Ralph Nader: I am looking for someone to challenge President Obama in 2012 - Polidicks

[url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/132835--nader-i-am-looking-for-someone-to-challenge-obama-in-2012?page=1#comments]The Hill[/url] [img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.politicsdaily.com/media/2010/12/ralph-nader-427jc120910.jpg[/img] [quote]Perennial third-party candidate Ralph Nader predicted on Wednesday that President Obama's tax deal with Republicans will earn him a primary challenge in 2012. Though he wouldn't rule out another presidential campaign himself, Nader, 76, said he hoped a new face would take up the progressive cause. "I'm not foreclosing the possibility ... There are just other things to do," he said in an interview. "And it's time for someone else to continue. I've done it so many times. When I go around the country, I'm telling people they need to find somebody." Nader, a consumer advocate, described the immense procedural difficulty — the "obstructions and litigations" — of appearing on the ballot in every state as a third-party candidate. He ran under the Green Party banner in 1996 and 2000 and as an independent in 2004 and 2008 and earned less than 3 percent of the overall vote each time. He said Obama's decision to allow tax-cut extensions for the wealthy in the lame-duck deal betrays the progressives who supported his campaign in 2008 and called the president a "con man." "There will be a primary," Nader said. "Just a question of how prominent a person [will run against Obama]. This deal is the last straw." "Obama's position has been that the liberal, progressive wing has nowhere to go, therefore they can't turn their back on the administration. But a challenge will hold his feet to the fire and signal that we do have somewhere to go." The tax deal, a blow to progressives, has prompted media speculation about such a challenge, although no names have been aired. Outgoing Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), one of the chamber's most reliably liberal voices, has said he's not interested. "He [Obama] keeps one step away from the liberal progressive grasp," Nader said, describing the mood among on the left. "He's always just one step ahead from them grabbing his neck." Nader had harsh words for the president's approach to politics: "He has no fixed principles. He's opportunistic — he goes for expedience, like Clinton. Some call him temperamentally conflict-averse. If you want to be harsher, you say he has no principles and he's opportunistic. "He's a con man. I have no use for him," Nader said. In the 2000 election, Nader was criticized for contributing to Al Gore's defeat by taking votes from the left. He said then and again on Wednesday that the progressive agenda must be on the national ballot every four years. "These are majoritarian positions. The polling shows that. Living wage, single payer, cracking down on corporate crime. ... It's time for someone to continue this." [/quote]

I really don't see many good alternatives at the moment.

Gotta say, I agree with him, though any primary challenge to obama or popular 3rd party would likely split the vote and make a republican victory more likely/easier. e: There is the point of there being no obvious contenders, too. Also, he's right on the nose with this: "Nader had harsh words for the president's approach to politics: "He has no fixed principles. He's opportunistic — he goes for expedience, like Clinton. Some call him temperamentally conflict-averse. If you want to be harsher, you say he has no principles and he's opportunistic."

He does realize that there's two years left for Obama to do stuff?

I'll do it

[QUOTE=Triumph Forks;26679399]I'll do it[/QUOTE] Triumph Forks 2012

Dennis Kucinich should try to run again.

I wonder if Nader is really just a democrat in disguise trying to fuck with the republicans

[QUOTE=Triumph Forks;26679399]I'll do it[/QUOTE] You can't you're Canadian.

Why, everyone will be dead by that time anyway

I just wish Nader had gotten elected :(.

[QUOTE=Ownederd;26679526]Dennis Kucinich should try to run again.[/QUOTE] or mike gravel.

get Bill Clinton to somehow run a 3rd term

Sarah Palin 2012

[QUOTE=Ownederd;26679526]Dennis Kucinich should try to run again.[/QUOTE] Except for being into alt-med woo, Kucinich was a cool guy. Idk about qualified to run a country, but he had nice positions.

It's probably Nader's fault that Gore didn't get elected so he can go jump off a cliff.

i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things

[QUOTE=Lazor;26680252]i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things[/QUOTE] a thousand times, this

[QUOTE=Lazor;26680252]i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things[/QUOTE] Welcome to the country where corporations rule the government.

[QUOTE=Lazor;26680252]i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things[/QUOTE] Compromises all up in this sucker.

[QUOTE=Lazor;26680252]i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things[/QUOTE] It would just disintegrate back into two parties. That's what happens every time a new party crops up

[QUOTE=5killer;26680900]It would just disintegrate back into two parties. That's what happens every time a new party crops up[/QUOTE] Other countries manage a lot of parties.

[QUOTE=Lazor;26680252]i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things[/QUOTE] it would not and would be disastrous, in fact we're not europe, multiple parties would not work here [editline]13th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Leaf Runner;26680742]Welcome to the country where corporations rule the government.[/QUOTE] corporations, man

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;26680940]Other countries manage a lot of parties.[/QUOTE] That's because they work on a proportional system, if I am not mistaken.

Maybe the system needs reforming then.

[QUOTE=Habsburg;26679544]You can't you're Canadian.[/QUOTE] not being american didn't stop Obama [editline]13th December 2010[/editline] :colbert:

[QUOTE=Lazor;26680252]i feel as though politics in america would be better if more than two parties ran things[/QUOTE] Need parties that are actually different. Republicans and tea party runners would just split the vote. You nerds shouldn't be afraid of just voting for a third party if neither democrats or republicans nominate any one good.

[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;26679877]get Bill Clinton to somehow run a 3rd term[/QUOTE] No, you get his wife to run just like last time. We'll still beat her though.

[QUOTE=Habsburg;26681135]Maybe the system needs reforming then.[/QUOTE] holy shit every god damn thing in america that doesn't seem to fit your ideal picture of society doesn't need to be reformed

[QUOTE=TheChantzGuy;26681518]holy shit every god damn thing in america that doesn't seem to fit your ideal picture of society doesn't need to be reformed[/QUOTE] holy shit it's pretty clear it doesn't work