Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Hey, he finally got on some ballots, by no fault of his own.

The National Reform Party, a party with no agenda of its own but one that just tries to gain power by latching onto crazy fringe politicians with high name recognition, has given Nader an unsolicited endorsement. The prize -- automatic ballot access in Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana and South Carolina, all the states that The National Reform Party has already done the legwork to get on the ballot for.

I'm not ENTIRELY sure how this works exactly, but I think, in those states, he'll be listed on the ballots as the Reform Party candidate. He'll still be listed in other states as an Independent. The Reform party basically got on the ballots in those states for whoever it would turn out would be their nominee. Lacking a nominee, they just turned it over to Nader. They also said they're going to be sending out their volunteers and staff to help Nader get on the ballot in other states.

The Reform party was the one formed and run with by Ross Perot. Later, Jesse Ventura used it to gain the groundwork for his run in MN, later dumping them when he had his footing. It's the party that Pat Buchannan ran on in 2000.

I have no idea what their agenda is. To be honest, I think they just like having their name out there and don't much care who it is on the ballot. They're a pretty weird organization.

So, Nader is on in Florida and Michigan (and some suggest even South Carolina may be a swing state this year).

This is phenomenally good for Nader, to be sure. Though, that's pretty relative, he's still just a drop in the bucket, but that's a lot of legwork he won't have to do now, and being on in Florida especially will increase his leverage with Democrats, who still seem to have an almost delusionally paranoid reaction to just the THOUGHT of moving too far to the right for fear of progressives jumping ship to Nader. I don't know that this will have a tremendous effect in the race as a whole, but it's certainly the first good news Nader has had this year.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 2300

That, I did not expect. Buchannan and Nader. Both under Reform at some point. I guess their agenda is to somehow just gain credibility as a third party, and worry about the platform later. That's actually kinda cool.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 7504

The Reform Party has one consistent principle: protectionism. That makes them maybe the worst party in America, if you don't count New Alliance, which I damn sure don't.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: The Bottom of the Toyem Pole
Posts: 9455

How about some protectionism for emerging markets? Capital fluidity is fucking them up bigtime.

Nader is a good thing going on here. We need a stronger multi-party politics in this country.

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Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Oceanside, CA
Posts: 5156

quote:

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Originally posted by CHiPsJr
The Reform Party has one consistent principle: protectionism. That makes them maybe the worst party in America, if you don't count New Alliance, which I damn sure don't.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Montreal
Posts: 2992

I hope you people vote Nader save the world!

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"Please pardon my levity, I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd." R A Wilson (R.I.P)

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: zanzibar
Posts: 10477

quote:

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Nader Campaign Qualifies For Federal Matching Funds

POSTED: 7:27 pm EDT May 28, 2004
UPDATED: 7:30 pm EDT May 28, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Ralph Nader's independent bid for the White House has qualified to receive matching government funds, the Federal Election Commission announced Friday.

Campaign officials said Nader has raised more than $850,000 to date from 7,800 separate contributions. To receive matching funds, a candidate must raise at least $5,000 in 20 states in donations of $250 or less.

The average contribution to the Nader campaign is $100, with 89 percent being $100 or less, the campaign said. The FEC matches all contributions of $250 or less up to $18.7 million.

"The Nader Campaign is not dialing for corporate dollars, unlike the corporate political duopoly we are challenging," Nader said in a statement. "We are seeking a broad base of support among the people."

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 7113

That's going to help him a lot, the fund matching. That is, I'll most likely vote Kerry but donate 250 dollars to Nader.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Save your money for people that need it.

Nader failed to make the ballot in Arizona, and in Nevada, the signatures he has already gotten have been rendered null and void by a law there that states that third parties can only get valid signatures if it includes the full ticket....Pres AND VP. So he's got to start all over there, and start suing in Arizona.

Nader also apparantly has a very good relationship with Kerry...unlike Gore, who Nader despised, Nader seems to have a great amount of respect for Kerry. If Kerry picks a VP that Ralph likes...Gep or Edwards particularly, and continues to have headaches getting on ballots, I'd say there's a chance that he drops out as the election nears and endorses Kerry.

Or, he stays in and it won't matter anyway.

Either way.

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 24797

Oh boy, Nader's got it made now.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Sunofabitch. Well, for all the spite directed at him, Nader is making all of the right moves. First the Reform Party, now, it seems, the Greens, with their party structure and already access to 22 states.

quote:

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Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader selected longtime Green Party activist Peter Camejo to be his running mate on Monday, a move sure to boost his chances of winning the Green Party's endorsement this week and its access to ballot lines in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

...The announcement came in advance of the Green Party convention beginning Wednesday in Milwaukee. Nader, who ran as the Green Party candidate in 2000, is not seeking the party's nomination but he has pursued an endorsement from the third party.

"Camejo shares my concerns for economic and social justice as well as the urgent need to protect our environment," Nader said in a statement before introducing him at an afternoon news conference.

One Green Party leader said a Nader-Camejo ticket would have a very strong chance of winning the party's endorsement.

"This is an opportunity for Nader to make an overture to the party membership," said Ben Manski, one of five co-chairs of the Green Party. "I think it certainly would put him much more in the running but not a guarantee."...

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 24797

An excellent choice of words, Paint.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Indeed. But, at least his trials and tribulations in Arizona are amusing.

quote:

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Democrats in Arizona are challenging signatures Nader submitted to get on that state's ballot. Word from the field is that there are probably enough suspect signatures to keep Nader off the ballot.

In addition to suspect signatures, entire reams of signatures can be invalidated if the person collecting them is a felon. Turns out that out of the 122 paid people who gathered the Nader signatures, at least 19 are confirmed felons. One of them was convicted for forgery.

Considering that these same felonious petitioners were also soliciting signatures for an anti-immigrant initiative and an effort to invalidate Arizona's clean election law, invalidating those petitioners and their signatures may actually serve triple duty, helping defeat Nader's cynical presidential effort AND two nasty Republican-backed ballot efforts.

Also, checking back with people in the know, it turns out that the partisan breakdown has shifted since the early days of the petition verification process. The numbers are now 65 percent Republican, 18 percent Democrat, the rest Independent.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Triple-header:

Green Party Refuses to Back Nader for President.

quote:

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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Reuters) - The Green Party on Saturday refused to back Ralph Nader in his independent run for the White House, a move that could reduce his chances of being a factor in this year's election.

Delegates to the half-million-member party's presidential convention voted to nominate party activist David Cobb, a California lawyer who led the delegate count going into the meeting.

On the second round of voting, Cobb captured 408 delegates, more than the 385 needed to gain the nomination.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: The Bottom of the Toyem Pole
Posts: 9455

Ouch. I read a nice interview with Cobb recently that put the nader campaign in perspective. Nader's lack of interest in being a Green and just seeking Green endorsement hurt him. Cobb and I have similar views about voting rationale and whatnot and I'm guessing that he (Cobb) got through to the convention that Nader isn't really who represents them.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

From MyDD, a pretty good blog. I guess my understanding of how the state-by-state Green system works was wrong; or his is; or something else happened (withholding an endorsement) that I was unaware of. Anyhoo.

quote:

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We Can Finally Stop Worrying About Nader
by Chris Bowers

Today, the Green Party of the United States, the third largest party in America but possibly the largest political party in the world, nominated David Cobb (G-TX) for President on the second ballot at their national convention. This means that only David Cobb and his Vice-Presidential candidate, Pat LaMarche (G-ME), will be allowed on any Green Party ballot anywhere in the country. Importantly, Cobb has pledged to run a "safe states" campaign, where he will avoid the 10-15 closest swing states and instead focus on reaching the ballot and campaigning for votes in solid red or solid blue territory. With this strategy and far lower name recognition, Cobb will not be a spoiler.

This effectively ends any chance Ralph Nader had to make an impact on the 2004 election. Now, his only route to reaching ballot access is through the Reform party and independent / Republican efforts of his campaign. However, considering his progress to date, do not expect him to have much, if any, success qualifying for ballots. Thus far:

* Nader has not achieved ballot access in any state. Even the seven states where the Reform party nomination has supposedly guaranteed his place on the ballot, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, South Carolina and Texas, are not secured.
* As I wrote in an earlier article, Nader has almost no funds with which to work. As of May 31st, Nader had $73,412.61 cash on hand, minus around $24,000 in debts. In May alone, he spent $95,000 in Texas, while only raising $189,555 nationally. In 2000, Nader raised over $8,400,000, more than eight times his current total.
* A strong Democratic effort to keep Nader off the ballot in Arizona seems to be working. Expect such efforts to continue in other states.
* Nader's activist presence is minimal. His Meetup numbers have grown by less than 200 over the past two months.

It is over for Nader. I will personally be stunned if he makes the ballot in twelve states. He does not have the money for a limited national advertising drive like he had in 2000. There will be no Nader "super-rallies" like in 2000, where he regularly drew crowds exceeding 10,000 people. He has no party support. He has nothing.

From now on, no poll that includes Nader should be taken seriously. Libertarian + Constitution now probably poses a larger threat to Bush than Nader + Cobb poses for Kerry. It is time for everyone in the Democratic Blogosphere to relax their sphincters and allow their blood pressure to drop. It is time we started paying Nader the attention he deserves in this campaign--none. To continue complaining about him would border on mental illness.

As for the Green party, they seem to have acquitted themselves nicely. They will probably face some defection over the nomination of Cobb, but if they had endorsed Nader they would have been destroyed. This will render them marginal, but it does show their willingness to compromise with Democrats, which might guarantee their long term survival. Also, as the case of the New Paltz mayor seems to reveal, when they do manage to sneak in an elected official or two, they are principled and willing to fight for progressive causes.

Nader is over, and the Green party is marginal. You can use the thread below to discuss this topic, or as an open thread if you like. Have a very happy Saturday.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

This is awesome.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Kind of cross-posting what I was talking about in the poll thread, I want to put here what state ballots Nader will FOR SURE be on.

On Ballot:
Florida
Michigan
Arizona (barring lawsuits)
Colorado
Illinois
South Carolina
Mississippi
Kansas
Montana

Not on Ballot:
Texas
Indiana

Last edited by Paint CHiPs on 07-02-2004 at 09:28 AM

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26420

Kind of surprised he hasn't just ponied up the dough for Louisiana. Colorado, btw, costs you 500 bucks and you're on the state ballot for president. Heh.

Also: Nice job getting on the ballot in Michigan and Florida but not bothering with Texas and Indiana. Way to not work against Democrats, douchebag.

Last edited by Paint CHiPs on 07-02-2004 at 09:32 AM

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 7113

I'm not sure where to post this, but, I'm the campus coordinator for Nader at Northeastern University. I'll probably be heading down to DC for the Dean/Nader debate.

The New Jersey one is more than a typo, I'm pretty sure it's Late Late July or August.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 7113

You can bold MA.

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