Nader '08

Please don't do it Ralph. I'm against this for several reasons, not because of anything against Nader, hell I voted for the guy in 2000, but because I firmly believe it will do more harm than good. We've already had a little conversation about this over at UTI. I support Nader's positions, if it weren't for my state having closed primaries I would probably be registered as a Green.

So the first problem is the obvious one. There is a chance that Nader will take enough votes from the Democratic candidate that the republicans could take the election. This is a huge reason to fear a Nader run. If the repubs were putting up the huckster or mitt, then we'd have enough wiggle room for a third party, no problem. But McCain is polling shockingly well at this point essentially even against either Dem with Obama doing slightly better. Now I know there were many reasons for the 2000 election going the way it did, but it still cannot be denied that even with all the other problems Gore may have won, he lost by less than a thousand votes and Nader received 97,000. If only one percent on Green party voters had voted for Gore he would have been our president. Or at least Bush would have needed to work harder to steal it. So the idea of a third party spoiler is a very real concern.

I also think its a waste of resources for the green party which is not exactly swimming in money. I really think that given the rise of environmental awareness the Green Party could turn itself into a legitimate threat to the two established parties. I would love to see that day. I think the best way for this to happen is to do exactly what every political organizer preaches, think globally act locally. They have been slowly but surely building up a roster of lower level wins. They need to move up the ladder incrementally. Keep working on local and state offices. They haven't been able to crack the door to congress why are they wasting what little money they have on presidential campaigns? I would really like to see at least a three party system where the republicans are off to the right where they already are, the democrats will be centrists of various forms like they already are and for the true liberal we'll have the green party. This would also mean that no party would have a majority alone meaning they would be forced to work together in order to solve problems. So again I love the idea of a powerful green party, but sending Nader our year after year to get crushed is only making them into a joke.

So for the sake of the country, please Ralph, don't run. Theres plenty of good you could be doing, but losing major elections is not one of them. Sorry bro.

UPDATE: I wrote this a few minutes ago and I've got more to add. I'm not alone in thinking this is a bad move, the Decrepit Old Fool agrees. And for reasons you'll need to read to understand I'm going to call Nader a Trim Tab, a term that can be in reverence but in this case I fear our trim might let us veer straight into an iceberg, all ahead full. Aw crap I think I just tagged myself for a meme, that'll have to wait.

Peace, I'm out.