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2008 Independent for for President; 2004 Reform nominee; 2000 Green nominee |
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Ralph Nader
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Barack Obama
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Do the Right Thing, by Mike Huckabee
2008 Third Party debates: Green; Libertarian; Socialist; and other candidates
Green Party 2008 Presidential Candidate Questionnaire
A Mandate for Change, by Mike Gravel
Meet the Press: Meet the Candidates 2008 series, with Tim Russert
CNN Late Edition, throughout 2008
Green Presidential Debate moderated by Cindy Sheehan
Seventeen Traditions, by Ralph Nader
CNN Late Edition, throughout 2007
Ad-Watch
Howard Dean-Ralph Nader debate
The Natural, by Joe Klein
The American Prospect, columns by Robert Reich
Fortunate Son, by J. H. Hatfield
Nader: Crusader, Spoiler, Icon, by Justin Martin
The New York Times, 2000-2009
Cutting Corporate Welfare, by Ralph Nader
2000 Green Party Platform
In the Public Interest columns, by Ralph Nader
My Life, by Bill Clinton
The Good Fight, by Ralph Nader
Crashing the Party, by Ralph Nader
No Contest: Corporate Lawyers and the Perversion of Justice in America, by Ralph Nader & Wesley J. Smith
The Concord Principles, by Ralph Nader
(click a picture above for excerpts or other books and debates by or about Ralph_Nader)
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Abortion
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Budget & Economy
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Civil Rights
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Education
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Welfare & Poverty
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Ralph Nader on Abortion
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Click here for 8 full quotes on Abortion
OR other political leaders on Abortion.
- Supports NOW’s agenda on Reproductive Rights. (Feb 2008)
- Supports stem cell research. (Feb 2008)
- Roe v. Wade is not at risk, even from GOP Supreme Court. (Oct 2002)
- If Roe is reversed, decision just reverts to the states. (Sep 2002)
- Threats to overturn Roe are “scare tactics”. (Nov 2000)
- Women should decide whether to use RU-486, not government. (Oct 2000)
- No government role; let women privately decide. (May 2000)
- Roe v Wade is safe; GOP must back off pushing it. (Feb 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Budget & Economy
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Click here for 14 full quotes on Budget & Economy
OR other political leaders on Budget & Economy.
- Half of federal budget is now military spending. (Jan 2008)
- Jobs lost may not be replaced by new ones. (Jul 2003)
- 47 million full-time workers make less than $10 an hour. (Oct 2000)
- Use surplus to rebuild country & provide for communal needs. (Oct 2000)
- Top priorities: Infrastructure; poverty; preventive health. (Jul 2000)
- High gas prices are the fruit of corporate power. (Jun 2000)
- People indicators are down despite good economic indicators. (May 2000)
- Two-tiered economy is unhealthy & troubling. (May 2000)
- Allow citizen lawsuits for waste in govt spending. (Feb 2000)
- The economy is down, when measured by human yardsticks. (Feb 2000)
- Fed worries wrongly about wage inflation over profits. (Nov 1999)
- Spend surplus on public works & infrastructure. (Jul 1999)
- 1990s S&L crisis cost taxpayers billions. (Dec 1998)
- GNP fails to measure quality of life. (Dec 1995)
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Ralph Nader on Civil Rights
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Click here for 16 full quotes on Civil Rights
OR other political leaders on Civil Rights.
- Safeguard the Constitution; the flag can take care of itself. (Oct 2008)
- Ban desecration of the Constitution; not flag desecration. (Jan 2008)
- Patriot Act associated with abuse of Muslim’s civil rights. (Nov 2004)
- Get rid of gay discrimination fully, not halfway. (Jul 2004)
- African Americans progress is too slow-we can do better. (Mar 2004)
- Women are still second-class citizens in school athletics. (Jan 2003)
- Questioned anti-female bias at 1950s Harvard Law School. (Oct 2002)
- Truth and reconciliation commission for Native Americans. (Aug 2000)
- Disagrees with ACLU on spending money as free speech. (Feb 2000)
- Supports “impenetrable protection of privacy”. (Oct 1996)
- Differentiate discriminatory justice from indiscriminate. (Oct 1996)
- Political discourse narrows when media serves Mammon. (Dec 1995)
Gay Rights
- Nader supports gay marriage; but gay groups support Gore. (Nov 2000)
- Equal gay rights, including civil union. (Oct 2000)
- Supports Civil Union in Vermont and elsewhere. (May 2000)
- Long history of fighting in sexual politics. (Feb 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Corporations
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Click here for 56 full quotes on Corporations
OR 2 older headlines
OR other political leaders on Corporations.
- 1960s seatbelt laws represented a cultural change. (Nov 2008)
- Washington DC is corporate-occupied territory. (Feb 2008)
- Obama & McCain differ, but neither takes on corporations. (Feb 2008)
- Democracy is gone when elections are commercialized. (Jan 2008)
- Corporations have too much control over people’s lives. (Jan 2008)
- Corporations control government; that defines fascism. (Jan 2008)
- Citizens’ agenda for cracking down on corporate crime. (Oct 2004)
- No eminent domain gifts to private enterprises. (Aug 2004)
- Legislative “tort deform” for consumers, not corporations. (Jul 2004)
- Economic powers control our lives and our elections. (Jul 2004)
- Capitalism can lead to fascism. (Jul 2004)
- Corporations should not legally be counted as individuals. (Jul 2004)
- Giant corporations roam the Earth making people into serfs. (Jul 2004)
- Corporate politics is only free speech because money talks. (Oct 2002)
- Major parties both focus on wealthy interests. (Oct 2002)
- Net worth is $3.8 million; owns corporate stocks. (Oct 2002)
- Consumerism is about corporations vs. citizens. (Sep 2002)
- Shift power from corporations to consumers. (Oct 2000)
- 1995: Gov. Bush's tort reform benefited him personally. (Aug 1999)
- Ethical rules should REQUIRE reporting corporate misconduct. (Dec 1998)
- Legal delaying tactics cause crisis in confidence in law. (Dec 1998)
- Corporate state gives away public assets to private monopoly. (Dec 1998)
Auto Safety
- Instrumental in food safety laws as well as auto safety. (Feb 2008)
- 1965 book "Unsafe At Any Speed" saved millions of lives. (Jan 2002)
- Auto safety devices are simple & cheap; but take years. (Oct 2000)
- Safety regulation works; but Auto Safety Agency sold out. (Oct 2000)
- More regulation for auto safety, with criminal penalties. (Oct 2000)
- Cancel R&D giveaways to auto industry; let them do it. (Oct 2000)
- Gore has given auto industry and other polluters a free ride. (Oct 2000)
- Motor vehicles are the greatest environmental hazard. (Feb 2000)
- DOT: Focus on safety and mass transit. (Oct 1996)
- Automakers avoid replacing internal combustion engines. (Dec 1995)
Consumer Rights
- Long history of pushing for reforms to make consumers safer. (Oct 2008)
- Instrumental in Consumer Product Safety Act and related laws. (Feb 2008)
- Help for ordinary people should replace corporate welfare. (Sep 2000)
- Address corporate crimes piecemeal AND by revoking charters. (Feb 2000)
- More public disclosure of corporate lawsuit outcomes. (Dec 1998)
- Billing quotas pressure corporate lawyers to pad bills. (Dec 1998)
- Stop giving corporations the same rights as people. (Dec 1995)
Corporate Welfare
- Airline industry took $15B advantage of 9-11. (Jan 2002)
- Scrutinize even “good” corporate welfare which helps public. (Oct 2000)
- Corporate welfare is a function of political corruption. (Oct 2000)
- S&L bailout helped bankers & hurt consumers. (Oct 2000)
- Rules needed for examining & challenging corporate welfare. (Oct 2000)
- Disallow benefits to companies except for public purposes. (Oct 2000)
- Stadiums & other local tax abatements ignore small business. (Oct 2000)
- Federal regulation of state & local abatements & subsidies. (Oct 2000)
- Bailouts: require payback; practice prevention by regulation. (Oct 2000)
- Legislation to eliminate all corporate welfare. (Oct 2000)
- $1000 bounty for suing for abuse of corporate welfare. (Oct 2000)
- Big business influence hurts democracy. (Jun 2000)
- Corporate sponsorship turns debates into beer commercials. (Jun 2000)
- Corporate government has hijacked political leadership. (Feb 2000)
- States & the public should oppose corporate tax breaks. (Apr 1999)
- Role of government is to counteract power of corporations. (Apr 1996)
- Coined the term “corporate welfare”. (Jul 1995)
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Ralph Nader on Crime
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Click here for 13 full quotes on Crime
OR other political leaders on Crime.
- Opposed 1996 expansion of the federal death penalty. (Feb 2008)
- Crime in the suites worse than crime in the streets. (Sep 2002)
- Decreasing unemployment reduces crime; not enforcement. (Aug 2000)
- Death penalty does not deter. (Aug 2000)
- Moratorium on executions. (Aug 2000)
- Some executed by death penalty were innocent. (Jul 2000)
- Pollution & toxic exposure cause more deaths than homicide. (Jun 2000)
- Death penalty does not deter & is discriminatory. (Jun 2000)
- Focus on crime prevention instead of harsher sentences. (Jun 2000)
- Police must follow the law too. (May 2000)
- Product liability suits are a pillar of democracy. (Mar 1996)
- Lawyers & victims need unlimited contingency fees. (Mar 1996)
- Regulatory agencies are needed to fight corporate crime. (Dec 1995)
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Ralph Nader on Drugs
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Click here for 11 full quotes on Drugs
OR other political leaders on Drugs.
- The drug war has failed, despite $50B annually. (Feb 2008)
- Rehabilitation, not incarceration. (Jul 2004)
- Women targeted by tobacco and alcohol companies. (Feb 2003)
- Failed War on Drugs endangers communities. (Oct 2000)
- Legalize marijuana, and treat addiction as a health problem. (Sep 2000)
- Treat hemp like poppy seeds, not like heroin. (Sep 2000)
- Remove industrial hemp from DEA drug list. (Jun 2000)
- Replace Drug War with treatment and alternative sentencing. (Jun 2000)
- Supports legalization of industrial hemp. (May 2000)
- Solution to addiction is information, not prohibition. (Oct 1994)
- Rated A+ by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record. (Dec 2003)
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Ralph Nader on Education
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Click here for 7 full quotes on Education
OR other political leaders on Education.
- Standardized tests designed to show public schools failing. (Jan 2002)
- Abandon standardized testing; focus on teaching civic skills. (Oct 2000)
- Invest in K-12 education; that will reduce poverty. (Jun 2000)
- Teach democratic principles & citizenship in schools. (Feb 2000)
- Kick Channel One & commercialism out of class. (May 1999)
- Focus on civic & consumer education. (Oct 1996)
- Support choice within public schools. (Jun 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Energy & Oil
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Click here for 9 full quotes on Energy & Oil
OR other political leaders on Energy & Oil.
- It is time to break our addiction to fossil fuels. (Feb 2008)
- End subsidies of entrenched oil, nuclear, & coal interests. (Feb 2008)
- US lags behind Europe & Japan in renewable energy. (Oct 2004)
- Kyoto treaty is so watered down there’s nothing to fight for. (Nov 2000)
- Drilling Alaska is a temporary fix for an inebriated system. (Oct 2000)
- More renewables & more efficency to stave off global warming. (Jul 2000)
- Raise CAFE standards; treat SUVs like cars. (Jul 2000)
- Congress should revive energy policies before crisis. (Oct 1999)
- Promote energy independence to avoid foreign wars. (Oct 1996)
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Ralph Nader on Environment
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Click here for 13 full quotes on Environment
OR other political leaders on Environment.
- Hometown suffered regular floods; local philanthropies fixed. (Oct 2012)
- Instrumental in establishing EPA, CAA, and CWA. (Feb 2008)
- Dems surrendered to the auto industry on safety & pollution. (Oct 2002)
- Charge agribusiness for water; stop charging more to people. (Oct 2000)
- Mining companies get free mines for campaign contributions. (Oct 2000)
- Highway pork leads to sprawl, air pollution, global warming. (Oct 2000)
- End all commercial logging in National Forests. (Jul 2000)
- Head off a genetic engineering rampage. (Feb 2000)
- Protect whistleblowers on health, safety, & pollution. (Feb 2000)
- Corporate collectivism leads toward ecological disaster. (Feb 2000)
- More funds to maintain National Park system. (Jul 1999)
- Ridiculous to sell public land for corporate gold mining. (Dec 1998)
- National corporate charters for environmental bankruptcy. (Mar 1996)
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Ralph Nader on Families & Children
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Click here for 9 full quotes on Families & Children
OR other political leaders on Families & Children.
- More & more family functions are outsourced to corporations. (Feb 2007)
- Corporations are commercializing the world of the child. (Jul 2004)
- Democracy needs youth’s energy & participation. (Jun 2000)
- Commercialism & TV make childrearing more difficult. (Jun 2000)
- Support personal responsibility; teach dispute resolution. (Jun 2000)
- TV ads targeting kids are “electronic child molesting”. (Feb 2000)
- Corporate TV marketers are raising our kids. (Oct 1999)
- National speed limit saves lives. (Mar 1996)
- Commercial TV separates children from parents. (Dec 1995)
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Ralph Nader on Foreign Policy
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Click here for 9 full quotes on Foreign Policy
OR other political leaders on Foreign Policy.
- US should be the world’s humanitarian superpower. (Feb 2008)
- Corporate activity destroys the third world. (Jul 2004)
- Redefine national purpose to solve Third World scourges. (Jun 2000)
- Support foreign peasants instead of foreign dictators. (Jun 2000)
- Support social and economic justice across the globe. (Jun 2000)
- Assist Russia & Israel in moving towards better governments. (Jun 2000)
- Selling arms is not a good way to conduct foreign affairs. (Feb 2000)
- Cuba: corporate sales of junk undermines their system. (Feb 2000)
- Support human rights as cornerstone of US foreign policy. (Jun 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Free Trade
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Click here for 20 full quotes on Free Trade
OR other political leaders on Free Trade.
- In anti-globalization book, “The Case Against Free Trade”. (Feb 2008)
- WTO makes trade supreme over labor, environment & consumers. (Feb 2008)
- Free trade isn’t win-win: we’re exporting jobs. (Jul 2003)
- High-tech jobs lost to foreign countries. (Jul 2003)
- NAFTA and GATT supersede national and state laws. (Sep 2002)
- Restrict IMF power, or abolish it. (Oct 2000)
- End export assistance; it’s corporate welfare. (Oct 2000)
- Renegotiate NAFTA & WTO “as if human beings mattered”. (Oct 2000)
- Subordinate the commercial to human rights, enviro, & labor. (Jul 2000)
- It’s not free trade; it’s corporate-managed trade. (Apr 2000)
- NAFTA failures: $50B Mexico bailout; 400,000 exported jobs. (Oct 1996)
- China & other dictatorships have no real free trade. (Jul 2000)
Globalization
- Corporate globalism causes autocratic governance. (Jan 2002)
- Globalization is a betrayal of workers and environment. (Nov 2000)
- Seattle sparked movement to question corporate globalization. (Feb 2000)
- “Battle of Seattle” convinced president to reconsider WTO. (Dec 1999)
- Global trade concentrates power & homogenizes the globe. (Dec 1999)
- WTO’s “trade uber alles” hurts environment, health, & safety. (Dec 1999)
- A growing movement: international labor rights. (Aug 1999)
- Multinational corporations challenge democracy. (Oct 1994)
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Ralph Nader on Government Reform
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Click here for 48 full quotes on Government Reform
OR 11 older headlines
OR other political leaders on Government Reform.
- I believe in strong regulatory agencies. (Nov 2008)
- $13M for “educational” party conventions wastes tax dollars. (Jul 2004)
- The two parties are proxies for corporate government. (Jul 2004)
- Lack of election opponents let corrupt pols stay in office. (Oct 2002)
- National Youth Convention bypasses electoral fluff and bluff. (Oct 2002)
- Opposes Green Party plank to abolish the Senate. (Nov 2000)
- Concentrated party power weakens democracy. (Feb 2000)
- Ken Starr had conflict on partiality, and corporate ties. (Dec 1998)
- Focus on anti-trust enforcement to help small business. (Oct 1996)
- Government delivers more service than people realize. (Dec 1995)
- Give voters more voices and choices. (Feb 2007)
Campaign Finance Reform
- No PAC money, no commercial donations; only individuals. (Feb 2008)
- Public funding of campaigns would fight corporate control. (Feb 2008)
- Clean money means clean elections. (Oct 2002)
- Dems & GOP say they want campaign reform, but do nothing. (Oct 2002)
- Green Party does not take PAC, soft, or corporate cash. (Oct 2000)
- No private money in public campaigns. (Aug 2000)
- Spending campaign money is not free speech. (Feb 2000)
- Public campaign finance; 12-year term limits. (Feb 2000)
- Public election financing, with free TV & radio time. (Feb 2000)
- 100% publicly funded campaigns, by $100 tax checkoff. (Oct 1996)
Citizen Empowerment
- Big problem in politics is excessive concentration of power. (Oct 2008)
- Government become unresponsive to citizen groups in 1979. (Feb 2008)
- Civic engagement fights corporate-government fascism. (Oct 2004)
- Democracy gap: people must claim power, or the greedy will. (Jul 2004)
- Giving information to people overcomes propaganda. (Jul 2004)
- Change requires a critical mass of the involved. (Jul 2004)
- Non-violent demonstrations are ignored by the press. (Oct 2002)
- Primary architect of Freedom of Information Act. (Sep 2002)
- Citizens should shape elections, not just spectate and vote. (Jan 2002)
- Empower citizens via accurate information from govt. (Feb 2000)
- Reinvent democracy via new tools for citizen empowerment. (Feb 2000)
- Secret lawsuit settlements deprive public of power to decide. (Dec 1998)
Legal Reform
- FEC regulations prevent 3rd-party campaigns. (Jan 2002)
- Supreme Court nominees should have a sense of justice. (Aug 2000)
- Justices need sense of justice & sense of history. (Jul 2000)
- Supplement Legal Services Corporation with free lawyer work. (Dec 1998)
- Tighten ethics rules on lawyers, to judge cases on merits. (Dec 1998)
Voting Reform
- For fair ballot access and fair debate access. (Feb 2008)
- Instant Runoff Voting makes all votes count. (Jan 2008)
- Taking away votes from Democrats gains leverage. (Jul 2004)
- Advocate to allow people to vote “no confidence”. (Jul 2004)
- Denying D.C. vote is colonial mentality by congress. (Oct 2002)
- Government obstacles to voting make our elections oppressive. (Oct 2002)
- Increase voting by weekend and holiday Election Days. (Sep 2002)
- Binding "None Of The Above" disqualifies election if it wins. (Jan 2002)
- Ballot access restrictions set up as barriers to 3rd parties. (Jan 2002)
- Allow voting for “None of the Above”. (Feb 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Health Care
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Click here for 26 full quotes on Health Care
OR 4 older headlines
OR other political leaders on Health Care.
- For single-payer; all major candidates oppose it. (Feb 2008)
- Billing fraud and abuse costs $200B. (Feb 2008)
- Single-payer health care plan over for-profit care. (Feb 2008)
- 3.5% payroll tax to fund universal healthcare. (Sep 2002)
- Military development of cheap vaccines shows up Big Pharma. (Jan 2002)
- Enforce fair drug prices if sponsored by govt research. (Oct 2000)
- Medicare prescriptions covered under universal health care. (Sep 2000)
- Price restraints on drugs; limit profiteering. (Sep 2000)
- Opposes assisted suicide laws for terminally ill. (Aug 2000)
- Cradle-to-grave health care better than Clinton’s plan. (Jul 2000)
- Use Canadian system as a model for US. (May 2000)
- Health care is a universal human right. (May 2000)
- Recast health care in a non-profit mode. (Mar 2000)
- Keep commercialism out of maternity wards. (Aug 1999)
- Make medicines affordable in Third World. (Jul 1999)
- Challenge the monetization of HMOs. (Jul 1999)
- HMO review procedures must be independent of HMOs. (Jul 1999)
- HMO plan: accountability, doctor-driven, independent review. (Jul 1999)
- Stop shifting liability from HMOs to doctors. (Dec 1998)
- Stop firing doctors for pointing out bad conditions at HMOs. (Dec 1998)
- Big Pharma blocks selling generic drugs to Third World. (Dec 1998)
- Criticizes “sweetheart deal” for big tobacco. (Nov 1998)
Tobacco
- Council for Tobacco Research is for propaganda, not research. (Dec 1998)
- Tobacco industry hid truth via attorney-client privilege. (Dec 1998)
- Let FDA regulate nicotine as an addictive drug. (Mar 1996)
- Tobacco is the world’s worst air pollutant. (Oct 1994)
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Ralph Nader on Homeland Security
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Click here for 23 full quotes on Homeland Security
OR other political leaders on Homeland Security.
- A wasteful defense is a weak defense. (Feb 2008)
- Hold Bush accountable for torture & illegal war. (Feb 2008)
- Solving Palestinian-Israeli conflict would reduce terrorism. (Feb 2008)
- End secret detentions & restore civil liberties. (Feb 2008)
- Bush should apologize for failing our troops. (Nov 2006)
- Repeal the Patriot Act; end secret detentions. (Nov 2004)
- Weapons corporations indirectly control tax dollars. (Jan 2003)
- Bush attacks civil liberties while saying he defends them. (Oct 2002)
- Cut defense budget by $62B by reducing waste & fraud. (Sep 2002)
- Corporate welfare: taxpayers fund defense industry mergers. (Oct 2000)
- Deter wars by being attuned abroad. (Oct 2000)
- Kill F-22, Seawolf, Osprey, & other gold-plated weapons. (Oct 2000)
- Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is discriminatory against gays. (Sep 2000)
- SDI doesn’t work; money better spent elsewhere. (Jul 2000)
- Stop using weapons sales to determine foreign policy. (Jun 2000)
- Stop spending on unneeded weapons & non-existent enemies. (Jun 2000)
- Cut defense budget by $100B; time to demobilize. (May 2000)
- Stop unneeded defense of prosperous countries. (May 2000)
- Defense frameworks: how to wage peace while building weapons. (Feb 2000)
- Popular participation instead of corporate involvement. (Feb 2000)
- Supports Test Ban Treaty & arms control. (Feb 2000)
- Arms race is driven by corporate demand. (Feb 2000)
- F-22 aircraft is unneeded; and dangerous to fly. (Feb 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Immigration
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Click here for 8 full quotes on Immigration
OR other political leaders on Immigration.
- Migrant workers are exploited; crack down on employers. (Nov 2008)
- Address immigration as part of worldwide economic justice. (Feb 2008)
- H1B visas in US cause “brain drain” in Third World. (Feb 2008)
- Don’t criminalize the border; but no open border either. (Oct 2000)
- Guest workers OK, with labor standards. (Oct 2000)
- Support democracy abroad so fewer will immigrate. (Oct 2000)
- Immigrants don’t come for welfare; restore safety net. (Jun 2000)
- Don’t blame immigrants for social and economic problems. (Jun 2000)
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Ralph Nader on Jobs
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Click here for 15 full quotes on Jobs
OR other political leaders on Jobs.
- Hometown factories kept out union shops. (Oct 2012)
- Taft-Hartley keeps workers defenseless against globalization. (Feb 2008)
- Supports a living wage of at least $10 an hour. (Feb 2008)
- Focus on family farms instead of large agribusiness. (Oct 2000)
- U.S. farm policy should focus on family farmers. (Sep 2000)
Labor
- Living wage spreads economic expansion to reach all areas. (Oct 2000)
- Repeal Taft-Hartley; strengthen unions. (Oct 2000)
- Unions struggle even in heart of union country. (Sep 2000)
- Vote for a union supporter, not against Republicans. (Aug 2000)
- Message to Democrats: Don’t take labor for granted. (Jul 2000)
- Raise the minimum wage immediately. (Jun 2000)
- Functional wages are falling despite economic boom. (Jun 2000)
- Top CEOs make 415 times entry wages. (Feb 2000)
- Limit executive salaries & perks. (Feb 2000)
- Student pressure can help oppressed textile workers abroad. (Aug 1999)
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Ralph Nader on Principles & Values
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Click here for 59 full quotes on Principles & Values
OR 30 older headlines
OR other political leaders on Principles & Values.
- Organize to give the president some backbone. (Feb 2008)
- The two parties steal elections & can’t even count the votes. (Feb 2008)
- The only true aging is the erosion of one’s ideals. (Feb 2008)
- Hillary is a panderer; Obama is too abstract & general. (Feb 2008)
- Bloomberg run would add to debate, but not stop a Nader run. (Feb 2008)
- The “money horse race” is unhealthy, rancid politics. (Feb 2007)
- Hillary is a panderer, flatterer, & corporate Democrat. (Feb 2007)
- For 2008, likes Bloomberg, Gravel, Kucinich, & Bill Moyers. (Feb 2007)
- New book, “The 17 Traditions”, about his upbringing. (Feb 2007)
- Hillary is a corporate Democrat, a panderer and a flatterer. (Feb 2007)
- Listening is the first of the “Seventeen Traditions”. (Feb 2007)
- Bush is turning the U.S. into a police state. (Jul 2004)
- OpEd: Liberal trap: perfect is the enemy of the good. (Jun 2004)
- Saw anti-Bork campaign as constituency-building opportunity. (Feb 2003)
- Gore & Bush both ignore youth issues in favor of fat cats. (Oct 2002)
- “Priceless” ad caused lawsuit but got priceless attention. (Oct 2002)
- Nader “stood” for president in 1996 (didn’t “run”). (Oct 2002)
- Political systems benefit from outside competition. (Sep 2002)
- Dems will lose until they become more progressive. (Sep 2002)
- Bush intensifies contradictions and galvanizes progressives. (Sep 2002)
- Ran because unable to get hearing with president or Congress. (Sep 2002)
- Suffers from Bell’s Palsy. (Sep 2002)
- 1960s participatory citizens shut out by 1990s corporations. (Jan 2002)
- Experience to run government comes from suing most agencies. (Oct 2000)
- Focus on broader distribution of power. (Aug 2000)
- Spoiled political system spawns spoiled candidates. (Jul 2000)
- Uses personal income as societal change agent. (Jun 2000)
- Opposes concentration of power & monied interests. (Mar 2000)
- Counter “democracy gap”: raise expectations in politics. (Feb 2000)
- New populism: citizen participation over commercialism. (Feb 2000)
- Expand agenda to voter, worker, consumer, shareholder. (Apr 1996)
- Struggle against commercialism based on priceless things. (Oct 1994)
- Sacrificed personal life because civic work is a joy. (Oct 1994)
- Power corrupts, unless it fears loss of power. (Oct 1994)
- Pushed consumer protection in “Nader’s Raiders”. (Feb 2000)
Green Party
- Both major parties don’t like competition. (Oct 2008)
- Running because 61% think both major parties are failing. (Feb 2008)
- Two parties have been converging; both flunk for the future. (Feb 2008)
- Ready for Democratic lawsuits against ballot access. (Feb 2008)
- Greens focus on substance; day-&-night vs. major parties. (Jan 2008)
- Green nominee, but declined rival Green Party USA. (Oct 2002)
- Suffered from "media gap"--little coverage of 3rd parties. (Jan 2002)
- Base campaigns on issues, not on ego. (Jan 2002)
- News media doesn't cover 3rd parties; only the horse race. (Jan 2002)
- Waited 16 years; Dems no different than GOP about power. (Nov 2000)
- Attract new voters to build future party. (Oct 2000)
- Vote conscience rather than choosing between drab and dreary. (Sep 2000)
- One purpose of campaign is moving Democrats Left. (Jul 2000)
- The DemRep duopoly obstructs citizenship. (Feb 2000)
Seventeen Traditions
- Raised to challenge preconceptions and reject conformity. (Jan 2007)
- Had “a lucky choice of parents” who passed down traditions. (Jan 2007)
- Grew up in Winsted CT, a mill town where everyone walked. (Jan 2007)
Spoiler Issue
- Gore responsible for 2000 election; Bush responsible since. (Feb 2008)
- Democrats should landslide Republicans in 2008. (Feb 2008)
- Joe Lieberman was unwise VP choice for Gore. (Oct 2002)
- Dislikes “spoiler” label and “strategic voting”. (Oct 2002)
- Gore beat Gore -- look at TN, AR, and WV, not FL. (Sep 2002)
- Wants credit for a Democratic Senate in 2000 election. (Sep 2002)
- Ran in 2000 to address the "democracy gap". (Jan 2002)
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Ralph Nader on Social Security
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Click here for 7 full quotes on Social Security
OR other political leaders on Social Security.
- Social Security should not be voluntary; keep community. (Nov 2008)
- Candidates focus on elderly because young people don’t vote. (Oct 2002)
- Social Security is solid; pending bankruptcy is nonsense. (Sep 2000)
- Pensions controlled by people, not banks or insurers. (Feb 2000)
- Social insurance is government at its noblest. (Jan 1999)
- Social Security privatization replaces certainty with risk. (Jan 1999)
- Fears loss of retirement funds in privatized investments. (Jan 1999)
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Ralph Nader on Tax Reform
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Click here for 11 full quotes on Tax Reform
OR other political leaders on Tax Reform.
- Corporations should appreciate taxpayers for their subsidies. (Apr 2008)
- End perverse incentives that reward Wall Street speculators. (Feb 2008)
- Stop tax cuts and start dealing with real problems. (Jun 2003)
- Tax code loopholes benefit corporate donors & cost taxpayers. (Oct 2000)
- Sunshine on tax loopholes; sunset on tax breaks. (Oct 2000)
- Put meat in the process of progressive taxation. (Oct 2000)
- More taxpayer input into tax & spending policy. (Feb 2000)
- Tax breaks for big business hurt families. (Dec 1999)
- Tax breaks to big business unfairly hurt small business. (Apr 1999)
- Focus on under-taxation of corporations, not income tax. (Oct 1996)
- Against flat tax; keep progressivity. (Oct 1996)
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Ralph Nader on Technology
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Click here for 16 full quotes on Technology
OR other political leaders on Technology.
- TV immersion deprives children of exposure to nature. (Jan 2007)
- FCC is hapless agent in media regulation. (May 2003)
- The media needs more diversity and competition. (May 2003)
- Media coverage moving from sound bites to sound barks. (Oct 2002)
- Internet encourages small donations but not voter turnout. (Jan 2002)
- TV news is sparse, abbreviated, and very repetitious. (Jan 2002)
- FCC gave away $70B of spectrum but blocked non-profits. (Jan 2002)
- FCC gave away $70B in airwave licenses to large corporations. (Oct 2000)
- Domain name registration needs openness to replace monopoly. (Oct 2000)
- Put all Congressional voting records on Internet. (Jun 2000)
- More free info from govt via computers & airwaves. (Feb 2000)
- Ruling against Microsoft bodes well for competition. (Nov 1999)
- Bold investment needed for public transportation. (Jul 1999)
- Microsoft is anticompetitive and anticonsumer. (Nov 1998)
- Microsoft must be stopped. (Nov 1998)
- The public owns the airwaves; express our rights. (Apr 1996)
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Ralph Nader on War & Peace
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Click here for 17 full quotes on War & Peace
OR other political leaders on War & Peace.
- Take troops out of Iraq. (Nov 2008)
- Rapid and responsible withdrawal of US military from Iraq. (Feb 2008)
- Stop saber rattling against Iran; start negotiating. (Feb 2008)
- Bush should never have invaded Iraq. (Nov 2006)
- Responsible six-month withdrawal from Iraq occupation. (Jul 2004)
- Impeach Bush & Cheney for 5 falsehoods on Iraq war. (Apr 2004)
- Bush is acting as a selected dictator. (Jul 2003)
- US oil companies & Bush Admin eye Iraqi oil. (Feb 2003)
- US deserves to know the influence of the oil industry. (Feb 2003)
- Americans don’t believe in Bush on Iraq. (Jan 2003)
- Palestinian statehood and security for Israel. (Sep 2002)
- Afghanistan: Bush burned down haystack to find needle. (Sep 2002)
- Wage peace and anticipate conflicts abroad. (Oct 2000)
- Should have anticipated Yugoslav breakup by “waging peace”. (Jul 2000)
- Forget “hot spots”; ask “How did we get into this?”. (Jun 2000)
- Iraq: Trade sanctions strengthen Saddam. (May 2000)
- Bosnia: Force acceptable to help against mass slaughter. (Oct 1996)
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Ralph Nader on Welfare & Poverty
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Click here for 17 full quotes on Welfare & Poverty
OR other political leaders on Welfare & Poverty.
- Visit poor cities to put faces on poverty statistics. (Oct 2002)
- Predatory lending is rich scamming the poor. (Jan 2002)
- Tale of Two Cities: lovely suburbs and poor inner cities. (Jan 2002)
- Charity work is good; but politics addresses root causes. (Oct 2000)
- Attack corporate welfare kings, not poor welfare queens. (Oct 2000)
- Limit executive compensation to 30-to-1 over lowest pay. (Oct 2000)
- Domestic Marshall Plan to abolish poverty. (Oct 2000)
- Democracy can’t co-exist with gross income inequality. (Jun 2000)
- Retail malls siphon off business from central cities. (May 2000)
- Homelessness is peaking despite good economy. (May 2000)
- Big business lobbying subordinates democracy. (Feb 2000)
- Lawyers have duty to do pro bono work for the poor. (Dec 1998)
- Housing legislation converted pro bono to profit. (Dec 1998)
- Training & earned income credits are corporate subsidies. (Apr 1996)
Homelessness
- Severe shortage in affordable housing. (Jun 2003)
- 14M families spend half of their income on housing. (Jun 2003)
- 1.35 million children are homeless. (Jun 2003)
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VoteMatch Responses
(Click here for VoteMatch quiz) |
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VoteMatch Question & Answer
(Click on question for explanation and background) |
Based on these stances:
(Click on topic for excerpt & citation) |
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Favors
topic 1:Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right
(+2 points on Social scale)
| Supports NOW’s agenda on Reproductive Rights: Strongly Favors topic 1
Supports stem cell research: Favors topic 1
Roe v. Wade is not at risk, even from GOP Supreme Court: Favors topic 1
If Roe is reversed, decision just reverts to the states: Opposes topic 1
Threats to overturn Roe are “scare tactics”: Favors topic 1
No government role; let women privately decide: Favors topic 1
Roe v Wade is safe; GOP must back off pushing it: Favors topic 1 |
Favors
topic 2:Legally require hiring women & minorities
(-3 points on Economic scale)
| End secret detentions & restore civil liberties: No opin. on topic 2
Women are still second-class citizens in school athletics: Favors topic 2
Questioned anti-female bias at 1950s Harvard Law School: Strongly Favors topic 2
Long history of fighting in sexual politics: Favors topic 2 |
Strongly Favors
topic 3:Comfortable with same-sex marriage
(+5 points on Social scale)
| Get rid of gay discrimination fully, not halfway: Strongly Favors topic 3
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is discriminatory against gays: Favors topic 3
Nader supports gay marriage; but gay groups support Gore: Strongly Favors topic 3
Supports Civil Union in Vermont and elsewhere: Strongly Favors topic 3 |
Opposes
topic 4:Keep God in the public sphere
(+2 points on Social scale)
| Homelessness is peaking despite good economy: Opposes topic 4
Teach democratic principles & citizenship in schools: Opposes topic 4
Focus on civic & consumer education: Opposes topic 4 |
Strongly Favors
topic 5:Expand ObamaCare
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| Billing fraud and abuse costs $200B: Favors topic 5
Single-payer health care plan over for-profit care: Strongly Favors topic 5
3.5% payroll tax to fund universal healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5
Cradle-to-grave health care better than Clinton’s plan: Strongly Favors topic 5
US should adopt Canadian single-payer system: Strongly Favors topic 5
Use Canadian system as a model for US: Strongly Favors topic 5
Health care is a universal human right: Strongly Favors topic 5 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 6:Privatize Social Security
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| Social Security is solid; pending bankruptcy is nonsense: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Social insurance is government at its noblest: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Social Security privatization replaces certainty with risk: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Fears loss of retirement funds in privatized investments: Strongly Opposes topic 6 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 7:Vouchers for school choice
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| Standardized tests designed to show public schools failing: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Invest in K-12 education; that will reduce poverty: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Support choice within public schools: Opposes topic 7 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 8:Fight EPA regulatory over-reach
(+5 points on Social scale)
| Highway pork leads to sprawl, air pollution, global warming: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Renewable energy is solution for global warming: Strongly Opposes topic 8
End all commercial logging in National Forests: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Ridiculous to sell public land for corporate gold mining: Strongly Opposes topic 8 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 9:Stricter punishment reduces crime
(+5 points on Social scale)
| Opposed 1996 expansion of the federal death penalty: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Decreasing unemployment reduces crime; not enforcement: Opposes topic 9
Death penalty does not deter: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Moratorium on executions: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Some executed by death penalty were innocent: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Death penalty does not deter & is discriminatory: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Focus on crime prevention instead of harsher sentences: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Police must follow the law too: Opposes topic 9 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 10:Absolute right to gun ownership
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| Support Brady Bill & thoughtful gun control: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Supports trigger locks, licensing, & banning some guns: Strongly Opposes topic 10 |
Strongly Favors
topic 11:Higher taxes on the wealthy
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| Stop tax cuts and start dealing with real problems: Strongly Favors topic 11
Put meat in the process of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11
More taxpayer input into tax & spending policy: Favors topic 11
Against flat tax; keep progressivity: Strongly Favors topic 11 |
Favors
topic 12:Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens
(+2 points on Social scale)
| Migrant workers are exploited; crack down on employers: Opposes topic 12
H1B visas in US cause “brain drain” in Third World: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Immigrants don’t come for welfare; restore safety net: Strongly Favors topic 12
Don’t blame immigrants for social and economic problems: Strongly Favors topic 12 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 13:Support & expand free trade
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| In anti-globalization book, “The Case Against Free Trade”: Strongly Opposes topic 13
WTO makes trade supreme over labor, environment & consumers: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Free trade isn’t win-win: we’re exporting jobs: Strongly Opposes topic 13
NAFTA and GATT supersede national and state laws: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Renegotiate NAFTA & WTO “as if human beings mattered”: Strongly Opposes topic 13
It’s not free trade; it’s corporate-managed trade: Opposes topic 13
NAFTA failures: $50B Mexico bailout; 400,000 exported jobs: Opposes topic 13
WTO’s “trade uber alles” hurts environment, health, & safety: Strongly Opposes topic 13 |
No opinion on
topic 14:Support American Exceptionalism
(0 points on Economic scale)
| (No votes on which to base response) |
Strongly Opposes
topic 15:Expand the military
(+5 points on Social scale)
| Half of federal budget is now military spending: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Cut defense budget by $62B by reducing waste & fraud: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Stop spending on unneeded weapons & non-existent enemies: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Cut defense budget by $100B; time to demobilize: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Arms race is driven by corporate demand: Opposes topic 15 |
Strongly Favors
topic 16:Make voter registration easier
(+5 points on Social scale)
| Public funding of campaigns would fight corporate control: Strongly Favors topic 16
Clean money means clean elections: Strongly Favors topic 16
Public campaign finance; 12-year term limits: Strongly Favors topic 16 |
Favors
topic 17:Avoid foreign entanglements
(+2 points on Social scale)
| Take troops out of Iraq: Favors topic 17
Rapid and responsible withdrawal of US military from Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17
Bush should apologize for failing our troops: Favors topic 17
Bush should never have invaded Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17
Support foreign peasants instead of foreign dictators: Opposes topic 17
Support social and economic justice across the globe: Favors topic 17
Assist Russia & Israel in moving towards better governments: Strongly Favors topic 17
Selling arms is not a good way to conduct foreign affairs: Opposes topic 17 |
Strongly Favors
topic 18:Prioritize green energy
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| It is time to break our addiction to fossil fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18
End subsidies of entrenched oil, nuclear, & coal interests: Strongly Favors topic 18
More renewables & more efficency to stave off global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18
Raise CAFE standards; treat SUVs like cars: Strongly Favors topic 18
Motor vehicles are the greatest environmental hazard: Strongly Favors topic 18 |
Strongly Opposes
topic 19:Marijuana is a gateway drug
(+5 points on Social scale)
| The drug war has failed, despite $50B annually: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Legalize marijuana, and treat addiction as a health problem: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Remove industrial hemp from DEA drug list: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Replace Drug War with treatment and alternative sentencing: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Solution to addiction is information, not prohibition: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Rated A+ by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 19 |
Strongly Favors
topic 20:Stimulus better than market-led recovery
(-5 points on Economic scale)
| Sunshine on tax loopholes; sunset on tax breaks: Favors topic 20
Use surplus to rebuild country & provide for communal needs: Strongly Favors topic 20
Top priorities: Infrastructure; poverty; preventive health: Strongly Favors topic 20
Tax breaks for big business hurt families: Strongly Favors topic 20
Spend surplus on public works & infrastructure: Strongly Favors topic 20
Focus on under-taxation of corporations, not income tax: Strongly Favors topic 20
Reinvent democracy via new tools for citizen empowerment: Strongly Favors topic 20 |
Ralph Nader is a Hard-Core Liberal
(Click for details)
Click here for VoteMatch quiz. |
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