Filed under: Rants and raves, Politics, Presidential elections, Headline news
When I think of Ralph Nader running for president again as an independent candidate and how that could affect the general election, I think he has to be a closet Republican, or have a few advisers that fit the bill. He was the spoiler before and he might be again.
He states that Republican and Democratic candidates are too beholden to huge business. Perhaps. He says we’re not doing enough to protect the environment, also true. He thinks he knows better, maybe; but Cuba just had a guy named Fidel step down from his presidency (sort-of) who knew superior also, or so he insisted since 1959.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s Nader was an important figure who successfully championed many causes including the environment, consumer protection, civil rights, disclosure laws and fought for those that could not fight for themselves. He was a man of the times. These are his times no more. His provocation of the electorate might stem more from being ‘green with envy’, as much as being a green party advocate.
When Nader began his quest to do good decades ago, he truly was unique, and he was needed. Today, he has been supplanted by dozens of advocacy groups working tirelessly to improve the human condition, challenging government and big business to clean up their acts, nationally and internationally.
As a young adult I was a supporter of Nader, I appreciated him and most of the good work that he has done. He has the ability to still do a lot of good work. However, when I hear him this day, I hear a man frustrated by the system who cannot get anyone to listen to him unless he upsets the apple cart. Apparently, he feels the need to do that, and it is most likely the Democrats that will be stumbling over the apples.
The real reason that Nader can’t support either of the major political celebrations has more to do with who he’s than the issues themselves. Neither celebration has really frozen him out and if he thinks that the people would support him he could work from within the system, but alas, theres the rub. It isn’t in his nature or his history to work within the system. He feels most comfortable working from outside the system, playing the underdog and throwing down the gauntlet. He has done so again.
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money.
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