What Nader should have done. [View All]

[Stoic]

Let us imagine an alternate, better universe.

It's 1999.

Ralph Nader announces his candidacy for President of the United States and runs in the Democratic primary. Because of support from the fledgling Green Party he does surprisingly well. Enough so that he influences the debate and makes many of the other candidates answer to the issues that many "green" voters hold near and dear. He doesn't do well enough to win any of the primaries (or maybe he does win a few) but he goes into the Democratic convention with enough votes and support for the Dems to treat him as a major player. He says, look, all the things I've been running on are important enough that I'm considering running as a thrird party candidate. I won't if you promise me a cabinet-level position, the EPA or the Interior.

And that's what happens. Gore wins the election even though there's massive vote fraud in Florida (which BTW, he has the FBI and Justice investigate). Drilling in the ANWR is a pipe-dream. 9/11 may or may not happen (Gore was on the anti-terrorism committee that warned about these things, after all). Iraq war doesn't happen. Like Clinton, he's still not getting most of his judicial appointments through, but of those they aren't right-wing zealots. Nobody on the Supreme Court is about to resign. Etc.

And Ralph Nader is in a position to do real lasting good for the nation.