Serious question: In what ways could a Nader presidency affect change?

[Paragon]

What sort of executive orders could an independent candidate use without having to pass them through a hostile Congress full of Republicans and "almost as bad as Republicans" Democrats?

I'm talking nationally, internationally...economic, foreign policy, etc...what would really get done? Serious answers, please.

[cally]

1. Nader is very much an anti-large corporation activist

I honor what he has achieved.

But if he was President than women's issues and environmental issues would be pushed aside. He has an agenda and priorities. I support most of them but I do not support his willingness to push aside my issues for his.

[Birthmark]

2. Hmm...

I think that since a Nader presidency could only occur in an alternate universe, that things would likely be better.

[aquart]

3. This is not a serious question.

An independent President would have no support on both sides of the aisle.

Or in the statehouses. So it's really just a vanity exercise. Building a party starts with the dirty dull work in the precincts and election districts. Interminable meetings and endless piles of paper.

All Nader wants is the glory.

And I would slap him silly if I could.

[Paragon]

4. Well...

...I was hoping at least a Nader supporter could answer it seriously. ;-)

No such luck yet.

[Blue_Roses]

7. A Nader "supporter"

has to be as confused on the "whys" (although they would never tell us) as we are since there is NO WAY in hell Nader will win. He's obviously extremely EGO driven...but then something tells me this has been discussed before.

It goes beyond any comprehension as to why Nader would do this--especially at time when our country is so desperate to find our place. He is more help as an advocate, not as a "Presidential candidate."

Sad because Nader is burning alot of his bridges.

[jsw_81]

5. Nader would get NOTHING done

In the extremely unlikely event that he became president, he would face gridlock from both parties 24/7. His presidency would be an utter disaster.

[Doomsayer13]

6. It'd be rather ineffective

He would propose legislation after legislation that would continually get shot down, veto everything congress sent him. Government would be in a constant gridlock. In fact, I think conservatives/libertarians would very much like to see a Nader presidency becuase it would effectively destroy all government action for 4 years.

[Old and In the Way]

8. We'd be subjected to a 4 year lecture, but nothing else would happen.

He'd be reduced to cutting deals with one or the other Party. He'd essentially become the nation's cheerleader-in-chief.

[flaminbats]

9. Just leading in the polls would have an impact!

Winning the White House would demonstrate a radical shift in the nation's politics..away from the two parties to independence, from neo-conservatism to traditional liberalism, and from a nation built on establishment to a radical breakup of elitism.

Government would be divided radically with an independent as President, Republicans in control of the House, and Democrats in the Senate.

Ultimately Kerry's Healthcare plan could pass, Nader would only get some of the tax-cuts repealed...Kerry's tax plan, and Nader would be the most likely to transform Iraq into a multilateral U.N. led operation...

[WilliamPitt]

10. It would annihilate the office of the President

Given the bought-and-sold nature of today's Congress, coupled with the bought-and-bought nature of the highest court, a Nader presidency would inspire an ethic of total opposition from those two bodies. President Nader would be totally paralyzed because of this, and assaulted by the corporate media as well, which, fearing for its life, would work to destroy him in a way that would make Bill Clinton cringe.

He would have the bully pulpit, and perhaps inspire a throw-da-bums-out purge of Congress after the gridlock really starts to affect things, but in all likelehood the system would savage his presidency...unless he compromised and bought into the game.

I have a belief that after a President gets sworn in, he has a sit-down with the outgoing NSA Director, CIA Director, and the Chairman of the Fed. These three people tell the new president exactly how fucked up the system is. They tell him that the system is fucked up to such an epic degree, supported by so much fantasy and so many crossed fingers, fertilized with oceans of bullshit, that any deviation would bring about the total collapse of the economy and the end of America.

Look at Carter. He came into office swearing to rid the world of nukes. He was in for about 22 minutes before he became a Cold War hawk like the rest of them. Who started the Afghan War in '78? Brzyznski, his NSC Director.

Would Ralph be able to resist that kind of a talk? I doubt it. If he did, and the system crashed, it wouldn't matter much anyway. That would be the end of him...and a lot of other stuff.

[Paragon]

12. Or, to put it more succinctly...

"It's just a handful of people that run everything, and that's provable.... I have this feeling that whoever's elected president, like Clinton was, no matter what promises you make on the campaign trail - blah, blah, blah - when you win, you go into this smoky room with the twelve industrialist, capitalist scumfucks that got you in there, and this little screen comes down... and it's a shot of the Kennedy assassination from an angle you've never seen before, which looks suspiciously off the grassy knoll.... And then the screen comes up, the lights come on, and they say to the new president, 'Any questions?'

"Just what my agenda is."

[WilliamPitt]

13. You gotta finish the line

"Bomb Baghdad."

"You got it!"

Weird: My mom just sold her house...to a guy named Bill Hicks.

[R3dD0g]

11. Nothing - Absolutely Nothing would change.

The American system of government was designed to prevent change. The 3 coequal branches were devised to prevent anybody from making radical changes.

It wouldn't matter if Lenin, Stalin or Hitler himself were to occupy the Oval Office. Nothing much would change in the country.

[flaminbats]

18. Another change...

Nader would make appointments to the Supreme Court and the executive branch, in order for Nader to win..the public would have to enraged at both parties! This national mood would make Congress more receptive to a new agenda.

In summary we would see modest change with Nader, with Kerry we would see the status quo..ie the end of fascist infestation, and with shrub we would see the end of our nation. But Nader would only be an one-term President.

[DisgustiPatriotiated]

14. It's not a serious question because he wouldn't get elected without

the majority of one or the other and you have already dismissed the question, and the Democrats as "almost as bad as Republicans", so you really aren't looking for serious answers to begin with.

So if you don't mind my saying so, this is nothing but an exercise in mental masturbation.

[Paragon]

15. *fap* *fap* *fap*

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhnnnnnnnnngggggggggghhhhhhhhhh...

I need a mental cigarette.

[WilliamPitt]

16. spooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooge

:)

[Paragon]

17. "What's for fucking breakfast?"

"I have wiped entire civilizations off of my chest with a grey gym sock. THAT is special! Entire nations have flaked and crusted around the hair in my navel. Maybe even Gidea. THAT is special. I've tossed universes in my underpants, while napping! BOOM! A Milky Way shoots into my jockey shorts. Ooooohh, what's for fucking breakfast?"

[DemPopulist]

19. The atmosphere would be different

Because of all the monkeys flying out of everyone's butts! :evilgrin:

Sorry, I know this was supposed to be serious...

[flaminbats]

20. I agree...

seriously, I can hear those monkey flying even now! :hurts: