Somehow, someway, it has become the ultimate sign of cool to admit that you want to vote for Ralph Nader. Slowly but surely, his celebrity endorsements are coming, Democrat dissenter endorsements are coming, and his flyers are being put up all over campus. So I will put my feet firmly in squaresville, daddy-o. I don't care how cool it is-I would never, ever vote for Ralph Nader. He's a scheming, underhanded, hypocritical socialist wannabe, and he would be a terrible president. And so, without further ado, here are my reasons I will NOT be voting for Mr. Nader on November 7.
Reason # 1 - The Green Party Platform is a Socialist Platform
While the Green Party is, ostensibly, a party in favor of environmental legislation, they are, in fact, a Socialist Party in disguise. They also, apparently, believe that money grows on trees (which is about as biologically accurate as they get), because I don't know how else they intend to pay for their programs.
Reason # 2 - Ralph Nader is a union buster
Yes, it's true. Ralph Nader-stalwart defender of the common working man, has no qualms about busting unions in companies that he owns. In 1984, when editors for his Multinational Monitor attempted to form a union, they were promptly fired.
Reason #3 - Ralph Nader is a millionaire hypocrite
Although Ralph Nader often bemoans the gap between the rich and the poor, he often fails to mention that he's one of the rich. Through wheeling and dealing on the stock market, Ralph Nader has amassed over $4 million dollars of his own personal fortune-not counting proceeds earned by his other companies and organizations. Many Nader supporters back the claim that he gives 80% of his money to his own organizations, causes, and charities. But there's no evidence to back this claim, as Nader, unlike other candidates, refuses to disclose his income tax returns. However, even if this claim is true, that leaves him with $800,000, not to mention the $200,000 to $300, 000 he makes a year from speaking engagements and other activities.
Reason #4 - Ralph Nader is an Investment Hypocrite
In defending the investments that have made him a wealthy man, Nader has claimed that he only invests in socially responsible companies that do not engage in monopolistic practices. Perhaps he forgot this principle when he regained his investment seven-fold from his stock holdings in Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco has been a major proponent of trade with China-which Nader opposes. Cisco has been a major proponent of increasing the number of H1-B visas for high-tech immigrants-which Nader opposes. Finally, Cisco controls 89% of the market in data bus technologies, and is seen by several observers as a likely target for Federal antitrust action. No monopolistic practices, huh, Ralph?
Reason #5 - Ralph Nader is an Angry Man
Does this seem like a silly reason not to vote for someone? But it's true, isn't it? According to reports from former Nader employees, reporters, and others, Nader is hard to get along with. He has been described several times as the "Last Angry Man", and it shows in his speaking. He comes off as grumpy and angry. Angry men are leaders of mobs-not nations. For a consumer advocate, anger can be a good thing-that righteous anger that channels the anger of the mob to accomplish positive goals. But a President has to be more than just a channel of mass outrage. A President must be able to be liked. A President has to be able to pull together coalitions in Congress, be gracious to foreign guests, and be a good diplomat-all of this in addition to a legislative agenda. Even if all the allegations above are untrue (they're not), Ralph Nader simply does not have the temperament to be a good leader.
For all of these reasons, and many more, I will not be voting for Ralph Nader. I would also encourage those who do to reconsider their position. Is this truly the man you want representing you in the White House?