Nader Announces Run for Presidency

[Iris]

Nader Announces New Bid for White House

By HOPE YEN – 3 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ralph Nader said Sunday he will run for president as a third-party candidate, criticizing the top White House contenders as too close to big business and pledging to repeat a bid that will "shift the power from the few to the many."

Nader, 73, said most people are disenchanted with the Democratic and Republican parties due to a prolonged Iraq war and a shaky economy. The consumer advocate also blamed tax and other corporate-friendly policies under the Bush administration that he said have left many lower- and middle-class people in debt.

"You take that framework of people feeling locked out, shut out, marginalized and disrespected," he said. "You go from Iraq, to Palestine to Israel, from Enron to Wall Street, from Katrina to the bumbling of the Bush administration, to the complicity of the Democrats in not stopping him on the war, stopping him on the tax cuts."

"In that context, I have decided to run for president," Nader told NBC's "Meet the Press."


See link below for complete AP story:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jRe7-1GipomU41w-Gp2uGsR3P__AD8V0QD4O0

[only1alphafemale]

I wonder how many others will "decide" to jump in and further muddy the waters, to steal/gather votes away from the presidential candidates that are already standing firm and have been, in the "running from day one ~ I dont care what "reasons" he lists for his new announcement, no good will come of it ~ This kind of ploy really irritates me just because of how detrimental the pulling of a few votes effects the outcome of the elections ~

I guess I am old fashioned in another way too~ but we have the abillity to count every vote~ I mean, everyone who has cast a vote should be counted in its individuality ~right down to the last man and womaneach individually ~ Then and only then will I truly believe that "We the People" have "spoken" -conted and heard ~ ! :D

[mary oleary]

I wish that more non affiliated candidates would run. Neither party reflects my positions, and it's this whole delegate system that messes up the popular vote...

Just because the republicans and democrats have primaries to choose a cadidate to represent thier party doesn't mean that non affiliated candidates need to waste money campaigning too soon.

Party politics have sucked the beauty out of us.
Give me a candidate with conviction, intelligence and a servant's attitude...and freedom from lobby interests...

Campaign finance needs to be overhauled

Someone recently said to me.
"I never thought the demise of western civilization would be so dam* funny"

I'm not laughing...

[only1alphafemale]

[QUOTE=mary oleary;53906]I wish that more non affiliated candidates would run. Neither party reflects my positions, and it's this whole delegate system that messes up the popular vote...

Just because the republicans and democrats have primaries to choose a cadidate to represent thier party doesn't mean that non affiliated candidates need to waste money campaigning too soon.

Give me a candidate with conviction, intelligence and a servant's attitude...and freedom from lobby interests...

Campaign finance needs to be overhauled
QUOTE]

I most definately agree with your statement regarding the whole delegate system... I dont believe it is a proper representation of the actuals and factuals any more. We need to move beyond this archaic approach~

So to clarify your ( I just want to make sure I understand you herer ) :yes: statement about non affiliated candidates not "wasting money to campaing too soon," Your view, or what I think your saying is that when the late comers enter into it, its in earnest and that they truly feel and actually believe they stand a real chance of making it into the race and then winning ? That its limited funding that has held them back until now?

There will always be someone else out there, who may or not have been a better choice than those we were given to decide upon at the polls.... however I will always be suspicious of the last minute "vote viper" (as I call them) ~ as that is from the harm I have seen done.
I speak this not from the stance of Rebulican or Democrat or Independant etc. Just as a member of this nation , who has watched while endless tricks and broken promises and dashed dreams wind up being dealt to us instead of what was promised by words given by a "campaigner" ~ <sigh>

[citizen]

Democrats and Republicans start campaigning early for the primaries. An Independent candidate, like Nader, doesn't have to do that. There was no need for Nader to announce before now. In fact, I'm glad he waited. The real campaigning has yet to begin. I am happy Nader is running and he has my vote. Nader makes sense and I feel that he is the best candidate out there. Therefore, I will vote for him. It makes simple sense to me.

[mary oleary]

Citizen stated it perfectly.

Democrats and Republicans start campaigning early for the primaries. An Independent candidate, like Nader, doesn't have to do that. There was no need for Nader to announce before now.

(Although I am not a Nader supporter)
But we need to stop treating Non-Republicans and Non-Democrats as merely detractors subverting the "real" candidates.

Seems like the two major parties have dominated the arena for so long, most people can't separate them from our actual political system.


Independents have had some luck getting into the whole Primary scene...I wonder how much of our tax money pays for the primary? ( it looks like "caucuses" are paid by Party)

Seems like a good place to start cutting back ...let the parties pay for thier own primary elections- better yet let the dang media do it, since they seem to be running the place anyway...rolleyes:

I'm not alone in this thinking http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/02/02072008_In-primary-parties-party-taxpayers-pay.cfm

[only1alphafemale]

Citizen stated it perfectly.



(Although I am not a Nader supporter)
But we need to stop treating Non-Republicans and Non-Democrats as merely detractors subverting the "real" candidates.

Seems like the two major parties have dominated the arena for so long, most people can't separate them from our actual political system.


Independents have had some luck getting into the whole Primary scene...I wonder how much of our tax money pays for the primary? ( it looks like "caucuses" are paid by Party)

Seems like a good place to start cutting back ...let the parties pay for thier own primary elections- better yet let the dang media do it, since they seem to be running the place anyway...rolleyes:

I'm not alone in this thinking http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/02/02072008_In-primary-parties-party-taxpayers-pay.cfm

:yes: Thank you for explaining how you meant that to me ! and as far as the "media" goes? rolleyes: you summed that right up for sure !!! lol ;)

[CatdaBrat]

It seems that the political party system has gradually mutated from its original purpose, which I thought was a guarantee that voters would have more than just one style of politics to choose from. But now it appears to me that it's mostly like an upscale gang war ... a mindset of "us against them" or like a horse race where the only thing that counts is winning.

Also, I hate the childish tactics we see during every election, where one side tries to make itself look better, not by doing good, but by mud-slinging to make the other side look bad. It just reminds me of the mud fights my cousins and I had when we were kids, but at least those were innocent and fun.

[citizen]

Obama was interviewed after Nader announced that he is running for President. Obama said nothing but bad things about Nader and accused him of spoiling the Gore/Bush election and said he is now spoiling this one. I thought this was in very bad taste.

First, I will tell you that no candidate should blame another for taking votes from him/her. If you look back at the 2000 election you will see that Nader was not the only third party candidate to run and take votes from the others. Yes, Florida was very close and Bush had a few more votes than Gore. Democrats say that if the Nader voters had voted for Gore, Gore would have won. Well, the same can be said for the other 3rd party candidates. Other candidates had got more votes than the difference between Gore and Bush. Nader is not to blame. You can just as easily blame the other Independent candidates. Who is happy with the present two party system? I admire the Independent candidates that run.

Also, what does Obama have to gain by badmouthing Nader? Does he actually feel threatened by him? Why not acknowledge all of the great things he has done for this country? What does Obama have to gain by badmouthing him?

[only1alphafemale]

Obama was interviewed after Nader announced that he is running for President. Obama said nothing but bad things about Nader and accused him of spoiling the Gore/Bush election and said he is now spoiling this one. I thought this was in very bad taste.



I agree.
I had been under the impression that Obama was better, hmmmmm~ what ?versed?? than this?? Thats not really the right word I am wanting to use either ~ I simply find it such a disappointment when ANY candidate running for an office, doesnt/cant/ or wont maintain a certain amount of decorum and respect for the position they are after ~ :no:

[mary oleary]

I agree with both of you.
It does seem like a gang war, and third party candidates shouldn't be treated as vote thieves.

People should vote for whoever best represents thier own political agenda. And if any candidate "loses" votes to another candidate it is simply because they never really "had " it in the first place.

I'm reading that it is possible that the democratic party may try to actually block Naders name from the ballots in some states? Is that possible?

[mary oleary]

This is amazing!
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=1

[Twolf]

I voted for Nader in last 2 elections, but only after checking Calf. polls to make sure the Dems would win. Nearly everthing he says is true. Both parties are controlled by corporations. Repub are corp. ****** while Dems are corp. call girls (they are more picky about who they lay down with). But to say in 2008 there is no differance between them is idiotic. George W. has shown us how dangerous & destructive Gov. can be. Nader does need to be heard; they should have him on after each "debate"! I urge people to see "An Unreasonable Man"; the aptly named movie about his life. I was really amazed to learn what a huge impact he has had on the safety of this country. I had thought it was mostly about cars, but he impacted the EPA, insurance, OSHA, FDA,FCC, etc. etc. He is a flawed yet heroic crusader. He never compromises his beliefs. Also you see in the movie that you have to have blinders on to say he lost the 2000 elections. Better to blame the lame Dem candidates who didn't fight the smear campaigns, the Clintons didn't deliver Arkansas, Edwards didn't deliver his home state, there were many 3rd party candidates in Florida, all of whom got more votes than Gore lost by!!
If the Democrats wonder who lost these elections they just have to look in the mirror. That being said, we are stuck with a 2 party system with no hope of a 3rd party in foreseeable future. Of course Nader says the Dems won't pay any attention to a 3rd party until we cost them an election by not voting for them. Yet they blame Nader for 2000 & still moved further to the right--go figure.
Twolf

[MtnBreeze]

Perhaps the time has come for a 3rd party win....the candidate selections we have to choose from stink. Just my opinion but I think many are fed up with the whole thing. A teacher friend of mine jokingly said the other nite...put all the present candidates on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"..if they win that then put them on "Moment of truth"...if they make it thru that then they should win presidency....LOL...but that's how he feels about the choices. He will vote but says he thinks its a waste of time. Many it seems would tend to agree.

[only1alphafemale]

[QUOTE=..... A teacher friend of mine jokingly said the other nite...put all the present candidates on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"..if they win that then put them on "Moment of truth"...if they make it thru that then they should win presidency.....[/QUOTE]

I like the way your teacher friend thinks ! LOL, and I see that about as good as anything else we have right now that could help shed a light through some of the murky waters.... and we would wind up closer to truths then too ~ :D

Watching America http://www.watchingamerica.com/index.shtml, which is a
collection of articles with links about America from newspapers all over
the world, is pretty good too, if anyone cares to check it out~ I like to check it out now and again ~ :)