[lbo-talk] Booing Manning Marable

[John Thornton]

I knew many people last time around who voted Nader in an attempt to help 
build a third party. They wanted Federal matching funds for the Green 
party. What has Nader done to further that goal between this election and 
the last? I don't know of anything. I don't think one can argue in good 
faith that Nader is interested in building a third party. He had an 
opportunity and he did not even bother to make token gestures towards that 
goal. From where I'm sitting Naders run looks more like a peacock spreading 
his tail feathers than anything else. I wish it were otherwise but see no 
evidence that supports the claim that Nader is party building. Running for 
President is not in and of itself a party building exercise.

John Thornton

At 06:01 PM 3/15/2004, Michael Dawson wrote:


>As to Ralph having "absolutely nothing to do" with the establishment of a
>third party, I think that's simply false.  Nader's trying to show that
>campaigning to the left of the DP can be meaningful, and might even produce
>a big constituency, if it can ever find a way to garner TV time.  He's also
>trying to break the debate monopoly, which has a great deal to do with the
>viability of third parties, does it not?