Presidential Politics

I know I said I was going to try and keep this baby-centric...but Henry would be disappointed in me if I didn't make a few observations about this year's candidates.

Ralph Nader is indeed going to run again! This is great news, as far as I am concerned.

Don't you get sick and tired of only having apples to choose from in the great grocery store of presidential candidates? Sure, you might have golden delicious or gala or jonagold to choose from but they're still all just apples. Don't you just want a pear or an orange or a strawberry sometimes?? We need more variety in our political diets than the Democrats or Republicans can offer. To prove this point, here's a list of twelve areas that a Nader candidacy will address that, left to their own devices, neither the Dems or Repubs would.

Adopt single payer national health insurance
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Cut the huge, bloated, wasteful military budget
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
No to nuclear power, solar energy first
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Aggressive crackdown on corporate crime and corporate welfare
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Open up the Presidential debates
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Adopt a carbon pollution tax
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Impeach Bush/Cheney
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Repeal the Taft-Hartley anti-union law
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Adopt a Wall Street securities speculation tax
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Put an end to ballot access obstructionism
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table
Work to end corporate personhood
Nader: On the table
Obama/Clinton: Off the table
McCain: Off the table

For those people who are worried that a Nader campaign will hinder the Dems ascension to the White House...no one on the Nader campaign is delusional. While it would be ultimately fantastic, no one expects Ralph to end up residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Instead, a Nader campaign will force Obama (or Clinton) to address problems that cry out for a progressive approach, such as those listed above. Furthermore, a Nader candidacy can actually help Obama as it will "insulate the Democrat from charges from the right that he's a radical leftist and will position him in the middle."

More voices, more choices!