After literally months and months of personal deliberation, I’ve decided who I’m voting for in this year’s presidential elections. We are in absolute lockstep agreement on the most important issues of our time and their correct solutions. This year I will proudly cast my vote for Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez as President and Vice-president of the United States of America.
10 Reasons I’m Voting for Ralph Nader & Matt Gonzalez
- Universal Health Care.
- End to all wars.
- End to corporate personhood.
- Impeach Bush and Cheney.
- National Initiative.
- Energy Policy.
- Fair Tax.
- Ballot Access.
- Open the debates.
- Federal Budget.
The argument over whether socialism is good or bad does not matter. Our government has already decided it will act as a socialist entity with Medicare, Social Security, bank bailouts and endless other infiltrations into the free market. To not provide universal health care is to openly admit we do not care about the well being of our citizens. This strategy must come to an end. As one of the richest countries in the world, we cannot afford to not provide our citizens guaranteed access to health care.
The money to pay for universal health care and other infrastructure and development projects, within the U.S.A., will come from the savings of bringing every soldier home. Currently, more than half of every discretionary dollar spent by the U.S. government goes to military funding. Simply put, we are spending too much money killing people and not enough helping them.
I have railed against corporate personhood before and truly believe it is one of the reasons we are seeing the manufactured economics crises today. Many people do not realize that corporations are legally viewed as people, just the same as you and me. Corporations twisted the law freeing slaves to force corporate personhood and it’s time we end this disgrace. Corporations are not people.
Impeachment is simply an analysis of whether the President and Vice-president committed crimes. So far, our politicians will not even debate whether we should debate if crimes were committed, eventhough Bush and Cheney openly and flagrantly admit to committing multiple crimes against our citizens, government and world.
Perhaps the greatest of the Nader – Gonzalez plaform, the National Initiative would allow regular American citizens to petition and demand change from the government easily and reliably. A strong democracy is one where citizens may easily redress the government when it creates laws to benefit the few and harm the many.
Hands down the best energy policy of any presidential candidate. The Nader platform looks forward to the future to realize that we must act now to invest in and install clean, efficicent renewable forms of energy such as wind and solar power. Doing so will create new manufacturing jobs and break our need for dirty and expensive forms of energy such as nuclear, coal and oil.
Are you sick of hearing about corporate loop holes that allow big businesses to pay no taxes while half your paycheck goes to Uncle Sam? Me too. Ralph Nader realizes how broken our tax system has become and offers the fair tax which would close corporate loopholes and begin taxing negative things we do not want, such as pollution, to discourage the negative and encourage people to work and earn money.
Makes a lot more sense than our current system.
Currently each state in the union has their own ballot access laws, creating a stressful and chaotic scene where it is often a battle in and of itself for viable candidates to gain access to the ballot. Nader-Gonzalez propose one standard for all the states to ensure all candidates have fair access to the ballot, thus providing citizens with greater choice and creating greater competition amongst candidates, thus helping our democracy for everyone.
Currently, we allow a private corporation to host debates between two political parties and allow this private corporation to ban other viable candidates from the debate. We cannot say we live in a democracy when we prevent candidates from having a seat at the table.
The Nader-Gonzalez campaign describes it perfectly:
The United States needs a redirected federal budget that adequately funds crucial priorities like infrastructure, transit and other public works, schools, clinics, libraries, forests, parks, sustainable energy and pollution controls. The budget should move away from the deeply documented and criticized (by the US General Accounting Office, retired Admirals and Generals and others) wasteful, redundant “military industrial complex” as President Eisenhower called it, as well as corporate welfare and tax cuts for the wealthy that expand the divide between the luxuries of the rich and the necessities of the poor and middle class.
Yes, rebuild America!
These are my reason for voting for Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez in the 2008 presidential elections. The points I’ve outlined above are the ten of most important points to the future sustainability of this country and are clearly above and beyond any platform stance of any other presidential candidate. Simply put, the Nader-Gonzalez platform is not only good but also correct.
Do yourself and your country a favor and vote for Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalelez in 2008.
While I agree with your politics I think this election is far to important to lose to the republicans. I’d normally be right there with you but this time I’m going to have to vote solidly against McCain and his crazy lady.
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Well, Paunchiness I live in Massachusetts where Obama will likely win by 20+ points, so fear not the so called “lesser evil” will still win my state. Also, there is no more solid way to vote against McSame than to vote 3rd party. If a 3rd party registers 10-15-20% of our nation’s votes it will send a message, heck if a 3rd party was allowed to debate, a 3rd party might just win it, ala Jessie Ventura.
Besides, I’ve very very opposed to the vote against a candidate strategy. Al Gore and John Kerry lost their elections, not Ralph Nader. To say otherwise is like me saying that the Packers are the reason the Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the Giants! If the Packers had beaten the Giants, surely the Pats would have won!
We cannot blame the little guys for the big guys not being able to seal the deal. It is simply not fair and unjust, let’s place the blame where it matters, squarely upon the shoulder of the Democratic party for allowing Bush to steal both elections.
If Obama wanted to win my independent vote, he would debate Ralph Nader and Bob Barr (like he said he would). In addition, he’d stop promoting nuclear power and promise a full withdrawal of troops from Iraq AND Afghanistan (he and McCain both support increasing troop levels in Afghanistan). Those would be good first steps, as is Barack Obama has lost my vote completely and utterly due to no one’s fault but his own (and his campaign) and is so far off my ideals it’s doubtful he could gain my vote in the next month.
Having said that, Obama will make a much better President than McCain could even dream of. Obama speaks well, and that’s a vast, vast improvement over Bush and McSame. In fact, I’ll even give you that Obama is a better politician, while Nader would be a much, much better government worker. Heck, Ralph Nader has passed more legislation as a private citizen than many career legislators!
[…] by no means a Republican. Nor am I a Democrat. I’m registered as an independent and plan on voting for Ralph Nader. I am not opposed to the political views expressed in the movie, it’s zero score is purely […]
I fully agree — and I live in OH. I don’t care. I’m done pretending that the Democrats (who voted for wars and the Patriot Act and the FISA bill and Defense of Marriage Act) are any different.
I am proud to be voting for Nader/Gonzalez.
If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s that the Democrats might be even worse than the Republicans! Amazing because Bush and his pals really set the bar quite low the past couple of years but both Obama and McCain sprinted to the aid of Bush’s bailout bill.
Here’s to voting for a campaign rather than against one!
[…] Pieniazek presents Ten Reasons I Am Voting for Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez posted at Adam […]
I’m all for closing corporate tax loopholes, but some smaller corporations depend on those to exist. In addition, there’s nothing to stop a corporation from outsourcing to cheap foreign labor if they can’t get a tax break here. If Nader can address these issues, then by all means. It’t a lot more complicated than just closing the loopholes.
I’m going with Bob Barr myself.
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Hi, my partner and I will be voting for Mr. Nader here in Indiana. We are doing so based on the four areas of agreement presented by Mr. Nader and Dr. Paul during their joint interview on “The Situation Room”.
Reclaim the Republic!
Alli
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TauCan, those smaller corporations should benefit from less taxes under the Nader plan. In essence, we’d close loop holes and start taxing negative externalities, such as pollution, which smaller corporations produce less of. In general, Nader wants to avoid taxing income and instead tax negative actions. The smaller corporation would also benefit from abolishing corporate person hood which would level the playing field by reducing the non-economic powers held by large multi-national conglomerates.
Also, there’s nothing stopping a corporation from exporting labor period. Tax breaks can only help so much when the difference in wage is so vast.
I like Barr, but I identify a lot more with Nader, especially on energy and health care. I will admit Nader is not as strong as a Ron Paul on the economy, though I believe Barr, Paul, Nader and McKinney are all for the abolition of corporate person hood.
Heck yeah Alli! It still amazes me that those four areas are the main issues for the majority of Americans, yet they continue to follow in the charade of the Republocrat Demopublican “race”.
My ideal ticket would be Matt Gonzalez with Ron Paul as vice-president. I know everyone states that the two [Nader/Gonzalez & Paul] are on opposite ends of the political spectrum but that is why they’d make a great combo. We need opposing views in Washington, not the voice of one singular party.
Honestly, it seems the years are catching up to Ralph and I think it’s time he steps out of the spotlight and pursues more of an advisor role. I love his ideas but lately his videos just seem like he’s being weighed down heavily by the politics of the campaign and repeated mistakes of our current government.
Matt on the other hand is charismatic, energetic and wicked smart. Plus too many people blame Nader for a certain party losing for him make a realistic run. I’m voting for him and spread the word to my friends and family and even strangers to vote Nader or any other third party but realistically, the chances are slim, though I hold out hope.
I think if Nader dropped out and let Gonzalez take over it’d generate a lot of good buzz for the ticket and third parties in general. Plus, it’d expose more people to Matt Gonzalez and perhaps get a big boost amongst voters, who would once again see Nader putting himself aside for the good of the country.
Though, I’m not sure of the legal technicalities of such a move…
There will be votes for Nader/Gonzalez from Texas too. The 3rd party candidates are the only people to have shown a true concern for the people and the issues. Does anyone else have a hard time following hockey mom and average joe spiels? I agree, the R’s and D’s are just “McSame”. I won’t vote for a “lesser evil” and I refuse to settle.
Right on Brett! At least Barack Obama is charismatic and can speak well, which is admittedly a huge, huge improvement but simply put it’s not enough, compared to Bush he’s amazing, but realistically he’s an average politician who speaks well. McSame is well McSame.
Hopefully Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez can get together with the other 3rd party candidates and organize a debate before the election. I think it’d really help all the 3rd party candidates to participate in a debate and whoever organizes will exhibit the kind of uniting leadership we need.
[…] PM: In the interests of full disclosure, it should be noted that I plan on voting for Ralph Nader, though I will try to remain as un-biased as humanly possible in my […]
As a young citizen I can’t say that I know very much about the improvement or decline of personal life over the past 30 years, however in this time of out of control debt and failure to accept personal responsibility on the part of the banking system and the whole host of other issues that face our country.
I believe that the time for true change is upon us, as Thomas Jefferson once said “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” I don’t believe that we must literally kill the tyrants or that patriots must give up their lives. Ralph Nader is a shining example of this sentiment working tirelessly for nearly the past 50 years in order to repair this broken democracy, not by causing more pain and suffering put by the tools granted to us by our founding fathers.
I believe that Ralph Nader is the candidate that most accurately represents my views and it is for that reason that I have already cast my absentee ballot for Nader/Gonzalez 2008
Democracy was once envisioned as a government for, by, and of the people. Perhaps one day we shall see that realized.
Well, as a young citizen too Will, I can say I’ve seen a drop in our economic prowess over the last eight years or so.
Heck, when I was in high school I had a summer job where I earned $12 / hr which would work out to about $18 today…now I’m sure I could find a job somewhere today paying me $18 / hr but it’d be a lot tougher than it was eight years ago.
I think you make a great point that Ralph has given himself to the good of this country for nearly his whole life. Just look at the long, long list of laws that he’s helped pass, imagine what he’d do if he was actually working for the government! Say what you want about Mr. Nader but he would surely deliver the most bang for our presidential buck and that argument is not up for debate.
“Democracy was once envisioned as a government for, by, and of the people.”
Another great point, however I truly believe our system of governance must change in order to deliver this democracy. We need a system where citizens can challenge laws and politicians at anytime. Also, the electoral college needs to be abolished. Having a winner takes all system makes the minority opinion null and void, whereas any true democracy includes all opinions, not just the most popular one.
Adam,
I like you live in a state that will with out question be in the Obama column, but imagine if you lived in Ohio, Florida, or any of the host of states that are closely contested. Would you still have the same conviction of your choice? I don’t pretend that the rule we live under today is democratic, as one person one vote is clearly not the case.
I would also like to amend my previous post as after reading your comments I do realize some of the resent turmoil and strife has effected me personally.
And as far as my Thomas Jefferson quote is concerned I in no way am advocating military revolution, however I do believe that perhaps with an intellectual revolution this country might return to the principles of it’s great leaders and begin to flourish once more.
Finally I meant to say Democracy of, by, and for not for, by and of but I believe that the point still was made.
Nader is the man! Always has been!
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Hi Adam, a friend of mine just told me her company just finished a survey here in Indiana that listed “3rd Parties” as receiving 8% in the Presidential horserace question.
Unfortunately, the lock the Demopublicans have on the electorate may indeed leave our Republic in shambles. Cornering the conversation and stifling dissent is most surely dangerous.
Be well.
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Well Will, in 2004 I lived in North Carolina and voted for Kerry and encouraged my friends and classmates to do the same based purely on not wanting to give Bush another four years. It was my first time voting in a presidential election and it honestly left me with a very sour taste. I thought Kerry was clearly better than Bush but knew he wasn’t a great politician either (firsthand from having lived in Massachusetts for nearly my whole life).
If I live in North Carolina right now would I vote for Obama? It’s tough to say for sure, but I don’t think I would. I’ve moved past the mainstream parties and Obama has voted with Bush / the Republicans often enough that it’s tough to say he’s truly that much better. He’s an average politician with great charisma, whereas Nader is an amazing citizen with little charisma. Honestly, the drastic and idealistic changes Ralph Nader and Ron Paul and other third party people want to make scare me almost as much as the government-corporate consolidation of the Demopublicans and Republocrats. I believe in a lot of Nader’s platform stands but at the same time hope that if he were elected he’d have the common sense to ease into his positions instead of drastically changing our country overnight.
I’ve honestly had a very tough time this year picking a presidential candidate to vote for and Nader is by no means perfect. He has plenty of character flaws and I still wish there was an even better option. Having said all that, Nader’s stances are most in line with mine and that is why I’m voting for him, because of his thoughts and stands on the issues. I don’t think that living in a swing state would change that at this point, as I want to vote for my ideals, not empty tactics.
That’s great Allison! I have no doubt that third parties would poll a lot higher if they were allowed to debate the mainstream candidates and no doubt that is one of the reasons they are not allowed in the debates.
[…] the interests of full disclosure, please note that I will vote for Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez on November 4, 2008. Having gotten that out of the way, it’s clear that I believe Ralph is […]
[…] I’m personally voting for Ralph Nader, there is much to respect in Barack Obama and how he’s ran his campaign. Say what you will […]
Heck, why not vote for Ralph and Matt?
Look what we’ve had to work with for the past two decades!
Perhaps Ralph and Matt might, for once, keep a campaign promise…
We don’t have anything to lose. Let me say though that so far, Obama is doing an OK job. He’s not doing great but he’s not doing terribly and at least that’s an improvement. Baby steps people, baby steps!