Reply #90: Let it play out [View All]

[ahimsa]

This is sort of how a democracy is supposed to work. I don't think we can even guess the net results of this yet.

On the negative side:

• if Nader sticks around thru the election (which I think is unlikely), he might take votes from the Democrat*.
• He might think up some novel attack on the Democrat that Rove didn't think of (also unlikely)

On the positive side:

• He might just take votes from Bush (I think it's more likely than his taking votes from the Democrat - if the general assumption is that a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush)
• His campaign will siphon of some percent of the Republican tidal wave of campaign funds (and every million not aimed at the Democrats will help)

I predict that overall his campaign, however short-lived it turns out to be, will help the progressive cause.

*edited to say "the Democrat" instead of "Gore"!:) Also, FYI, I'm a Kucinich fan