> How to make a vote for Nader NOT be a vote for Bush...
>
> http://www.nadertrader.com/
>
> As the election quickly approaches and the presidential race appears to be
> going down to the wire, many of us are wrestling with how to use our vote.
> Should we vote for Al Gore, who often strikes us as the lesser of two
> evils, or for Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate?
>
> In a way, you can do both. Become a Nader Trader! All indications are that
> the election will be decided in a handful of swing states, where a few
> thousand votes might make a huge difference in the electoral process.
> Votes
> for Nader in these states run a very real risk of putting George W. Bush
> in
> the White House. While sincere, committed people can disagree on voting
> for
> Gore or Nader, few want the responsibility of personally ushering in four
> or eight years of Bush's regressive fiscal, environmental, and social
> agenda. At the same time, voters are torn by the fact that although Nader
> will not win any states outright, if the Green Party gets more than 5% of
> the national vote, it will qualify for federal election funds in the 2004
> election.
>
> What's a Nader Trader?
>
> A Nader Trader is someone who is leaning toward Ralph Nader in a swing
> state, but informally agrees to "trade" his or her vote with a Gore-voting
> friend in a state that's strongly expected to go for Bush. In other words,
> you vote for Gore in your swing state, while your friend casts a vote for
> Nader without doing damage to the Gore/Lieberman ticket. It's an easy way
> to tip the electoral balance away from Bush while preserving the national
> totals for the Green Party. If enough people "trade" their votes, there is
> a very real chance that the
> Green Party's power will be increased AND that George W. Bush and his
> cronies will be kept out of the White House.
>
> If you're a Gore supporter in a state that's strongly expected to go for
> Bush, phone or email a friend in a swing state who you think might be
> leaning toward Nader. If you're a Nader supporter in a swing state,
> contact
> a friend in a secure state for Bush. Even if you don't fit these
> categories, you can still play a crucial part by passing on this idea
> through forwarding this via email, telling as many friends as possible so
> that everyone hears about it by election day. Encourage friends who may
> receive a partial email to visit http://www.nadertrader.org for more
> information.
>
>
>
> Where are the swing states?
>
> The state-by-state information at www.abcnews.com has been keeping a
> running assessment of what states are considered tossups, and they now
> include information about how strongly each state is leaning toward one
> candidate. Don't just guess about the status of yours-- visit the site or
> read on.
>
> At the time of this writing (Friday, 10/27/00), there are over 100
> electoral votes among tossup states.
>
> Tossup States:
>
> Washington
> Oregon
> Minnesota
> Wisconsin
> Michigan
> Ohio
> Pennsylvania
> Florida
> Missouri
> Arkansas
> New Mexico
> New Hampshire
>
> Many voters in these tossup states would like to cast a vote for Nader,
> but
> are unwilling to put Bush in the White House. Are you one of them? If so,
> contact friends and family about moving your Nader vote out of your swing
> states. Bring a Gore vote from a Bush-secure state into your swing state.
> Move your Nader vote to a Bush state.
>
> Where are the Bush-secure states?
>
> Even the quickest look at the electoral map will make you realize that
> there are a lot of states that are secure for Bush. There are millions of
> Gore voters in these states who would love to cast a meaningful vote in
> this election. They're currently stuck in a state that will go for Bush.
> These Gore voters in Bush- secure states should contact friends and family
> about bringing a vote for Nader into their state while informally
> "trading"
> their Gore vote into a swing state.
>
> Bush-Secure States Include:
>
> Texas
> Mississippi
> Alabama
> Georgia
> South Carolina
> North Carolina
> Virginia
> Montana
> Idaho
> Wyoming
> North and South Dakota
>
>
> Isn't California secure for Gore?
>
> Nader Traders should realize that California is not a secure state for
> Gore. This cannot be overemphasized.
>
> Recent polls have shown a once-strong California lead for Gore has eroded,
> leaving California as merely leaning toward Gore with significant support
> for Nader. Many California voters have seen recent articles in the LA
> Times
> and other papers about the threat of Nader to Gore's chances in
> California.
> Gore voters in California should not switch their votes to Nader under any
> circumstances.
>
> California voters interested in Nader should contact friends and family in
> Bush-safe states. Move those Nader votes down to Texas where they won't
> hurt anybody!
>
> How might this help Nader's candidacy?
>
> The benefits of the Nader Trader idea for the Gore/Lieberman campaign are
> obvious. But the idea will also almost certainly help Nader and the Green
> Party as well. Potential Nader supporters who had been reluctant (but
> willing) to vote for Gore can now be encouraged to find partners in other
> states, actually raising Nader's national vote total! Thus, it's in the
> best interest of all Nader and Gore supporters to work together to spread
> the word about Nader Trader.
>
> Is Ralph Nader on the ballot in all 50 states?
>
> No, and NaderTraders should take this into account when arranging trades
> with friends and family. The map on Nader's official site currently shows
> that North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Dakota are the three states where
> Nader is neither on the ballot nor will be counted as a write-in.
> Write-ins
> for Nader will be allowed in Georgia, Indiana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Ralph
> is
> on the ballot in the remaining states.
>
> Whose idea is this?
>
> The idea for Nader Trader came up during a discussion of these issues
> between Gore-leaning and Nader-leaning friends over dinner. It's not
> endorsed or funded by any candidate or party, nor has it been "cleared"
> with any party beforehand. It's just a simple, effective way to allow you
> to send a message AND to elect the better of the two major candidates. And
> you can bet that if this idea is widely distributed, a large-scale
> geographic movement of Nader votes out of swing states will make George W.
> Bush and the Republican Party very nervous.
>
> Is it legal?
>
> A spokesperson at the U.S. Justice Department, which investigates
> potential
> instances of voter fraud, said it is, since the sites "serve as a clearing
> house. There is no pecuniary exchange, and it is an agreement amongst
> private parties, no legal violation there in terms of violation fraud. It
> definitely is an innovative campaign technique, to say the least."
> (excerpted from the MSNBC article reachable through our media page.)
>
> There's no way for authorities to know how or why individuals cast a
> secret
> ballot. The agreement with your friend is informal, based on your personal
> relationship, and is not a legal contract. Since you're contacting a
> personal friend about being a Nader Trader, you can be sure your faith
> isn't wasted. You'll feel good about keeping Bush out of the White House,
> and you'll feel good about voting for progressive politics, too.
>
>
>
>
>
>