Ralph Nader in National Public Radio

On Health Care: Cradle-to-grave health care better than Clinton’s plan

A: It’s a jury-rigged health care proposal that makes the health care industry half happy and everyone else half happy. Why can’t the richest country have cradle-to-grave health care like Europe and Asia? We need universal health care which is accessible, affordable, with quality care, and relying on preventive health. We have waited long enough -- we don’t need a plan like Bush’s or itty-bitty steps like Gore’s.

On Homeland Security: SDI doesn’t work; money better spent elsewhere

A: Well, it doesn’t work, even according to the physics community. Gen. MacArthur warned against looking for enemies. [An enemy] could bring a nuclear bomb in a suitcase -- so what are we gonna do, have a $500 billion suitcase defense system? We have far more serious needs -- with billions spent on arms instead of spending pennies to protect children’s health.

On War & Peace: Should have anticipated Yugoslav breakup by “waging peace”

A: Our foreign policy is often too little too late, and then too brutal. Everyone could foresee Yugoslavia deteriorating after Tito. We need a policy of “waging peace” to anticipate problems. And we need a multilateral “peace force” ready to go.

Q: UN or NATO-US or what?

A: With heavy regional content depending on which continent.

On Corporations: Role of government is to counteract power of corporations

On Principles & Values: Expand agenda to voter, worker, consumer, shareholder

A: I’ve heard from emissaries from the Democrats, from some members of Congress, and their question is always, why are you doing this? And I’ve given them the answer:

This is a broad political effort to enlist young people, broaden the agenda, and focus relentlessly on expanding the tools of democracy -- for the five roles we play in our country: voter, worker, taxpayer, consumer and shareholder.

On Welfare & Poverty: Training & earned income credits are corporate subsidies

A: Well it certainly took the steam off the drive for raising the minimum wage or at least adjusting it for inflation -- the earned income credit. Now it’s become very complex and embroiled in Congressional politics. But the job training programs were more a subsidy to corporations who really didn’t create many jobs with all these billions of taxpayer dollars it received over the last 25 years. Corporate Welfare is alive and well. The Corporate Welfare programs in the federal government are double the poverty welfare programs -- if you look at tax expenditures and all the direct subsidies and giveaways and bailouts and loan guarantees, etc. That should be a major agenda.