[Peace-discuss] Response to Nader interview

[Morton K.Brussel]

[Apropos of my previous comment and after listening to a bitter and ego 
ridden Nader on Democracy Now! yesterday, I append the following 
article for your consideration. mkb]


Published on Wednesday, October 6, 2004 by CommonDreams.org

  It’s All About Bush
by John Stauber

Ralph Nader has been publicly complaining because the overwhelming 
majority of those of us whom he asked to be his formal endorsers in 
2000 have united this year to support John Kerry in swing states.

  A list of the seventy-five Nader 2000 Citizens Committee members now 
urging support for Kerry is online at our website  . It includes 
Barbara Ehrenreich, Phil Donahue, Jim Hightower, Susan Sarandon, Noam 
Chomsky, Ben Cohen, Peter Coyote, Granny D, Manning Marable, Bonnie 
Raitt, Tim Robbins, Studs Terkel, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Eddie Vedder, 
Cornel West and Howard Zinn.

  In an interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now Nader dismissed us 
as having suffered “a total loss of nerve.” In the past he’s called us 
“scared liberals.” Sorry Ralph, but the reality is that this election 
is a referendum on George Bush. In the real world the only way to dump 
Bush is to mobilize voters for Kerry in swing states, and that is our 
goal. Other than John Kerry, Ralph Nader could do the most to defeat 
Bush if he were willing to help lead a united front against him, but he 
is not.

  We who were the Nader 2000 Citizens Committee obviously have huge 
disagreements with Kerry on Iraq and other issues. But this election is 
not about Ralph Nader or John Kerry, it’s about getting rid of George 
Bush and ending the far-right domination of all branches of the federal 
government.

  The world changed after 9/11 when the Bush administration exploited 
that horrific attack for political and ideological purposes, using it 
as an opportunity to launch an unjustified and frankly stupid 
first-strike war against Iraq. Sheldon Rampton and I have documented in 
our books “Banana Republicans” and “Weapons of Mass Deception” how the 
Bush administration has set a tone and enacted measures undermining our 
liberties. Bush and Cheney are pursuing a reckless and deadly foreign 
policy of war and empire that has turned the world’s outpouring of 
sympathy after 9/11 into a deep fear and loathing of America.

  Much of the leadership of the Democratic Party — including Kerry and 
Edwards — rubber stamped the actions of the Republicans in going to war 
in Iraq and in undermining civil liberties. Led by the right-wing media 
echo chamber at Fox TV and on talk radio, the mainstream corporate 
media became cheerleaders for Bush’s war on Iraq. The Republicans 
brilliantly used their march to war to win control of both houses of 
the Congress in 2002. For the first time since 1932 the Republicans now 
control the Supreme Court, the Congress, the Senate and the White 
House. They also control most governorships and state legislatures.

  Those of us who were Ralph Nader’s official endorsers in 2000 have no 
illusions about John Kerry, the Democratic Party, or our need to 
mobilize and organize for fundamental social and political change here 
in the United States. We believe that the first step to progressive 
change is uniting to defeat George Bush and Dick Cheney. On November 
2nd we Americans will have our only opportunity to remove Bush from 
office. If we fail to stop Bush, we will send a loud message around the 
world that the American people support and ratify what the Bush regime 
has done. November 2nd is people’s impeachment day in America and the 
choice is simple. The only vote that will work to remove George Bush is 
a vote for John Kerry in battleground states.

  Ralph Nader made a strategic mistake in running this year for 
president. To date he has primarily divided green voters and spent most 
of his time and energy attacking Democrats or his former allies. I 
spoke with Ralph a year ago and asked him not to run but rather to lead 
a movement to defeat Bush and end Republican domination by supporting 
the Democratic nominee. He replied, "If I did that, they would ignore 
me. I would get no attention."

  Ralph Nader denies that his candidacy helps Bush, but Republicans, 
Democrats and most political analysts agree that it does. The October 
4, 2004 Zogby poll concluded “there is little doubt that Ralph Nader is 
hurting Kerry.” It is true that Democratic party leaders are conducting 
a widespread and often unethical campaign to keep Nader off state 
ballots. This ham-fisted effort led by former Monsanto executive and 
lobbyist Toby Moffett has gained the Nader candidacy sympathy in the 
press and bolstered the resolve of Nader supporters to vote for Ralph.

  The situation will no doubt get uglier as the election nears and Ralph 
Nader and the Green Party candidate David Cobb stump for votes in swing 
states. It is important that we keep one goal in sight, rejecting 
George Bush. I urge everyone who like me lives in a battleground state 
to help defeat of George Bush by pulling the lever for John Kerry.

  John Stauber (info at vote2stopbush.org) is a co-founder of 
http://www.vote2stopbush.org/ and the co-author of five books including 
Banana Republicans, Weapons of Mass Deception, Mad Cow USA and Toxic 
Sludge is Good For You. These are his personal views and not those of 
any organization with which he is affiliated. 
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