transparency. They are rich R donor funded.....don't fool yourselves. They want that quiet part left out -- but Lincoln Project has projected a light on their --- imo --- tomfoolery!
According to Rick Wilson, a resounding YES to your last sentence in your article. Wilson says---and he knows this effort and the people involved with it inside and out---that No Labels is functioning as a Trump Super PAC, contrary to what they are saying. It is run by Nancy Jacobson and Mark Penn, former Democratic fundraisers and pollsters. Bill Clinton fired Mark Penn because he thought his polling was bad, and No Labels has turned into his and his wife's revenge fantasy. Hard to believe, but listen to Wilson's interview on "The Politics Girl," and it will become crystal clear. No Labels is not what it says it is, and that is why it desperately tries to keep its donors secret. I hope AZ screws them over big time, because it couldn't happen to worse people. According to Wilson, "[Jacobson and Penn] are not good people." I believe him. No Labels is dangerous. Judd, thanks for shining the light on them. Please continue. Wilson interview: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjvvNv62dmBAxUhiP0HHbZPBzQQFnoECCgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-politicsgirl-podcast%2Fid1595408601&usg=AOvVaw3p2TAZhJTSXE34s2j3bV_k&opi=89978449
Yes, Hulit. That is the correct link. Thanks!
Thank you Elizabeth for pointing out this YouTube conversation between Politics Girl & Rick Wilson. It was worth every minute & IMO everyone should listen. No Labels is a secretive vindictive group working against Democracy. I Hope Arizona forces their secrets into the spotlight. Thank you Judd for opening up this conversation with your excellent reporting.
I think this is the right link?
https://youtu.be/jKwHxF_tDog?si=8UjKq-D0rNokOcdS
YES, OUTSTANDING CLARIFICATION OF THIRD PARTY THREATS TO BIDEN WIN 2024! Fact; no third party can win, will never reach goal, wasted vote but THREATENS DEMOCRACY. Rick Wilson most effective in explaining situation going forward ie no “No Labels”, no RFK, Jr., no Cornel West. Thank you so much for the link. I am now truly informed!
Penn got a lot of blame for HRC’s loss. He was her ‘chief strategist” and has been on a Dem’s are the ‘deep state’ binge. Jacobson is his wife.
It will be an interesting tap dance to see them argue being a political party doesn’t violate their status as a 501(c)4. A very convoluted bio — are about ballot “access”; file as a political party but are not a political party and also try to deny candidates “access”.
Thanks for sharing the link about what Lincoln Project has said /done - they have been sounding the alarm about them for MONTHS! And they have one or 2 ads on their site about them.
Sorry to report, first minutes of requests for support, then an interview with Fred Gutenberg (who suffered great tragedy from the murders at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School--not an interview with Rick Wilson....
OK, I am patient, I listened to Fred Guttenberg, and he is always knowledgeable and worth listening to. Now, I'm able to access the Rick Wilson-No Labels-Third Party interview, so, this eventually works...
Thank you.
I did a search
It looks like this is a good link:
https://youtu.be/jKwHxF_tDog?si=8UjKq-D0rNokOcdS
Delicious, to be tripped up by Arizona. Please please don’t let it succeed in siphoning votes.
Where money and power are behind the actions, DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD THEY SAY. Question every bit of this--Thank You, Judd!
And, DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD Joe Lieberman (Founding Chairman of "No Labels") says:
“…I want to assure President Biden, who is my former Senate colleague and longtime personal friend, that if No Labels concludes that a bipartisan Unity ticket has no chance to win and may only be a spoiler, we will stand down and not offer our ballot line to a third ticket."
Lindsay Graham used to be a good friend to Biden too (& John McCain). It seems Senate friendships are fair weather friends.
You're too kind.
Reporting like this is why I subscribe to Popular Information. This is wonderful information that we need.
I think even without assuming the intent of electing Trump specifically, we can conclude that this follows a pattern of ultra-wealthy and corporate donors doing everything possible to maintain their power and subvert the will of the people.
“What’s best for democracy is confidentiality” jumped out at me...kinda like “alternative facts”
Ever since the "Citizens United" decision, most of our nation's wealthiest individuals and corporations have been working, as quietly as possible, through our political system to establish a nice, cozy, behind-the-scenes, oligarchy for themselves, hiding behind the false faith they've promoted in "free market capitalism," while working very diligently to be sure they are in complete control of that system which they had quietly redesigned to extract as much wealth as possible from the general population while insulating themselves from any responsibility for the damage they were doing and making sure that any losses which resulted from their adventurous gambling and profit mongering would be suffered by and/or covered by the tax payers.
They've been allowed to treat our nation's population as if we were simply dirt in a massive pit mine from which they were digging the valuable ore of their own wealth, while giving the leavings of their mining processes as little care and concern as the average mining company gives their own "tailings," something to be discarded and ignored until they can skip town leaving others to deal with the toxic mess they've left behind.
"No labels" is just more of the same pig excrement. Biden and the Democrats have very slightly challenged the designs of this very large, ubiquitous, "vampire squid" oligarchy, and are threatening to gather up the equivalent of the loose change under their couch cushions, but the severe psychological dysfunctions which have caused these wealthiest individuals to pursue wealth and power above all other considerations in life, are causing them to react with the "I will not part with a single coin," attitude of "Smaug the dragon," from the Hobbit movies.
It's reassuring to see that there are some individuals willing to work to reveal this whole, malignant process metastasizing throughout our society. I can only hope others will follow this example so we can more clearly see the men behind the pretty, innocent-looking, but totally opaque curtain behind which these malevolent creeps have been trying to quietly hide.
I have believed for decades that the country is an oligarchy and democracy is the cover that hides it.
In my mind it's something like this:
Capitalism without regulation and strong support of labor leads to oligarchy and once Citizens United came down it began to give the oligarchs the ability to dismantle the foundations of actual functioning democracy while leaving the facade intact. There is no benign way to interpret Citizens United, there wasn't before the ruling and what has happened to our country in the years since has only demonstrated this. Eventually they won't have to keep the facade in place. For many residents they've stopped pretending already. Just look at the amount of wage theft large corporations commit and the stagnant wages as well as how much they spend lobbying "our" representatives to roll back worker protections, and deregulate and understaff the agencies designed to protect our schools, health, environment and social safety nets. They want us ignorant and powerless so they can extract every resource and sell it to the highest bidder.
Perfect, Rachel!
Matt Gaetz said he like to "rip the bandaid off" but he meant something else!
Lol
Another example of the ultra wealthy trying to gain more control and in the end destroy our democracy!!
Please follow it closely.
Brilliant report, Judd! Follow the money!
Jim, Always! Follow the money 👍🏼
Harlan Crow funding No Labels, remember him?
Ugh! His fathered was called the largest landlord in the US. Sounds like a similar job path of another self serving nut! 🙄
Living exemplary proof that..
Once you have lots of money by corrupt practices,
You need to spend a portion of your ill gotten money,
To make more ill gotten money,
By utilizing corrupt, deceptive, and secretive means to keep the cycle going.
There should be laws against this kind of deceptive behavior that causes such suffering among the greater population.
Oh yeah, that's right... there are.
Sooooo?
Just imagine how much better it's going to get when they overturn Chevron vs NRDC, and I believe they will. They've already taken their payoffs.
Probably so...life has become so predictable...in the worst way.
I apologize to my 12 year old daughter at least twice a month for bringing her into a world and especially a country that I can't tell her in good faith should improve. I just try to explain that even though Obama was far from perfect I truly believed we were moving forward and could not have imagined what's happened since I became pregnant in 2010. We can't in all likelihood even afford to move from our blue city in a red state much less to a country rated higher than 83/100 by Liberty House. All I want is for her to get out. And never come back not even to visit. And every non-MAGA mother of a daughter over 10 feels exactly the same way. Maybe less often, maybe more.
No Labels money backers = the real DEEP STATE.
having billionaires is a policy choice - Anand Giridaradas
Well done Judd! Those of us in these chats are well aware that this is a right wing cover group. They know trump is a failure and desperately need to get their candidate in to control any progress by Democrats. No matter how they try to lie about polls, they are facing demise. I look forward to watching their faces when it happens. To everyone here: PLEASE post this link everywhere you can. Talk about this! It s so important.
We definitely have a problem. Money has concentrated sufficiently now that those that want to override public good can do so with greater ease, and shame no longer has much of a deterring effect in the new digital town square, cursed by its short attention span and lack of personal connection to the parties acting shamefully. We are headed for a rocky future without a reshuffling of the deck and a re-empowerment of the middle class. No Labels is the latest sign of this debacle.