If you heard that Ralph Nader died tomorrow, what would you do?

[zulchzulu]

Poll question: If you heard that Ralph Nader died tomorrow, what would you do?

Hey, it could happen. Don't look at me if it does happen though.

[jpgray]

1. Respect the good things he's done, and forgive him his hypocrisy (nt)

[jobycom]

2. Yes, and do the same for Bush and Cheney. nt

[leftistagitator]

5. Yeah, but there's less to respect with *, and more to forgive.

[slenderfungus]

8. Show the same respect that John Kerry would demonstrate!!! (nt)

[JI7]

3. i would be sad he died and talk about the good he did

even though i didn't like some of the things he has said recently and especially about gore. but i would still be sad as he has done a lot of good in his life.

[DerekG]

4. Well, I'd go to GD: Campaign 2004...

And remind the legions of celebrating "progressives" that they haven't put forth 1/1000 of the effort Nader has to improve the lives of Americans.

I swear, some of you--save for political ideology--resemble those denizens of Free Republic. What will happen to you guys once your boogeyman passes away?

[IndianaGreen]

6. They will find another boogeyman

I swear, some of you--save for political ideology--resemble those denizens of Free Republic. What will happen to you guys once your boogeyman passes away?

The unrepentant Left!

It also shows a lack of core values, which often manifest itself in the way pacifists and other peace activists are loathed around here.

[jpgray]

11. Sorry, but Nader's portfolio demonstrates a lack of core values

You have many monstrous things represented, slave labor (Gap, the Limited), Occidental oil, the weapons killing Iraqis as we speak (Raytheon, General Dynamics, Boeing) and the company stealing billions in tax-payer dollars while denying soldiers proper equipment (Halliburton). All this, and his spear-carriers will still defend him to death, and open their wallets to be fleeced by a man who profits off the very things he claims to work against.

Nader says some of the right things, but he believes in what he says about as much as any other shameless hypocrite politician.

For the more idealistic progressives, especially those who are not inclined to research or objective thought, that's enough. It's a sad statement on what we've become that Nader is our 'conscience vote'. Kucinich stacks up far better.

[Melodybe]

12. Hogwash, I am mad at Nader b/c he is HURTING our cause and HELPING

Bushco. First and formost I am a pacifist, I have been to peace protests, and I voted for Nader in 2000.

Nader is an egotistical asshole.

If he gave a shit about anyone of us, he would drop out in October.

If he gave a shit about America, he would actually TALK about his own progressive agenda and not lie about how Bush and Kerry are the same.

If he gave a shit about us, he might actually use some of that time on all the talk shows telling everyone in this country what a horrible pResident Bush is.

If he gave a shit about us, maybe he would quit spamming democratic forums with lies about Kerry.

If you vote for Nader then YOU lack core values because you couldn't compromise, you couldn't see past your own selfishness and self rightious ideas to realize that we have to take baby steps to get anything accomplished.

Nader makes me ill. To hell with him.

[JI7]

14. to be fair, he isn't really attacking kerry as he did gore

for some reason nader just didn't like gore. but he seems to like kerry , at least personally even if they might have some differences. and kerry is playing it different from gore in that kerry says he will show why people should vote for him over nader. there will always be some who will not like kerry and will not vote for him though. but these aren't the voters he has to think about. it's the rest .

[slenderfungus]

15. This kind of attitude reflects poorly to potential Kerry supporters!

[IndianaGreen]

21. Nader is your strawman argument

Nader is not on the Indiana ballot, so there!

I can only assume that you will be joining us on the June 5 antiwar march. We are having one in downtown Indy.

I suspect that no matter who gets elected in November, we will still be marching against the war next year, and the next, and...

If you vote for Nader then YOU lack core values because you couldn't compromise, you couldn't see past your own selfishness and self rightious ideas to realize that we have to take baby steps to get anything accomplished.


There is no compromise on war crimes and wars of aggression. If you want to say it is okay for the US to invade other countries for oil, you won't find me on your side of the barricades.

FUCK your "baby steps"! This is the 21st century and it is long overdue for GLBTs to have equal rights, including the right to marry.

[aldian159]

7. I hate to plead ignorance

but why is a Chevy Corvair significant to Ralph Nader?

Or is it just the first car that popped into your head?

Thanks in advance.

[JI7]

9. it's the car that ralph nader took on as not being safe for consumers

i don't know the details though. i'm sure someone will provide more info.

[IndianaGreen]

10. The Corvair was only one chapter in Nader's "Unsafe at Any Speed"

The now classic consumer advocacy book in which Nader unmasks how General Motors purposely designed unsafe vehicles. The Corvair was only on chapter in the book, but the media latched on the Corvair.

This is the book that made Nader famous as a crusader for us, the American consumer. GM went to great lengths to smear Nader by hiring private investigators, and even prostitutes to try to lure him into a compromising position.

Next time you sit in your car, you can thank Nader for the many safety features that were mandated thanks to his efforts.

[Melodybe]

13. Yeah I'll be thanking Nader a whole bunch, when Bushco steals another

and re-instates the draft.

Considering that I have three brothers all draft age, I say fuck the bastard!

[slenderfungus]

16. This attitude will not help bring Nader supporters over to Kerry!!

[JI7]

18. she "was" a nader supporter

[IndianaGreen]

17. Wait until you see President Kerry "stay the course" in Iraq

Let's talk about the draft then!

BTW, who voted for this war?????????

[JI7]

19. he would never win re-election and would be defeated in a primary

if he started the draft again he could never be elected again and would most likely be defeated in a primary in 2008.

[DerekG]

22. Listen to yourself!

"Considering that I have three brothers all draft age, I say fuck the bastard!"


Was it Nader or Kerry who voted for the IWR in 2002? Enlighten me.

[debsianben]

42. Hey moron...

You can't have it both ways, thinking that (a)Gore won the election, and (b)it's Nader's fault that he lost.

[Strive to be Dust]

20. What good has he done lately?

:boring:
It seems to me Nader has spent the last 20 years coasting on the rep he made for himself in the 60's and '70's. His run in 2000 was a yawn. The only reason anyone has made a big deal of it is because the election was so damn close. After all folks, let's be honest; most of us thought Gore had the election in the bag. Even in Florida, if thousands hadn't been kept from voting, Gore would have won easily. Nader is a non-issue. Stop worrying about his vanity run and spend more time fighting election corruption. Florida is trying another voter roll purge folks.

[kvnf]

23. lots

He's filed tons of FOIA petitions, spoken all over the country about what he sees as the problems in this country. He helped construct my political consciousness (I'm 21). He has spoken out time and time again against the Bush administration, often more eloquently than the Democrats do (can?).

[Strive to be Dust]

28. how is this not coasting?

:shrug:
How many of those FOIA filings:
1) were filed in his name by his assistants who are doing all the real work?
2) were filed as a part of his relationship with Consumer Report Magazine?
3) kicked off a successful regulatory change?
It seems to me that his activity is 1 & 2 but not 3 which looks like coasting to me.

Talk is cheap. Gore talked a lot in the 80's and he's been talking a lot lately about environmental protection. He spent the Clinton years biting his tongue. I found Dean, Edwards, and Kucinich to be plenty eloquent.

Nader's characterization of the Democrats as being essentially the same as the Republicans was a crude fraud borrowed from the college age snobs of the 80's who used that as a bad justification for their political laziness. Any fair comparison of the disaster of the last few years and the Clinton era reveals the shallowness of that assertion. Nader's still selling that snake oil. The DLC isn't liberal but they most certainly are not aristocratic ultra-nationalists like the neo-cons.:grr:

Go back and check out what's been happening in the Democratic party before you make such a comparison (as to eloquence and making a contribution); and this time, get the facts from the source not third and fourth hand. The GOP noise machine has been at work since the 60's and has been very successful at getting the various factions of the Democratic party at each others throats.:cry:

[IndianaGreen]

24. Isn't this poll sexist?

"I'd cry and whimper like a little teenage girl"

Sexism raises its ugly head, once again!

[Stuckinthebush]

30. Yep....

A little education:

The phrase cited by IndianaGreen needs to be re-evaluated. The suggestion is that teenage boys don't cry, and if they do, it is not as silly and hysterical as when a teenage girl cries.

There are going to be those who say, "Too PC!!! It was funny!"

DU is a place where progressives need to help other progressives critically analyze their speech and actions.

Good catch, IndianaGreen.

[zulchzulu]

33. Sexist?

It's comedic...I hope you understand.

I hate it when people throw labels like that around.

[Stuckinthebush]

35. The poll does have sexist language in it

Why is the term "sexist" scary?

IndianaGreen wasn't throwing anything around.

If Progressives refuse to start taking responsibility for their language, then how can we expect others to?

[zulchzulu]

43. Aw c'mon

Lighten up, dude.

[Forkboy]

25. why the obsession?

[ibegurpard]

26. yawn

No that wouldn't be my reaction to Ralph Nader's death; it's my reaction to this juvenile thread.

[cyclezealot]

27. I'd grieve for the American people

For they would have lost another reliable ally and friend.
Can disagree with his judgement, but he is always there for our best interests..he Can't help it, the Democratic candidate does not do their best at bashing the repugs.
I voted the the Little Girl response to this jaded poll.

[Strive to be Dust]

29. Jaded?

Sorry, Nader lost all my respect when he grotesquely mis-characterized the Democrats as being the same as the Republicans. That campaign slogan did more harm to the liberal cause than anything outside of the GOP turning the word 'liberal' into an insult when used in the mass media.

[WI_DEM]

31. if he died tomorrow

I would honor him for the countless thousands of lives he saved through his work as a consumer activist. I would also honor him for standing up for workers and opposing a morally unrehensible war. Is he my choice for president? No, but I can still appreciate the good things he has accomplished.

[kimchi]

32. Other: praise his consumer advocacy

and forgive him for being an idiot and splitting the vote.

[AP]

34. I'd be disappointed. I want to know who his VP selection is boing to be.

[Pastiche423]

36. Trying to compete

w/the other site for the most sexist and cruel post?

[Dr Fate]

37. WTF? I disagree with some of what Nader does- but wishing DEATH?

Silly- why wish death on the guy?

[ButterflyBlood]

38. say "one less PNAC scumbag on the planet"

n/t

[zulchzulu]

44. I don't think St. Ralph is part of PNAC

If he is or you have some story to link him to PNAC, I'm all ears.

[Cheswick2.0]

39. I'd feel guilty that I was not sad

Then I would probably say a prayer for him to rest in peace and for his loved ones to find comfort.

[DinahMoeHum]

40. I'd eulogize about his work in consumer advocacy. . .

and how he practically wrote the book(s) on it.

And then I'd point out that he threw all that out the window in favor of gad-flying for the POTUS.

:toast:

[info being]

41. Blame you.

[CityDem]

45. This is a tasteless thread

Nader has contributed to this country in a positive manner and talking about what we would do if he died is tasteless.

[bigwillq]

46. Yawn and move on to the Sports Page. Hey

maybe I'll find a story I wrote on the page.