I think Nader is right to some degree. The American people underestimate their power to influence their representatives in D.C. and at the very least should exercise their right to become involved and voice their opinions.
But I think Nader is being a bit naive on the degree that voice influenced the speed in which the ‘no call’ effort was embraced by the Bushies. There are plenty of issues that have stirred an outpouring of dissent and those opinion makers are still struggling to be ‘heard’ by the Bush administration.
The ‘No Call’ initiative serves the Bush administration well. They can be perceived as doing something for the ‘little people’ when in reality the move is serving one of the biggest businesses around, the RNC. I read the other day a lot of their new donations are being solicited over the phone. It seems to me the public would be much more receptive to those phone calls now that George has put the kibosh to the others besides freeing the lines for them.
Update: It also frees those lines for military recruiters.
If he comes to DC again, I am going to go to the rally and hold up a big sign that says “Gore got 86% of the vote in DC. Vote Democrat” to make fun of what the Greens in Vermont did during Dean’s official declaration speech, when someone held up a sign that said “Nader got 7% in Vermont. Vote Green Party.”
Nader didn’t lose the election for Gore even if he did go back on his statement he wouldn’t run in close states.
Gore for whatever reason allowed SCOTUS to take an election that belonged to him and use an unsigned per diem to crown George. Why didn’t Gore fight back? Did they threaten his family, have something on him, I don’t know.
The Greens are not powerful but do seem to have something Democrats could use. Pride in a straighforward platform and the integrity that comes with not being owned by special interests. The very reasons they can’t win an election are why in a sane world they should.