Ralph Nader Backstabs Crippled America
Published by Fred Soto• February 25th, 2008
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In 2000, Ralph nader made a splash among strong liberal activists. He gave them a reason to believe in an America that is more consistent with their vision of our nation. Mr. Nader also helped deliver the White House to George W. Bush in 2000. His presidency extended to a second term and made Democrats and independents so miserable that the 2006 power grab by Democrats felt like the kind of high you’d only expect from hard illegal drugs .
It’s no surprise that many liberals are lashing out against Nader. The moment that he announced his candidacy, Americans groaned throughout the nation as the haunting memories were revisited one by one. Of course, Ralph Nader doesn’t see it that way:
In an interview with CNN on Monday, Nader accused Illinois Sen. Barack Obama of name-calling and challenged him to “address the issues.”
“Above all, explain why you don’t come down hard on the economic crimes against minorities in city ghettos: payday loans, predatory lending, rent-to-own rackets, landlord abuses, lead contamination, asbestos,” Nader said.
“There’s an unseemly silence by you, Barack — a community organizer in poor areas in Chicago many years ago — on this issue,” he said
If you didn’t hear what Barack Obama had to say, he basically said what I mentioned above and what you yourself probably thought when you heard Ralph was going to run for president.
Barack Obama:
“He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush, and, eight years later, I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about.”
Hillary Clinton:
“[Nader] is responsible for George W. Bush”
She called his candidacy “regrettable” during a Boston, Massachusetts, fundraiser Sunday night, according to this article: “Nader Lashes out at Democrats, defends candidacy”
Clinton also pointed out the obvious to Ralph Nader and potential supporters:
“We can’t assume that we’re going be able to win overwhelmingly. We’re going to have to fight for every state, and Ralph Nader is a problem.”
She said that the man who says the environment is central to his platform “prevented Al Gore from being the greenest president we could have had.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Ralph Nader has the right to run for President, but he is a complete idiot if he thinks that this year 2008 will be any different from his prior performances. Moreover, the fact that he could tilt the presidency to another war-hawk and supporter of corporate welfare should give him the common sense to step aside and let the big boys duke it out without interference.
tags:democracy, Elections, Ralph Nader
Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
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Not sure if this is meant as a news story or an opinion piece. In either case I have to side with Mr. Nader that the idea that he made Al Gore (or John Kerry) lose is completely inane.
Nader has every right to run for president. It gives people someone worthwhile to vote for even though most still seem to prefer crooks in office.
why so much fear of ralph nader? if he is as unimportant as you contend , then why so much venom. democracy is only a democracy if his voice can also be added. to blame him for gw bush’s election is ludicrous. gore did not even carry his own state of Tennessee, why not lay the blame where it belongs?
I don’t believe Nader is “unimportant” nor do I view his policy goals as insignificant. What I have an issue with is the fact that America has EVERYTHING to lose right now and Ralph Nader’s presence only adds to the anxiety that Americans are feeling about the future of our nation. If Nader pulls in 300k and more importantly, if he draws enough to tilt the election to another war president, progress is the last thing we’ll see.
Whether or not you want to ‘blame’ Nader for 2000 or Bush’s presidency is beside the point. In 2008, American identity is on the line and I’ll lash out with my opinion pieces if I believe it’ll help knock some sense into voters and/or Nader himself.