Why is Nader polling 4% - 6% in some

[chitty]

battleground states?

What is this guys draw to certain people?

Every election cycle he does absolutely nothing to solidify a third party. Nothing.

He just shows up every 4 years like some kind of cicada ans says "OK - I'm here, I'm running for president" and get 4%-6% of the vote.

Are these people just that stupid or do they just loave old Ralph that much?

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Egomaniac that capitalizes on the fringes.

Whether it be non-conformist wannabe or the idiot who believes that both parties are the same, there is always a small percentage of the population that can be sucked into throwing away their vote on a non-viable candidate.

[PresidentObama]

8. Absolutely agreed. By the way, are those your cats? Absolutely adorable, lovely cats.

[Liberal Veteran]

12. Yes. Those are my kitties. The bottom row are the cats that have gone to the Rainbow Bridge.

[LooseWilly]

18. It's easy to throw away your vote

When there's no candidate that catches your fancy.

And there are a lot of us who instinctively feel that there should be more than two parties. In fact, until Kerry won the nomination in '04, I didn't have much use for the Democratic Party myself.
I voted for Nader in 2000. After the way that Gore's wife went on a crusade against the musicians I loved 12 or so years earlier... well, there was no way I was voting for Mr. Gore. In '96, after Clinton failed so miserably to actually show any progress with any of his idealistic promises... well, I can't remember if I voted for Cthulu or my Mom.

It really wasn't until Bush decided to just go apeshit with policies that were just plain crazy that there was any difference between the parties that had any bearing on those of us who aren't in a union.

There're always some few who think that, if enough people vote for a third party candidate, then maybe more people will think a third party is a viable idea in this country (no matter which party, any third party would be a breath of fresh air in this political system), and that the process might snowball.

Just saying, it's a point of view. Nevermind that Nader has since gone batshit insane. Nevermind that McCain is also batshit insane. There are some who simply are tired of being stuck with a black or white choice between only two parties... with no shades of gray. And, speaking of which, there's always the black factor.

[mrcheerful]

2. I can only speak about those I personally know and you might not wat to know

From the few Nader supporters, who have voted democratic for years, I know what it amounts to is they don't like Mcshitferbrains but they refuse to vote for a 1/2 white guy, their words not mine. This is in Michigan where hidden racism rules. So Nader who has vast more knowledge of america's issues and plenty of experience to back him up is their choice. BTW, WTF experience does Nader have? Last I knew the only thing Nader done was get a GMC auto pulled off the market back in 1965. :crazy:

[Liberal Veteran]

5. And help get Bush into office in 2000 by playing the role of spoiler.

[Forkboy]

3. I just spoke to a probable Nader voter last night (at a thrash show even)

Leave it to me to bring up politics between bands.... :silly:

He said he's leaning Nader because he voted for the Dems in 2006 because they kept talking about how much they would do to end the war. As we all know, that was just so much hot air to get elected. And it sucks, because I feel he's wrong to be voting for Nader but I can't really argue that the Democrats have been useless in doing anything they said they would regarding the war.

My only consolation is that a 3rd party vote here in Mass won't really have any effect. I should know, I voted for Grace Ross for Governor.

[Ken Burch]

4. The most crucial line in your post is this:

"Every election cycle he does absolutely nothing to solidify a third party. Nothing."

If you want to build an alternative party, you do it from below, at the grassroots level, like that party whose name begins with "G" that we probably aren't allowed to mention here too much at the moment.

Even though grassroots work from below was crucial to the construction of the "PIRGs" (Ralph's "Public Research Interest Groups"), Ralph seems to have decided that that kind of work is somehow beneath him and that the ONLY legitimate tactic is running for the presidency over and over again.

Ralph never even registered to vote as a MEMBER of that party when he was their nominee. Now, he almost certainly isn't registered as a member of the Peace and Freedom Party (the California-based New Left remnant who are getting their big break in show business thanks to Ralph).

Ralph doesn't support electoral reform(which would be the first step towards making alternative parties possible on a national level). Ralph doesn't do anything to back grassroots organizing. It appears that his entire political program is based on punishing the Democrats for our failings.

Still, the man will probably keep at it as long as our party's leaders are so obsessively anti-left. This comment isn't meant as Obama-bashing, btw, but rather as a general comment on the continuing combination of timidity towards the Right and arrogance towards the Left that our exalted Beltway leaders indulge in.

[chitty]

26. Exactly

He does nothing to grow a third party.

As someone mentioned below, if he would have just got elected as a dem or rep at some level, then he would be a more viable candidate.

But he hasn't done any of that, he just wants to be president.

And what has he done to deserve it. Bupkis.

From what I saw this morning he could be a real problem in a fewclose states again.

[goldcanyonaz]

6. I've heard some voting for Nader because the IWR vote of Biden.

Some here even stated that they would vote 3rd party or not at all if anyone who voted for the war was on the ticket.

[Peacetrain]

7. If you figure that out let me know...

[dansolo]

9. He's the "None of the above" candidate

I don't believe that people are actually voting FOR Ralph.

[chitty]

28. They may not be voting "for Ralph"

but they certainly aren't going to hurt McCain.

A 2-3% shift to Ralphie can kill us in a close swing state.

[graywarrior]

10. One of my best friends is voting Nader

He's a weirdo. Seriously. He's not right in the head.

[Fading Captain]

11. Because The Dems won't stand up to corporations

If the US wasn't in as bad shape as it is now, I'd vote Nader. He still represents my values far better than the Democratic Party, which is still, largely, a corporate party.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. "He just shows up every 4 years like some kind of cicada"

:spray:

I would agree with others in that there is always that population who considers themselves "way out there" and "out of the mainstream", voting strictly on idealism. I don't think his final % will be that large given all the others out there who have had a modicum of press (I expect there are some McKinney fans who would continue to strictly support the Greens, Nader's former party, as an alternate to Nader).

[Terry_M]

14. Honestly, this is the third time...

If it was the first time, you can blame Nader and his voters... Maybe the second time you could still do it.. But since this is the third time, every vote that Nader gets is the fault of democratic candidates not learning from their mistakes and doing stupid things like voting in favor of immunity for corporations that illegally spy on Americans.

[TexasObserver]

15. because part of the population are professional gadflies, like Nader

They love to complain that Democrats and Republicans are the same.

[Loftlore]

16. A vote for McCain is a no-bid contract with the Devil!

The ONLY vote that stands a chance in hell of removing the plague of murdering neo-cons that infests our government is a vote for Barack Obama. Period.

Waste your vote on a third party if you wish, or simply save fuel by not voting. It's all the same. Independent? Your nation needs you! Nader nut? Time to wash the blood off your hands! REPUBLICAN? For God's sake, people! You most of all have seen neo-cons devastate your core beliefs! Look at what neo-cons have done! They make war for empire! They borrow money from our enemies to conduct said war. They trample on Constitutional rights? They have made government bigger than it has ever been! Wake up!

John McCain has hired many of the neo-cons that got Bush elected. Can you not see that McCain has drifted into the grasp of the neo-cons? Folks, if McCain wins, it's going to be more of the same.

Every third party vote is a vote for torture, tax giveaways for the rich, wars based on lies, government spying, the privatization and corporate takeover of Social Security and the Veterans Administration, the oppression of its own citizens, baby taxing children via an intentionally crippling deficit and national debt - it goes on and on!

Is there ANY reason to vote for McCain? Perhaps one. Do you have a government no-bid contract?

Personally, If I voted for anyone but Obama I wouldn't be able to shave anymore. Shaving requires looking in a mirror.

Stephen Hudler

loftlore.com

[LooseWilly]

20. In response-

See post 4, or my previous, 18.

As long as the Democratic candidates keep caving on issues that they're supposedly opposed to the Republicans on... it's all too easy to feel that a vote is a waste even if it IS cast for a Democrat.

I think that might well be what Hilary lost sight of, and what tripped her up in the primary. All of us who've come to the Democratic Party because Bush is such a colossal fuck up... but who've watched her cozy up to the "middle" (right from where many of us sit... but it's all relative, when you think about it).
If you ask me, that's the Hope that Obama brought into the campaign.

Those who are still supporting Nader are simply batshit insane, like Nader. Either that, or they've developed an allergy and/or phobia of trusting in the Democratic Party. My guess is that they've become convinced that it's run by PUMAs...

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. It's about the war

The ones I know who are supporting Nader and McKinney are die hard anti-war folks who are angry that the Dems have not ended the war since taking over Congress in 2006. Yes I have explained to many that the Repukes are blocking legislation and Bush vetoes it but the Dems really haven't stepped up as much as they could have so it is hard to defend them. BUT Obama came out against the war back in 2002. That fact seems to escape these people.

I have been involved in quite a few tense online discussions over this. It has divided the anti war community, but the majority of us DO seem to support Obama.

[DCBob]

19. I voted for Nader in 2000 as a protest. My state (MD) was blue regardless but..

I still regret it to this day. Even though Nader is an egomaniac, I cannot imagine he is willing to risk giving this election to the Republicans. I am hopeful that at the last minute he will drop out and throw his support to Obama... or is that a pipe dream?

[VAliberal]

21. my wife is a liberal, pro-choice Republican

who is voting for Nader.

We have dueling yard signs.

I keep weedling at her and maybe can flip her for Obama come election day. I'm thinking three dozen roses right before we go to the polls and my begging.

She refuses on principle to vote for a man suffering from the onset of dementia and a hard-right, anti-choice, fundamentalist sidekick. Hopefully Nader will peel away some support from McCain along with Bob Barr.

[AndyTiedye]

22. Nader is Trying to Help the Republicans Win Again. He Wants to Destroy the Democratic Party

[flamingdem]

25. He's a phoney and should be stopped

An evil person in my opinion.

[alcibiades_mystery]

23. Because people always gamble with fake stakes

It's free online poker.

On November 4, it's real money, and suddenly Nader is at .8%.

[chitty]

30. 2% in a close state is all it takes.

[phleshdef]

24. IF Nader cared about introducing his ideas in ways that were effective...

He would have ran for the house or senate ages ago, as either a Democrat or an independent, and then he would have used that position to introduce his stances to America in a way that actually stands a chance of helping someone. Instead he holds the traditional, "holier than thou", publicity stunt every 4 years, gets his little ego fix and rides off into the sunset.

[flamingdem]

27. He makes a buck with his phoney campaigns and we all suffer

He should be ridiculed, he has nothing to offer.

[mac56]

29. Because P.T. Barnum was right.

There's a sucker born every minute.

[dana_b]

31. my co-worker

refuses to vote for McSame, of course, but really thinks that Obama is too corporate and she thinks that ALL of the troops need to come home now. Consequently she's an avid Nader supporter. Another co-worker said to her 'well - he has no chance to win so what's the point?" Her response - "if people would VOTE for him then he would!!". She's pretty adamant and firm in her support of him.