There's nothing like cold-sweat panic in the eyes of two-party ideologues, when a third party candidate begins to make headway! I am now a veteran of three presidential and one gubernatorial third party effort(s) and would like to offer a bit of free advice to those Nader supporters now being preached to. This advice will be worth everything you paid for: Vote your heart AND your head. If Nader is your candidate...you can only help him and the third party effort by voting for him. The Dems and Reps would like you to believe that "he can't win..." Well...Ventura was picked to finish last right up until two days before the election. The Republicans pleaded with moderates in 1992 to stay with George Bush, Sr. They claimed we would elect Clinton...and well...they were right..but we also gave birth to a third party movement that only we ourselves(the Independence/Reform Party) screwed up by not staying together. Ralph Nader is a decent, honest and capable national figure who is smarter and cleaner than either of the two choices being offered. It is only with the threat of a third or fourth party influencing elections that we can force the current major parties to share power in the debates, the federal election funding and the access to media. These are ultimately more important than any of the alleged scare tactics being used by the Gore campaign to woo traditional Democrat voters back into the fold. Despite my disagreement with Mr. Nader on some fiscal policies, he meets my ideology test on 1)environment, 2)social policy, 3) consumer protection, and healthcare. He also represents the best chance for a legit third party grab the national stage,and that, is by far more important in the long run for the political health of our country than any alleged doomsday threat of either a Bush or Gore presidency. So, don't fall off your chair, but I'm voting for Ralph Nader, and I hope he wins! -- Steve Minn ---------- >From: "Catherine Shreves" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [Fwd: Re Nader: ATLA Election Alert and address] >Date: Mon, Oct 30, 2000, 9:36 PM > > This is a multi-part message in MIME format. > --------------082E4B26CA6614CB4723329C > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > 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 > --------------082E4B26CA6614CB4723329C > Content-Type: message/rfc822 > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Content-Disposition: inline > > Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Received: from imo-r17.mail.aol.com ([152.163.225.71]) > by ultra.mpls.k12.mn.us (Netscape Messaging Server 3.54) > with ESMTP id AAA2834 for <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; > Mon, 30 Oct 2000 15:38:38 -0600 > Received: from [EMAIL PROTECTED] > by imo-r17.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v28.32.) id c.90.b602e1f (4534); > Mon, 30 Oct 2000 16:29:55 -0500 (EST) > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 16:29:54 EST > Subject: Re Nader: ATLA Election Alert and address > MIME-Version: 1.0 > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > Content-Language: en > To: undisclosed-recipients:; > X-Mailer: Windows AOL sub 124 > > 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, > > > __________ > > > --------------082E4B26CA6614CB4723329C-- >
