Summary of Nader analysis

Chuck0 chuck at tao.ca
Thu Nov 9 21:36:25 PST 2000


jan carowan wrote:
>
> >jan carowan wrote:
> > >
> >And in this case she has done
> > > much harm in guaranteeing the that results are a setback for humanity.
> >
> >How so? Please elaborate.
> >
> >Chuck0
>
> Mr Chuck(Zero?):
>
> If one runs a candidate, one expects the electorate to accept as legitimate
> one's candidate if he wins. By participating in electoral politics, one ipso
> facto not only accepts but also strengthens the legitimacy of the system.

Hey, you get no argument from me on that one. That's why I spent Tuesday doing some street preaching of abstentionism.


> In this way, Ms. Ehrenreich cuts out from under herself and her followers
> the right to dismiss as illegitimate any candidate who emerges victorious in
> this system.

This is a setback for humanity? Perhaps for the Nation liberals who are booking suites on the next Nation cruise, but certainly not the rest of humanity.


> She could have made a case for abstention.

Well, I did and my website got a big surge in hits this week: http://www.infoshop.org/voting.html


> But she did not. She made a case for participating in the electoral system
> and thus further legitimizing its results; and since she was persuading
> potential Gore voters to defect to Nader, she was in practical terms
> contributing to Bush's victory the legitimacy of which she has strengthened
> by encouraging the participation in the system: "we have to live with Bush
> now because we want people to live with Nader when our man wins."

I think most of this vote trading is crap, plus all the blame-flinging. Whatever happened to choosing the candidate you prefer and sticking with them? I have my criticisms of Ralph Nader, but I respect him for having the political balls to see his candicacy through to the end. A lesser candidate would have caved and endorsed Al "kill the Iraqis" Gore.


> She has done great harm, and should never again be allowed top billing in a
> leftist publication. Her leftism is truly infantile of the drama queen sort.

Leftist periodicals could use a few more drama queens. Perhaps you could find yourself a column?

<< Chuck0 >>

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-- Commander Ivanova, 2261

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