So the election is over...put Nader back into his cryogenic chamber...

[Liberal Veteran]

....doing FUCKING NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE until four years from now when he emerges from hibernation to bitch, whine, moan and complain about politics some more.

I feel so much better for having said that.

[friesianrider]

1. No kidding.

I know there are third party lovers here, but they do and achieve ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but provide assistance to Republicans to get into office. NOTHING.

[Skwmom]

2. I think it's the Democrats who bitch, whine, and moan about Nader.

Well you were successful in keeping down the Nader vote and still LOST. Who do you blame now?

[Liberal Veteran]

3. I think you missed the point.

The point was that in the four years since the last election, Nader has not done a bloody fucking thing to help matters. Then he swoops in the last few months to talk about horrible Kerry is...how much a shill Kerry is...blah blah blah.

Now it's back into hiding for him doing absolutely fucking nothing to make matters any better.

Do you disagree? What was he doing in the last 4 years?

Building a strong coalition of progressives? NO!
Trying to make change within the Green party that supported him last time? NO!

I have no fucking idea what he did other than come out and bash our candidate while taking money from republicans.

Am I supposed to like him or respect him for that?

I used to have respect for him and now I view him as a cheap attention seeker who has earned my contempt.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. You tell it!

-----------------------------------------------------------
FIGHT! Take this country back one town and state at a time!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/electionreform.htm

[Liberal Veteran]

7. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what Nader actually did..

...during the last 4 years to help improve the chances of a progressive movement?

[Carni]

9. It isn't 3rd party who I have a problem with

It's that damned Nader in particular...he's taking way too much funding from the repukes.

[Liberal Veteran]

10. Bingo.....he let himself be used. He didn't really have an impact...

....but he certainly was a diversion no one really needed. I am just irked that instead of shoring up his support from the Greens in 2000 and trying to work to actually GROW the party (a party I happen to have a lot of respect for, with the possibly exception of some people who still feel compelled to defend Nader's every move) and the move the progressive movement forward, it's like he went into hibernation only to show up with his usual spiel (this time with the added baggage of being funded as the possible spoiler candidate without a bit of shame).

[tjwash]

4. Nader had nothing to do with it.

Kerry ran an awful campaign. He went all Dukakis on us, posing for all those stupid pictures, refusing to challenge shrub on the swift boat garbage, refusing to nip the Catholic Church thing off in the bud, Choosing Edwards as a running mate when there were much better options open to him, etc. He was (pardon the sports analogy) playing not to lose, and not to win.

To answer James Carville's question from last night, that's why he handed shrubs ass to him on all three debates, and still lost the election. The average American does not watch debates.

[Liberal Veteran]

6. I didn't say Nader cost us the campaign!

I said he didn't do anything but emerge in the last year and bash our candidate and whine about politics.

There is a difference. I don't believe he cost us the election, but after this go around with him I have nothing but contempt for him as a political opportunist who shows up every now and again to offer some bitching, but then goes away to hide in between doing NOTHING to actually make matters better anymore.

[Carni]

8. he's like freaking Dr Evil

I am SICK of that guy...

I can see him (or an HONEST person like him...he is not honest)wanting to be on the landscape and I can certainly see why the man wanted to be included in the debates (and they should have let him be in 2000) but when you get right to election day in a climate like this...drop the fuck out of the race because you've made your point.

I don't want to hear how I am some slave to the DNC or DLC or whoever the hell, because I am not...I just didn't want freaking Bush again and Nader just made things that much more complicated.

Look at all the time wasted in Ohio because they had to try to take that asshole to court to get him off the ballot.