Crossing Party Lines – ‘No Labels’ Launches

In an effort to push back against the “excessive polarization and hyper-partisanship” that is the current state of politics in the U.S., more than 1,000 people – independents, Republicans, and Democrats from across the country – are in New York today launching No Labels.

The advocacy group says it seeks “to encourage our leaders to work together and develop practical solutions to our nation’s problem.”

Among those appearing at today’s event are New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has switched parties (among other things) in the past, Delaware Republican Rep. Michael Castle, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman. A livestream of today’s events are available here.

Update after the jump.

Update: Salon spoke with No Labels spokesperson Alan Segal, who is also founder of the D.C.-based firm The 2050 Group. The story discusses the organization’s unwillingness to disclose its donors.

“The group is the opposite of a grass-roots operation; its co-founders include the columnist and former Rudy Giuliani speechwriter John Avlon, former McCain campaign advisor Mark McKinnon, and Democratic fundraiser Nancy Jacobson (the wife of Clinton pollster Mark Penn),” the story reads.

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