By this time next week the 2024 election will be over and we will have a new administration ready to takeover the White House… Oh wait, that’s too optimistic. This is the election that will go on and on and on. All we can say is that whenever it resolves each side needs to do some soul searching.

And that includes all of us. The only way to end this madness is to stop contributing to it. At the individual level we can offer up rational discussions and we can support governmental and election reform. We can stop voting for people who perpetuate culture wars and absurd levels of pettiness.

The two major parties are behemoths that no longer serve the people they are supposed to represent. We need more choices at the ballot box and we can start at the local level.

So when the dust settles, come and join us at Coalition Purple. Let’s do something different. It’s time to come together and start solving some problems. We promise you’ll like it here. We are independent thinkers, we have a lot of fun, and everyone is welcome.

In this episode we reflect on our podcast journey. It’s taken us about a year, but we think we’ve finally figured out what we can do in future episodes to move things forward for third parties and Independent candidates. Check out the full episode for our ideas and let us know what you think.

We know this post-election reckoning is not going to be easy, and we are here to tell you not to get discouraged or demoralized. If you drop out of the political process, democracy fails and everyone loses.

Besides, there is hope! Bill has gone from yelling at his tv in frustration when candidates won’t answer questions to experiencing the thrill of voting for an independent candidate for the first time in his life. And why not take a chance on something you believe in? Fifty percent of people voting for the duopoly will have voted for a losing candidate. It’s just part of the process.

So after this election, take a deep Breath and get ready for a new reality. Polling shows that over 70% of people are dissatisfied with the direction of the country. So let’s start measuring politicians based on what they do and not what they say. Let’s get more politically engaged at the local level. And when the next election comes around we can all experience the thrill of voting our conscience.

Bill is back in town and ready to discuss the important issues of the day despite his travel-weary brain. He’s no longer feeling braindead after John piqued his interest in a couple of recent lawsuits related to campaign fundraising and transparency regarding how our tax money is spent. The takeaways this week are... If you have an email account that you are no longer using, make sure it’s not being used to funnel money to a political campaign. And, why won’t the California State Controller release requested state spending information to the Open the Books organization? What exactly are they trying to hide? Maybe they’re just embarrassed that they spent over **$103 billion** dollars on schools this year and they still haven’t removed the asbestos from the buildings. It just proves John’s point that the economy is not a simple concept because EVERYTHING is the economy. It’s the sum total of all our actions and inactions. For more of these philosophical nuggets, check out the full episode. ** John mentions a $75 billion budget. The current spending is closer to $104 billion. Source: https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4929 #GOP #RNC #DNC #independentvoters #democrats #republicans #nolabels #2024 election #forwardparty #commonsenseparty

It’s official.

Bill is going to have to go underground for a while.

Getting rid of his contact information is the only way to escape the constant barrage of phone calls, emails, and flyers from his former political party.

He’s tried hitting Stop and Unsubscribe, but it does no good.

But never fear. We will still be doing our podcast. Here’s a list of things we agreed we should stop doing:

1. Roof work.

2. Buying plastic water bottles.

3. Supporting the Avocado Mafia.

4. Sending money to political campaigns.

If you want to know our list of Do’s, you’ll just have to watch the episode!

But we will say that the thing we agree on the most is that we can’t wait for this Presidential election to be over, because then we can start focusing on the really important issues facing California and the country. Let us know what you think our future Third Party should focus on.

#GOP #RNC #DNC #independentvoters #democrats #republicans #nolabels #2024 election #forwardparty #commonsenseparty

Well, John forgot, but it’s our one-year anniversary here at Coalition Purple! We are celebrating a year since October 9, 2023 with 30 episodes under our belts. And for good reason. Although we have different political backgrounds and opinions, we still enjoy getting together for a beer and we see each other once a week to talk politics. We figure, if we can do it, why can’t everyone else?

It’s all about compromise. For example, Bill will agree with John’s idea for a constitutional amendment to limit the Supreme Court to 9 members, but only if 25-year term limits are part of the deal. See how easy that was?

Our 31st episode is chock full of other great ideas too. It’s too much to sum up here but we’ll give you a teaser. Here are 4 takeaways from this episode.

1. If you destroy an institution, it is gone forever. So be careful what you wish for

2. The answer to misinformation or speech you dislike is MORE speech - not censorship

3. The next 4 years will basically be a do-over for whoever gets elected President because they’ve both had about 4 years to show us who they are

4. You shouldn’t go on walks because it makes you think too much!!

We hope you enjoy Episode 31. Happy New Year!

Just when we thought things could not get any crazier in our divided political world, we find out that even the Teamsters are not endorsing a Presidential candidate. If that’s not reason enough to have more political parties and coalitions, we’ll give you some more…

Are we doxxing kids now? We’re not sure that this is the best way to deal with behavioral problems in the school system.

Are government employee unions a good idea? The U.S. Postal Workers Union is openly endorsing a Presidential candidate during a time when many people mistrust the mail-in ballot system.

We’re lso wondering if we are bankrupting ourselves in our efforts to help immigrants. Are we killing the Golden Goose, so to speak?

And, speaking of delicious dishes, what’s so bad about eating birds anyway? Not that we’re buying into any of the propaganda regarding the Haitian immigrant situation in Ohio. We’re just saying, let’s take a look at the real problems and not get distracted by the stories that are being promoted by the mainstream media.

We’re not afraid to take a deeper look at what’s happening in the world. We hope you’ll join us. If you’re a Republican who thinks the Haitian immigrants really do need protected status, that’s ok. And, if you’re a Democrat who thinks that the Remain in Mexico policy was a good one, you are also welcome here.

Come on in… sit down… have a beer. And, most importantly, join the Purples!

We both survived the heat this past week, but things are still heating up in California. The fire and homelessness problems are still out of control here. Plus, we had to suffer through the Presidential debate, and we’re not sure anything of substance was really discussed.

Yet, we keep voting the same way and for the same parties. That’s the definition of crazy, right?

A lot of Californians are unhappy. Some will vote with their feet and leave. For those of us who want to stay, we offer a challenge: What are you going to do about it?

Our solution is quick and easy. Let's de-register, en masse, from the two major political parties. You can still vote the way you want to, but it will send a message to those in power when their voter rolls shrink.

Besides, if you have No Party Preference, you can talk to anyone about politics. How can you have an argument if you don’t take sides? And, the best part is, no more fights at Thanksgiving!!

Two events in the past week got John and Bill focused on how a Third Political Party could break the logjam that keeps so many people fighting each other.

Yet again another senseless school shooting has most people saying “stop, we need to try something different.” The reality is nothing has (or will) change in any meaningful way when extremists on each side of the gun debate continue to paralyze attempts at reasonable solutions. This is where a strong third party can play a huge role in protecting school children at the local level.

Listen in as John and Bill discuss personal situations that drive their suggestions. All within our simple grasp that won’t trample on anybody’s liberties… nor involve campus lockdowns so bad guys can’t come in or outlawing guns.

Topic 2 involves California’s near adoption of a law to provide down payment assistance for undocumented immigrants — a program that was vetoed soon after we recorded. In a state where even well-paid citizens cannot afford a home, the idea of helping non-citizens buy a home seems like a totally tone-deaf idea. Bill and John agree that every human being should have a safe roof over their heads.

But there are more reasonable ways to achieve this goal without driving housing costs up even more through nonsensical programs like California’s legislature was attempting. Again, another simple spot to build coalitions among reasonable, empathetic and independent-minded voters to help Make America Sane Again.