I’m all for more options when it comes to voting in the US. But Ralph Nader’s recent entrance into the 2008 US Presidential elections makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. His announcement conjured up images of the 2000 Florida debacle between Gore and Bush. Most political analysts have realized the effect Nader’s votes had in Florida and how it took away crucial votes from Gore, which would have won him that state and put him in the White House. Republicans are, of course, jumping for joy and encouraging Nader’s run including Republican nominee Mike Huckabee who welcomed Nader’s entrance by noting, “I think it always would probably pull votes away from the Democrats, not the Republicans.”
But what disturbs me the most (but doesn’t really surprise me) is the fact that Ralph Nader’s 2004 campaign contributions were heavily backed by deep-rooted Republicans who were/are intense Bush supporters. (more…)