Nader and the Greens
Progressives and liberals watch in anger as Bush dismantles the legacy of the New Deal and the Great Society. Over the last two years, they have watched helplessly as Bush nominated conservatives such as John Ashcroft, Gale Norton, and Linda Chavez (who withdrew her nomination) to his cabinet. Progressives and liberals have watched Democrats in the Senate block Bush's Federalist Society judicial nominees, such as Judge Pickering. Clearly the past two years of Bush's government have been horrendous.
The 2002 elections offer Democrats and progressives nationwide the chance to make significant strides in defeating the Republican agenda. With numerous open governors' seats, more Republican Senate seats up for re-election, and favorable political conditions, Democrats should stand poised to gain seats in all of these chambers and statehouses.
Unfortunately the biggest threat to the party's chances comes not from Republicans, but from fellow progressives. Like the 2000 election the Green Party seems intent on swinging close races to the Republicans because the "Democrats aren't liberal enough".
The famous cliché states that "those individuals who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it". Unfortunately history seems destined to repeat itself unless the Democratic Party and its supporters take strong steps now. Given their recent actions it is now patently clear that the Green Party, Ralph Nader, and Michael Moore are not our friends.
Recently the Green Party in Minnesota decided to undermine Senator Paul Wellstone's re-election campaign. Although Wellstone, with the slight exception of Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, is the most liberal senator on Capitol Hill, they want to swing the race to Republican Norm Coleman. Why do they want to play spoiler? The answer: petty and immature reasons.
Ruth Coniff writes that "the Democrats put so much negative pressure on the Greens not to run a candidate in Wellstone's race, says Green spokesperson Holle Brian, that the Greens got mad.'People came to the convention with the goal of endorsing a candidate come hell or high water'" ("Greens Go After Wellstone").
Because of personal, petty reasons, it seems like the Greens want to send Senator Wellstone back to Minnesota. But it gets even better in this case. Apparently the Green Party candidate supports the war on terrorism and believes in an anti-Semitic agenda: "The funny thing is, though, the Green candidate doesn't seem to share his party's position on those issues. . . McGaa has also stirred up some controversy for accusing Wellstone of being 'more loyal to Israel than he is to the United States'"
Therefore it seems like the Greens want to play spoiler for the sake of doing so, instead of valid policy reasons. See "Greens Go After Wellstone," in the Progressive Magazine.
Minnesota is not the only state where the Green Party plans to play spoiler. The Massachusetts Governor's race offers Democrats a chance to recover the statehouse after twelve years of Republican control. However, the Green Party seems intent on running a candidate here as well. Jill Stein threatens to help the candidacy of Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate. She complains about Robert Reich:
"'Reich seems to take credit for the boom of the Clinton years, but not responsibi [lity] for the way that boom played out'. . . She also criticizes--somewhat guardedly--the former labor secretary for taking in $851,000 in speaking fees from such companies as Ford Motor Company, Merrill Lynch, and Aetna Financial Services" (see "Can The Green Party Make The Cut"). Even though Reich remains one of the most liberal Democrats in the party the Greens seem intent on sabotaging his campaign if he wins the primary.
In both of these races it is obvious that the Greens are not the Democrats' friends. Despite assertions that they are not spoilers the evidence indicates the complete opposite. Nader asserts in an interview that "the Democrats will get the message, but they'll have to lose a few seats first" (see "Unrepentant Pariah: An Interview with Ralph Nader").
What is ironic, however, is that in this same interview, Nader later asserts that "I doubt Greens will be running against these Democrats [Paul Wellstone]. They're more likely to run against conservative Democrats, or someone who just gives lip service to liberal causes" ("Unrepentant Pariah: An Interview with Ralph Nader").
It seems as if Nader contradicts himself, and recent events prove to progressives what his true agenda is. So Nader and his followers evidently have no problem in defeating Democrats.
Michael Moore maintains the same attitude that Nader airs in the interview mentioned in the previous paragraph. In his book "Stupid White Men" he argues that Clinton was the "best Republican President we've ever had". With heavy sarcasm Moore writes:
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"Or do blame me. Yes, in fact, if the Democrats are insisting on giving that much power to the Naderites, then maybe we should take it. Yes, it was us! We did it! We are the mighty Thor, all powerful and all-knowing. We will destroy all in our path. Change your ways or we will turn you into ash! It was not we who abandoned the Democratic Party [in spite of what happened in Florida]--it was YOU! You deserted us all those who once believed Democrats stood for something, like fighting for the rights of working people [even though Clinton passed a minimum wage increase and implemented the Family/Medical leave act]. But you hopped in bed with the Republicans, ad we had no choice but to follow our conscience and vote for Ralph Nader. THAT IS THE WAY OF THOR! So yes, WE denied you the White House. We tossed your ass out of Washington. And WE will do it again" (255).
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So it remains obvious that Moore is no friend of the Democratic Party, no matter how many of his apologists claim otherwise. He sees nothing wrong with swinging close races to the Republicans. Apparently he and Nader have no problem with waiting until 2020 or 2050, when the massive "liberal revolution" they envision will take the country by storm.
Unfortunately for Americans with real problems, who cannot hide in gated comminutes and wealthy neighborhoods like Nader and Moore, they cannot wait that long. And neither can the country, whose current needs warrant a more immediate solution.
The Greens place the Democrats in a difficult position. It is obvious that they are not friends of progressives. Unfortunately they leave the Democrats no other choice. They need to treat the Greens like the Republicans: as the opposition. The Greens want veto power over all Democratic candidates.
Democrats cannot let this minority dictate the agenda and enforce its will upon everyone else. It is obvious that they intend to hold the party hostage, and the Democrats cannot let them sabotage the 2002 elections.
The country is depending on progressives everywhere to make inroads against the Republicans. Either the Greens are with the Democrats, or they are against them. Evidently it seems like they are "against" them.
In "Stupid White Men" Moore even admits that "I walk among them [the rich]. I live on the island of Manhattan, a three-mile-wide strip of land that is luxury home and corporate suite to America's elite. Much of the suffering you experience as an American emanates from this piece of platinum real estate nestled between two polluted rivers" (51).
For Moore, Nader, and other Greens, it seems like they can endure the consequences which come with their "protest votes". Unfortunately most of America cannot--and should not suffer--because two percent of the public decides to walk out and to sabotage Democrats because of personal, petty, and immature disagreements. With friends like the Greens, who needs enemies like the Republicans?
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