Left Flank

I've probably wasted too much precious time tracking down whether another Nader run for presidential office is possible. But, saner and more popular outlets confirm it: Ralph Nader is out to destroy the Democratic party.

Lily: I am telling you all, Ralph Nader is a closet Republican.

Luke: Nader wouldn't affect the race if it were McCain v. Obama. However, if Hillary is somehow able to pull out a miracle and get the nomination, Nader would probably prevent her from beating McCain in November.

Webster 208: Obama supporters complain about super delegates because it is undemocratic. Yet, they want to discourage Nader from running. What's the basis for that in a democracy? They just throw around words like hope, change, and democracy when it suits their purposes. Nader did not win the White House for Bush. The Democrats squandered their chance.

TalkLeft's Jeralyn asks: I can't imagine who he thinks would support him.

Someone like Bayou Joe, perhaps?

Go for it. Here comes our knight in shining armor to save the country from itself. This man knows more about how the country is run and owned by corporations than any of the remaining candidates. He has my vote.

Or, J Houston, TX?

LOL gotta love how the Dems start crying when he comes out. Personally, I would vote for a Nader/Dobbs ticket.

According to Ben Smith, here's Nader's platform.

Cutting the huge, bloated and wasteful military budget, adopting a single payer Canadian-style national health insurance system, impeaching Bush/Cheney, opposing nuclear power — among many others.

As I put on my "comparative government" hat, Ralph Nader's quixotic, yet popularly cathartic campaigns are why the US needs to experiment with proportional representation (PR). I don't know where Nader could find a legislative stronghold, but it would be less expensive to draw money from his legion of dwindling supporters for a congressional run than for the White House. Sandwiched somewhere between the door and the back wall of the House chamber, he could scream jeremiads all day and C-SPAN would adore him. But, drawing national appeal takes too much cash nowadays.

Ralph Nader is going to make every grandmother think twice before telling her favorite grandson/granddaughter about aspiring to be president!