Nader Voters Dis-enfranchised?

[Jen]

Anyone else think it is unfair for states to keep Ralph nader off the ballot? I think he stole some votes from Gore, but I also know right wing people who voted for him too. I think most of the people who voted for Nader wouldn't have voted rather than vote for Gore.

[genius]

1. There are too many liberals who are suicidal

[MichiganVote]

2. Ok. So its unfair. So what?

Is it unfair that men and women in uniform are in combat in an area of the world that blows away one or two a day while your president takes a week off to work on an election speech at his ranch?

Is it unfair that your president sponsors an ad campaign that specifically and unjustly targets the valor of all men and women in uniform?

Is it unfair that jobs and incomes have drastically dropped in the last 4 years while the wealthy have enjoyed a windfall?

Is it unfair that the US has diverted the bulk of their military options to war in Iraq while Osama Bin Laden runs free? How unfair is it for the families of 9/11 to stand in line for justice?

Is is unfair of Ralph Nader to run as a candidate for the presidency of the US when he has been made it very clear that he is doing so because he is angry at the DNC? And that in order to do this he takes money from the same corportations that he has spent a life time warning Americans about? That he himself has made millions doing just that? Is that unfair?

(spell edit)

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. States aren't 'keeping Ralph Nader off the ballot'.

Each state has laws that regulate what a candidate needs to offer to earn a spot on the ballot.

Some states are easy.
Some states are hard.
Most of these laws were drafted decades before Nader became a candidate.

It's like a fat guy complaining that the landscape, because it's hilly, is unfair, because he's huffing and puffing. Blame the glaciers, dude. They built the hills.

[gardenista]

4. Nader did not have a base of support in all the states, and could not get

on the ballots. If it's not fair, he should talk to his supporters about that.

Funny that he managed to get on the ballot in some of the most important swing states.

[Inland]

5. Only to the republicans funding him and doing his petition drives

They have worked so hard to get Nader on the ballot as a spoiler. Can we call ourselves a democracy if a party can't fund and work for a candidate they despise and get him on the ballot so their candidate may, with a minority of votes, solidify one party rule for a generation?

[lastknowngood]

6. I think Nader should be tried as a traitor and if convicted he should

get the appropriate punishment

[Cheswick2.0]

7. most of them would have voted for Gore

This time around Nader is being treated like a opposition candidate. He is being chalenged to get on the ballots according to the rules everyone else has to follow. This isn't unfair, it's poltics. Nader doesn't deserve any special pass.

[Green Lantern]

17. Wrong

never ever would have voted for Gore.

[PretzelWarrior]

18. so what? You're one out of a hundred. at least 90% of Nader votes

would naturally have gone to Gore. pull your head out.

[Green Lantern]

24. You

are not even close-keep dreaming-maybe you will get a Pres in your dreams.

[fujiyama]

20. Aren't you special?

Most Nader voters would have switched (at least in NH and FL) their votes in hindsight if they knew that Bush would get in office.

[Green Lantern]

25. still wrong

most of us have principles and stick to them

[iwantmycountryback]

8. Of course it's fair

There are certain standards which must be upheld to get on the ballot. If Nader isn't meeting those standards, that's his problem. This is the law, it has nothing to do with fairness.

[Lefta Dissenter]

9. Well,

I think Nader should have special rules and be put on the ballots of all of the states... :eyes: after all, he is already getting a free pass. Nobody, and I mean nobody is checking into his past the way they are into someone like, oh, say, for instance, John Kerry.

Imagine the shreds that would remain of Nader if he were to undergo the same sort of scrutiny (and lies and smears) that Kerry is being subjected to.

Nader has thrown away all of the good that he did for consumers all those many years ago. His ego has taken over like a cancer.

[WindRavenX]

10. If Nader had legit signatures...

...from ACTUAL NADER BACKERS then maybe I would give a rat's ass if he isn't on some SWING STATE BALLOTS.
If Nader gets on a state ballot by means of conservative voters who are actually going to vote for Bush, that is hardly denying someone the right to vote for him. Many states have write in spots for canidates that are not on the ballot.
In either case, fuck Nader.

[blondeatlast]

11. Fast or slow. the law's the law. No. nt

[blondeatlast]

12. Self-deleted. Shame on me.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. If the states have rules, and Nader didn't make the ballot by those rules,

then how is it unfair, hmmm? :shrug:

Is Nader getting support from Republicans to get onto the ballot in places like Oregon fair? hmmm? :shrug: Inquiring minds want to know!

[George_Bonanza]

14. Yeah, funny that Nader's popping up in swing states ONLY

And he gets shut out of liberal havens like California. Where's he in New York? Or Rhode Island? Or Massachussetts? Surely, he can garner much more support there than the old Midwest or the Southwest.

[Classical_Liberal]

15. They're disenfrachised by the constitution and the electoral `

college. Until their is irv or a change in the electoral college this shit will happen.

[PretzelWarrior]

16. Disenfranchised? They can always write him in if they're idiots.

give me a break. Nader struck his blow in 2000. Now it's just a swan song of his with dangerous implications. FOrtunately, the collective IQ of even way left-leaning Democrats has gone up considerably since then.

I believe it's quite obvious Nader doesn't have a groundswell of support from independents, Greens, Libertarians or ANYONE. Sure, there are the core group of reefer-smoking hemp wearing super libs who will vote for a turnip as long as it promises to "stick it to the man" and get some for the people out there.

I think it is unfair Bush is in Gore's house. I think it's unfair all the young kids who've been anally sodomized by US Soldiers in Iraq....all the women and children who've died due to US ordnance. Life isn't fair.

[fujiyama]

19. No one

is arguing Nader's right to run.

The problem is that in many states the signatures that he has collected are fraudulent. That too, to get on the ballots he's used the help of right wing groups.

[Cuban_Liberal]

21. The law is the law.

Nothing unfair about making RN follow the ballot-access rules.

[KT2000]

22. Many things are not fair

Children without proper access to health care; relaxed rules for corporate polluters, resulting in more illnesses and death; inadequate housing for the poor; tax cuts for the wealthy and on and on....

Nader is contributing nothing to this election except to make matters worse and stealing the future of many on the edge - with the generous help of republicans. Boo hoo - can't stand him any more and could care less about his myopic view of the world.

[Luminous Animal]

23. To be fair

All political parties should have to pass the same qualifications to get on the ballot in every election cycle.