A letter from Nader to ABB Liberal Democrats

[ringmastery]

http://www.votenader.com/why_ralph/index.php?cid=4

[belle]

1. Huh. I get a blank white screen below the header. Come to think of it...

that's highly appropriate.

[Abe Linkman]

2. How so?

What's highly appropriate about that?

[ringmastery]

3. This is the letter

Dear Anybody But Bush Liberal Democrats:

If you wish to defeat George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in November, restore the House and/or the Senate to the Democrats and continue to build a longer term progressive political movement, enlisting the young, middle-aged and elderly together, beyond November 2004.... and you have some doubts as to whether the Democrats can do this by themselves, this letter is for you.

Let's face the facts. Our country has serious problems. The world is not doing very well. WE need every source of energy inside the electoral arena to turn harmful, costly and cruel trends against billions of innocent people into just and healthy directions.

The electoral system in our country is rigged in many ways against third parties and independent candidates having a level playing field chance to compete. This leave the two major Parties to regenerate themselves internally without external pushes and jolts. The Republicans generate themselves with corporate batteries while the Democrats try to play catch up in the corporate money-raising sweepstakes. So it is not surprising that man people are left with the least of the worst choice and TAKE it. After all, they know they are all hostages to this winner-take-all electoral college strait jacket. They realize that the political terrain is rigged to leave them as of now with just that choice if they want to be with a possible winner, which most voters want to be.

Apart from their ways, the democrats need to be shown additional ways -- strong, rational, emotive ways to defeat Bush and the Republicans. Why? Because their leaders and consultants are either too cautious, too unimaginative or too indentured to vested interests to even conceive, not to mention field test, these vulnerabilities of the Bush regime.

Enter an independent candidacy in a duopolized system who does not believe the election has to be totally enclosed by a zero-sum game among the major candidates. Instead there should be various strategies and probes and anticipations inside the electoral arena that in important ways escape the zero-sum mind so as to more likely achieve the common goal of ouster.

Here is what I mean. Campaigns must have distinct approaches -- not only to get more votes on one's side but also to depress the votes on the other side. The latter voters either stay home or switch to another candidate, other than the major opponent, as a protest vote. In 2000, exit polls showed that 21% or 25% of my vote would have gone to Bush, 38% or 41% to Gore, and the rest would not have voted. Counter-intuitive, isn't it? Not if you know that conservative and libertarian Republicans have not been happy with the corporate Republicans who dominate the party and give their right wing the verbal platforms to keep them in line. Now, many conservative-libertarian Republicans are furious with Bush over the massive deficits, taxpayer-funded, corporate subsidies, the Patriot Act's invasion of privacy and undermining of civil liberties, the impaired sovereignty issues in NAFTA and GATT, uncontrolled corporate pornography beamed to their children in violent commercial entertainment -- to name some points of serious disappointments. Not a few of them are outraged over the corporate looting by executive greed and crimes, exemplified by the Enrons, World Coms and Tycos (they lost jobs, pensions and investments too) and believe that Bush/Cheney are too close to these companies to launch a crackdown that will convict and jail these executive crooks. This is why they like Lou Dobbs' daily reminders about these crooks not being sent to jail on CNN.

The Democrats need to be shown in the field how to appeal to the millions of voters whom they have turned their back on because many of them are against abortion and gun control. It is one thing when litmus paper tests are applied to candidate by groups or voters, but candidates are foolish to do this in reverse -- after all even your friends don't agree with you on everything.

Moreover, an independent candidacy that generates more political and civic energies by the American people helps to generate more understandings and support for major new directions for our country -- realistic long overdue directions. You want to be reminded of them? Here's a list -- full public financing of public elections -- merits not money should rule here; universal health insurance -- 55 years after President Truman proposed this to Congress (overdue?); a serious drive to abolish poverty (Nixon proposed one preliminary way to Congress), a living wage for tens of millions of workers making under $10 an hour (adjust to inflation and even the 1968 federal minimum wage could be $8 an hour today, not $5.15), strong enforcement against corporate crime, fraud, and abuse that has looted or drained trillions of dollars from innocent workers, their pensions and investors; a non-lip service, comprehensive nurturing of the physical and educational needs of children who require more time with their parents; reforming the criminal injustice system and strengthening our civil liberties, civil rights and civil justice remedies now being restricted; a redirected federal budget for the crucial priorities of our country, away form the massive waste, fraud and redundancy of what President Eisenhower called the "military industrial complex" and away from vast corporate subsidies; shifting the incidence of taxation to the polluting, speculation and addictive industries, sustainable economies with environmentally benign technologies that respect he Earth's biosphere; a multi-faceted foreign policy to wage multilateral peace, promote arms control; and using our enabling assets with the creative genius in the Third World to lift prospects for impoverished billions abroad; addressing the crisis from big agri-business domination of food production and processing that spells extinction of the small family farm economy with far-reaching consequences: land, water and bio-manipulation here and around the world.

Do you want to see another mandateless, dreary Presidential campaign that ignores these critical subjects, that doesn't take seriously the necessity for solar energy, affordable housing, modern public transit, repeal of laws that obstruct trade union organization by millions of workers mired in poverty by wages that cannot meet their minimum family livelihoods?

What all this boils down to is the resurgence of powerful civic values which subordinate the dominance of commercial values which are taking down our country and the standards of democratic, honest governance that Americans crave and deserve.

You can agree with all this and still say that this candidacy will take away votes from the Democratic candidate. If so, you also have to assess how many more votes the Democratic nominee will receive by (a) being pressed to appeal more forcefully for the interests of the people and (b) how many effective modes and critiques he can pick up from the independent candidate to improve the prospects of defeating Bush and (c) a more exciting campaign that brings more progressive voters out which, in a rigged, winner-take all system would go to the Democrats in large percentages. By the way, there are astute political observers who believe that the Greens pushing Gore to more populist rhetoric allowed Gore to get many more voters than the net 20% of the Green vote that apparently would have voted for him.

Now what about the Senate and the House? In 2002, the Republicans won the Senate by 41,000 swing votes and the House by about 100,000 swing votes. This was not supposed to happen in an off election year. That it did happen was due in no small part, leading Progressive Democrats in Congress tell us, to their Party narrowcasting that election toward the few contested districts instead of also nationalizing the election, (as Newt Gingrich did in 1994 to a stunning success), on the daily front page issue of the corporate scandals and the corporate crooks who were very close to top Republicans, including Bush and Cheney, in the present Administration. By turning Bush into a "wartime president," with the open-ended, unconstitutional war resolution of October 2002 against the Iraqi dictator, the Democrats made it easy for the President to campaign against Democrats in state after state without rebuttal.

Do the Democrats need a spillover vote produced by an independent candidate? Some top Democrats have said they would welcome this part of the strategy. (Also see The Hill, January 29, 200, for what Congressional Democrats secretly hope for.) If they need reinforcement they can ask Senator Maria Cantwell how the very large Green spillover vote in 2000 helped elect her by a narrow margin of 2300 votes over her incumbent opponent.

So, in summary, our approach can help defeat Bush, strengthen the progressive forces inside the Democratic Party by successfully amplifying ways to end this regime, while simultaneously furthering the longer range expansion of the forces of peace, justice and democracy in future elections and nourishing a more vigorous civic movement as well.

After thinking about this, you may still judge that the infinitesimal risk that is worrying you is too important to take compared to the higher risks that the Democrats on their present path will not only lose the election to Bush, but maybe lose near the scale of a Dukakis or Mondale defeat and destroy their chances of recovering even one house of Congress, with accompanying losses on the state and local ballot lines.

We believe that two fronts are better than one if conducted collaboratively on those objectives held in common, without compromising either candidacy. To wallow in the squabble of "spoiler" is to plunge into second-class citizenship scapegoating which will get the Democrats nowhere. Think strategically out of the box and you will have three arenas to block Bush -- evict him from the White House or, helped by a spillover, recover one or both of the Houses of Congress not to mention affecting state and local races. Generally speaking, with a few luminous exceptions, the Democrats have been on a losing team for ten years -- the House, the Senate, the state legislatures and the state Governorships. Their language is stale when it is candid and servile when it is bought and paid for. As presently the only alternative in a rigged political system to defeat Bush, it needs to respect small candidacies that can demonstrate high standards and big ways to defeat Bush as well as produce a spillover vote to recover at least one House of the Congress to block him.

From our viewpoint, a renews respect will be accorded the civil liberties of third parties and Independent candidates to exercise their right to reform the political system and not be told to remain silent and not speak by not running. It is a sad day when the electoral Republican thieves and the Democratic blunderers in the Florida 2000 election lead some prominent or active liberals to take it out on future candidates who might help jolt their beloved but stagnant Party in to the minds of more voters.

At the very least, kindly consider withholding judgment and wait and see.

Sincerely,
Ralph Nader

[AVID]

7. While we're at it . . .

A letter from b*

President Bush's Agenda < Home
President Bush's Agenda for Building a Safer, Stronger and Better America

In his 2003 State of the Union Address, President Bush told the nation, "We will not deny, we will not ignore, we will not pass along our problems to other Congresses, other presidents, and other generations." He has followed through on this commitment by delivering a bold vision that meets America's challenges at home and abroad. <>
<>
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Economy:
The President?s Economic Security Agenda
On May 28, 2003, President Bush signed into law a bold jobs and growth plan to strengthen America's economy and ensure its continued growth.
Learn More and Take Action!

Homeland Security:
Protecting the American People
The President?s most important job is to protect and defend the American people. Last year, President Bush proposed and Congress approved a single, unified Department of Homeland Security to improve protection against today?s threats and be flexible enough to help meet the unknown threats of the future.
Learn More and Take Action!

Compassion:
The President?s Compassion Agenda
In his Inaugural Address, the President called on every American to be citizens, not spectators?to work together to improve their communities and touch the lives of their neighbors. For the past two-and-a-half years, compassionate conservatism has been the President?s governing philosophy as his Administration has tackled some of society?s toughest assignments, such as educating our children, fighting poverty at home, and helping poor countries around the globe.
Learn More and Take Action!

Health Care:
Health Care and Prescription Drug Choices
President Bush?s comprehensive health care agenda improves health security for all Americans by building on the best features of American health care. Our health care system can provide the best care in the world, but rising costs and loss of control to government and health plan bureaucrats threaten to keep patients from getting state-of-the-art care.
Learn More and Take Action!

Education:
Leave No Child Behind
President Bush promised to make educating every child his top domestic priority and reform a system that has failed the most needy students in our nation's classrooms. He proposed a comprehensive, bipartisan plan to improve overall student performance and close the achievement gap between rich and poor students in America's more than 89,599 public schools. The President?s No Child Left Behind Act was passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority and is already showing results for America?s children.
Learn More and Take Action!

National Security:
A National Security Strategy that Meets the Challenges of Our Time
Defending our nation against its enemies is the first and fundamental commitment of the federal government. On September the 11th, 2001, America learned that oceans will no longer protect us from the threats of a new era.
Learn More and Take Action!



Environment:
Preserving the Beauty and Quality of Our Environment
President Bush believes that good stewardship of the environment is not just a personal responsibility, it is a public value. Americans are united in the belief that it is important to preserve our natural heritage and safeguard the land around us.
Learn More and Take Action!

Social Security:
The President's Plan to Strengthen Retirement Security
President Bush believes that we need to explore new ways to ensure that Social Security remains strong and financially secure for America?s children and grandchildren. The President formed a bipartisan Presidential Commission to review Social Security and recommend reforms to put the system on sound financial ground. He has repeatedly stressed the need for modernization of the Social Security System. In addition to saving Social Security, President Bush has proposed solutions to strengthen pension plans and enhance retirement security for all Americans.
Learn More and Take Action!

Energy:
The President?s National Energy Plan
In May 2001, two and a half years ago, President Bush proposed a comprehensive National Energy Policy and has taken steps to implement it.
Learn More and Take Action!

[FlashHarry]

4. Me too.

Although, I'm surprised it doesn't redirect to the RNC Web site...

[Robb]

5. Ha!

"By the way, there are astute political observers who believe that the Greens pushing Gore to more populist rhetoric allowed Gore to get many more voters than the net 20% of the Green vote that apparently would have voted for him."

By which he means himself, I do believe. :D

[amber dog democrat]

6. I get it

I think. You may have a point. He is such a wet charcoal brickette...
Does it matter what he really thinks?

[MidwestTransplant]

8. Here's my take

For the most part, I believe Nader is just interested in getting face seen and doesn't care about the consequences (I got this impression from Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men").

That being said, I think Nader running may be positive for Democrats. With Nader getting some attention, it will make the Dem. nominee look more moderate and thus tougher for Rove and friends to paint the Dem. nominee as an out of step liberal. This will give our nominee wider appeal.

Also, I think that Nader will stay in for a while but before all is said and done (maybe in October), he will endorse the Dem. nominee. The last 4 years have shown even the most strident Nader supporter that there is a big difference between the Dems. and Republicans.

[library_max]

9. Sophistry. n.

"a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone." Webster's Third.

Plato's original definition is even better - using verbal trickery to make the worse appear the better cause.

[Old and In the Way]

10. Why not a letter to Disenfranchised Republicans?

oh yeah, because the script calls for him to suck votes from the Democrats.