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Is America ready for Nader?
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With just weeks until the election, Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader came to speak at Boise State University Tuesday afternoon. Students and local residents came to support and listen to Nader’s views on national issues.
“It’s nice to hear something from another party, something fresh for once,” Jeff Gieslier, a sophomore majoring in political science, said. “I liked how he said we shouldn’t be like sheep on important issues.”
This is Nader’s first time formally on the ballot in Idaho after he received an astonishing 14,000 write-in votes during the last election.
“We have to have priorities, and priorities only happen by people who are organized,” Nader said.
Nader argued extensively that neither Barack Obama nor John McCain are capable of turning this country around. He further preached that over the last 63 years, this country has been led by Democratic and Republican leadership, which have both failed this country as well as this country’s citizens.
For the most part, Boise State students seem to agree Nader brings something new to the table.
“I think he’s more articulate than either of our current presidential candidates,” Matt Brings, a political science major, said. “We get to hear a candidate who is not reading from a teleprompter. He really should be allowed to go to the debates.”
Nader told the audience how unfair it was that the debates were exclusive to the Republican and Democratic candidates.
While Nader makes a valid argument that debates should include more than just two parties, it doesn’t make sense to open up the debates to just Nader.
Currently , the ballot for the Presidential election holds six executive tickets.
Opening up the debates to all six tickets would not only allow an atmosphere for a chaotic and messy debate, but it would also create potential for an electoral disaster.
For example in the 2000 presidential election between Bush and Gore, one must remember the ballot controversy in Florida. If a multi-party system were present, controversies like that would occur in states all across the nation.
Some students disagreed with what Nader had to say.
“I think if there were only three names on the ballot he would have my vote,” Boise State senior Ross Givens said. “He’s just not in my best interest.”
Givens, a major in Political Science, continued his thought when he said, “I don’t feel you should force universal healthcare on everyone. If someone tries to force something on you otherwise, I will be right there beside that person fighting with them for their rights.”
Nader strongly and firmly preached for the implementation of universal health care in America. Since he argued that neither McCain nor Obama are for a universal health care system, doesn’t that suggest neither are for the American people?
While Nader did present good and valid arguments about our nation’s flaws, it’s up to the American people to take the steps toward making change.
It’s easy to point fingers at political parties and politicians, but when it comes down to it, it’s us as voters who really have the power to make change.
GABE MURPHY
Arbiter Journalist
