21 Unanswered Questions For Unity08

posted by jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 9:24am
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There used to be 21 Questions posed to Unity08 staffers here.

Unity08 staff, however, altered the text of my questions and informed me they would delete other sections of these questions.

This makes these questions no longer my own. My name should not be, therefore, associated with those questions.

To prevent Unity08 from further altering my questions while preserving my name as author of them, I have deleted the questions as they are here.

If you wish to see the 21 questions in their original format -- without Unity08's meddling with my words without my permission -- I have posted them here so that you may still see them as I actually wrote them.

I have been told that I am no longer welcome here. I am therefore taking my questions elsewhere, to people who are better at getting questions answered.

These are my last words at this website.

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important point of clarification
U08Moderator1 on February 1, 2024 - 3:03pm

A quick point of clarification. The only edit I made to your original forum topic post and a subsequent post on the same topic was to remove the PERSONAL STREET ADDRESS of a college student who worked on the Unity Petition project. I posted a comment that detailed that change to inform you and other readers of this forum topic.

I further suggested that you consolidate all of your questions in the forum topic at the top of the page rather than having redundant postings with the same information. To keep this forum topic easy to follow, I mentioned that I might delete redundant postings. That is reasonable and fair as long as I only delete redundant information.

We are obviously NOT trying to censor you as we have left this forum topic and numerous others up on our website.

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A suggestion
U08Moderator1 on February 1, 2024 - 11:53am

Jim,

Please limit your list of questions to your original forum topic rather than having redundant blog postings. Time allowing, I might clean up the redundant blog posts, just to give you a heads up.

Keep the questions coming if you like, but please realize that our web team is very small and it will take time for us to review, research and reply to these questions as we attend to other website tasks and initiatives.

Thank you for your understanding.

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Jim Cook works for a LOBBYIST group
chanlty on February 1, 2024 - 2:55am

Oh and Jim, although they should not have allowed the pre-chat to be accessible, still yet we all applauded what they said, because you are a jackass.

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Question From popo
popo on February 1, 2024 - 11:07am

Chanlty, I've contributed the sum total of 60 Years experience and 20 Months of Postings on my Blog " AMERICA IN THE 21st CENTURY " Overhaul Of Government & Private Sector ..

I care about one thing : BEING IN A POSITION TO TAKE BACK OUR GOVERNMENT BY 2024 .. I Don't Care If We Accomplish It As A Third Party OR AS A MOVEMENT TO BRING IT ABOUT BY HOLDING THE FEET OF EVERY ELECTED & ASPIRING CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE - TO THE FIRE BY AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM OF PUBLIC PRESSURE !! it appears from everything I'm learning about UNITY08 - that the latter may be the only way we can get it done for 2024 !!

I don't want to see us wasting time fighting amongst ourselves over how we get the job done - as long as we get it done : if we succeed we will have both the opportunity and time - to conform to desired practices and principles, IF WE FAIL NONE OF THIS WILL MATTER ANYWAY - except to people like me who has staked everything he has on working with UNITY08 to make this happen.

I have presented what I consider to be Plan A and Plan B, Plan A Being A Third Party Ticket & Platform www.popopete.com Posting December 29th/06 and supplements Dec 30th/06 ..

Plan B UNITY08 As A Movement - Adopting My 6 Item Reform Platform AS A "CITIZENS REFORM MANIFESTO" and Requiring Every Sitting & Aspiring Office Holder To Submit A Responding Declaration Of Intent With Supporting Rationale - For Publication !!

This plan could be adopted and have a Public Launching before Campaigning Gets Too Far Along - allowing Candidates To Think Twice
before Muddying the Water with too much BS ..

It would allow UNITY08 to establish and grow its leverage in areas essential to raising funds - and achieving its objective by 2024.

I've been involved in many complex projects - I'm an eternal optimist, but I can't see us being in a position to Attract, Fund & Campaign For Candidates In A Program That Would Be Taken Seriously, By Our Target Supporters !!

PLEASE, I need an informed response and opinion on this ASAP - before I wind up tied to a program that's going nowhere .. I've publicly thrown my lot in with UNITY08 - if both Plan A and Plan B, are out of the question - I need to know SOON ..

Click on my Blog today - and you should understand ..

www.popopete.com

popo

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Jim Cook ANTI Unity08
chanlty on February 1, 2024 - 2:47am

Although I intend to ignore him from here on out, I just first want to say to him, Jim, you are not welcome here. You do not represent our vioce. You are a discrace to politics and government. You will not succeed. Unity08 will move on despite you intent to destroy it.

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ANTI Unity08 member James Cook
chanlty on February 1, 2024 - 2:44am

It is all part of a clever scheme to bring division to this group. If you ban him he will make a new account. We can only ignore him and then and only then will he go away.

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Question: How Many People Can Live in a PO Box?
jamesmcook on January 31, 2024 - 11:41pm

Another question:

In its legally-required 4th Quarter IRS Report, Unity08 lists the following mailing addresses:

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

The custodian of records, Daniel J. Radek, also has a listed mailing address of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Peter G. Peterson of The Blackstone Group, Inc. contributed $5,000 and has a listed mailing address of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Leon M. Wagner of Goldentree Asset Management contributed $5,000 and has a listed mailing address of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Glenn Dubin of Highbridge Capital contributed $5,000 and has a listed mailing address of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Alison Mass Bommarito of Goldman Sachs contributed $5,000 and has a listed mailing address of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Five more contributors have a listed mailing address of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Also according to the report, Merchant Banking Services, American Express, Beehive Marketing, Verizon, Kinkennon Communications, TigerTel, and Manning also have mailing addresses of

P O Box 12545
Arlington, VA 22219

Exactly how large is this Post Office Box? If these are not the correct addresses, what are the correct addresses? Please post them promptly and publicly.

Also, please explain what specific quality control measures will be in place to prevent either the explosive over-use of a P O Box or the glaring errors that cannot be permitted in the nation's first online presidential nomination -- to take place in one year's time.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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I guess they ought to just close up shop Jim
GEA on January 31, 2024 - 11:44pm

I guess they ought to just close up shop Jim, is that what you want?

I guess they probably will.

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I want answers
jamesmcook on February 1, 2024 - 12:09am

I want answers to my questions. That's what I want.

What do you want, GEA? An organization that bashes lobbyists and is led by them? An organization that can't get simple basics right, running a national election? An organization that says it is "a people's movement" and will only take small contributions, but then sues for much more?

What should we want here? That's a big question. That's the central question of citizenship.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Why not just go away
GEA on February 1, 2024 - 9:22am

I understand you want answers Jim, but you aren't getting them. So why not just conclude that they are not coming and go away? You are messing up my Unity08 experience with all your posts.

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Fine. I'll Go Away Now.
jamesmcook on February 1, 2024 - 9:35am

Apparently, "grassroots" "people's movements" are only for people who don't ask questions.

I don't have to be asked more than twice in one morning.

You're right, GEA, I have given Unity08 more than enough opportunity to answer questions. Time's up.

I'm going away now.

I am going away to give these questions to someone who is better at getting answers than I am.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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New Question: How To Reconcile These Two Statements?
jamesmcook on January 31, 2024 - 9:51pm

17. How can Unity08 reconcile these two statements?

1. FAQ from unitypetition.com:

"Is anyone being paid for this Unity Petition effort?

No. It is entirely volunteer, from top to bottom."

2. 4th Quarter 2024 IRS Form 8872:

Recipient's name, mailing address and ZIP code: Christine McGuire, Sewell, NJ 08080

Name of recipient's employer: N/A
Recipient's occupation: N/A

Amount of Expenditure: $400
Date of Expenditure: 10/12/2006

Purpose of expenditure: Unity Petition Outreach

=====

Recipient's name, mailing address and ZIP code: Christine McGuire, Sewell, NJ 08080

Name of recipient's employer: N/A
Recipient's occupation: N/A

Amount of Expenditure: $800
Date of Expenditure: 11/01/2006

Purpose of expenditure: Unity Petition Outreach

=====

Recipient's name, mailing address and ZIP code: Christine McGuire, Sewell, NJ 08080

Name of recipient's employer: N/A
Recipient's occupation: N/A

Amount of Expenditure: $500
Date of Expenditure: 11/15/2006

Purpose of expenditure: Unity Petition Outreach

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Edit to your posting
U08Moderator1 on February 1, 2024 - 11:48am

Hi Jim,

We have no intention in limiting your ability to post questions on the website, but I did edit the above posting to remove Christine's personal address. Christine was a college student who helped coordinate the Unity Petition project with hundreds of volunteer high school students across the country. I know, I know this information is available in the IRS filings, but I don't feel it's appropriate to include it on this website without her prior consent. Thank you for your consideration of this.

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Please see caveat
jamesmcook on January 30, 2024 - 10:43pm

I cannot seem to post any comment over a few lines in length anymore. Please see the caveat in the body of the now-updated post of 16 unanswered questions. It's important and sincere.

Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Documentation
jamesmcook on January 30, 2024 - 10:32pm

The claims behind my latest questions are documented extensively on another web page:

http://irregulartimes.com//archives/2007/01/30/lobbyists-and-lobbying-firm-partner-chosen-to-lead-anti-lobbyist-unity08/

(note to Unity08: your posting system is horribly buggy and frequently rejects posts. I am having to break this post into four parts for it to be accepted.)

Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Another New Question. Is Unity08 Bankrolled By Lobbyists?
jamesmcook on January 30, 2024 - 10:30pm

I have two new questions to add to my list of (now) 16 unanswered questions to Unity08. Here is number two.

2. Carolyn Tieger is a leader of a registered lobbying firm. Thomas C. Collier is a registered lobbyist. In the lawsuit against the FEC, Tieger and Collier claim as plaintiffs that they have contributed money to Unity08 and would like to contribute "substantially more." How does this square with the claim on Unity08's home page that "Unlike the other parties we don't have lobbyists bankrolling our work"?

Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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New Question. Unity08 Slams but Contains Lobbyists
jamesmcook on January 30, 2024 - 10:28pm

I have two new questions to add to my list of (now) 16 unanswered questions to Unity08. Here is number 1.

1. Carolyn Tieger is co-chair of the Unity08 Rules Committee. Thomas C. Collier is the other co-chair of the Unity08 Rules Committee. Sayuri Yamada Matthews is a member of the Unity08 Rules Committee. Tieger is a leader of Porter Novelli, a registered lobbying firm. Collier and Yamada Matthews are registered lobbyists. Are there other members of the Unity08 leadership, or employees of Unity08, who are now or have been leaders of registered lobbying firms or registered lobbyists? If so, who are they?

Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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A Good Man knows when
MFV an Independent on January 29, 2024 - 4:15pm

to apologize and you did. In my opinion Jim Cook has done this movement or party a service by asking the questions he has, and I appreciate his efforts. After hearing Tom Collier answer the questions posed to him I feel more comfortable about the movement. This in no way is an effort to try and persuade Jim to quit asking questions he deems relevant. If you want to ask Jim by all means keep asking.(By the way I am not implying you need my permission) I had earlier posted a comment in which I said u08 was dead in the water, after reading the answers to the questions in the chat format I feel the phoenix may be ready to fly. You have many obstacles ahead of you, ballot access, court struggle, etc. I will continue to support the movement and hope it will have a significant impact upon the election of 08. I feel it already has had an impact. ie. Hilary's website. One voice among many.

A Mo South Independent

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a more-than-warranted apology
Shane Kinkennon on January 29, 2024 - 3:38pm

A personal apology for our silliness in the warm-up to our chat today, long before Tom Collier ever logged in. I served as Moderator. We were rehearsing the functionality and got punchy – but that’s no excuse. And we certainly didn’t know it would populate in public. It was my error and I take responsibility for it. Nothing said was a sentiment of Unity08 -– it’s more an indication of my attempts to entertain my colleagues.

I have a healthy respect for the questions you pose. You keep us on our toes, and frankly, it’s appreciated. Certainly by me.

I also busted Anya Harris’ chops during our run-through, who is a colleague and friend. No consolation for you, of course. But no one was spared.

Anyway, I hope you’ll accept my most sincere apologies. Among colleagues and friends, I’m a jokester. Typically, it’s a victimless affair. This time, it was not, and I thoroughly regret it.

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Instead of an apology, how about...
jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 3:56pm

Thanks for the apology, but I don't need an apology. I don't matter. What matters is what kind of organization Unity08 is.

Would you all PLEASE answer my questions?

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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answers...
U08Moderator1 on January 29, 2024 - 4:48pm

Let's start by answering your questions regarding this live chat:

>>1. Why questions about Unity08's financial transparency make them so angry.

Answer: Questions about Unity08's financial transparency don't make us angry. The comments made during our practice session were made in jest. In fact, the purpose of the live chat was to make our actions regarding the FEC and other issues more transparent to our community. We plan to have more chats in the future to further that goal.

>>2. Why Unity08's lawyer says he hates the FEC.

Answer: That comment was also made in jest by a staffer who was logged in as Tom Collier during our practice session this morning. I assure you that while Tom disagrees with the FEC advisory opinion on legal grounds, he does not personally hate the FEC. To understand Unity08's position on the FEC, please read Tom's answers to questions about the FEC.

>>3. What Unity08 is doing in its quality control operations. Look, I'm no hacker. I just pressed a button and there it was! This is part of an ongoing series of slip-ups in detail. How can such an organization reach the fool-proof level needed in one year's time to run the nation's first-ever online secure nomination of a presidential candidate? This isn't a game, it's the most powerful position in the world. Unity08 needs to explain how it will get quality control in gear.

Answer: We deserve to be called to task for at least two reasons. First, we should never, ever express, even in jest personal and derogatory sentiments about community members, no matter how much angst they may seem to give us. Secondly, we meant to purge the practice session from the chat history prior to the actual chat, but obviously neglected to do so. Needless to say, this won't happen again on either count.

>>4. Why Unity08 deleted the message. Surely they know that I've put the information on another website. Why would they try to squelch this? What is the standard by which Unity08 is going to try to control its members? Who is the boss here? The people, as the "grassroots organization" and "people's movement" monikers claim, or a small set of privileged insiders who are trying to run the whole thing top-down.

Answer: Fair point. We felt it would best to apologize to you personally given the nature of the comments. Perhaps that was an error on our part. As you can see, we did not delete your subsequent posting. We're all learning as we go along here. Besides this mistake, we feel that the chat was a great opportunity for our community to interact with Tom and get more information about the movement. I hope you agree.

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You didn't answer #3
jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 5:10pm

As you surely know by now, I am hopelessly particular.

You did not answer question #3. So I'll ask again:

What quality-control procedures do you currently have in place to prevent the factual and procedural errors Unity08's been plagued by in the past?

Please be specific.

I look forward to answers to the other 14 questions.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Let me try again.
U08Moderator1 on January 29, 2024 - 7:04pm

We have both a development and production (what you see) environment. The majority of website updates (both content and functional) are developed and tested in the development environment before they are moved to production. As part of our quality control procedures we test updates on multiple platforms and browsers.

For the live chat, we used a third party service called ParaChat. After configuring this service, we tested the settings and held a practice chat to get comfortable with it. As I mentioned before, we intended to reset the chat history prior to the actual chat, but neglected to do so. There's no excuse for this, but it happened.

As the movement and its associated technology evolves so will our quality-control procedures to minimize oversights such as this.

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Is This For Real ??
popo on January 29, 2024 - 3:16pm

Jim, Email me please ... popopete@hotmail.com

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Sure, it's real.
jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 3:25pm

Sure, it's real. Look, don't worry about them insulting people. Everybody insults everybody else, even if it's just in their own minds... and I don't think Unity08 knew that its pre-chat transcript was out there for everyone to see who clicked on "view history." Besides, I have a thick skin: my 2 year old calls me "poopyhead" enough to ensure that.

What's more important than the insult is for Unity08 to explain:

1. Why questions about Unity08's financial transparency make them so angry.

2. Why Unity08's lawyer says he hates the FEC.

3. What Unity08 is doing in its quality control operations. Look, I'm no hacker. I just pressed a button and there it was! This is part of an ongoing series of slip-ups in detail. How can such an organization reach the fool-proof level needed in one year's time to run the nation's first-ever online secure nomination of a presidential candidate? This isn't a game, it's the most powerful position in the world. Unity08 needs to explain how it will get quality control in gear.

4. Why Unity08 deleted the message. Surely they know that I've put the information on another website. Why would they try to squelch this? What is the standard by which Unity08 is going to try to control its members? Who is the boss here? The people, as the "grassroots organization" and "people's movement" monikers claim, or a small set of privileged insiders who are trying to run the whole thing top-down.

In short, don't worry about my virgin eyes. Worry about Unity08's viability, and pay attention to how they respond.

Your favorite Jackass, Jim.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Jim I Have Questions Too
popo on January 29, 2024 - 4:46pm

I've made it a topic - because if this can be made to work, it's too important to let personalities get in the way - But an apology is in order ..

I'm more concerned about the sum total of Tom's answers to the questions .. see my comments on the Topic

popo

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U08Moderator, An Explanation Please
MFV an Independent on January 29, 2024 - 3:15pm

I was ready to post a comment on the positive aspects of u08 after reading Tom's answers to mine and others. Then I see the post below indicating certain derogatory comments were made about one of U08's members. Could you please clear this up, did U08 moderators make the statements indicated in Jim Cook's post below? Thank You

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What Questions Will You Ask in this Chat?
jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 12:25pm

I look forward to hearing them.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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Unity08 Just Deleted My Post
jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 3:05pm

Unity08 just deleted my post in which I show a transcript that they publicly transmitted in which they write the following. I didn't "steal" the transcript. It was right there:

=====
Mon Jan 29 07:57:17 PST 2024
u08moderator: Do you agree that Jim Cook is a jackass?
Mon Jan 29 07:57:17 PST 2024
u08moderator: I think he's a wretched M______ F_______.
Mon Jan 29 07:58:49 PST 2024
u08moderator: Anya Harris is a slave driver
Mon Jan 29 08:03:20 PST 2024
u08moderator: Melissa, can you get this?

Mon Jan 29 08:07:18 PST 2024
anya_harris: Why did you file suit against the FEC, you ass...
Mon Jan 29 08:07:18 PST 2024
tom_collier: Because we hate them./
=======

Don't be surprised if this post disappears as well.

So much for freedom and a "grassroots" "people's movement"

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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And by the way, Unity08...
jamesmcook on January 29, 2024 - 3:09pm

If you don't want to have your statements be made public, don't make them publicly.

I don't take your "Jackass" and "M___ F_____" slams personally, and you hating the FEC is your own business. Clearly, despite what you say, personal jabs and insults and bickering is part of politics, including the politics of people in Unity08. And that's OK. I don't care what you call me. It doesn't matter if I'm a "jackass." What matters more is that Unity08 be what it says it is, or stop saying that it is what it isn't. You have to pick which you're going to be.

If you're going to delete this message, too, then at least have the courtesy to drop "grassroots" and "people's movement" from your website.

========
Jim Cook
Irregular Times
http://irregulartimes.com

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