Nader's decision to run for President this year: crap or not crap?

DOH!!!!! Why?! WHY?!!!

He is going to squash our hippy vote!

ugh!

lostboy wrote:Nader's decision to run for President this year: crap or not crap?

There are too many echoes of the 2000 debacle, and there's way too much at stake.

Crap.

However, there wasn't near as much Bush-resentment in 2000 as there is now, so perhaps his campaign won't dent the Democrats too much. As long as Bin Laden's "surprise" capture in the next few months doesn't cause a gigantic pro-Bush rally, then I think the Dems have a real chance.

I would really, really prefer it if he just retired though.

He's drawing votes away from the Democratic party. As much of a problem I have with the Democratic party, I'd rather have a Democratic schmuck in office than the current Republican schmuck.

when i voted for nader four years ago, i thought:

"it's okay, i can vote my conscience, because there is no way Bush will take this election."

boy howdy.

so it's crap. he can do whatever he wants, fine. but crap.

it makes me so fucking mad. i am pro-environment, in terms of ideals anyway. living life without using gas and producing waste is something i just can't do, so maybe i'm a hypocrite when i make decisions based on what works for me as opposed to what is in the best interest of the environment. bummer. but that's how it is.

but THIS GUY! WHY is he running? in arguments i've heard posed that say he's not an asshole, people have suggested that even though he knows he has no chance of winning this election, or probably of EVER winning, he's using the opportunity to get national attention for his cause.

SO SELFISH! does he geniunely give a shit about the environment? if so, wouldn't he do well to come out publically and say "i will never be president, because the president is the commander in cheif of the military, not the head of the EPA. so i won't ever get elected. but if you want to cast a vote to help protect the environment, then vote democrat. because the democrats aren't the ones who want to open up ANWAR, or drill the great lakes. that would be the republicans. so do everything you can to make sure the democrats win and the republicans don't. that would be in the best interest of the environment."

i think if he did that, it would get him national attention for his cause, and *possibly* help keep bush from coming back. but by running, all he's doing is ensuring that many folks who would have cast a vote to get bush out of office and chose the democrats as the lesser of two evils, that they now will vote for him so they can "make their voice heard". and that won't do anything to help the environment. if anything, it might end up hurting.

i've said this before, but the green party has no business trying to take the presidency. they should be advocating education, and lobbying for legislation, but they have no business trying to run the country. it's beyond their scope. it just is.

so if it wasn't for the seriousness of getting rid of bush here, i wouldn't really give two shits. i'd be like "that nader guy is an idiot". but because of the gravity of the situation here, and the long-term effect on the US and on the world, i'm now like "i FUCKING HATE NADER!"

crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!

tell you what

i'm as mad about it as you are

whether or not i can get all psyched about john kerry or john edwards, let's make a deal

let's go work on the campaign of whomever gets the nomination for the democratic party

i don't know what boring crap they will make us do

but let's go do it

if all of us who bitched about nader's dilettante candidacy did something besides talk, his candidacy would be a boon for the democrats rather than a pain in the ass

all i have done is talk so far. i don't think that hacks it.

i don't understand what you're saying. my work for the democratic party will consist of voting for whomever the candidate is. i really hope it's edwards. i would vote for him regardless of bush. but whomever they pick as their candidate, i will vote for that candidate in an effort to avoid four more years of bush. i truly believe that kerry (or edwards, the only two seemingly viable candidates at this point) will do less damage to the future of the US and the world than bush will. end of story for me. there may be a 3rd party candidate who would ultimately be the best candidate, the best president, whatever. but unless that 3rd party is viable and stands an actual chance of winning... now is not the time for that shit.

as far as working for the democratic party, like i said, my job with respect to them is giving them my vote. and any friends of mine who are on the fence, doing what i can to show them why i hold the opinion that we need a not-bush to win this next election. neither kerry or edwards is such a fuck that i'd be afraid they'd be as bad or worse than bush. but going to work for the party? don't you have a job, or even a career? i do. i'm not going to quit my job to go work for a political party that i see as the lesser of two evils. but i will do what i described above. which i think will do more than just talking about things.

last election i voted libertarian. i won't do that this time because i have a much better idea of what bush is capable of. i think i missed your point.

By the way, Nader's not running as a Green Party candidate this time, he's pure Independent. And he probably won't get enough signatures. I wouldn't worry about it.

but going to work for the party? don't you have a job, or even a career? i do.

yeah...full time, even. with other stuff in there as well.

my point is that anyone can talk. i don't know anyone who does anything but talk about this kind of thing.

you don't have to volunteer 40hrs/week. i'll let you know how it goes.