Interesting People mailing list archives
more on New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver"
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2004 18:57:23 -0700
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/
Current thread:
- more on New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver" Dave Farber (Mar 06)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- more on New Yorker's Hertzberg on Nader: "Reckless Driver" Dave Farber (Mar 07)