Andy Borowitz: Next Week's News (includes Nader news)

[LoZoccolo]

Tuesday, May 8: Consumer activist Ralph Nader will announce that he is actively considering fucking up the 2008 presidential election.

Mr. Nader's announcement will include this caveat: "I will only enter the race if I can really fuck it up."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/next-weeks-news_b_47778.html

[Donnachaidh]

1. Has Nader gotten a check from the Republican party already?

They are really desperate. :sarcasm:

[Captain Angry]

2. Having different views than Dems and Reps is a bad thing?

Having people who believe that he represents their point of view more than Corporate Candidate (D) or Corporate Candidate (R) is a bad thing?

[LoZoccolo]

3. Are you asking me that?

Or are you talking to the strawman over there?

[Captain Angry]

4. Speaking rhetorically.

I like all opinions. Some people are mad at Nader or other 3rd party candidates for "stealing" their votes. It's very divisive since the candidates who were "stolen from" apparently didn't have a position that the population supported.

That's how we get a winner with 48% of the vote.

[wyldwolf]

5. "That's how we get a winner with 48% of the vote." Who are you referring to?

[Captain Angry]

6. Bush "won" with 48% in 2000.

Gore had 50%, but the wrong 50% apparently.

[LoZoccolo]

7. I'm speechless.

First the confluence of "opinions" and "votes", and now this 3% vs. 48% thing.

[Captain Angry]

10. Not sure what you mean there.

So, I'll restate my position. It doesn't look like I made myself clear.

I have no problem with 3rd party candidates.
I have no problem with people having the ability to choose a candidate who they feel best supports their views.

I can't be mad at a candidate because people liked what they heard.
I can be mad at a candidate for making themselves so vanilla that people look to a 3rd party candidate who is willing to take a harder stance on a position.

I'm not saying that anybody is better than anybody else. I'm just saying that all opinions should be allowed to be heard, all candidates should have a voice. They will self-eliminate themselves by their positions.

[Donnachaidh]

8. and that funding from the Republican Party doesn't equate into your logic at all?

Gee, I guess that's a detail that's overlooked by the recipient of the funding. :sarcasm:

[Captain Angry]

9. Yes, that sucks.

That funding didn't go to pay people to vote for him though.

The whole system sucks. If we could actually hear from all of the candidates, so we could make a decision based on what is best for us, and the country, it would be different. But as it stands, we get handed candidate D, and candidate R. Both fully vetted by the media, and the money.

Nader took bad money. No doubt. But that didn't change the fact that people liked what they heard out of him more than the corporate candidates.

[Donnachaidh]

11. So Nader taking money from the Republicans isn't a problem for you?

I guess when you're a self-proclaimed saint like Nader, anything goes?:sarcasm:

He's just as BAD as those "corporate" candidates you scoff at. Worse, actually - because his EGO was running for president, using his ancient history of being a consumer advocate. The only thing Nader does now is nurse his overgrown ego.

[Captain Angry]

12. I didn't disagree.

I think it sucks that we have a system that allows, and encourages that kind of behavior.

I would hope that he would see the money he was given, realize the reason, and stop. But since he espoused a different set of ideas that the major candidates, I guess he felt that the money would help him get his message out.

It's a shame that the best 3rd party candidate, the best person to actually stand apart from the corporate policies of the major candidates, was Nader.

If Dean were to quit the Dems and create the "I wear a pirate hat" party, I'd be there. He has a set of beliefs that don't match the big money candidates. And they're always trying to stomp him for saying it. How many people took credit for the 2006 election and tried to get him tossed out of the DNC?