Did You Miss the No Labels Convention? Here's a Roundup

Eight different voices united in a clarion call for bipartisan problem solving on Oct. 12, 2015,, as presidential candidates from two major political parties addressed an unprecedented gathering of Americans at the No Labels Problem Solver Convention.

“Politics can change. Today is the day the No Label problem solving brand of politics became part of the mainstream 2016 presidential campaign,” said No Labels co-chairman and former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-CT.

The gathering, organized by No Labels and The Hill, welcomed more than 1,500 citizen voters and tens of thousands more nationwide through a live stream of the event to hear both Republican and Democratic candidates address how they would work with the opposing party in Congress to accomplish common goals.

Participating candidates included Gov. Chris Christie (D-NJ), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Gov. John Kasich (R-OH), Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-MD), Gov. George Pataki (R-NY), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mr. Donald Trump(R) and Sen. Jim Webb (R-VA).

According to a press release, No Labels is a growing movement of Democrats, Republicans and Independents committed to a new politics of problem solving. In a novel twist showcasing the organization’s bipartisan approach, each presidential candidate was introduced by a leader of the opposing political party.

“No Labels is not a refuge for moderates – we are about people on both sides of the aisle who are committed to actually getting things done,” said No Labels co-chairman Jon Huntsman, former Republican governor of Utah. “Our federal government today can’t seem to get to ‘yes’ on even the of simplest of issues. We are fed up with empty promises and partisan games. Doing nothing is not an option.”

“No Labels is a disruptive political movement whose time has come,” said Lieberman. “After 24 years in the Senate, I know that working across party lines is the only way to get anything done in Washington. It can be done when leaders commit to finding solutions together.”

Candidates Extol No Labels Message of Problem Solving Politics

Martin O’Malley

- “We have to invite one another, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, to return to the table of democracy and solve these problems, not with words but with actions.”

- “Today’s leaders should be in a circle of collaboration and cooperation and dialogue and communication around problem solving. In Maryland, we didn’t get things done by running to our labeled corners. I didn’t ask if an idea is from the left or the right, or Democrat or Republican – I ask if it works, and if it works, we do it.”

Lindsey Graham

- “Is America worth compromising for? Life at its best is a series of tradeoffs.”

- “The next president needs to get us all in a room in Washington at the White House, have a drink – maybe more than one – and solve problems. This is what (former GOP President Ronald) Reagan and former (Democratic House Speaker Tip) O’Neill did.”

Donald Trump

- “People are fed up with incompetent politicians who don’t get things done.”

- “We need problem solvers. I like the word compromise. Let’s compromise and win.”

Chris Christie

- “Compromise is not capitulation. Right now in Washington we have an attitude that to compromise is to capitulate, but it’s not the case.”

- “We get into the room like adults and we make agreements.”

Bernie Sanders

- “The essence of what No Labels is trying to do is get beyond the ugliness of contemporary politics, the very bitter personal attacks we see every single day.”

- “Let’s sit down and analyze the most important problems that we face as a country and figure out together how we go forward. There are going to be big disagreements. But let’s treat each other civilly, let’s treat each other respectfully. As the No Labels conference points out, what we need are answers to problems, not campaign rhetoric.”

George Pataki

- “We have to solve problems and we have to come together to do that, you are starting that with this Problem Solver No Label Convention.”

- “Working across partisan lines – that’s what we have to do now. We have an enormous opportunity for common ground in both parties. I’m sure Democrats and Republicans, if we set aside the finger pointing and trying to gain partisan advantage, could solve this problem.”

Jim Webb

- “Breaking away from the paralysis and the calcification that has affected our governmental process and actually getting things done: this is the big issue being discussed today.”

- “How you bring problem solving into our very complex world of governmental systems, I am very impressed with what your organization has been able to do today, and it very much mirrors the journey I have had during my periods of public service.”

John Kasich

- “You aren’t in this business to win a popularity contest; you are in this business to be an adult.”

- “The idea of whether it’s a Republican or Democrat idea doesn’t matter that much to me, just try to do the best thing. Compromise is part of it, I can sit down and negotiate, but I couldn’t get everything I wanted. Who gets everything they want in life? You just have to rally people to get behind something other than what’s good for themselves.”

No Labels Problem Solver Seal

Before the New Hampshire primary, No Labels will award its Problem Solver Seal of approval to any and all presidential candidates who do the following three things:

Embrace the Agenda – I believe that America needs a National Strategic Agenda.

Act in the First 30 Days – If elected, I will gather House and Senate leaders from both parties within my first 30 days to begin work on at least one of the four goals in the National Strategic Agenda and to commit to a bipartisan process to achieve the agreed upon goal or goals. The National Strategic Agenda goals are:

• Create 25 million jobs over the next 10 years
• Balance the federal budget by 2030
• Secure Medicare and Social Security for the next 75 years
• Make America energy secure by 2024

Go on the Record – I will affirm these commitments in my public remarks and on my campaign website.

No Labels hopes that all candidates from both parties will ultimately earn a Seal, which would guarantee that America’s next president is committed to the implementation of the National Strategic Agenda.

The need to pivot toward bipartisan collaboration was echoed by members of Congress, state government leaders, the business and entertainment communities and college students from more than one hundred No Labels chapters from across the country.

Speakers included Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-CO, and Republican and Democratic members of Congress who support the No Labels goals of bipartisan progress on key policies which have too often been dominated by short-term political considerations. Nearly seventy members of the House and Senate support this problem-solvers framework to address job creation, a balanced budget, entitlement preservation and energy security.