Ralph Nader for President 2008 blog -- Ralph Nader for President in 2008

Don't Run 06/13/08

2008 Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader discusses a remark made to him by a fellow alumnus at a recent Princeton reunion. Watch the video here, read the transcript below.

Do you think Ralph Nader should run? If so, let him know now with your contribution. (Your contribution could be doubled. Public campaign financing may match your contribution total up to $250.) - The Nader Team

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I was at my Princeton reunion the other day, and a young alumnus came up to me - he was very kind - and he said "You know, I really like what you're doing - I like what you did - but please don't run."

I said "Do you realize what you are saying?"

And he said "Yes, I said please don't run."

I said "You're telling me not to use my First Amendment rights of speech, assembly, and petition inside the electoral arena. You're telling me to shut up. Are you aware of what you're saying?"

He said "I understand, I understand, I like what you're doing, but please don't run."

So I went through and I said "Well, would you tell those voters instead of trying to determine which one was worse between the Democrats and the Whigs, the two major parties in the 19th century, and instead cut out and voted for the Liberty Party, which was the anti-slavery party - would you say to those candidates, 'Don't run'?"

And he sort of paused.

Put a Five Spot on the Real Deal 06/12/08

Let's start with this.

If you haven't donated to Nader/Gonzalez yet, please give five dollars now.

Here's why: despite what you've heard, we're making a difference in the here and now.

According to an article in today's Politico, two words explain the reason Obama and the Democrats are sounding more populist: Ralph Nader.

The author, Jeremy Lott, writes this:

"Nader's challenge convinced the powers that be in the party that they simply cannot afford to let a serious challenger get to the left of the party's presidential candidate. That helps explain why Dean was given the DNC chairmanship over a Clinton loyalist and why concerns about electability were brushed aside to make way for the junior Illinois senator's nomination."

We don't buy Lott's conclusion that the Democratic Party is now Nader's party.

Most of the Democrats' populism is mere posturing.

Nader and the NBA 06/11/08

Want to support a Presidential candidate who calls it as he sees it, without fear or favor?

Then support Ralph Nader and the Nader/Gonzalez ticket.

Just look at today's headlines, and you'll see that Nader was the early warning system.

From food safety (bad tomatoes), to cracking down on corporate crime (sub-prime meltdown), to the oil industry ($4 a gallon), to health insurance (42 percent of adult Americans now underinsured or uninsured), to the corporate control of the two major political parties (corporate contributions to the Democratic Party in Denver), to the war in Iraq, to the NBA playoffs.

The NBA playoffs?

Yes, even when it comes to the NBA playoffs, Ralph was right.

And he was right early.

Casinos on Wall Street 06/11/08

Move over Las Vegas. The big time gamblers are on Wall Street and they are gambling with your money, your pensions, and your livelihoods.

Unlike Las Vegas casinos, these big investment banks, commercial banks and stock brokerage houses are supposed to have a fiduciary relationship with your money. They are supposed to be trustees for the money you have given them to safeguard, and tell you when they are making risky investments.
Continue reading ...

Foregone Conclusion 06/10/08

They say it’s a foregone conclusion that either Obama or McCain will win the November election.

After all, Obama and McCain are the odds on favorites to win.

On the other hand.

If you believe in betting against the crumbling corporate controlled two-party system.

Then you have a choice.

The long shot independent - Nader/Gonzalez.

(Of course, if you bet and win, all that you will get is a shift of power from the big corporations back to the people. Not bad for politics.)

Remember, you can donate up to the legal limit of $4,600.

But all donations of any size will be used frugally to continue to build a nationwide challenge in November.

(Pictured here, Albert Marino and friends yesterday at the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office in Charleston turning in 10,000 or so signatures - we need 15,000 valid. Albert and crew busted it over the past couple of weeks and are well on their way to putting Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot in the Mountain State. Just one of many scenes of young Nader/Gonzalez activists working hard all across this country for the November long shot.)

Ralph in AP Poll 06/09/08

An Associated Press poll released on Friday shows:

Barack Obama 47 percent

John McCain 43 percent

And Ralph Nader 6 percent.

And that's Nader at six percent with virtually no mainstream national press coverage.

Why is Nader's six percent important?

Because this might be the year when the Presidential debates are busted open.

Google has shown an interest in hosting debates.

And McCain has floated the idea of ten town hall debates.

To get into these debates, it's important that Ralph show a certain level of support.

He's got that, according to the most recent AP poll. And then it becomes important that he gets on as many state ballots as possible. Continue reading ...

Menthol Men 06/07/08

Senators Obama and McCain:

We were reading the other day about the tobacco legislation you both support that is making its way through Congress.

The bill would give the federal government the authority to regulate tobacco.

And it would ban flavored cigarettes - like strawberry and chocolate.

Flavoring makes tobacco smoke more attractive - especially to young people.

So, we agree - flavoring should be banned from cigarettes.

Here's the curious thing, though.

Under the bill, all flavorings would be banned.

Except for menthol.

The Trick 06/06/08

How do you get people to vote against their own self interest?

That's the trick.

One way is to make people believe in a dream.

That's what all of the mainstream politicians are doing - feeding that dream.

Obama is feeding a dream - a dream of change and renewal.

He's feeding a dream that the conditions that surround us - Iraq, the economy, the racial divide, the class divide in this country - that they are magically going to go away by voting for this centrist Democrat.

That is nonsense, of course.

Obama is not proposing any structural changes.

McCain is feeding us the dream, the fantasy of power and control.

Over the Top in Arizona 06/05/08

Shake and bake.

Rock and roll.

You did it.

You helped get way more than enough signatures to put Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot in Arizona.

State law says we need 21,759 valid signatures to get on.

Yesterday, our roadtrippers in the Grand Canyon state turned in more than 65,000.

Pictured here is our Arizona state coordinator Nicole Brooks, handing in the petitions to Arizona Secretary of State Janice Brewer. And here is the AP story reporting the turn in.

Barring some perverse calamity (read: hyper aggressive Democratic Party obstructionism in a slam dunk Republican state), Nader/Gonzalez will be on in John McCain’s backyard.

Again, you did it.

Thank you.

Gaza, Obama, AIPAC 06/04/08

There is one clear choice this year for peace in the Middle East.

Nader/Gonzalez.

Thanks to your ongoing support, the Nader/Gonzalez peace in the Middle East campaign is aiming to be on the ballot nationwide in November.

Only Nader/Gonzalez stands with the courageous Israeli and Palestinian peace movements.

Only Nader/Gonzalez stands with the majority of Jewish Americans and Arab Americans which polls repeatedly show support a two-state solution as a way for peace in the Middle East.

Only Nader/Gonzalez would reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Doubt it?

Then just listen to Barack Obama's speech from this morning to the militarist and right-wing American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Ralph Nader for President 2008