Comments on: Independence and Ecology Party Nominates Nader

By: Diane Cardin

Diane Cardin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:54:32 +0000

Thanks Mr. Winger for the correction you just provided. The item reads better and it’s more factual.

By: Diane Cardin

Diane Cardin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:49:21 +0000

Great to hear that Nader/Gonzalez ticket will have a ballot line available for them in Florida. Agreeing with Margaret Ward, this greatly improves the political landscape for voters here.
[To the editor: Could the header as well as the news bit itself be edited for contents? There seems to be some distorsion regarding the proper name of the national party. And a lack of accuracy relative to whom created what. Are the sources been double-checked?]

By: Margaret Ward

Margaret Ward — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:24:50 +0000

The Ecology Party makes for a better political environment in Florida. Ralph, yes we can!

By: Steve Greenfield

Steve Greenfield — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:07:29 +0000

Nader has focused on networks of small and/or self-founded temporary lines because he’s fundamentally non-partisan and activist-centric, and he’s always been clear about why he works that way. For him it’s as much personal as strategic, but the strategic concerns should resonate with all of us who consider ourselves issue activists and seek to integrate electoral processes into those efforts. Party platforms always become vague during the process of coalition-building. Issue activists keep their focus and can easily avoid the ambiguities that weaken or terminate attempts at action.

That’s why I like what the new Ecology Party is trying to do in Florida. They’ve figured out that when an issue is a tangible, fundamental human/world issue (you know, something like finding a cure for cancer, to which nobody could possibly object) rather than one that varies with levels of self-interest, bigotries, morals, or social philosophies (as is usually the case with partisanship, in all its ranges and tent sizes), then a new kind of coalition-building becomes possible, one that sharpens and strengthens, rather than diffuses, the core issue around which the coalition is being built. This is probably what most early Greens had been hoping would be the case for them, before the influx of general left social justice refugees left them with no meaningful trans-partisan issue, and no clear basis by which to distinguish themselves from Nation/Kucinich Democrats.

It’s a brilliant concept if anyone wants to give it a try. Action for environmental protection will always have social justice benefits, but the reverse is most frequently untrue, and pursuit of which invariably turns you from Green to Blue, until you vanish. And since environmental action does not wear a progressive social justice agenda on its sleeve, it gains a unique ability to gather more people than it scares off.

I don’t live in Florida, but if I did, I’d be giving my attention to the Ecology Party. I hope it catches on.

By: Cara Campbell

Cara Campbell — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:28:36 +0000

The Ecology Party of Florida was not formed by Ralph Nader. We formed the Ecology Party because we felt there was a need for a party that would not accommodate the Democrats, as our former party did, would demand competence, as our former party did not, and would focus on the environment which we believe is the most important issue of the times. That’s why we are the Ecology Party

Which presidential candidate could a party formed to oppose the corporate major parties, formed to defend the environment, formed to oppose corporate “personhood” nominate? Which presidential candidate would attract members who would be in agreement with our mission and grow the party?

The obvious choice was Ralph Nader. That is why he was nominated by the Ecology party of Florida.

By: will marlow

will marlow — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:37:39 +0000

Unfortunately in Maryland there is already a party called the Maryland Independent Party which recently nominated Alan Keyes as its Presidential candidate. I think this will cause much confusion at election time.

By: Demo Rep

Demo Rep — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:23:43 +0000

For adults -

NONPARTISAN nominations (only by EQUAL nominating petitions)and elections using Approval Voting for elected executive offices and all judges.

Way too difficult for party hacks, leftwing and rightwing — with their pre-school flippant irrelevant comments about the past and current party hack machinations (aka corrupt deals – which mini-faction is controlling which mini-party, etc.).

The party hack WORLD CRISIS is NOW — due to accumulated gerrymander laws since 1776 — and since 1929 especially.

By: Trent Hill

Trent Hill — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:57:17 +0000

…coincidence??

By: Hugh Jass

Hugh Jass — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:47:36 +0000

Matt,

Do you think that the VOTENADER was intentional, or just a coincidence?

By: Nolan

Nolan — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:17:40 +0000

Nader formed the Independent Party of Hawaii earlier this year.

He’s starting Indpendent parties in states where there aren’t any. Or states that only have two choices for voters.

How cool is that.

Ralph knows what he’s doing, man…