Ralph Nader has announced he will run for president. Is he providing a real choice or is has he just thrown himself in as a spanner in the works?
Nader has for long been a vociferous voice for the little guy. A political activist who has taken on the big corporations, especially in the 60's through to the 80's. He became well-known with his study called Unsafe at Any Speed, an attack on the automobile industry and targeting General Motors' Corvair. His efforts led to a significant change in automobile safety.
In 1971 he founded Public Citizen, and dealt with a number of health, safety and environmental issues. Throughout the 70's and 80's, he was also an anti-nuclear-power activist.
But his foray into politics has not been welcomed as constructive. He garners some support. His bid in the 2000 presidential elections pulled some votes. But many see his intrusion simply pulled votes away from Al Gore, letting George Bush take the lead. He himself admits this was what happened.
In 2004 he also made a late entry in the presidential elections as an independent candidate.
He has now again officially announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential elections. The swinging pendulum is just perceivably going towards the Democrats, it seems. There is a real chance of a Democratic victory this time round, though nothing is certain, and no one can even say that the Democrats are definitely favoured overall. But the prospect of another Republican term, however, is definitely not seen with relish by many Americans.
Ralph Nader will clearly get some votes, but the chance of him winning the elections is purely theoretical. Indeed he has, as he has often maintained, the constitutional right to stand for elections, and the American public should not be deprived of their constitutional rights of choice.
But by putting himself up as a candidate, is he really giving Americans more choice, or he is not in effect aiding and abetting the party that he himself may not wish to see continuing in power? The choice he is providing may be nothing more than illusory, but the spanner in the works will create a real effect.
Nader has for long been a vociferous voice for the little guy. A political activist who has taken on the big corporations, especially in the 60's through to the 80's. He became well-known with his study called Unsafe at Any Speed, an attack on the automobile industry and targeting General Motors' Corvair. His efforts led to a significant change in automobile safety.
In 1971 he founded Public Citizen, and dealt with a number of health, safety and environmental issues. Throughout the 70's and 80's, he was also an anti-nuclear-power activist.
But his foray into politics has not been welcomed as constructive. He garners some support. His bid in the 2000 presidential elections pulled some votes. But many see his intrusion simply pulled votes away from Al Gore, letting George Bush take the lead. He himself admits this was what happened.
In 2004 he also made a late entry in the presidential elections as an independent candidate.
He has now again officially announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential elections. The swinging pendulum is just perceivably going towards the Democrats, it seems. There is a real chance of a Democratic victory this time round, though nothing is certain, and no one can even say that the Democrats are definitely favoured overall. But the prospect of another Republican term, however, is definitely not seen with relish by many Americans.
Ralph Nader will clearly get some votes, but the chance of him winning the elections is purely theoretical. Indeed he has, as he has often maintained, the constitutional right to stand for elections, and the American public should not be deprived of their constitutional rights of choice.
But by putting himself up as a candidate, is he really giving Americans more choice, or he is not in effect aiding and abetting the party that he himself may not wish to see continuing in power? The choice he is providing may be nothing more than illusory, but the spanner in the works will create a real effect.
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