Why has the United States government spent the last seven years thwarting domestic and international action on global warming while underfunding and mismanaging federal clean technology efforts? Well, if, hypothetically, you were the kind of person who liked to compile top 10 lists to answer questions, certainly Ralph Nader’s campaign during the 2000 election would be fairly high on that list.
Not just because he siphoned away crucial votes from Gore in a some key states — but perhaps more because he spent so much time in swing states saying there was no difference between Bush and Gore, breaking a major promise he had made, while forever destroying his reputation as a truth teller. You try running a tight race when a credible (at the time, anyway) third party is trashing you all the time, demotivating your base.
His 2004 run proves his 2000 run was the triumph over ego over principle. And his newly announced 2008 run conjures up two words: laughable and pathetic. I could go on, but why bother? Everything has passed Nader by, but most especially reality.
If there are any Ralph Nader supporters out there, now is your turn to speak up in defense of him.
Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
