Every newspaper article about Ralph Nader since 2000 mentions the imaginary Spoiler Effect, at least in passing. "Everybody knows" Nader caused the Bush administration. Of course it's a lie, but the argument is hard to make simple. I'm trying to squish it down to bumper sticker size. Here's a comment for the SF Chronic.

Technorati Tags:

Ralph Nader announced that Matt Gonzalez is his running mate in 2008. The announcement is at VoteNader.org

The announcement makes absolutely no mention of the Green Party.

Technorati Tags: Nader Matt Gonzalez Gonzalez Green Party Green Cynthia McKinney McKinney Ralph Nader independent

In a New York Times Op-Ed published today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared that he is not a candidate for president.

Good!

Now Greens won't have to worry about this billionaire trying to buy the election as a phony "independent." Bloomberg goes on and on about how "as a businessman, I never believed that either party had all the answers," how "the message of an independent approach has resonated," the need "for a new urban agenda," and how "more of the same won't do." However, he has not one kind word about any actually independent individuals or organizations and his rap is nothing but a blend of Democratic and Republican Establishment clichés.

Technorati Tags: Green Party Election Michael Bloomberg

Ralph Nader entered the 2008 presidential campaign this week asking tough questions that none of the major party candidates have taken up. No wonder they denounce him as a spoiler. Nader, McKinney and the other third party candidates do spoil the insider game that seeks to limit American voters to the two choices of the two corporate parties. All voters benefit from their efforts.

Nader’s independent campaign helps all third parties and third party presidential candidates. His campaign particularly helps the Green Party and the campaign of Cynthia McKinney.

Technorati Tags:

We would all like to accentuate the positive, especially when you consider our presidential candidates. It would appear that we will end up with either Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney running.

Technorati Tags: Ralph Nader Cynthia McKinney Expectations

I'm curious to know what potential GP candidates for Congress, Senate, State Assembly, etc. think about the top of the ticket. With whom would they/you rather run? Are you a Nader person who would be torn as to what to do if he runs as a full independent?

Technorati Tags:

UPDATE -- LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL:
"...Does He Deserve to Be Heard? Yes"

On Meet the Press this morning, Ralph Nader declared his candidacy.

If Mr. Nader is the nominee of the Green Party, I intend to support him 100% regardless of the slogans and hacks packaged, advertised, and sold in million-dollar TV ads by the "One-Corporate-Party-With-Two-Names."

Alex Walker
Los Angeles Greens

Ralph Nader On Meet the Press

Technorati Tags:

the one that sounds like watermelons smashing on the road...is the sound of Daily Kos sockpuppets' heads exploding. Ralph Nader just tossed his hat in the ring of the presidential election on Meet the Press. No word though on whether he would do so as a Green.

For the record, I thought Mr. Nader hit a home run in terms of framing the issues which should affect the upcoming election. This assessment should not be confused as an endorsement. At this point, I'm admittedly somewhat perplexed. With the election approximately eight months away, where does this leave Greens?

Technorati Tags:

Got a question for ya'll - Here in North Carolina we do not have ballot access and it does not look like we will get it anytime soon. We have a couple of local Greens who have decided to file as Democrats to run in our county commisioner race. They are running as Greens and will be letting everyone know that this is a protest against the laws here and this is the only way they can get on the ballot.

They could run as independents but would have to gather +/- 10,000 valid signatures in our county.

Technorati Tags:

Each state faces ballot access issues. For us here in South Carolina those ballot access issues are small. All we need do to maintain ballot access is run at least one candidate for partisan office at least once every four years. How great is that?

Sadly, this is not the case everywhere. In Arizona for example, the state Green Party must conduct a fresh ballot access drive every few years.

Technorati Tags: ballot access Green Party Arizona

I have a working hypothesis on why we continue to have so many conflicts within the Green Party. I think we spend a lot of time talking past each other, and it's my hope that we can get beyond that, and figure out what our real differences are, so we can address them honestly. First, however, I want to be clear about what I'm *not* saying.

Technorati Tags:

Microsoft Corporation is trying to buy Yahoo Incorporated. If it succeeds, it will own email service to about half of North American progressive activists. Due to progressives' inexplicable preference for Yahoo Groups, it will own most electronic forums for and about progressive organizing.

Technorati Tags:

Someone reported on GDI-FreeSpeech that some Green's web form "didn't work."

It doesn't help Steve (or his web engineer) to say "it didn't work." It doesn't help you. It doesn't help the spectators who might benefit from your exchange with Steve. Nobody knows what you tried, or what you expected, or what happened instead.

Technorati Tags:

Hi All, this is my first time posting here and I am looking forward to meaningful dialogue with fellow Green bloggers.

In just a couple of hours, most Maine Greens will be turning out for their local caucuses, and a hot topic behind the scenes has been whether Nader should be written onto the ballot, allowed as a write-in, or excluded altogether.

You can read my take on the issue here.

Technorati Tags:

Kent Mesplay asked for policy advice about the current "star wars" weapons proposal.

"Missile shields" are an economic, technological, and foreign policy disaster.

Technorati Tags: