Leah O'Donovan

Why?! Why does Ralph Nader always have to come in and ruin perfectly legitimate democracy with his annoyingness?! Most of us remember his role in the 2000 debacle. Look what we got then! Now he’s decided to throw his hat into the ring yet again, in what is one of the most fruitless campaigns this side of Ross Perot. Why can’t the man leave the running to the parties, the pros?

I probably shouldn’t be so harsh about this seeing as democracy is supposed to be about openness. Any man/woman should be able to stand for office. Having said that, however, it really pisses me off that Nader swoops in like this and gets to run. Obama, Clinton and McCain have all worked their butts off campaigning for primary votes over the past nine months or more. Nader pops up one day and says ‘hey, I think I’ll run too.’ Not only does he stand no real chance of winning but, moreover, he is likely to take Democratic votes away from the Democratic nominee in November, thereby possibly causing another 2000 debacle. It is just not how democracy should work.

Just because you think you’re fit to be President doesn’t make it so. Just look at our current one! Nothing says the two party nominees are always any more fit than Nader either, I’ll admit. The thing is, though, that when Nader runs he only detracts from the main event. He’s a laugh, a joke, a side-show clown with no chance of winning. It makes me question how seriously he takes this or, rather, how seriously deluded he really is to think he has a chance.

One final note: it’s my 27th birthday today. Yay. I feel old.