DENVER -- The Ralph Nader for President campaign in Colorado revved up to start its demonstration march at the onset of the Democratic National Convention. All six supporters were ready to go, leaflets in hand, their 15-foot-tall brown beer-bottle protest balloon was inflated and tied down on the trailer behind the 18-year-old silver Ford F-150 pickup.Then disaster struck -- the generator powering the air-pump that kept the balloon afloat died. Out of gas. The giant balloon shriveled and went limp. One of the Naderites sprinted off for the nearest gas station."We're trying to draw attention to our rally Wednesday night," said Jenny Przekwas, 42, a professional gardener from Denver who is the Colorado coordinator for Nader's independent campaign for president. Nader will appear at the University of Denver's Magness Arena."You know who is sponsoring the presidential debates? Anheuser-Busch. Check the facts," Przekwas said.From 1996-2004, the beer company has been one of several corporate sponsors of the nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates, which coordinates the annual fall debates. Nader, a consumer advocate and perennial presidential candidate, has been excluded from presidential debates and blames corporate sponsors for influencing the commission.Thus, the giant beer-bottle float sporting the slogan: "Open up the debates." Nader wants a chance to debate John McCain and Barack Obama this fall."We have a giant contraption, an opener that uncaps the bottle," Przekwas said. "Get it. Open up the debates."The gas can arrives and the generator starts right up and the balloon is quickly refilled. Nineteen minutes late, the Nader for President parade finally begins, following a police vehicle that looks more like a tricked-out golf cart with mag wheels and cop lights on top.After a block, the tethers holding the balloon to a trailer come loose and the balloon teeters over, and the Nader volunteers shout for Przekwas to stop the pickup towing the contraption."This is such a nightmare," she said.A few blocks later, a gray-haired, bearded man in a tattered denim coat and carrying a picket sign joins the six Naderites."Who is that guy?" Przekwas asked, as the man turns and shows his sign. "Oh, he's a 'Vote 4 Jesus' guy."That's OK. We're all inclusive."Honks and waves greet the protest all along the way. But another problem arises at intersection of Stout Street and Speer Boulevard. The overhead electric lines that power Denver's light-rail trains are too low, and the beer bottle has to be untethered and bent so the procession can pass under safely.Police ended the parade at Lawrence Street and Speer Boulevard. The rest of the protest route to the Pepsi Center and the Democratic National Convention is only open to protesters on foot. Przekwas loaded her Naderites into the bed of the pickup and headed back to the campaign office."It's too bad we couldn't take our message all the way to Pepsi Center," she said. "The Jesus guy got to go all the way."(Steve Myers is a reporter for the Denver Rocky Mountain News)
Nader at 10 Million Voters despite virtual media blackout
I wrote this same comment about this piece on the Rocky Mountain News site where it was first published (btw, this wasn't a rally the reporter went to, it was people trying to get the word out about the rally Weds):
of course, leave it to the corporate media to report on small problems of the campaign and not say a word about any of its huge successes (and they are incredibly huge considering the totally unfair playing field and almost complete media blackout)--like polling at 6% (again, with virtually no media coverage) and meeting the extremely difficult ballot access requirements of 39 states (so far).
in any event, where you seem to see a candidate and voters to mock, i see great beauty. people making personal sacrifices to stand up for the millions of people who will die needlessly each year regardless of which corporate candidate may be elected. kind of like the anti-slavery party supporters, who were not willing to support the lesser evil between the Demorcrats and Whigs, regardless of how many people told them they would achieve nothing, so they could ultimately successfully push the anti-slavery issue.
to simplemind: i find it interesting that people say Nader's irrelevant but then say he was relevant enough to supposedly have cost Gore the election. i find it interesting that, like Ashley Sanders said, "these days I guess a viable candidate is someone who has impressed enough rich people that they can't help the poor, enough mercenaries that they've forgotten the civilians, and enough people with bad ideas that they've forgotten how to think." and i find it interesting that you believe the voices and beliefs of the 6% of American voters (many millions of people) who support Nader don't even deserve to be heard in the debates.
There Nothing More Honest ...
It takes courage and a sense of humor to endure such seeming humiliation. But, kudos to those steadfast six! Although, I might suggest to these amateur organizers that they consulted the Boy Scouts about their knots and have a gas can ready. I'm glad to see the good citizens of Denver enjoying the show and encouraging their courageous six neighbors with waves and smiles... enjoying the spectacle. It shows the character and good spirit of the citizens of Denver, Colorado, the Western States and I would like to think … the average citizenry of our country. I’m sure the parade participants will never forget their misadventure.
I was a bit shocked that the author, Steve Myers, would imply that the Ralph Nader Rally promoter’s beliefs and cause must be unworthy or misguided based on their small numbers, the size of their police escort and the age of the truck they drove. Ironically Steve Myers disparages a classic symbols of American pride … our freedom of speech, respect for law and order and the quality of our manufacturers. The longevity and quality of Ford trucks has long been a symbol of national pride, American ingenuity and quality workmanship … even a symbol of the common, hard working man. If we only voted for candidates in new trucks, we’d elect anyone who wears a new suit new regardless of his ethics and values. Anyone who has married for looks or bought a ‘lemon’ knows that that’s a game for fools which leaves you poor and broken in the end.
American’s intuitively know that that the election for President of the United States has become increasingly corrupted, fraudulent and seemingly without choice. I’d dare say most good hearted Americans, unaware of the calculated deceptions stage to obtain their votes created to maintain power, vote on a nostalgic faith that the new president will somehow ‘change’ from his deceptive ways and become newly converted and accountable due to the moral responsibility of his position. Some mistakenly believe the new president will be inspired to act just and fair due to the seemingly ultimate power of the position and thereby boldly, fearlessly behave as an honorable and ethical statesman similarly as that of blinded folded justice. But, many of the 50% of Americans sensing the sinister nature of the abuse of power and unaware of alternatives due to media’s prejudice and greed simply choose not to vote. Americans are aware and concerned that the major candidates are two faced in order to get the vote and then once they have the prize in hand will quickly turn their allegiance to those businesses who paid their way to victory. Compare those courting third party donations who spending 1 … 2 … 3 million dollars at a pop per region for consultants, engineers, propagandist, advertisements, light shows, headline bands and confetti machines, etc. with that of six Rally promoters in the back of an old Ford truck. It doesn’t get any more honest than 6 promoters in the back of that ‘ol Ford truck.
The almost daily discussion held by the major media groups debating the “game” of the presidential elections all but admits that outcome is a manipulated fraud. Myself, a registered Republican feel a deep sense of indignation that the liberty and fair play I expect in debates and discussions of our public offices do not apply to our most important of elections … that of our president. I’d dare to say that the average American ‘gets it’… we get the game, but don’t know our options! We understand that becoming President has become an increasingly dirty business which discourages all but the fewest of honest and fair men from running for public office. We bitterly get that our elected public officials will continually contradict their constituents in order to stay in power. We observe our politics becoming more about power than about doing what is fair, just and right. We see that the political parties we endow with the duty to serve The People continually sell out to the highest bidder. We are convinced that businesses … even foreign business, have way more influence on our representatives than we do. We know that these business would sell us and our country under the table in an instant. Anyone who has ever lost a job will understand that business isn’t personal nor local anymore. It’s like the kiss of death from the Godfather. It’s very easy for an employer to give the proverbial and unemotional kiss of death to five thousands employees in the name of profits regardless of how poorly they have mismanaged their stewardships for a quick but unsustainable ‘buck’ which they knew full well will ruin their long term viability … and then unrepentantly lie openly as in the case of Enron.
I have a personal example. I worked for a Louisiana employer who bragged about his donations to the local judge and how he, because of his generosity to the judge, would never in his life pay a traffic ticket. I suspect the judge overlook more serious criminal behavior hidden in this “Good‘ol Boy” network. These are the types of people buying $1000 ‘diner with a senator’ fund raisers.
What those six Ralph Nader rally supports know which many American’s do not comprehend is that their vote counts, they do have a choice and you can vote your conscience. The constitution does not mandate a two party system. The two party system is a convoluted distortion of our democracy over many generations in which the two major parties have managed to control power. The solution to corrupt bosses as was my experience, comes from voting the corrupt judge out of office thereby leaving corrupt businesses without shelter from their crimes. Of all the things that should save us, our freedom of speech and press, the media is greatly to blame of this corrupting consolidation of power for it is the media who have failed to present to The People their choices and educated the people on their rights and privileges for it is us, The People …not businesses, who maintain the right to vote. Let the third party candidates debate… their candidates are they not? Then why the exclusion? To no include them is a fraud perpetrated by the candidates themselves for failing to participate in a debate of their peers.
Add them up! Where is the Medias discussion of the significant percentage of voters representing millions of American’s NOT supporting the two largest parties? Wow! A campaign reaching up to 7% in the pools funded completely by mom & pop donations with zero media coverage, corporate sponsorship must have something good to say. Fool me once but never twice … Ralph Nader’s 4th Presidential run cannot be considered anything less than based on solid concepts coming from a reputable man considered to be one of the most civic minded and pro-citizen agents of our ages. I must admit that this republican has nothing but praise for this Ralph Nader. He's literate, personable, intelligent on all the issues and a fantastic motivator/leader and has a lot of solid ideas any party could use.
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