Why support Nader?

24

Comments

  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    How do you know what mainstream america agrees with?
    Nader is too liberal for most, unless most are not voting.
  • Nader is too liberal for most, unless most are not voting.


    They told you this?
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    They told you this?
    No, the media told me this. :(

    I just know too many people who think he's crazy. Not that I agree.
  • No, the media told me this. :(

    I just know too many people who think he's crazy. Not that I agree.

    Correct. And I'm sure you know better than to let the media or the masses, for that matter, make your decisions for you. Get behind what you believe in, they're not going to do it.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • Drowned OutDrowned Out Posts: 6,056
    i dont think it's as simple or specific as that. millions of americans don't vote or are disenchanted with the process, but i think it runs far deeper than the perception of "corporate control." ignorance plays a large part. so does apathy. the government is so large and removed from their lives and impersonal that a lot of people don't feel it has anything to do with them. i heard it when i campaigned for nader. for every one person who told me i was throwing my vote away, or every one person who told me their vote was outweighed by corporate interests, there were 20 people who said voting didn't matter, period. and that's on a college campus.
    If anyone is voting for a 'lesser of two evils' with more than two names on the ballot before them....then it must be ignorance. I wish this apathetic majority would get off their asses and do what is the only logical thing for them to do....Or is the possibility of an 'unkown evil' more terrifying than the lesser of two? ugh...fear again.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Correct. And I'm sure you know better than to let the media or the masses, for that matter, make your decisions for you. Get behind what you believe in, they're not going to do it.

    i think you just tacitly agreed with him. if it's so farfetched that nader is too liberal for most of america as he claims, then why do you advise him not to let the masses make his decision for him?
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    One, because I know you view war as inevitable. Two, I thought we all got tired of the cons using the soldiers angle in the past and though yours is different, it's still rooted in fearmongering.

    im not sure i know what you mean by this. i said i feel guilt over helping to elect a president who is so gung ho on war that he led us into a totally needless war. war is an inevitable part of human society. i accept that. so i prefer to vote for a candidate who will think very hard before committing to one. nader would. gore would have as well. i do not think we would be stuck in iraq, had al gore been elected in 2000. im not entirely sure how that is fearmongering. seems to me it is simply about knowing where candidates stand on important issues.
  • i think you just tacitly agreed with him. if it's so farfetched that nader is too liberal for most of america as he claims, then why do you advise him not to let the masses make his decision for him?


    I guess you could say that. But I was really just batting down each argument whichever way you decided to see it.

    My own view: If people had more exposure to Nader and weren't told he had no chance of winning...they'd be supporting him in droves. All opinion of the media pushed aside and each candidate compared against each other based on merit and platforms, with no cries of 'unelectable'....Nader would recieve a ton of support.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    If anyone is voting for a 'lesser of two evils' with more than two names on the ballot before them....then it must be ignorance. I wish this apathetic majority would get off their asses and do what is the only logical thing for them to do....Or is the possibility of an 'unkown evil' more terrifying than the lesser of two? ugh...fear again.

    how do you figure this? i've yet to see a perfect candidate. so inevitably i am voting for a lesser of evils. who's to say i would vote for nader anyway? i've not really made my mind up about the election, i don't know who the democrat will be or where s/he stands on various issues. what i am saying is that in retrospect i was wrong. al gore was a better candidate than nader. and not just becos he could win. he would have made a great president. and even if i weren't leery of john mccain, i wouldn't vote for nader.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    I guess you could say that. But I was really just batting down each argument whichever way you decided to see it.

    My own view: If people had more exposure to Nader and weren't told he had no chance of winning...they'd be supporting him in droves. All opinion of the media pushed aside and each candidate compared against each other based on merit and platforms, with no cries of 'unelectable'....Nader would recieve a ton of support.

    honestly, i think you're way off base with that one. a HUGE chunk of america is pretty conservative and would be very turned off by nader's stances on government involvement in the economy. heck, i'm pretty liberal by most standards and even i don't care for many of his views.
  • im not sure i know what you mean by this. i said i feel guilt over helping to elect a president who is so gung ho on war that he led us into a totally needless war. war is an inevitable part of human society. i accept that. so i prefer to vote for a candidate who will think very hard before committing to one. nader would. gore would have as well. i do not think we would be stuck in iraq, had al gore been elected in 2000. im not entirely sure how that is fearmongering. seems to me it is simply about knowing where candidates stand on important issues.

    I'm not sure if we would or wouldn't be in Iraq had Gore won. But still, it's Gore's own fault for losing.

    It seems to me you're invoking the fear of more war to encourage people to vote for a Dem. That is fearmongering because your saying if you don't do this (even though you don't agree with it) then there will be more war. You're saying not to stand behind my own views, to just abandon them because of fear. It won't be my fault if the dems lose. It'll be their fault for not being worth a damn.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • how do you figure this? i've yet to see a perfect candidate. so inevitably i am voting for a lesser of evils. who's to say i would vote for nader anyway? i've not really made my mind up about the election, i don't know who the democrat will be or where s/he stands on various issues. what i am saying is that in retrospect i was wrong. al gore was a better candidate than nader. and not just becos he could win. he would have made a great president. and even if i weren't leery of john mccain, i wouldn't vote for nader.



    absolutely.
    although i am not 100% on the 'lesser of two evils' portion. LAST election, i DID absolutely go for the lesser of two evils, not much choice in my mind...i just wanted bush the FUCK out of office, so kerry got my vote. didn't do any good, but none the less. i DID support gore, got my vote...and i absolutely think he would've made a damn fine president, and i do not think we'd be where we are today if he were. however, the past is past. that said, i actually DO think when i go and vote....i will vote not out of FEAR, but with HOPE.....hope that our next president will try to undo all the damage done these past 8 years.....and start building this country back up, working for us, etc. i think obama could be the man, but i have not made up my mind just yet...there's still time. however, i did not think nader was the man first time out, don't think he is today. if he is for others.....good thing we all get our vote. :)
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • honestly, i think you're way off base with that one. a HUGE chunk of america is pretty conservative and would be very turned off by nader's stances on government involvement in the economy. heck, i'm pretty liberal by most standards and even i don't care for many of his views.

    Agree to disagree then. I think there is just as huge of a chunk of disillusioned, apathetic people waiting to feel like they have someone who will represent the people. Right now, they don't see a point in bothering. If people felt they actually had something to gain with their vote then they would be out at the polls in large percentages.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    It won't be my fault if the dems lose. It'll be their fault for not being worth a damn.


    that's it right there....both parties are so corrupt and arrogant nothing will be solved by voting for either of their candidates....
  • absolutely.
    although i am not 100% on the 'lesser of two evils' portion. LAST election, i DID absolutely go for the lesser of two evils, not much choice in my mind...i just wanted bush the FUCK out of office, so kerry got my vote. didn't do any good, but none the less. i DID support gore, got my vote...and i absolutely think he would've made a damn fine president, and i do not think we'd be where we are today if he were. however, the past is past. that said, i actually DO think when i go and vote....i will vote not out of FEAR, but with HOPE.....hope that our next president will try to undo all the damage done these past 8 years.....and start building this country back up, working for us, etc. i think obama could be the man, but i have not made up my mind just yet...there's still time. however, i did not think nader was the man first time out, don't think he is today. if he is for others.....good thing we all get our vote. :)


    That's one way to word it, I guess, if we're still talking about not voting for the person you think would be best but instead for a Dem to offset a Republican candidate. It's like after suffering a dog attack, you run into this other dog on your street a few weeks later and say 'God, I HOPE that dog doesn't bite the shit outta me like the one did a few weeks ago.' It's still fear of the dog. If this wasn't the way you meant it, feel free to correct me.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    That's one way to word it, I guess, if we're still talking about not voting for the person you think would be best but instead for a Dem to offset a Republican candidate. It's like after suffering a dog attack, you run into this other dog on your street a few weeks later and say 'God, I HOPE that dog doesn't bite the shit outta me like the one did a few weeks ago.' It's still fear of the dog. If this wasn't the way you meant it, feel free to correct me.


    fear of the dog.....i like that....:)
  • cutback wrote:
    fear of the dog.....i like that....:)

    :)
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • That's one way to word it, I guess, if we're still talking about not voting for the person you think would be best but instead for a Dem to offset a Republican candidate. It's like after suffering a dog attack, you run into this other dog on your street a few weeks later and say 'God, I HOPE that dog doesn't bite the shit outta me like the one did a few weeks ago.' It's still fear of the dog. If this wasn't the way you meant it, feel free to correct me.


    it's not...it's hope for the future. the past is past, can't change it. just learn from it, work past it, move on. i am not look for a 'dem' candidate, just the one candidate of ANY party, or no affiliation at all really, i personally think will do the best he/she can in my opinion. i am an independent and always will be, i don't 'believe' in parties....just finding the candidate i most believe will represent my ideals. as conor said earlier, i've yet to find a one who is *perfect*...so i look for the best representation offered each election, as close to what i most want....all i can look for in anyone really, b/c i've yet to find *perfect* in anyone at all, including myself.


    so yes, i was speaking about voting for who i think would be best for the job, not merely about voting one party or another out of office. that lesson was learned last election, i try not to make the same mistakes twice....then again, there was no candidate last time around that truly appealled to me in any sense. yet, i still felt the need to vote, to do something.....


    anyhoo...have a good night all. :)
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    I'm not sure if we would or wouldn't be in Iraq had Gore won. But still, it's Gore's own fault for losing.

    It seems to me you're invoking the fear of more war to encourage people to vote for a Dem. That is fearmongering because your saying if you don't do this (even though you don't agree with it) then there will be more war. You're saying not to stand behind my own views, to just abandon them because of fear. It won't be my fault if the dems lose. It'll be their fault for not being worth a damn.

    that might be true if you hate the democrats. i just happen to think they're less than perfect.

    as to fearmongering, if you're going to chaacterize it that way, ALL political stances are fearmongering. you're fearmongering by telling me that if i vote democratic i'm helping support corporate oppression. at a certain point, any view can be considered fearmongering by convincing people bad things will happen if they vote any other way. i'm not buying it, or at least i think your use of the term robs it of meaning.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Agree to disagree then. I think there is just as huge of a chunk of disillusioned, apathetic people waiting to feel like they have someone who will represent the people. Right now, they don't see a point in bothering. If people felt they actually had something to gain with their vote then they would be out at the polls in large percentages.

    perhaps. but my point was that i think those incredibly disillusioned people are not all uniformly people who would vote for nader. i think plenty would go to the opposite end of the spectrum. i think you overestimate the liberal contingent in america. we're generally a conservative country, unfortunately. that was what i meant to say. certainly, there are a ton of disenchanted folks who would vote for nader if they felt it would accomplish a damn thing. but i still think his far left views are definitely a minority in this country.
  • it's not...it's hope for the future. the past is past, can't change it. just learn from it, work past it, move on. i am not look for a 'dem' candidate, just the one candidate of ANY party, or no affiliation at all really, i personally think will do the best he/she can in my opinion. i am an independent and always will be, i don't 'believe' in parties....just finding the candidate i most believe will represent my ideals. as conor said earlier, i've yet to find a one who is *perfect*...so i look for the best representation offered each election, as close to what i most want....all i can look for in anyone really, b/c i've yet to find *perfect* in anyone at all, including myself.


    so yes, i was speaking about voting for who i think would be best for the job, not merely about voting one party or another out of office. that lesson was learned last election, i try not to make the same mistakes twice....then again, there was no candidate last time around that truly appealled to me in any sense. yet, i still felt the need to vote, to do something.....


    anyhoo...have a good night all. :)

    Oh okay, I was misunderstanding where you were going with that. So we agree then about supporting who we see as the best choice. Cool.

    I'm also a registered independent for the same reasoning. :)
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • that might be true if you hate the democrats. i just happen to think they're less than perfect.

    as to fearmongering, if you're going to chaacterize it that way, ALL political stances are fearmongering. you're fearmongering by telling me that if i vote democratic i'm helping support corporate oppression. at a certain point, any view can be considered fearmongering by convincing people bad things will happen if they vote any other way. i'm not buying it, or at least i think your use of the term robs it of meaning.

    I'm not telling you that, though. I'm telling you why Kucinich or Nader is a good choice compared to the other guys and you can agree or disagree. I'm not asking anyone to change their political ideology. I'm asking people to stay true to theirs. I'm not trying to convince you to vote in a direction you don't agree with because 'this might happen if you don't.' My problem is with the people who would rather see a Kucinich, Paul or Nader in office but are afraid to get behind them because of McCain. If that isn't letting Republicans own you, I don't know what is. It's taking your true voice away.

    The closest I come to spreading fear is saying if you're not happy with the parties in power, why keep supporting them election after election? It's common sense though, if you want to see things change, you have to change it.

    The difference is asking someone to go against what they believe in based on fear VS asking someone to have enough courage to stand up for what they believe in. All the great breakthroughs in human history took courage, had risks and wasn't easy but worth it in the end.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • perhaps. but my point was that i think those incredibly disillusioned people are not all uniformly people who would vote for nader. i think plenty would go to the opposite end of the spectrum. i think you overestimate the liberal contingent in america. we're generally a conservative country, unfortunately. that was what i meant to say. certainly, there are a ton of disenchanted folks who would vote for nader if they felt it would accomplish a damn thing. but i still think his far left views are definitely a minority in this country.

    I don't think they are all Nader people, either. But I think there would be a good amount. His honesty and dedication to the people would be an attraction to non lefty types, as well. Anyways, it's all speculation, we don't really know how liberal or conservative the country is. All we have is the media with conflicting sources and agendas to push. Then we have our own experiences with people which can only tell you so much about the nation as a whole. He has good support in the past even with the media's bombardment of 'unelectable' and 'spoiler' crap and no attention apart from that.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • MrBrianMrBrian Posts: 2,672
    I'm glad he's running, of course he will probably only get a few votes. but he is still the best choice around. It's strange that people don't wanna vote for him.

    How can people really cast a vote for obama/clinton or whoever else! It's also sad to read/hear people calling nader selfish. I mean he is only running bcoz the other top runners are not taking on the issues. Obama,clinton and all the like are the selfish ones. I mean they only talk about what they want then complain about how nader takes votes from them. duh! if they took on the issues he does then he would not run.

    Until the front runners start to pay attention. Nader should always be throwing his hat into this circus known as the US presidential race. Sadly I dont think Mr Nader will be a spoiler, nevertheless I wish him luck and would love to see him do well. But that will be hard since the american people seem to have this deep dislike for him. I think those people should remove the airbags from their cars and whatever else.
  • El_KabongEl_Kabong Posts: 4,141
    what good do those stances do if he doesn't get elected?

    i campaigned for nader in 2000. i too was one of those "im not being pushed into voting for the lesser of two evils" people. i also argued that gore and bush were both corporate whores that were essentially the same.

    i was wrong, and i've regretted it ever since.

    there was a huge difference between gore and bush. and i fucked up big time. dubya's presidency has exceeded my worst nightmares. i will not make that mistake again.


    why do you regret it? you didn't live in florida, did you? the outcome would've been the same even if you voted for gore.
    standin above the crowd
    he had a voice that was strong and loud and
    i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
    eager to identify with
    someone above the crowd
    someone who seemed to feel the same
    someone prepared to lead the way
  • dg1979usdg1979us Posts: 568
    Oh okay, I was misunderstanding where you were going with that. So we agree then about supporting who we see as the best choice. Cool.

    I'm also a registered independent for the same reasoning. :)

    Just curious, and correct me if Im wrong. But I believe I read in another thread that you voted for Kerry in 04. Did you seriously think he was the best choice?
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    I'm not telling you that, though. I'm telling you why Kucinich or Nader is a good choice compared to the other guys and you can agree or disagree. I'm not asking anyone to change their political ideology. I'm asking people to stay true to theirs. I'm not trying to convince you to vote in a direction you don't agree with because 'this might happen if you don't.' My problem is with the people who would rather see a Kucinich, Paul or Nader in office but are afraid to get behind them because of McCain. If that isn't letting Republicans own you, I don't know what is. It's taking your true voice away.

    The closest I come to spreading fear is saying if you're not happy with the parties in power, why keep supporting them election after election? It's common sense though, if you want to see things change, you have to change it.

    The difference is asking someone to go against what they believe in based on fear VS asking someone to have enough courage to stand up for what they believe in. All the great breakthroughs in human history took courage, had risks and wasn't easy but worth it in the end.


    fair enough. i don't think i've been very good at explaining myself in this thread.

    i will not be picking based on fear of mccain. nor would i really encourage people to do so. personally, kucinich, paul, and nader aren't really my cup of tea regardless. when i campaigned for nader, i was smoking a LOT of pot at the time ;) but my point was not that i should have voted for gore solely becos bush turned out to be a nightmare. my point was that there WERE significant differences between gore and bush. and just as you feel i would be doing a disservice to urge people to vote dem out of fear of republicans, i think you are doing a disservice by acting like there is no difference between mccain and obama. there is.

    so i think what i am urging is not "vote dem or else." it's more a matter of truly thinking things through and not being blinded by rhetoric, be it the rhetoric of third party votes are wasted or the rhetoric of all major party candidates are evil corporate whores. at the time, i was saying the same things about bush and gore that you are saying now about mccain and the dems. my point was that i was wrong and i wish i had known then what i know now.

    by all means, vote your heart. but don't vote out of fear that any major party candidate will inevitably be ruled by special interests. al gore would have made a fantastic president. if only he'd had edwards as a running mate to give the ticket enough personality to win, i'd be a whole lot happier today ;)
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    El_Kabong wrote:
    why do you regret it? you didn't live in florida, did you? the outcome would've been the same even if you voted for gore.

    i lived in ohio. and i didn't just vote, i campaigned heavily and tried to push people to change. all eyes were on florida, but ohio was pretty close too and has always been a swing state. the nader camp was as damaging in ohio as in florida. florida's scandals just got more attention.

    am i personally responsible? no, of course not. no one person is. but did i help give nader some ohio momentum, maybe even enough to have an impact? perhaps.
  • THCTHC Posts: 525
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-wiener/latest-poll-mccain-beats_b_87213.html

    that poll says Obama over McCain in poll by 3%

    Poll today (can't find the story now) says McCain 2% over Obama

    That is why you don't vote for Nadar in THIS election.

    *i'm currently half sick to find out this election may be this close*
    “Kept in a small bowl, the goldfish will remain small. With more space, the fish can grow double, triple, or quadruple its size.”
    -Big Fish
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