more on New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver"

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2004 19:10:57 -0600
From: Bob Alberti <alberti () sanction net>
Subject: RE: [IP] New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver"
To: dave () farber net
Cc: themail () newyorker com

In the Major League Baseball of politics, the Republicans and Democrats are
the American League and the National league, conducting a political World
Series every four years. And the increasingly disaffected voters of this
nation are growing tired of this game.

Being a part of the Two-Party System is NOT an entitlement for office.  Yet
that's exactly the argument fostered by those, like Hendrik Hertzberg, who
complain about Nader: they assume it was "Gore's candidacy." Any citizen can
and should be able to run for office. Our range of electoral choices should
include more than merely fine shades of social, moral, economic and
financial conservatism. And at least a few of our serious candidates should
by now be something other than white Protestant males. None of that is being
permitted to happen, and that is one reason why Gore lost the election.

Here are a few more of the factors that "cost" Gore "his" election:
1) Of those Americans who bothered to vote, nearly half voted for Bush.
2) Gore ran an inept campaign, shunning Clinton's stained coat-tails and
walking away from Ohio and other key states.
3) The outcome of the election was decided by a political coup to which our
corrupt electoral system assented, rather than suffer too close an
examination into its processes (which, like sausage-making, are best not
observed by the weak at heart).
4) The American public complacently accepts a system which increasingly
serves the interests of the wealthiest citizens and corporations.
5) The Two Party System prevented Nader from participating in the electoral
process.  Possibly if his views received a fair hearing, he might have, oh I
don't know, WON?

In the baseball of politics, the Two-Party System has bought the stadium,
the broadcast rights, the teams, and the sponsors. Anyone who doesn't want
to play baseball will be locked out. Like Nader, they will be scapegoated
and vilified by those protecting their interests.

Voting patterns show that the electorate is looking for something aside from
this game, but the one-party state called the Two-Party System won't let
anything else on the air.

Nader only "spoiled" the election if you believe that the presidency belongs
to the Two Party System.  If you happen to believe in the quaint notion that
the presidency belongs to the citizenry, then it was Nader whose candidacy
was "spoiled."

Bob Alberti, CISSP, President                            Sanction, Inc.
Phone: (612) 486-5000 ext 211                             PO Box 583453
http://www.sanction.net                             Mpls, MN 55458-3453

"If your laptop was stolen, would you expose confidential client data?"


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ip () v2 listbox com [mailto:owner-ip () v2 listbox com]On Behalf
Of Dave Farber
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 5:44 PM
To: ip () v2 listbox com
Subject: [IP] New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver"



Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2004 15:32:41 -0800
From: Denise Caruso <denise () caruso com>
Subject: New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver"
X-Sender: caruso13 () mail earthlink net
To: farber () dsl cis upenn edu

Dear Dave,

A terrific take on the Nader "candidacy."  Thought I'd pass it to you for
IP if you'd like.

Denise

http://newyorker.com/talk/content/?040308ta_talk_hertzberg

-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/