Why I can't stand Ralph Nader...

[txaslftist]

He's fighting the wrong battle...


Like many greens, he has the opinion that the salvation of the US lies in the democratic party, but the democratic party must be saved from itself first. Rather than leading us to salvation through participation, however, he feels that he must first chastise us, so we repent, by punishing us through public humiliation.

Make no mistake, Nader saw the election of 2000 as a victory, as an achievement, and as a validation of his position as spoiler. Blame for that debacle can be spread into a lot of different areas, and certainly FAUX, the Clenis, the wooden Gore, the fifth justice, and the crappy campaign by insiders can all share in the shame of the loss, but Nader played a role, too.

And when you defend him, be clear. He has never said one word of apology or regret for either the result or his participation in bringing the result about.

No, he is not a republican. No, he does not want the republican platform to become the American future. But he does want America to be so battered and abused by Republicans in the near term that they will "come to their senses" and do what is right, by either doing away with the democratic party altogether and going green (his ideal solution) or turning the democratic party green.

In this ambition, like in all of his ambitions, he is an idealistic fool. He fails to recognize both the loyalty and sense of tradition of the party of Jefferson. The democratic party is like a timex. We'll make a comeback that will be closer to what the country needs than his platform, and he will be just drag.

He is also a dangerous fool, because the American soul does not need saving. Our children and our soldiers need saving, and not in some distant and paridisical future, but right now.

You have today's official position from the Texas Leftist.

[Booster]

1. Couldn't agree with you more, but you left out that his ego is

just a little out of whack. Used to love the man, but now think he's just pathetic.

[info being]

2. The only trouble with Ralph is he's never wrong

His ideas aren't all that useful, but they are correct and hard to refute.

So I guess the biggest criticism is that his ideas are practical and useful.

[Sterling]

3. I started liking him again after Nov 2.

I wish I would have voted for him. It would have felt better considering how things went down.

[doodadem]

4. Ralph Nader

Anyone see the interview Sun. with Tim Russert? Nader has great ideas. Unfortunately, he has a lower charisma quotient than John Kerry. His best work was as a consumer advocate, and he did us a world of good there. He's not a politician. I think where he would best serve now, would be in a position such as heading up the EPA.

[imenja]

5. his shtick on Dem's not registering African-Americans made me furious

Throughout the campaign, he kept mouthing they same trite, mistaken comments: Why aren't the Democrats registering African American voters?
First off, it was entirely inaccurate. Of course Democrats register African-Americans. They'd be crazy not to. African-Americans are the single most loyal Democratic constituency. I myself spent a good deal of time canvassing African-American neighborhoods and registering voters at public events. Public registrations, however, have to be non-partisan. You'd think Nader would know that. Riviera Beach, an African-American neighborhood in Palm Beach county, Florida was so overrun with Democratic canvassers that if you'd walk down the street, before you even said anything, they'd automatically say: oh, I'm already registered, or someone else was just here. When they saw white people walking through their neighborhood, they knew what it was for. Too bad Nader didn't bother asking any of them if they'd been contacted by the Democrats.
The real issue is not that Democrats don't register or court the vote of African-Americans. It is that they don't pay enough attention to that constituency in between elections.

[Undercover Owl]

6. I agree! Ralph Nader is a crazy egomaniac!

Ralph Nader REALLY got on my nerves!
He should be ashamed and embarrased for himself. He was barking up the completely wrong tree.

[KnowerOfLogic]

7. Put down the bottle and admit you have a problem; it's the first

step to finding a solution. As long as dems blame everybody but themselves, they will continue to lose. Neither Nader nor anyone else is obliged to drop out so that voters will be 'forced' to vote Democrat. And guess what, a lot of them wouldn't vote dem regardless of what 3rd party candidates were on the ballot.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Well, here's my opinion on what to do...same as always

P.S. Ralph is not now and never has been a Green.


Signed,

An actual Green who is tired of arguing the pros and cons of Nader and has more important things to do.

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