Comment Ralph Nader is for true democracy (Score 1) 1368
"A little rebellion now and then is a good thing." --Thomas Jefferson
"Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government and form a new one." --Abraham Lincoln
In the interest of full disclosure, I'll start by saying I sent an e-mail message to Ralph Nader on Friday urging him to answer Slashdot's questions. Maybe his responding was of his own accord, but I like to think that my message (along with others perhaps) helped influence his decision. At a time when the two major parties have received staggering amounts of soft and PAC money, I'm excited to support a grassroots campaign that not only has eschewed all such temptations, but that has as its central focus a vision of true democracy in the United States.
I'm voting for Ralph Nader because he wants a government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people. Needless to say, our government today is a far cry from that ideal. With representatives in Congress voting to please whoever gives them the biggest contribution, we desperately need campaign finance reform. When the tax burden has been slowly shifted from the wealthy to ordinary citizens, it is time to give our tax code a hard look. When our civil liberties are increasingly being violated (such as Ralph's illegal exclusion from even attending two of the debates), it is time to fight for our constitutional rights.
If you listen to any of Ralph Nader's speeches, you are likely to hear him say, "If you don't get turned on to politics, politics is going to turn on you." As someone who has attended rallies for him in Madison, WI and Boston, MA (where I now live), I can attest to the excitement and enthusiasm of the huge crowds he is drawing. At a time when a full half of registered voters don't even bother to show up at the polls, this man has been inspiring people across the country, showing them what true democracy feels like.
It is a tribute to his campaign that they have reached so many people despite his exclusion from participating in the debates (even though a majority of Americans wanted him there) and the virtual media blackout he has had to endure. Only recently have Gore and Bush even commented on Nader's candidacy. It is truly an uphill battle getting your message out in a system with so many obstacles to thwart legitimate third parties. Perhaps the Nader campaign will take solace in the words of another who struggled against incomprehensible odds:
First they ignore you
Then they laugh at you
Then they fight you
Then you win
--Gandhi
No, Nader won't win the election. But the momentum that he has built will fuel the fight for democracy for a long time to come.
"Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government and form a new one." --Abraham Lincoln
In the interest of full disclosure, I'll start by saying I sent an e-mail message to Ralph Nader on Friday urging him to answer Slashdot's questions. Maybe his responding was of his own accord, but I like to think that my message (along with others perhaps) helped influence his decision. At a time when the two major parties have received staggering amounts of soft and PAC money, I'm excited to support a grassroots campaign that not only has eschewed all such temptations, but that has as its central focus a vision of true democracy in the United States.
I'm voting for Ralph Nader because he wants a government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people. Needless to say, our government today is a far cry from that ideal. With representatives in Congress voting to please whoever gives them the biggest contribution, we desperately need campaign finance reform. When the tax burden has been slowly shifted from the wealthy to ordinary citizens, it is time to give our tax code a hard look. When our civil liberties are increasingly being violated (such as Ralph's illegal exclusion from even attending two of the debates), it is time to fight for our constitutional rights.
If you listen to any of Ralph Nader's speeches, you are likely to hear him say, "If you don't get turned on to politics, politics is going to turn on you." As someone who has attended rallies for him in Madison, WI and Boston, MA (where I now live), I can attest to the excitement and enthusiasm of the huge crowds he is drawing. At a time when a full half of registered voters don't even bother to show up at the polls, this man has been inspiring people across the country, showing them what true democracy feels like.
It is a tribute to his campaign that they have reached so many people despite his exclusion from participating in the debates (even though a majority of Americans wanted him there) and the virtual media blackout he has had to endure. Only recently have Gore and Bush even commented on Nader's candidacy. It is truly an uphill battle getting your message out in a system with so many obstacles to thwart legitimate third parties. Perhaps the Nader campaign will take solace in the words of another who struggled against incomprehensible odds:
First they ignore you
Then they laugh at you
Then they fight you
Then you win
--Gandhi
No, Nader won't win the election. But the momentum that he has built will fuel the fight for democracy for a long time to come.
