Ralph Nader: Bernie Sanders' Opposition to Third Parties is Why His Movement is in Disarray
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Source: Democracy Now
AMY GOODMAN: That is Senator Sanders. Ralph Nader, your response?
RALPH NADER: Well, it is the time for Senator Sanders to mobilize, as he can, all his supporters around the country with mass rallies to put the heat on both candidates. Is anything wrong with that? He should have a mass rally in the Mall and then spread it all over the country, so you have civic pressure, citizen pressure, coming in on all the candidates to further the just pathways of our society. Why doesn’t he do that? Because, you know, Bernie Sanders hasn’t returned a call from me in 18 years. He’s a lone ranger. He doesn’t like to be pushed into more progressive action than he is willing to adhere to. As a result, millions of his voters now are in disarray. They don’t know where to go. They’re cynical. Some will go Democrat. Some will support Libertarian, Green. Some will stay home. And so this huge, wonderful effort that he launched is now aborted. It’s dissipating. So, it isn’t a matter of either/or; it’s a matter of him cutting out from the accolades to Hillary, which he doesn’t like to do—he doesn’t like to be a robot or run around the country that way—and mobilize the citizenry, which will transcend the election and start something effective after the election.
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/9/19/ralph_nader_bernie_sanders_opposition_to
Read more: http://www.democracynow.org/2016/9/19/ralph_nader_bernie_sanders_opposition_to
He's really hurt that Bernie won't call him.
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phallon
(260 posts)lewebley3
(3,412 posts)
WhiteTara
(31,279 posts)
mrmpa
(4,033 posts)He lost his significance at birth.
William Seger
(12,529 posts)
onehandle
(51,122 posts)Is he no longer a loyal Republican?
MADem
(135,425 posts)Maybe giving a platform to a has-been, one percent CRANK might have something to do with it?
I'd rather hear from the (RIP) Rent is Much Too High guy. He made more sense than that asshole Nader.
Ya know what, Ralph? I think it's time for Sanders to give you the big fat middle finger you deserve. You're nothing but a cadger, a hanger-on, an energy vampire who tries to leech on to the hard work and enthusiasm for and of others, and suck all the life out of it.
Fuck Ralph Nader.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Bernie won't take his calls--ever, or Stein's, so he probably agrees, although I'm sure the contempt has to be mutual. Radicals being...typical themselves.
It must be a grim concession to duty that'd make Nader willing to talk to Sanders anyway. His creds as a "revolutionary" are far more impressive than a...U.S. senator's. Even Wikipedia reports, "ascetic ... bordering on self-righteous". "Bordering?!" 
MADem
(135,425 posts)the left of left set, and not HIM.
He wants his acolytes back and he's pissed that most of them aren't listening to his cranky gripes anymore--they've discovered, the smart ones, anyway, that Sanders is practical and pragmatic and that's why he is endorsing and actively supporting our nominee.
The truth about Ralph is that he's a fake ascetic--he lives in the mansion that's in the name of his brother--he doesn't live in that shit "for show" rent controlled apartment. Pants on fire!
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Really to the mansion, though? I haven't paid enough attention to notice. If he did become seduced by comforts and beauty, this is the age for it. Old bones, too many hours spent looking out a few windows thinking of what he would do if he were only Bernie and still "just" 75.
I have no trouble believing that an extremist like Nader honestly rejected consumerism, though. His good side is that he lived his beliefs for a very long time, his bad side that he lived his beliefs for a very long time.
Like in this election, he's too righteous and rigid to be able to change when conditions require. Trump's not just a "condition," but an emergency condition. Extremists are called extremists for a reason. They're also dysfunctional; like Trump, but in different ways.
m-lekktor
(3,675 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)where we normally would not cheerlead or boost whiny "Bush Enabling" so-called "Independents" who take money hand over fist from the GOP.
I'll quote EarlG: Fuck Ralph Nader.
still_one
(98,883 posts)More than 80% of Bernie's supporters will be voting for Hillary
Nader self-destructed over a decade ago. He makes an inane statement that they don't know where to go to, and then follows it by telling us where they will be going to. Maybe he is having some cognitive issues like Mr. Trump
Backwoodsrider
(764 posts)Most likely all Naders see's is the valley between what he says and what he does. Can see it in his face cognitive dissonance is tearing the guy up inside his mind. He preaches to the people while he secretly sides with the powerful 1% who control the resources. Everybody has their place but please anything this evil person says check to see if his fingers were crossed behind his back.
still_one
(98,883 posts)Mr. Trump
Backwoodsrider
(764 posts)Nader is evil, he is worse that death when it comes to slowing societal progress so the top 1% can continue to control the rest of us.
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)throw ur vote away,,,,, Ralph can!
louis c
(8,652 posts)than Ralph Nader. Granted, it was unintended, but some of the worst catastrophes in history were unintended.
Ralph Nader's ego cost thousands of American lives, both for 9/11 and the Iraq War. He is responsible for the pieces of shit supreme court appointments by W that we suffer today.
Ralph Nader should rot in hell for the horrible results of his egomaniacal presidential campaign.
Burn in Hell, you fucking asshole.
elmac
(4,642 posts)though he is much more civil and progressive. He did write a good book, what, 60 years ago?
bucolic_frolic
(55,818 posts)Or during the election?
Old bag of wind at this point.
mountain grammy
(29,214 posts)Tell him he really must get a reality check. I've often agreed with Nader (never voted for him) and share many of his frustrations with the system, but he's off the wall here. Someone needs to tell him, in the real world, Donald Trump is running for president.
icymist
(15,888 posts)Ralph thinks this is all about him. Same ego as Donald trump, just the other end of the spectrum.
DonCoquixote
(13,980 posts)He actually has more people paying attention to and acting on behalf of him, than you. Are you still supporting Rand Paul?
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)
Blue_Tires
(57,596 posts)Although it has to be said Sanders is the one who created this monster and only had halfhearted attempts to reel it in.
HassleCat
(6,409 posts)Which is why people are so angry with him. Only a third party effort of some kind will inspire our party, the Democratic Party, to support more progressive candidates and legislation.
Gothmog
(182,047 posts)A vote for a third party candidate is a vote for Trump. The last time Nader "helped," we got the Iraq war, Citizens United and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Still trying to be relevant.
mahatmakanejeeves
(70,730 posts)"Why is that?" I wonder.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)brush
(61,033 posts)matt819
(10,749 posts)You were something 40 years ago with your Public Interest Research Group and your emphasis on consumer safety and consumer interests. Then you tried your hand at running for president. Then you became a spoiler in 2000. On the one hand, that brought us George Bush and the Iraq war. On the other, it also brought us Barack Obama. Then you became a cranky old man. Don't get me wrong. I like some cranky old men. Bernie Sanders comes to mind. My kids think I'm a cranky old man. But, Ralph, it's time. Please. Go. Away.
asjr
(10,479 posts)he was on the wrong elevator.
CanSocDem
(3,286 posts)The Democratic Party seems unsure of itself. Reading this thread, even the local dem's seem unsure of core principles.
".....civic pressure, citizen pressure, coming in on all the candidates to further the just pathways of our society."
"Sander's ego, Nader's ego..."
No wonder nothing gets done in the USA. You eat all your progressives.
.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,757 posts)And turned into children laughing at the "loser". Reminds me of someone....
If they just thought about it a little, they'd realize that Nader's idea would be the best for the Democrats and Clinton, and that Sanders, continuing his political revolution, outside of the DNC, and keeping his traditional Democratic principles on the front burner, would have highlighted just who is closest to his more inclusive egalitarian society view between Trump and Clinton. He wouldn't have to join the Green party to do that. He would keep the important message alive about the destructive policy of catering to the 1% (like Trump). Doing that would also empower Clinton to keep from thinking she had to slide to the right for votes, and being accused of flip-flopping.
But yeah its all about ego. 
Such a dumb cheap insult. Anyone that runs for office, anyone that puts themselves into a leadership position could be accused of just putting themselves into the spotlight to feed their ego. And what is wrong with a bit of ego? I think anyone that aspires to leadership must have at least some degree of ego in that they must believe in themselves that they are the best choice for the job.
Gothmog
(182,047 posts)Nader gave us Bush, the Iraq War, Citizens United and the gutting of the voting rights act. Nader is an idiot who needs to ignored and reviled
world wide wally
(21,836 posts)By the way, what are you doing these days?
truthisfreedom
(23,542 posts)George the Retiree
(50 posts)
He still can't see.
artyteacher
(598 posts)thousand or millions died. He's complicit in mass murder IMHO.
pansypoo53219
(23,170 posts)CRAPITALISTIC GNEWZ MEDIA to TRUST pure democracy.
DFW
(60,436 posts)Well, Ralph, I guess that depends on how you look at "that."
Is there anything wrong with appointing John Ashcroft as Attorney General?
Is there anything wrong with manufacturing an energy shortage in California to remove a Democratic Governor?
Is there anything wrong with manipulating the law to remove and imprison a Democratic Governor of Alabama?
Is there anything wrong with outing Valerie Plame as an active CIA agent?
Is there anything wrong with manufacturing evidence about weapons in Iraq?
Is there anything wrong with invading Iraq using that manufactured evidence for justification?
Is there anything wrong with spending two trillion dollars of our money to finance the invasion?
Is there anything wrong with giving billions in no-bid contracts to Dick Cheney's company so its stock can quadruple?
Is there anything wrong with appointing John Roberts as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
Is there anything wrong with appointing Samuel Alito as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court?
Is there anything wrong with standing indifferently by as the real estate bubble collapses on ten million Americans?
Is there anything wrong with doing nothing to drastically reduce the number of Americans without health insurance?
Is there anything wrong with conducting the foreign policy of the USA as if summits were fraternity reunions?
Is there anything wrong with conducting environmental policy as if global warming and pollution did not exist?
If nothing is "wrong" with all that, Ralph, then, yeah, Bernie should go out and draw away enough votes from the Democrats that Donald Trump gets elected and you have once again REALLY MADE YOUR POINT, but what do you care, right?
"Once rockets go up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department," says Wernher von Braun.
TimeToGo
(1,451 posts)How little I care what he says or thinks
SunSeeker
(58,374 posts)
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)
C Moon
(13,737 posts)stupidicus
(2,570 posts)"he gave us Bush" or some such bs won't completely rebut.
I suppose it's better that he get the blame than say all those dems that voted for Bush in FL, ect, etc, etc.
We were told, a million times over, that the 2000 election came down to 560 Florida voters that cast ballots for the Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. “A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Republicans,” goes the old saw.
It was not that Gore lost the votes of tens of thousands of white women who voted Republican by a huge margin of 53 % Bush to 44% Gore. Oh no, it was the 600 or so Nader voters.
It wasn’t that 12-13% of registered Democrats voted for Bush. It wasn’t that the Democratic base deserted the party and gave about 300,000 votes to Bush in Florida. That’s right, 12 times more Democrats votes for Bush than Nader. But no, no, no it was the 600 Green voters that elected Bush.
It wasn’t the 30-35% of union members that vote Republican year after year. Nope. http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/06/06/the-myth-of-the-spoiler-why-the-machine-elites-fear-democracy/
There are far better ways to undermine his opinion in this instance than dragging out that stale turd, but if you suffer from intellectual sloth or integrity deficits, whatcha gonna do eh? I for example, would like to know how he knows a guy who's shunned him for 18 years so well, and based upon what did he arrive at the ONLY possible conclusion of BS suffering from a distaste for third parties. As far as I can tell, BS is is advocating only for a dem vote for POTUS, not down ticket offices, where he's be fine with a third party vote.
William Seger
(12,529 posts)1. Gore lost because of Nader.
2. If Nader had not run, Gore would have won.
You haven't addressed the second argument. Nader got over 97,000 votes in Florida. If Nader had not run and those votes had been split, then all that was needed was for the difference to be 600.
Rex
(65,616 posts)I thought Bernie reached out to all groups. Nader is just mad he is no longer in charge.
patsimp
(915 posts)
JHB
(38,337 posts)Ralphie, Bernie's movement is like a military drill team compared to the alternatives!
You've had 20 years to make the Greens effective, and they're barely organized enough to rate the description "a complete mess".
Bernie has been more effective in less that many months. That must be cutting into your gigs, eh?
George II
(67,782 posts)Post the latest news from reputable mainstream news websites and blogs. Important news of national interest only.
No analysis or opinion pieces. No duplicates. News stories must have been published within the last 12 hours. Use the published title of the story as the title of the discussion thread.
onecaliberal
(36,594 posts)3rd party voting is same as trump vote period.
PSPS
(15,376 posts)
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)
FailureToCommunicate
(14,620 posts)He peaked long ago, if you can call it that.
liberalhistorian
(20,906 posts)Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you. And fuck your Green party and Jill fucking Stein, too. You helped to give us Bush II and now you're determined to help give us Trump as well. NO understanding of how dire this current election system is whatsoever, none, and that goes for Stein and her ignorant party as well. FUCK NADER AND FUCK THEM.
Monk06
(7,675 posts)
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)Statement of Purpose
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