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Comments on Nader from Vince GeorgeApril 25, 2004Dear Friends, In April of 1999, the petition drive to put a new political party on the ballot in WV began. I was instrumental with Denise Giardina, in putting the Mountain Party on the ballot. Without the two of us it would not have happened. Though Denise was on the hot seat, I served as campaign manager and collected over 10,000 of the nearly 19,000 signatures needed to establish the Party. It was grueling work that had a purpose - one that I believe has now been turned on its head. Denise quit responding to MTR defenders because she believed such arguments were not worthy of response, that the sins of destroying mountains, forests and streams were apparent. I considered not responding to criticisms of Nader as a Mountain Party candidate, but feel that principles are worth defending. In spite of the immense respect I have for Denise Giardina, I strongly disagree with her position that Nader's candidacy is about ego. Egotism is an easy way to discredit Nader, while brushing off the principles involved. The principles of ballot access, voter choice and moving away from government of, by and for the corporations are not abstract principles. They indeed are long-term principles that we should defend, that we should promote - and the very principles upon which our Party was founded. I don't agree with the position voiced by Denise that now is not the right time to run. The Republicrats will forever play that fear card, that there is no good time to run a candidate apart from their limited duopoly. I suspect the Bush campaign for one must be laughing, as the so-called progressive community is playing that card for them and indirectly exhausting resources that could be used to dissect and expose the failed policies of the current administration. If the priority is to beat Bush - if that is the top priority in 2004 overriding all others - then all efforts and contributions to the Mountain Party are doing nothing more than stealing valuable resources from that priority! So, NOW may be the time for such proclaimed Mountain Party supporters to act on their fears, redirect their efforts, and work solely and diligently for their Republicrat candidate. That is a choice, a choice that directly addresses the fears (or nightmarish scenarios) that have been passionately stated. As for the Kerry factor, talk about smokescreens. Anti-Nader discussions do little more than molding a flawed candidate into a more appealing choice in comparison to Bush, and further let Kerry off the hook. Without a Nader voice and pressure on Kerry, how will Kerry ever move off his many Bush-like positions? By the way, THE WORLD IS APPALLED that Kerry is furthering many of Bush's policies already. Without Nader's voice, will Kerry further play to corporate contributors, back away from universal health care, enhance the Israeli death grip on the West Bank, and serve to feed the escalating world tensions? I am reminded of Bob Wise and Al Gore in 2000, who should have knocked the competition out of the ring, but through limp-wristed and conciliatory political posturing let a couple of dunces run with them. If John Kerry is to be the next President of the United States, he should knock that dangerous dunce out of the ring. He should do this whether Nader draws votes or not ! Vince George vincegeorge@earthlink.net ----- In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that Mr. George is a paid full-time staff person for the Nader for President
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