Leauge of Conservation Voters: Nader- Riding the Elephant?

[DaveSZ]

LCV email:


Nader: Riding The Elephant?

Ralph Nader's career as an advocate for change once endeared him to many progressives, but his presidential campaigns have been, to say the least, more controversial. This week brought two more examples of what makes many progressives so unhappy about Nader's run for the White House. It was recently reported that a group collected more than 40,000 signatures to put Nader on the ballot in Michigan, a swing state that could decide whether George Bush is re-elected. What was particularly disturbing -- and revealing -- was the name of the organization that collected the signatures: The Michigan Republican Party. Over in Minnesota, another Midwestern battleground, a Mason-Dixon poll found John Kerry with a small but distinct lead of 3 percent in a head to head match up with President Bush. When the pollsters added Nader to the mix, the lead shrank to a statistically invisible 1 percent. If Nader's presence on the ballot in Michigan and Minnesota gives those states to Bush, it will represent a swing of 54 electoral votes (27 taken from Kerry and given to Bush). That's about one-fifth of the total needed to win and more than 13 times as many as decided the 2000 election.


Unconventional
Next week's Democratic National Convention in Boston will be the "greenest" political convention ever, thanks to the candidate's environmental ethic and some eco-friendly planning. Clean energy will be provided by an onsite hydrogen fuel cell, fuel/electric hybrid trucks and buses will be used for transportation, and purchased greenhouse gas reduction credits will offset the emissions by all other transportation associated with the convention. Further, showing that no detail is too small to consider, all the balloons are biodegradable and the confetti is made from recycled paper.

Speaking of recycling, our Environmental Victory Project logo (see left) will be everywhere in Boston, as LCV works to promote environmental issues and John Kerry's campaign. We're holding a rally on Tuesday at noon in Christopher Columbus Park to demonstrate how important the environment will be in this election. LCV President, Deb Callahan will be speaking along with Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama, an LCV Environmental Champion and the convention keynote speaker. If you're going to be in Boston, make sure to be at the environmental event of the week. For more information, click here.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Any true progressive

can't, in good conscience, vote Nader this year. By allowing the Repukes to help him get on ballots, he has shown he has thrown principle out the window. I think the Greens recognized this, and wisely refused to endorse him as their candidate.