Questions for you Nader Fans

Seth Ackerman SAckerman at FAIR.org
Fri Jun 30 10:10:02 PDT 2000


1. Yes. It is hypocritical of Nader to support good labor law while busting unions. But that still makes him the only candidate pushing good labor law.

2. How Nader treats his employees is relevant to an assessment of Nader the man. It doesn't alter my assessment of Nader the protest candidate.

3. I have no idea how Nader would react to a card-check at Public Citizen.
>From what you say -- and I believe you -- it sounds like he wouldn't do it.

4. Here you have a point -- if what you say about Nader's stance on foreign policy is true. But again, no one's voting to make Ralph emperor of a movement. He's a protest candidate.

5 & 6. Yes, I disagree with your assumption here.

As for Nader's coalition-building, I'll say this. In Seattle, PC worked with Teamsters, environmentalists, student radicals, and overseas movements. That's not bad, right?

As for PC working with the American Legion and right-wing groups attacking China, which they are still doing *after* the PNTR vote, I'll say this: In my view that type of activity represents the biggest threat to the future of left politics in America right now.


> ----------
> From: TRox51 at aol.com[SMTP:TRox51 at aol.com]
> Reply To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> Sent: Friday, June 30, 2000 8:47 AM
> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> Subject: Questions for you Nader Fans
>
> Including you, Doug:
>
> 1. Don't you think its just the least bit hypocritical of Nader to say he
> wants to focus on how US labor laws make it difficult to organize unions
> when he himself has used those laws and the system to stifle unions at his
> own shop (and not only at Multinational Monitor)?
>
> 2. Isn't how a man like Nader treats employees relevant to a movement
> that is supposedly trying to create an alternative, more democratic
> society?
>
> 3. Do you think Nader would agree to the unionization by card check of
> Public Citizen and other Nader organizations if presented with a majority
> of pro-union cards today? And if he didn't, would you still vote for the
> guy?
>
> 4. Doesn't it concern you that throughout the last 20 years, Nader has
> never said a word about US foreign policy - Central America, Asia, or the
> Middle East? I'm not talking here about corporate policy, I'm talking
> about such things as the US wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua or the
> bombing of Iraq.
>
> 5. Given Nader's (and Public Citizen's) dismal history of
> coalition-building over the past 3 decades, what makes you think Nader is
> the man to unite progressive-left forces in this country?
>
> 6. If you disagree with the assumption in Question 5, what examples can
> you provide of progressive coalition building on the part of Nader or PC?
>
> Evidence, please.
>
> Tim Shorrock
>



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list