No Longer Afraid of Nader

I voted for Nader in 2000, I admit it. And apologize for it. This election year though, he not only didn't have my vote (well, he couldn't have, since he wasn't on the ballot here), but he scared me. I was afraid he'd spoil things again. He didn't; somehow King George stayed in power without Ralph's help.

But now, now that he's no longer a threat to Anybody-But-Bush, I'm not afraid of him anymore. In fact, I can see him turning out to be a big asset in the defense against Bush, if other people can get over their Nader-phobia like I have. Nobody can deny it: he's a fighter. Here's an opening volley, courtesy of an interview by Democracy Now!.

There is no crisis in Social Security. It's absolutely solvent until 2052, according to the Social Security trustees, who are pretty conservative. The slightest changes can continue it on for the rest of the century. Medicare is the one with sky rocketing corporate health costs that is in trouble. But Wall Street and the republicans and the ideologues, including George W. Bush, have got their eyes on these private accounts...

Now [Bush is] placing all of his cronies in all of these cabinet positions because he doesn't want candid commentary and candid advice. This is a closed-mind messianic militarist, who can be vulnerable politically, if you had a steadfast Democratic Party who knew what it stood for. Because the old story, refusing to bend, he broke, will apply to Bush in politics, because he is setting himself up for being advised by sycophants. This is like a royal court, being advised by sycophants...

I think the anti-war movement went on hibernation because of anybody-but-Bush syndrome for a year, and severely weakened itself. It needs to reassert itself...

if you want to see the trajectory of what I see in this country, because of unbridled corporate power, it's in the book, The Good Fight, which I urge people to read.