Ralph Nader is the Last Patriot

[tabs]

Tonight I saw Ralph Nader on Charely Rose...to sum Naders position up in as few words as I can....1. He sees that Americans are apathetic Politically, while they are at the top of their game on the job...he points out two reasons...1. Americans feel that their vote doesn't count, it will happen anyway and 2. Lack of Civics being taught in schools. He says that the power lies with the people and we should hold our Policians accountable and take back the power...He also decrys the consolidation of corporate power as never before...that our Political process is corrupted by corporate money...I would also add that Americans are being distracted by the material lifestyle they lead....nobody wants to give up their SUV and they would rather watch Nascar than get involved in the political process....they are being bought off.

I totally agree with Nade,r however he doesn't take it far enough....Our corporate culture has superceded our Political process...the corporate culture is now GLOBAL...and the US government is subserviant to this corprate Globalism (Laws and Foreign Policy are subordinated to corporate interests)..The effect is that the USA is now an imperial power, that projects it's power economically through corporations rather than militarially as Rome did...military power is used as an adjunct to corporate power...at the heart of the Jihadist movement is a revlusion of this Global corporatism....they see the encroachment of Mickey Mouse and Coca Cola as an attack on their culture....the Liberalism that is brought with corporatism is viewed as an attack on their traditional values... Thus it doesn't matter which pollitical party holds the White House..the policies are ultimately going to be the same the only difference maybe in the style of goverence...

I would have to add that corporatism is what provides the lifestyle we lead today...it is the economy of scale that provides the goods we take for granted (affordabilty) and it is this scale that allows the R&D for the technological advances we see going on around us.. however this is a 2 edged sword. the price to pay for this progress is envirnomental degradation...U can't have it both ways... .

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Nader is a very bright guy but unfortunately the machinery of politics grinds up any attempt at the genesis of a third party. I'm beginning to seriously think that most people don't have the mental capacity to consider more than two dumbed-down bullet points at a time anyway. My views are (like most peoples') a hybrid of what's out there, but I find myself more in line with Nader's philosophies/positions than anyone else's.

God forbid we actually have an election that's about positions and issues - that'd run against the "way we've always done it" where it has to be the "lesser of two evils". Oh no. Can't have that, now can we?

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Porsche-O-Phile

God forbid we actually have an election that's about positions and issues - that'd run against the "way we've always done it" where it has to be the "lesser of two evils". Oh no. Can't have that, now can we?

What? And give up the media circus, beauty contest, witch hunt, that we use to pick the people that run our country?

THAT'S JUST CRAZY TALK!

NO WAY! Not going happen, furgitaboutit...

[bryanthompson]

Nader is an absolute lunatic.

[tabs]

The American people have been bought off...so long as they get their cake...a bright shiney SUV in the driveway and Nascar they will remain fat dumb and happy sheep....The minute the president come on TV and says I'm soory to report this but there will be no more gasoline and we will be cutting back on electric power to 2 days a week then the American people will get up in arms... Simple...

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
Nader is an absolute lunatic.

Closest he was to sanity was around the Corvair era, and has gone downhill ever since...

joeA

[legion]

I agree with Nader that the government gives too much money to corporations, that the American public is largely apathetic towards politics, and that the political system is set up to keep third-parties out of the running. I also think that the government gives too much money to individuals.

Nader has a few good thoughts, but doesn't mean he has everything together upstairs. He made his name suing a good car out of existence which was fundamentally no different than many others on the road at the time. He selectively picked a few cases and used them as representative of all cases.

[tabs]

Corporations give too much money to POLITICIANS....have too many Lobbyists...it all subverts the system...skews it in their favor...

[MikeCT]

I agree with you tabs but I would not want to see nader as a president. From my understanding he has to have total control over his green party. Although it would be nice to see a third party in an election debate. Personally I don't see much difference between either republicans or democrats; they both kiss corporate a$$es. They should add a "no thanks" slot on the voting ballot. if there are enough "no thanks" the parties need to find new candidates.

[bryanthompson]

if there are enough "no thanks" the parties need to find new canidates.

I like this idea, and think we should implement it by the 2008 election. That way, when no successor to Bush is found, we get a few more years out of him before they can choose another candidate. Good thinking, even for a liberal!

[artplumber]

Isn't Nader really one of the prime movers in the "it's not my fault" apathetic movement? After all, his work (not just with corvairs) is more than just consumer protection - he wants any & all blame to fall on large corporations. Look at all the silly warning labels they put on everything nowadays, and the attitude of the corps is that a lawsuit is just around the corner - find a way to cover a$$.

So, it doesn't surprise me that Nader would blame the corps for the politics too. The problem is as likely due to the two party system, which is due to the electoral majority req'ment.. etc.