Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Daily Dose---2/23

Nader '08?
Tomorrow morning on Meet the Press, Ralph Nader, who ran for President in 2000 and 2004, is expected to announce a bid for the Presidency this year as well.  Quite frankly, this man sickens me.  He runs year after year for nothing more than an ego trip.  When will he realize that all he does is take votes away from the Democrats, whom he is much more in line with than the Republicans?  Seriously, who would have done more to advance the causes that Nader supposedly cares about----Al Gore or George W. Bush.  We know that answer.  That brings me to the conclusion that if Nader really cared about the issues that he says he does, he would not only support the Democratic nominee, but campaign for him/her. All he does by running, is make it easier for a Republican, in this case, John McCain, to win the White House.  

Here's a great video that an "anonymous" person posted on the internet concerning a possible 2008 Nader candidacy:


Democratic Veeps

There has been a lot of buzz on the net concerning who Barack Obama might choose as his Vice-President.  Frankly, I don't want to rule out Sen. Clinton, but it does appear that Obama will be the nominee.  So, who will he choose?  Many are suggesting Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas.  I like Gov. Sebelius, but she's not right to balance out the ticket. Obama needs someone with foreign policy experience first and foremost, and Sebelius does not have that right now. Many though, are adamant that Obama should choose a female running mate, to pacify the women who would be disgruntled if Sen. Clinton does not win.  I'm not saying she's the right person, but Sen. Barbara Boxer is probably the only female, besides Sen. Clinton of course, who is young enough, yet has enough foreign policy credentials to be on the Presidential ticket (Sen. Feinstein would be other, but she is too old).  The problem with Boxer is that California is going to go for Obama regardless of whether or not she is on the ticket.  My suggestion for Obama would be someone like Bill Richardson. Richardson has executive experience, unparalleled foreign policy experience, and would do a great deal to bring Latinos on to the Obama campaign.  And although I don't think Richardson is that exciting or was that great of a candidate in his own right, he might be the best choice out there for Obama.  Any other thoughts? 

9 comments :

Anonymous said...

I used to have the same opinion as you about Ralph Nader's running for president but I'll probably vote for him this year, if he runs. There comes a time when you vote your conscience instead of voting for the lesser of two evils. I more closely align with the democratic party but they have reached a point to where their ideals are less and less in line with what principles the democratic party was founded on. The Green Party still represents those principles and I will vote for them instead of using my vote simply to stop John McCain. ~ Johnny

Anonymous said...

Check out: therealmccain.com and pass the link on to your friends and family. ~ Johnny

Anonymous said...

If Obama is the nominee I think he will go to some one like Joe Biden or General Wesley Clark. If Clinton is the nominee I think Wesley Clark will be on the top of her list. A governor from one of the mid eastern states would probable be a plus. Nader should support the democratic nominee because he can get more done when it comes to making the nation green with the democratic party. It is not really the lesser of two evils. Every candidate has his pluses and minuses. It boils down to who with all their faults(and all have faults) can do a better job to enhance the quality of life for the people and our country.

Anonymous said...

I really don't think Obama would consider Wesley Clark because of his support for Hillary Clinton during the primary. It'd be like Hillary picking Ted Kennedy for her running mate.
Unfortunately, the democratic party has taken a wide swing right in an attempt at regaining their mojo. The party of Thomas Jefferson and John Kennedy NEVER compromised their democratic principles for political gain. I can not and will not support any change that is not in line with the party that I grew up with. The Green Party is closer ideologically with the old democratic party and I will support the party who supports my beliefs. That party is the Green Party.
Instead of blaming the messenger (Ralph Nader), perhaps the democrats should blame the message that their party has abandoned their progessive side. ~ Johnny

Anonymous said...

Hey Johnny, The green party is really Nader. They have no national party to speak of. Did the green party nominate Nader? Or did he just nominate himself? The democratic party is the party of Jefferson and Kennedy. Some times it gets broke but it is the only party big enough to change things in the right direction. Kennedy and Jefferson whould have never run away from failure. They would have worked to make it better.

Anonymous said...

Kennedy and Jefferson whould have never run away from failure. They would have worked to make it better.

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I don't belong to ANY political party. I vote my conscience. If I believe that Ralph Nader best represents my political ideology, that's the person I'll vote for. As for working to make the democratic party better, the only way we can change it is in the ballot box. If we continue to reward their self-serving corporate butt-kissing, they'll continue serving the corporations over us. The only true way to bring change is to support those who support us. Unfortunately, it's neither the democrats or republicans. ~ Johnny

Anonymous said...

Just to expound upon my problems. FDR, one of the great democratic progressives, created the social security system and Medicare during his terms in office. Did he turn social security savings over to the banking industry or Wall Street, which had collapsed during the great depression? No. he created a single payer system, controlled by the federal government. It would be guaranteed by the federal government.

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama want to turn the national health care system over to the very industries that are the root cause of the health care crisis. While many people are dying each year due to greedy HMOs refusing treatment, the head of one of the largest health care providers was given a 1.6 billion dollar bonus last year. Does no one see a problem here? The democrats are willing to turn our health care over to the people responsible for our health care crisis just for political expediency. The HMOs won't fight the democrats efforts if they're the ones with the most to gain but by allowing the health care industry to control the entire nation's health care, they're basically allowing the fox full run of the chicken house.

Anonymous said...

Well Johnny, we all have problems and when it comes to the vote, the voter has to choose who will do the most good and least harm. One can find something or many things wrong about a particular candidate, that is true in all walks of life, we all have imperfections but we have to make a choice. Voting for a 3rd party candidate will not make our political system any better and that candidate would not get any thing thru congress. Our political system is broke but a third party candidate will not get enough support to fix it. I don't have a problem with the way people vote because we all have to live with who we voted for. You can't hold a third party candidate responsible if he can't get elected.

Anonymous said...

Well Johnny, we all have problems and when it comes to the vote, the voter has to choose who will do the most good and least harm.

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There's the rub. I don't think we should be reduced to voting for ANYONE who does ANY harm. My views are more progressive and I'm a pro-labor, pro-middle class democrat. Neither candidate in the two major parties represents what I think. I won't vote for a candidate just because they belong to a certain political party or because they'll do the "least harm". Ralph Nader doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell of getting elected but every vote that he gets is a vote that the democrats know they'll have to win back with policy changes.