"Ralph Nader, Employer From Hell", long, unflattering view of RN

[PfcHammer]

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=13141

My Life as Ralph Nader's Flunkie

By Charles Pekow
FrontPageMagazine.com | April 27, 2004

Ralph Nader believes an independent candidacy should “generate more understandings and support for major new directions for our country.” His website says these new directions include “repeal of laws that obstruct trade union organization by millions of workers mired in poverty by wages that cannot meet their minimum family livelihoods.” The site prescribes “a living wage for tens of millions of workers making under $10 an hour.” But the perennial leftist candidate, whose name will appear on the presidential ballot for the third consecutive time this November, has not played by the same rules he strives to make binding for corporations and private businesses. In fact, when the minimum wage rose, he once cut back on the hours his technical staff would work. Despite the millions of dollars he commands, he historically paid his professional staff less than minimum wage. Nader, who told Business Week during the last campaign that he offers staff “unlimited sick leave,” ordered staffer George Riley to take a two-week leave of absence to work on a political campaign, refusing him to pay for the time. When I worked for Ralph Nader in 1980-81, he paid us $8,000 a year, hardly enough to get by on even then. We could scarcely afford the time to spend money, though, because Nader expected staff to work around the clock.

<lots more>

[sendero]

1. Who is surprised?

Not me, that is for sure.

[yardwork]

2. This matches what a friend once told me about working for Nader.

Nader has disillusioned a lot of people over the years.

[indigo32]

3. I'm thinking maybe the source of this article should be taken into account

they don't seem to have the lefts best interests at heart. Not that I'm a Ralph Nader advocate at this point (nor in 2000). Just pointing that out.

[jburton]

4. Sounds like PIRG today

Even though Nader has no control over the organization now, the culture is very similar.

[AP]

5. These complaints are pretty lame.

The guy wanted to leave to work on a political campaign and is complaining because he wasn't going to get paid?

As for being low-paid, if you want to make good money, don't work for a public interest group.

[checks-n-balances]

6. Not a dime's worth of difference between Bush & Nadir, just as I thought

Everybody should bookmark this article and give to an uninformed supporter of such an unbelievable hypocrite.

I do agree that this online magazine is dubious, and it's weird that any RW rag would be so hard on one of their "allies". But it does confirm his megalomania and inability to have feelings for real human beings.

His labor practices are as ruthless as any hard-right rethug.

[cally]

7. I've heard very similar stories from College Classmates

They were thrilled to get a job with Nader and returned disillusioned and disgusted with Nader. I have never been a Nader fan sense.

[rumguy]

8. I've read this before, and it's exactly the way I'd imagine him to be

Some social activist types, on Ralph's level, are actually pretty much abusive pricks...it's not so much that they mean to be, although there is some of that, it's just that they have no real leadership bones in their bodies, and no understanding of human relationships...

[fishnfla]

9. We are all Nader's flunkies now

except Bush,of course

[ButterflyBlood]

10. While I don't find this hard to believe, consider the source

FrontPageMag is David Horowitz's outlet.

[corporatewhore]

11. this does it i am not going to vote for him

i will vote green (live in texas) or i might vote libertarian to give them numbers they need to get fed matching funds they hate the patriot act and they are anti freetrade some are pro gay marriage and pro choice because they think that the gov should mind its own biz