Let's take these in turn:
>Nathan, I may be insane but Gore probably would have had a tax cut. It
>would not have been as bad.
No, it would have been positively good, since his tax plan was very progressive, targetted at families and denying tax cuts to the wealthy altogether. A "tax cut" that is essentially social spending done through the IRS can be a very progressive thing, which is what Gore's "targetted tax cuts" were all about. Tax policy was one of the most progressive aspects of the Clinton presidency and Gore's plan was built on that.
>His judicial nominees would have been conservative, but not right wing
wackos.
I doubt Gore's nominees would have been much different from Clinton's and probably better with a better Senate prospect of confirmation. And while Clinton appointed few real progressives compared to a number of Carter appointees, you can't call his nominees conservative either. They were generally pretty good on most issues of concern to progressives - social issues, union rights, etc. - if not particularly bold.
The Supreme Court divide shows a clear difference in what nominations mean, the Souter mistake by Bush pere not to the contrary, since the fact he is considered such a mistake noting the point.
>His focus groups would have told him to continue with Clinton's abortion
policies.
Unlike Bush's focus groups that have launched anti-abortion policies and nominees.
>The ergonomics standards would have been greatly weakened, if they passed
the congress at
all.
They didn't have to pass Congress. They were established by Clinton by executive order after a number of years of hearings. There is no question that if Congress had sought to repeal them - as they just did under Bush - Gore would have vetoed it.
So the most important worker safety improvements in a generation would now be a reality. It is hard to overstate the devastation this one result of the Bush presidency will have on worker wellbeing.
None of this argues that Gore would have been the scorge of capitalism, but the day we elect a President with that goal is the day we have already built the mass movement for global socialism. Targetting electoral candidates as left leaders is putting the cart before the horse in my view- build the mass movement and the candidates will follow. And there can be no electoral substitute for building mass movement organizing.
-- Nathan Newman