2.24.2008

Nader 2008



OK - so here's a debacle. The super-smart, super-educated, really rich, somewhat old, incredibly confident Nader has just declared his candidacy.

This is complicated. Some point blame to him for Gore's loss in Florida (Bush won by a couple hundred votes, Nader gathered almost 100K votes). Some analysts have attempted to show that his presence on the ballot increased voter turnout, and actually increased net votes to the other candidates, and by such ratio that the results would have gone the same way had he not been on the ballot.

He's got a lot of good, very liberal ideas, and he clearly gets right into the thick of things - why not tax Wall Street instead of clothing and dish washers?

But a nation under his leadership is probably simply not in question. Moderate and Conservative Repubs will not vote for him. The Rebub outsiders that lean way left by party standards may cast him a look; for the Dems, the radical leftists make up a much more substantial % of the party - and seemingly, this creates a potential disproportionate impact on the campaigns of each party - Democrats risk far more of its masses going the way of Nader.

Assuming that is the case - and entertaining that he has literally just shy of absolutely NO chance of winning - his candidacy means good for Repubs, bad for Dems.

So Nader, step down.

Right?

OR - is his candidacy a prime example of the electoral system working as it should - Independents weilding a heavy sword late in the game - with the ability to shave votes from one party or the other and sway the pendulum?

(Or is this even what it's about?)

Maybe Nader is secretly supporting McCain.

Joking.

No, seriously.

No, no, just joking.

But seriously.