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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 24, 2004 It's time for Nader to leave the scene It's sad that someone who just a few years ago bore the respect of many now seems like a sad comic strip character. Such is the life of Ralph Nader, circa 2004, whose strange antics strike a chord of familiarity with another fringe candidate from days gone by, Ross Perot. Both men wrapped their presidential aspirations around the notable goal of helping to create a viable third party. Both men eventually revealed their true colors, eschewing party ties for their own egocentric campaigns. Nader's most recent attempt to be placed on the Oregon ballot this fall smacks of Perot's ramblings about death threats to his family and UFOs. After failing twice to draw the paltry 1,000 signatures required by the state, his staffers now blame Democrats for tying up phone lines and filling the meeting with people who won't sign, thus supposedly blocking real Nader backers to align with him. While the local Democrats are likely trying to thwart his efforts for obvious reasons in a key swing state such as ours, the fact remains that if the man can't even draw 1,000 people easily to support him he isn't a bona fide candidate anyway. He's a classical splinter candidate, representing a small, angry minority that is more determined to wreak havoc than to accomplish anything meaningful. Throughout history, countless elections have been decided when a splinter group breaks off from an established party, virtually throwing the election to the other side. Good intentions or not in 2000, the reality is the presence of Nader and the Green Party played a significant role in the election of George W. Bush, who now crushes valuable environmental legislation from the Clinton era. To be sure, the Green Party is a serious third-party organization that is determined to build a base of its own. While the net result may continue to give Republicans control of the White House, nobody can fault any organization seeking to build viable candidates through established rules. But what exactly does an independent Nader candidacy represent? What is it building? Nader has tried twice to get on the state's ballot. Twice he's failed. Now he's headed to Boston seeking cheap news coverage during the Democratic Convention. If it wasn't such an important and likely narrow election, we could laugh at Nader's antics with a dismissive chortle. But in these days and times, Democrats have reason to worry about the smallest of percentages being splintered from John Kerry, which makes Nader's campaign no laughing matter. Ralph Nader for president is an old and tired act, one that needs for the final curtain to fall and the stage doors to be shuttered. Ignoring him and his cheap political games is the best way to ensure it happens. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams