If Nader runs again, here's something that DEFINITELY needs to be brought up

[ButterflyBlood]

Apparentely, St. Ralph considers James Dobson to be preferable to Gore, Kerry, or if he runs again, our 2008 nominee: http://www.commercialalert.org/news/news-releases/1999/08/nader-dobson-ask-whether-democrats-want-to-be-the-party-of-the-gambling-industry

Also worth nothing just how authoritarian Nader is as far as gambling is concerned. He's no different from the religious right here.

[skipos]

1. Nader has been proven wrong on many things:

E: You said during your campaign that it didn't really matter if Al Gore or George W. Bush won the election.
Nader: That's right.
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?696

Nader says Gore would have had us in Iraq:
Nader said that a Gore presidency "wouldn't have been any different in terms of military and foreign policy."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4304155/

Nader on Gore's environmentalism:
"Gore talks environment. In one area after another, he has betrayed the environmental movement."
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/103000-03.htm

[depakid]

2. So, because Nader has issues with the gambling "industry"

and Dobson does too, that somehow makes him authoritarian- or equates him with the religious right?

I've seen a LOT of irrational (and juvenile) posts about Nader, but this one really takes the cake.

Did you even read the letter? And if so, what's in there that causes you concerns?

[ButterflyBlood]

3. Restricting gambling is authoritarian

What else is it?

I did read the letter, and I have no problem with what Joe Andrew said. It's the religious right and anti-freedom Republicans that oppose gambling and want to restrict what consenting adults wish to do with their money. The Democrats should take the pro-freedom position here, not the same position as James Dobson.

[depakid]

4. Hogwash

It's sensible policy and prior to the Reagan era- when the corporations took over Vegas from the mob- and states decided that they, too wanted in on that regressive cash cow, America had all sorts of restrictions on gambling.

Why?

Largely to protect working people from getting screwed out of their wages by racketeers, loan sharks and the like.

Saying that unregulated gambling is "pro-freedom" is a bunch of libertarian claptrap- although I suppose one can make the argument that a tax on the innumerate -or making money from the stupid is a freedom that corporations and others so inclined should have.

[ButterflyBlood]

5. So you think James Dobson is right and Barney Frank is wrong?

Frank has been one of the most vocal opponents of attempts to restrict internet gambling. We all know what Dobson would think.

[depakid]

8. I don't have a problem restricting internet gambling

any more than I would have a problem regulating the credit card industry or "pay day" lenders from charging usurious interest rates.

In a sense, it's the same argument... freedom to be innumerate lose your money to the unscrupulous or fraudulent.

[ButterflyBlood]

9. So you prefer Dobson to Frank!

There's also a huge difference between poker and predatory interest rates. They show poker tournaments on ESPN sometimes. It's a game, you can be good at it, you can win. People should have the freedom to bet their own money if they think they have the skills to make more, which my brother who has made hundreds on internet poker does. I don't need the government telling me how to spend my money.

Of course Dobson thinks the government should also be able to restrict other ways I spend money too, like on alcohol and strippers. Wouldn't be shocked if Nader agrees with him.

[depakid]

12. That's a juvenile comparison

Just because I happen to think unrestricted gambling is bad policy doesn't make me (or Nader) a Dobson supporter.

However, if you're a gambler- then well, enjoy losing your money and enriching others who are just sitting back laughing at you.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. What if we happen to be winners?

Poker is different from Roulette, you know... there are only three types of professional gamblers in the world: cheaters, poker players and sports betters.

One can play poker and win. Why do you assume everyone loses?

[ButterflyBlood]

14. I hardly ever gamble

My brother does though, and he's makes more off it than he does with his job. Granted he's a college student working very part time, but the point still stands, it's his primary source of income, he's not losing off it. I don't see how anyone is laughing at him.

BTW, if you read the link you clearly see Nader openly admits to being a Dobson supporter.

I of course hold the position that the religious right is correct about NOTHING and oppose them on every single issue. That makes me a hell of a lot more progressive than Nader, and unlike him, I support always voting for the Democrats and never enabling Republicans. I've never voted for a non-Democrat in my life, never will.

[depakid]

15. LOL- Nader is NOT a Dobson supporter

and with very few exceptions everyone who gambles eventually loses- as your brother will tell you (if he's taken a basic stats course).

[ButterflyBlood]

17. Of course my brother has lost before

But he wins more often. Hence he makes a net profit.

Why is it Nader or Dobson's business what he does?

And if Nader isn't a Dobson supporter, why did he co-sign that letter with him?

[MonkeyFunk]

19. and

most everybody who shells out money to see a movie sees a piece of crap. And most people who shell out money on a music CD gets mostly garbage.

So what?

Why is it any business of yours, Nader's or Dobson's how I spend my money?

[ButterflyBlood]

20. So true

Talk about huge nanny-statism.

[MonkeyFunk]

10. Do you have any evidence

that the major internet gambling sites, which consist largely of poker, are unscrupulous or fraudulent?

Frankly, it's none of your business what I do with my money.

[ButterflyBlood]

11. Furthermore, ones that ARE unscrupulous or fraudulent could easily be stopped

If the industry was legal in the US and thus the bad apples could be weeded out. But thanks to us never legalizing it, all such sites have gone overseas, some legitimate, some not, and it's much more difficult to determine which is which, or crack down specifically on the ones that aren't.

[MonkeyFunk]

7. then crack down

on racketeering and loan-sharking, not voluntary gambling.

[Ethelk2044]

6. Nadar said he would run if Clinton wins the Primary

[CK_John]

16. Nader will run, just to collect the matching funds check! n/t

[electron_blue]

18. The Green Party really needs a new (strong) candidate

Frankly some of these other issues don't bother me as much as the fact that Nader is ineffectual, politically. He needs to spend his energies supporting someone else, imo. Although a lifelong registered democrat, I'd love to see the green party have a viable candidate.

[illinoisprogressive]

21. I remember Nader saying he would run if Clinton was nominee. that was funny!