ALTERMAN: THE REAL RALPH NADER

[dArKeR]

The Real Ralph Nader:  We treat Nader as a hero who took a wrong turn, but is that accurate?  Truthfully, I don’t know but I’m beginning to suspect not.  Yes, it’s “Reveal Ralph Nader Day” at Altercation.

Perhaps we need to re-assess Nader’s legacy in light of new evidence.  Perhaps we need to get the word out to those remaining, idealistic misguided supporters of his that no only are you re-electing Bush, but you are supporting someone who is not the man you think he is.

First there was this piece that ran on Frontpage.  It’s called, “My Life as Ralph Nader's Flunkie by Charles Pekow.”

Then take a look at this letter that I received a long time ago, but saved.  I’ve edited it.  It’s by a fellow named Tim Shorrock.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3449870/

[Melodybe]

1. I regret my vote for Nader in 2000 more than any decision I have ever made

Wake the fuck up you idiots supporting Nader, the asshole does not give a shit about you!

This is a good article and should be forwarded to anyone dumb enough to actually be considering Nader.

[carolinayellowdog]

4. In Mississippi it didn't matter

Would that the idiots who voted for him in swing states felt a trace of the regret you feel.

[delhurgo]

2. He has always been a ego-maniacal, publicity seeking whore.

Ive always thought that. He's used his supposed 'consumer activism' to become famous and incredibly rich, from the same companies that he has criticized - he's heavily invested in some of the biggest corporations in the country. He's a hypocrite, and a conman. And I don't like the fact that he has sort of tried to make it appear that people can't be responsible for their own choices about what products to buy, that they need a huge nanny state to protect them from themselves. I prefer 'buyer beware' to his attempts to ban and over-regulate.

The irony of all this is the monster the left has created is now coming back to attack its creator. And people continue to say how he has done great work in the past, but... This is the same Ralph now as then. He should have never been lionized in the first place.

[jobycom]

3. "The Democrats are going to have to lose more elections."

That's Ralph, March 4th, 2001, talking about the coming election.

http://www.soc.qc.edu/Staff/levine/Ralph-Nader-As-Suicide-Bomber.html
This article is linked in the Alterman link above.

I've had to deal with people like Nader on a smaller scale. Slight them at all, fail to give them their way 100%, and they slash and burn everything in their path, no matter what damage it does. I've got one of those types in my club now, and she's on the verge of splitting a quarter of the club off, because she couldn't get her way.

These aren't democrats with a little or a big D. These are spoiled children, and no matter how much you back them, they will turn on you in the long run. Nader backers now will be just as betrayed by the man as us previous generation Nader backers have already been. His only concern is himself.

[checks-n-balances]

5. W and Ralph: Possibly cut from the same emotional mold?

Some of the things you just said about those kinds of people reminded me of W's temperament. Born of different circumstances, but possibly they are pathological soul-mates.

Their double-talk & propaganda certainly makes them opposite sides of the same coin - the one that represents black-and-white thinking.

[jobycom]

6. Not completely

Bush is stupid, that's why he sees things in black and white. He's also lazy, which means that when he has to make decisions, he'll do it, but otherwise he'll sit around talking about his favorite subject with his dad and having a beverage that he'll claim is non-alcoholic.

Nader is neither stupid nor lazy, nor really evil. He's just an ego-maniac. When he's on your side, you like him, because he gets things done. When you aren't, he's deadly, because he doesn't base his reactions on reason, just on emotion.

A better comparison would be to Rove, not to Bush, I think.

And to fill in: Yes, I like Nader's views much more than Bush's, so I tend to think more highly of him. But I wouldn't trust him, not one little bit. You should read some of the stories about how he treats his employees. Even Michael Moore, in Stupid White Men, wasn't thrilled with his hiring and firing practices.

[checks-n-balances]

7. Yeah - Rove & Nader have more personal similarities...

Campaign-wise, I do NOT trust Bush, Rove, OR Nader!