Leave Ralph alone
Does it drive anybody else crazy the way it drives me crazy when people bash Ralph Nader for handing Bush the 2000 election? I'll tell you who you should really blame for getting Bush elected, and his name doesn't rhyme with Alph Ader.
I realize that if a few greens had voted democrat then Bush wouldn't have won, but do you know what would have made an even bigger difference? If a few republicans had voted democrat instead! Forget Nader, if a few people had decided not to vote Bush then he definetly wouldn't have won. Also, if you want to rip on a demographic for not representing itself in favor of the democrats in the polls, forget the tiny number that voted green, and lets talk about the 100 million eligible voters who decided to watch Survivor instead of hitting the polls! If even one in a thousand of them had shown up, it would have been enough to put Gore in office.
And to those who harp on Nader that he should keep himself off the ballot for the upcoming election, I would like you to realize that giving the voters options on the ballot is the whole idea behind democracy. In fact, in the spirit of democracy, I say we petition to keep Kerry (who is virtually identical to Bush on all but a select few issues) off the ballot so he doesn't take all Nader's votes... then we'd have a real contest of values on election day. A two horse race is bad enough, but taking Nader off the ballot makes it very nearly a one horse race. It's difficult enough for fringe parties to run for office, lets not make it any more difficult.
Peace, I'm out.
I realize that if a few greens had voted democrat then Bush wouldn't have won, but do you know what would have made an even bigger difference? If a few republicans had voted democrat instead! Forget Nader, if a few people had decided not to vote Bush then he definetly wouldn't have won. Also, if you want to rip on a demographic for not representing itself in favor of the democrats in the polls, forget the tiny number that voted green, and lets talk about the 100 million eligible voters who decided to watch Survivor instead of hitting the polls! If even one in a thousand of them had shown up, it would have been enough to put Gore in office.
And to those who harp on Nader that he should keep himself off the ballot for the upcoming election, I would like you to realize that giving the voters options on the ballot is the whole idea behind democracy. In fact, in the spirit of democracy, I say we petition to keep Kerry (who is virtually identical to Bush on all but a select few issues) off the ballot so he doesn't take all Nader's votes... then we'd have a real contest of values on election day. A two horse race is bad enough, but taking Nader off the ballot makes it very nearly a one horse race. It's difficult enough for fringe parties to run for office, lets not make it any more difficult.
Peace, I'm out.
