Reply #23: With your permission, daveskilt

[bvar22]

The following was posted as a new thread in GD, and was locked by moderators as a dulicate. I think daveskilt post deserves to be aired and discussed. I copied the following from the locked thread.

Reasons Nader running is a GOOD thing.

1. Huzzah for democracy - 2 parties only was always a bad idea. (see simpsons episode with kang and kronos posing as bob dole and bill clinton)

2. He can be the attack dog. He can say anything about Bush knowing that it isnt going to alter his chances of actually winning.

3. The repubs are going to have to deal with him on some level.

4. In swing states anyone informed enough to vote for Nader is informed enough to know that in their state they need to beat bush and vote dem this time (I'm assuming that nader voters would want rid of bush as much if not more than dems)

5. Nader brings people out to the polls who may not have voted (again huzzah for democracy) he gets people interested in issues that they care about that are often neglected - many of those people will hear his message and think - hey this bush guy really is awful on issues I care about, I will show up and vote this time (maybe for nader maybe for the dem, but not bush) or some who would have voted bush will hear Nader and decide not to.

6. Will he pull some dem voters? yes probably. but after 2000 I find it unlikely that florida or NH voters will risk it - states like Utah which will vote republican no matter what (I wonder what would happen if Hilary Clinton ran for president as a republican. I think many scannersesque head explosions in Utah would result. they would have no idea what to do ) - sure go vote Nader.

7. He can help keep the democratic party honest and not bush lite. He pulls support if the dems dont stay in touch with the left base.


I really don't see a reason for the anti-Nader hysterics. Is the Democratic party sooo weak that a single man can destroy it. If Nader's message is strong enough to destroy the Democratic Party, then we have a REAL PROBLEM.