I voted for Nader in 2000, and you what, I’m not sorry. Now, he can choke on his damn pride for all I care.
In 2000 I voted in South Carolina, even less of a battleground state then than now. If I had lived in Florida, it would have been difficult. I felt like Gore had betrayed his principles by not doing more on the environment as VP. I was still seething over the "Effective Death Penalty Act," and I didn’t realize Bush would be absolute evil. I thought he’d be similar to his father, wrong but not evil.
And you know what. I still don’t blame Nader for 2000. Gore couldn’t even win Tennessee. Could you imagine Bill losing Arkansas, Bush losing Texas, even now, McCain losing Arizona, or Obama losing Illinois? Hell, Hillary blew Obama away in New York and she isn’t even from there. Gore was a nice guy, sure, but he was an incompetent politician who deserved to lose for the sheer stupidity and schizophrenia of his own campaign.
But that was 2000. This is not. Not by any damn moronic, seethingly idiotic stretch of an arrogant imagination. John McCain will do NOTHING to cut the gap between rich and poor, protect the consumer, raise the minimum wage, build reliable infrastructure, end and prevent war, protect clean air or water, protect worker rights, or any other thing Nader CLAIMS to support.
I will support a third party candidate for president again when that party has taken the time to build a credible third party to actually challenge the status quo instead of hastening the defeat of the party most resembling their own platform. We need a third party in congress, and Ralph could have done that for the Green Party by now if he had put in the work.
I say CLAIMS, and I mean it. I believed in Ralph Nader. I supported Ralph Nader. I may or may not have been wrong then, but I would be wrong now. McCain would help no issue supported by Nader, and Obama is such a good campaigner that, likely and hopefully, Nader will not derail him.
But, seriously, are you kidding me, on the ballot in FORTY-FIVE STATES?! That’s from Nader’s blaringly conceited mouth according to an interview he granted on CNN no more than fifteen minutes ago. I'll add the link as soon as CNN posts the interview.
Ralph, if you want to lead a movement, lead it. I’ll show up when I can and contribute when I can. The American worker is getting screwed, and we all know it, and NOONE is talking about it loudly enough or offering strong enough solutions and regulations to make real dent. I will stand beside you, but Ralph, YOU CANNOT WIN THIS ELECTION! Obama will win Illinois, but thanks to you, he may not win Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. If Nader polls in mid to high single digits in states where Obama leads in low to mid to even high single digits not accounting for Nader on the ballot, that's a problem. Through in racism's possible effects on overpolling for Obama and this could be ugly.
Ralph, as a commentator and worker’s movement leader you could make a real difference advocating for congressional and senate candidates who ACTUALLY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Hell, run yourself. Al Franken’s running in his home state; why don’t you. On the senate floor you could do exponentially more to help American workers from a bigger platform than you have now. Putting your name on the ballot in FORTY FIVE STATES can do nothing but help John McCain.
Ralph, I sported a Nader/Laduke sticker on my guitar for eight years. I just took a razor blade and cut it off. If only I could do the same to forty-five states worth of ballots.