The Folly of Ralph Nader

[ehrnst]

4. We don't get "bespoke" candidates. They're not your user experience on Amazon.com

Maybe I'm just an old jaded activist, but I also don't expect politicians to be activists - they have diferent metrics, different obstacles and different timelines. If that makes me a 'get offa my lawn' type to the young ones, fine.

Politicians are managers. I want a good manager, and one who will make the decisions that are best for what we are trying to accomplish. I want a manager with the long view, and knows that sometimes you have to choose between the doable and the dreamable. Activists will be out there pushing hard on the public to move forward on an issue.

I don't require a candidate to call the police 'executioners' at a debate to think that she will do what a president can do to change things, with the congress they have.

I don't require a candidate to say "single payer is the only ethical way to acheive universal health care" to know that they are very knowledgable about universal health care and how to go about getting it.

I don't require a candidate to give the finger to corporations to believe that she's not a "corporate shill." The Clinton Foundation works with pharma corporations to provide affordable antiretrovirals in a way that will not affect their profits. Simply calling them "the problem with our health system" doesn't get anybody anywhere, and doesn't get medications to where they are needed.