emocratic Senator Harry Reid once accused Ralph Nader of “not respecting [America’s electoral] process.” To what process was Senator Reid referring? The one that crowns a winner even when the candidate doesn’t win the popular vote? The one that sets unrealistic requirements for third-party debate participation, even when the candidate is on enough ballots to theoretically win the election? The one that prioritizes corporate interests over the public’s needs?
These are just some of the reasons why Nader, one of the most influential consumer advocates of the 20th century, chose to run for office of President of the United States in 2000. In his book, Crashing the Party, he eloquently explains how he was the only candidate in the 2000 election to whole-heartedly promote a progressive agenda, and how he did not “steal” the election from Al Gore—one of the most polarizing politicians at the time.
As we all know, on the 2000 election trail, the Democrats launched unethical smear campaigns against Nader to deter voters from voting for him, instead of promoting their own political agenda and trying to appeal to liberal constituencies with intelligent ideas. The book points out that Nader offered to drop out of the race if the Democrats committed themselves to more progressive ideals, such as pledging to end corporate welfare, to increase real wages, or to mandate publicly financed elections. It’s insights like this that add to Crashing the Party’s excellence.
Unfortunately, the book does have the tendency to irritate readers when Nader launches descriptions of the numerous rallies and protests he attended during the campaign trail. It gets a little redundant. However, this repetition is essential because it helps emphasize his determination to represent “average Americans” in spite of adversity from the media and the corporate-dominated Democratic and Republican parties.
On the other hand, while Nader’s exposÉ of Gore’s record is extremely detailed, the facts never seem boring. From refusing to increase fuel efficiency standards to helping to pass NAFTA, Gore’s own actions proved that his appealing rhetoric and convenient photo-ops didn’t coincide with his dismal record as a United States representative, a senator and the vice-president. Nader explains that, in spite of Gore’s terrible record, many major unions and environmental protection groups endorsed him due to fear of losing the presidency to George Bush. It’s upsetting to read that even though the League of Conservation Voters embarrassed Gore with horrendous environmental work ratings—60% and 73% while in the House and Senate, respectively—the environmental advocacy group still supported Gore in the election.
This book is a great read for anybody, whether or not you agree with Nader’s political views. In the end, one theme emerges as important regardless of political ideology: civic responsibility. Nader stresses that everyone should strive to be the most active citizen he or she can possibly be. Every individual has a duty to voice his or her concerns to local and national politicians on a regular basis, as strong grassroots movements speak louder than all of the greed and corruption that mar today’s politics. People need to understand that America’s government and corporations were created to serve the people, not control their lives.
Whether you want a fairer electoral process or healthcare for every American, everyone—concerned citizens or desperate politicians—should read this book. If Senator Reid, now the Senate Majority Leader, did so, perhaps he could learn a thing or two about America’s electoral process.
