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While this is not strictly a Minneapolis Issue, it is an issue on the
minds of Minneapolis voters and in the pages of the Minneapolis
newspapers. How this issue plays out in our city and state has profound
national implications. What do people think? Can we have a discussion
about it on the list?
Catherine Shreves
School Board, 13th Ward
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Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 16:29:54 EST
Subject: Re Nader: ATLA Election Alert and address
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Dear Friends,
A couple things:=20
1) from a friend who works in the US Justice Dept. (I think ATLA stands for=
=20
American Trial Lawyers Assoc.) It's about Nader's Raiders for Gore.
2) E-mail address for Ralph Nader, in case you want to advise him.
Janet K
1) ** ATLA ELECTION ALERT **
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCES OF THE NADER CAMPAIGN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Marc Goldstein,
This is a special message to all ATLA members and particularly to voters in=20
the "swing" states of California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Missouri,=20
Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, and=20
Pennsylvania.
Unquestionably, Ralph Nader cannot win the Presidency, but his candidacy --=20
especially in those states -- may cost us all some of our most valued rights=
.
Like many ATLA members, I consider Ralph Nader a hero. When I was a law=20
student, Ralph and the crusade for consumers and safety that he initiated=20
were inspirations to me, as they have continued to be throughout my=20
professional career. Ralph has been a mentor and a close personal friend fo=
r=20
over 30 years.
I am sad to say, however, that his Green Party candidacy for President=20
represents a very real threat to everything Ralph Nader --often with the=20
support of ATLA and its members -- has fought for for almost 40 years.
ALL OF THE NATIONAL POLLS SHOW AN EXTREMELY TIGHT ELECTION. MAKE NO MISTAKE=
=20
ABOUT IT, A VOTE FOR RALPH NADER IS A VOTE FOR GEORGE W. BUSH FOR PRESIDENT.
That means a vote for Ralph Nader is a vote for helping to enact Governor=20
Bush's draconian programs of federal tort "reforms" that will severely limit=
=20
every American's legal rights and the authority of citizen juries. It is a=20
vote for restrictions on consumer protection. It is a vote for every=20
imaginable threat to the environment. And it is a vote for a United States=20
Supreme Court that will include two to four more justices like Antonin Scali=
a=20
and Clarence Thomas.
It would be tragic if Ralph Nader's ultimate legacy were everything that he=20
and his closest friends and supporters have opposed.
AND IT WOULD BE MORE TRAGIC STILL IF ATLA MEMBERS AND THEIR CLIENTS=20
INADVERTENTLY HELP ENACT FEDERAL TORT "REFORMS" BY
VOTING THEIR HEARTS, RATHER THAN THEIR HEADS.
The 2000 Elections on Tuesday, Nov. 7 will be among the most important in ou=
r=20
lives. They will determine who holds the White House and makes appointments=
=20
to the U.S. Supreme Court. They will decide the balance of power in the U.S=
.=20
Congress and state legislatures that will reapportion both legislative and=20
congressional districts in 2001.
As a former "Nader's Raider," I join with many of my former "Raider"=20
colleagues who have recently written to Ralph (=20
http://www.nadersraidersforgore.com/ ) saying:
"It is now clear that you might well give the White House to Bush. As a=20
result, you would set back significantly the social progress to which you=20
have devoted your entire life... There have been countless occasions where=
=20
you stayed in the background when that helped achieve the maximum benefit fo=
r=20
others. It is time for you once again to step aside in the best interests o=
f=20
our nation. It would be a cruel irony indeed if your major legacy were to=20
erase the victory from the candidate who most embodies your philosophy...and=
=20
to give the Executive Branch to the party which has consistently resisted=20
your progressive ideals."
More than ever before, please think about the importance of your vote. I=20
believe that you should cast it for Ralph Nader ONLY if you are willing to=20
accept George W. Bush as the next President of the United States.
And, please do what you can to educate your family, friends, and clients=20
about the unfortunate consequences of the Nader campaign.
Fred Baron
President of ATLA
_________________________________
2) =20
The Nader camp is deeply divided over whether they should endorse Gore -- at=
=20
least in swing states. Many say they never got into the race to play the=20
spoiler. What was positioned as a safe protest vote has now become a kind o=
f=20
kamikaze vote. The specter of a Bush presidency looms large.
Let Ralph Nader hear your feelings. His contact information:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
fax: 202-265-0183
phone: 202-265-4000
Nader has a lot of power in this situation? What should he do?
Please carbon copy us on your email to Ralph Nader at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] We want to know what you think.
As a sample, we've attached below an open letter that has been floating=20
around the net. However, a personalized message is always better.=20
Sincerely,
- Wes Boyd
MoveOn.org
P.S. Here's are some of the latest state level poll results, so you
can see how close it is in these key races:
Gore Bush Nader Undecided Source
Washington 45% 43% 5% 7% 10/16 American Research
Group Oregon 40% 44% 7% 9% 10/12 KPAM-Radio
Minnesota 41% 44% 8% 6% 10/18 Minneapolis Star
Tribune New Mexico 42% 42% 5% 10% 9/28 NM State
Univ. Michigan 43% 43% 4% 9% 10/19 EPIC/MRA Poll
Florida 43% 44% 3% 9% 10/18 John McLaughlin and
Assoc Nevada 44% 43% 3% 9% 9/21 Public Opinion
Strategies Pennsylvania 43% 45% 3% 9% 10/19 Public
Opinion Strategies
AN OPEN LETTER TO RALPH NADER
[Please sign this email with your own name and send it to Ralph Nader
at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Then forward it to every person in your
email address book, to the newspapers and broadcasters in your area,
and anyone else you can think of. With the race so close and such a
short time until the election, it's time for action.]
Dear Mr. Nader:
Over the years you have done a great deal for the American people. =20
Now you are about to do great harm. Your candidacy in this election
has been important. You have raised serious issues that need to be
addressed. But now your message is out and it=E2=80=99s time to set aside
ideology and step aside. If you don=E2=80=99t you will ensure that George W.
Bush is our next president. And if he is elected with a Republican
majority in Congress, the American people stand to lose most of the
social, economic and environmental progress we have made in the last
thirty years. If there is any question in your mind of this,
consider the following:
THE SUPREME COURT
Bush will appoint activist conservative judges who will actively seek
to take away a woman=E2=80=99s right to choose.
They will also support the corporate interests you have been so
gallantly fighting against by promoting "tort reform" which, as you
know, is another way to disempower the average citizen and take away
his or her right to sue corporations who damage them or cause death.
And the Bush Supreme Court will be anti-environment and side with the
exploiters and polluters who so willingly sacrifice the public health
and safety on the alter of short term profit.
THE DEFICIT AND THE MIDDLE CLASS
While Gore intends to use the surplus to pay down the deficit, Bush
plans to refund a large part of it to the wealthy. He says it=E2=80=99s=20
their
money and they should get it back. Well, it=E2=80=99s their deficit as well
and they should help pay it off.
At this time the nation is almost five trillion six hundred billion
dollars in the red. That=E2=80=99s $5,600,000,000,000. Over the past ten
years we have paid over three trillion dollars in interest. This year
we will pay an estimated three hundred and sixty-two billion dollars
in interest. That=E2=80=99s $362,000,000,000, Mr. Nader. About $1,400 for
every man woman and child in this country. Do you have any idea what
that amount of money could do for the environment and health care and
education if it was not being wasted on interest?
Next year we will pay even more. And the years after that still more.
And instead of paying down the deficit it will grow larger. Why? So
Bill Gates and Paul Allen and all the other multimillionaires can have
their much needed tax brakes. And if Bush is elected and then
inheritance tax is eliminated, the middle class will be asked to make
up the hundreds of billions of dollars in those lost revenues as well.
THE ENVIRONMENT
As governor of Texas Bush has put the polluters in charge of the
state's environmental program with the result that Texas is now an
environmental disaster. Although he doesn=E2=80=99t dare articulate it duri=
ng
the campaign, the Republican agenda includes doing away with the
Environmental Protection Agency. If it=E2=80=99s not eliminated completely=20=
it
will be emasculated to the point where it exists in name only.
And in service of his major contributors, the Oil and Coal
conglomerates, Bush and the Republicans will encourage oil exploration
in environmentally sensitive areas and the burning of fossil fuels to
produce electricity etc. If you think global warming is bad now, just
give a Bush administration a few years to pay of its debt to these
special interests.
And whether you want to admit it or not, Mr. Nader, Al Gore has been
one of the strongest advocates for environmental protection. He
recognized the danger of global warming before most people had heard
the term. And he almost single handedly, and against the advice of
all his political advisors, saved the Kyoto Accords. But a rabid
Republican Congress has blocked their implementation along with almost
every other environmental effort put forth by the Clinton
Administration. You=E2=80=99re correct. Clinton/Gore haven=E2=80=99t got a=20=
lot done.=20
But if you=E2=80=99d been president these past eight years, neither would yo=
u.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
You warn us of the growing power and influence of the corporations on
our lives and our democracy yet you threaten to help defeat the only
candidate with any chance of doing the one thing that will help solve
this problem. You know Bush and the Republicans will not support
Campaign Finance Reform. But Gore has promised that he will work with
John McCain in his mission to bring about the reform we need. Why on
earth would you actively work to keep this from happening?
SOCIAL SECURITY
You know Bush plans to divert hundreds of billions of dollars to Wall
Street. It seems like a great scheme while the market is going up as
it has been for the past several years. But what goes up also comes
down. While this risky scheme may put a few billion in the pockets of
the brokers and underwriters, it will turn Social Security into Social
Insecurity and endanger the retirement of many people who
unfortunately don=E2=80=99t have as much money as you do.
Mr. Nader, you have stated publicly that you would rather see Bush win
than Gore. You seem to believe that Bush will make things so bad that
the country will rise up. This reminds me of the days when doctors
bled patients in order to cure them. The problem was the patients
often died from the treatment rather than the disease.
As someone who agrees with you on so many things and would love to see
you continue your campaign to educate and enlighten us about the
things for which you care so much, I ask you to do the right thing.=20
The election is too close and now is the time for you to throw your
support behind Gore. If you help Bush win you will have single
handedly done more damage than any well meaning person could possible
conceive of. Please don=E2=80=99t let this happen.
Sincerely,
__________
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