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Politics Has Finally Reached its Nadir

Feb 24 2008

Politics Has Finally Reached its Nadir

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Op_ed

By Bob Boldt

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Politics Has Finally Reached its Nadir

Just when you thought things could not become more confused, pitched, mad and surreal, another bomb falls.

Just in case you were too caught up this past Sunday in the really important events surrounding the Oscars to note the latest bizarre twisting and turning in the Road to the White House, Ralph Nader announced his candidacy for President.

As late as three months ago, there might have been a chance for Nader to have had a positive impact on the positions of the candidates and the Democratic Party platform. Unlike Kucinich who has been so beaten down that his mouth moves but words no longer come forth and Edwards, who couldn't even have captured a camera if he were on fire, Nadar is actually heard.

Even though permanently banned from all debates, past, present and future, he is able to command an inordinate amount of press attention. An earlier announcement by him might have had a leveraging influence on the candidates on the burning issues of:

1.] A single payer (Canadian style, free choice, Medicare for all) health care system.

2.] Development of solar energy and taking nuclear power off the table

3.] Cutting the huge bloated, wasteful military budget.

4.] Reversing U.S. Middle East policy in Israel/Palestine, Iraq and Iran.

5.] Launching an aggressive crackdown on corporate crime and corporate welfare. (see here)

These are issues of importance for our very national survival that, to date, none of the two leading Democratic candidates would dare touch with a barge pole.

I deeply regret that I didn't vote for Nader in '04. Who would have thought that the winner would refuse to serve or even call for an investigation in the light of massive vote fraud evident in Ohio and suspected irregularities in other key states.

This time I will NOT support Nader in any way.

First of all, it is far too late to even mount an informational campaign. After the withdrawal of John Edwards (the one candidate with even a pretence of progressive values) the candidates' positions are pretty much set in concrete.

Second, the only impact a Nader campaign can possibly have is to erode popular support for Obama and contribute to a McCain victory.

All bets have been off so many times in this run up to the election that I hesitate to even chance any further predictions. Barring some sort of Democratic death wish manifesting during the Convention in Denver, it looks as if it will be Obama v. McCain this fall. The way things look from here, Obama should trounce McCain handily. McCain's vulnerability on the War, domestic issues, refusal to repudiate the crimes of Bushco and personal corruption should produce a total rout in the contest for the White House. The '08 election should prove an even greater a disaster for the Republican Party than was the defeat of McCain's predecessor in the Senate, Barry Goldwater in '64.

Of course there are some dire predictions from the (hysterical?) prophets on the left, such as a nuclear strike on Iran (which Obama would be forced to support) and a subsequent war, which, if it did not cause a cancellation of the election, would at least sway the electorate to vote overwhelmingly for McCain. And there is always the possibility of the assassination of yet another charismatic black leader - a time honored Amerikan tradition.

Note: Recently the local police were ordered by the Feds to abandon security checks for concealed weapons at an Obama rally. In Dallas fer Chrissake!

Initial reactions to Nader's announcement were shrugged shoulders. Who cares? Is it just ego, a prank or madness? There is no lack of madness this time around. Let's hope, for all our sakes, the electoral shoulders remain permanently shrugged.

Robert Boldt an editor of MWC News, is a freelance film/video producer living in Jefferson City, Missouri. He is active in local politics, worked on the Howard Dean and John Kerry campaigns and is a cofounder of The White Rose Collective. Articles by Bob Boldt at MWC News http://mwcnews.net/bob-boldt

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Comments (4)

1. 25-02-2008 01:16

Nader scares the Big Boys

Nader is scorned because he will not play by the rules. He reminds voters how far their favorite candidate have strayed from what Americans want from their political system. That is what third party candidates do. Only a few have the guts to take on the corporate defined political system.

Guest

steveconn@hotmail.comNOSPAM! ">steve conn

2. 26-02-2008 01:09

Fairness

YES,YES,YES, Nader would offer a clean up and if possible stop to the military and Wall Street domination to promote under the name of terror the New World Order, on most levels. Yet as with Russia will the next president have to go along to try to save the economy. This is a man who exceeds those who have dropped out and even Ron Paul. Trouble is will the public rally behind Nader. Now, this is a man who they would take out rather than see get in, non of the P.R., JFK stuff to help Obabma, who a Martin Luther King he is not nor a JFK. It has been amazing how the public is so easily herded, to swallow a slow withdrawal, from the M.E. and yet to still protect the U.S. vital foriegn interests. These are que words to the elite they, (he or she), will keep the military bases and U.S. market domination protected. Don't let them deamonize him and call him a spoiler. A price will have to be paid to regain or work towards a more free world for all. The major media CNN and Fox already down mouth him.

Guest

3. 26-02-2008 01:20

A real threat to the New World Order.

This is why they will do all they can to marginalize him. If he would pick Kuchinic or Gravel for a running mate. Ron Paul would be to far right on many issues? They will demonize him because he is a true threat.

Guest

sjcolorwing@hotmail.comNOSPAM! ">SJ

4. 27-02-2008 10:13

Why mamady was killed

Another child, Mamady Camara, aged 11, was deliberately killed in Kankan on 22 January 2007. Witnesses told Amnesty International:

"On the day of the demonstration, Mamady Camara went out to get some water with his friend. They followed the crowd which was heading for the prefecture. Some soldiers started throwing grenades and firing on the demonstrators. Mamady was afraid and approached a solider to explain that he was going to get water and was not part of the demonstration. The solider told him to go away then shot him in the head. He was fatally wounded."

Registered

franklin

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