Preface: I have not decided to support Ralph Nader in the 2008 campaign. I’m just using him as an example since he’s the 3rd party candidate with the most impact since 1992.
I think I’m getting a little tired of people blaming Ralph Nader and/or his voters for Gore’s loss to Bush in the 2000 presidential race. Ever since he indicated his 2008 campaign, people have speculated whether he’d have a similar effect this Election Day. Sure, most of Nader’s supporters are the type who would, had he not run, likely voted for Gore instead. That would’ve turned the tide, and we would have likely been finishing up a second term of Gore/Lieberman right now instead of Bush/The Penguin.
Well first of all, it’s our right as American citizens to vote for which ever candidate we chose. This means that nothing should compel us to vote for one of the two large establishment parties, no matter what reasons are provided. A vote for Nader was a vote for Bush, or would be a vote for McCain? NO. It’s a vote for Nader. If the Democratic candidate can’t run a compelling enough campaign to draw those Nader supporters over, it’s that candidate’s problem. Not Nader or his supporters. Besides, I don’t remember hearing anybody speculate about how many independent voters may have gone Republican in 2000. Surely they had an impact, or are they not a discrete enough scape goat?
I also tire of people harping on 3rd-party voters selecting a candidate with “no chance of winning.” Really? So I guess nobody in VA should’ve voted for Gore in 2000 since conventional wisdom at the time would have our state’s electoral votes going to Bush? Besides, suggesting that we should only cast our votes for the candidates with a chance of winning is to concede that we have a broken political system where only two parties rule. Well sorry. I’m not going to support that. I think the long term consequences of letting our system of elections deteriorate - one of the pillars of our free society!! - far outweigh 4 - 8 years of catastrophic presidency.
Let me put it another way: All the damage Bush has done (and it HAS been HUGE) is not as bad as implicitly and informally restricting our elections. I think my readers understand that I’m no huge American Patriot, but I will not tolerate people being made to feel guilty because they refuse to accept a narrow view of free voting.
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