Groan... now Nader's linking up with the NEW ALLIANCE PARTY????

[xcentrik]

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040126&s=ireland

Sad, sad, sad.

[bluestateguy]

1. Swell

They are just a bunch of anti-Semitic, Marxists and Communists. Of course, Nader has his Bush taxcut, so I'm sure he's happy.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I'm sorry he and the Greens couldn't work things out, but

honestly, I don't see much happening for the 3rd parties this time around. Too many of us are frantic over getting Bu$h out of the WH.

[funkyflathead]

3. So who is running Green? n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. No Greens have been chosen yet. We caucus in

June. The list of those with their hat in the ring at this time are here: http://gpus.org/press/pr_01_12_04.html

[ShimokitaJer]

5. It's actually not all that surprising

One thing Nader definitely believes in is the imporance of introducing a third party into American politics. He may believe, as I do, that it is the existence of that third option, regardless of where that party falls politically, that is important. I'm sure it seems surprising for those of you who still insist on seeing Nader as a Green, and on seeing the Greens as a group that should be a subset of the Democratic party. For those who see no option outside of their own party, the word "independent" is blasphemy.

But this isn't the first time these waters have been tested by Nader, and an argument can be made that there is political wiggle room between their various belief systems. There's an interesting quote by John Talbott, the Reform Party back in 2000:

"If you close your eyes, it is difficult to hear much of a difference between Ralph Nader on the left and Pat Buchanan on the right when they talk about corruption in government, the excesses of corporate welfare, the devastating effect of free international trade on the American worker and a desire to clean big money and special-interests out of Washington. There's a reason for this; 91 percent of the American people consider themselves middle class or working class. The time is now for a new political party that is neither right nor left, neither conservative nor liberal, but created and built to represent the hard-working average American in reforming our government. If we all pull together, put our prejudices behind us, and ignore traditional labeling such as liberal or conservative, we can join together to fight the battle of our lives against the collaboration of big business and big government, break the two-party monopoly, and return control of our government to the true owners of this country – the American people."

Regardless of what you think of Nader, Fulani, etc., they seem to have realized early something the rest of us are only figuring out now. There's a lot more to the political spectrum than "left" and "right." Dean has it figured out when he talks (unfortunately with insufficient grace) about guys with Confederate flags in the back of their trucks. A lot of Republicans are starting to figure it out, as the look at Bush in disbelief at the policies they find themselves supporting. And if the Democratic party doesn't figure it out, they just might be left behind.