In his famed work "Unsafe at Any Speed", he actually makes reference to the unspeakable horrors of dagger cars. That would be the rear fins on Cadillacs impaling people as the cars moved in reverse. The guy was/is certifiable...
Careful G, you'll have Zeit jumping in here to Ralph's defense. [:D]
Yes, we're all entitled to our opinions. I essentially find this one action of Mr. Nader too egregious to consider his subsequent actions. I loved my Corvair, and feel almost like Mr. Nader slew my child. Z is more forgiving and offers an admittedly more balanced view.
...been there, done that. I say hero, he says tomato.
My favorite thing about Nader is the same thing that prevents him from ever being a viable candidate for president: He is not nuanced. He says exactly what he believes and stands by his beliefs no matter what. This is why I like him more than the other third-party candidates in the past 30 years or so. The third party folks that had any chance of election were basicly 'triangulators', to steal Pres Clinton's terminology. The all aimed to take advantage of a weakness exposed by the major parties and did what they could to exploit the weakness. Not Nader. He ran on principle.
What I like least about Nader is his socialism, but as long as he's not willing to compromise his core beliefs, I'm not worried about him ever capturing political office.
In his famed work "Unsafe at Any Speed", he actually makes reference to the unspeakable horrors of dagger cars. That would be the rear fins on Cadillacs impaling people as the cars moved in reverse. The guy was/is certifiable...
Wow, if Florida ever decides to get rid of "Old Sparky" that would the replacement method I would vote for.
...been there, done that. I say hero, he says tomato.
My favorite thing about Nader is the same thing that prevents him from ever being a viable candidate for president: He is not nuanced. He says exactly what he believes and stands by his beliefs no matter what.
Your positive character trait is my character flaw. You're embracing someone who's unable or unwilling to consider that he may be wrong. To me, that's just ignorant (see "ego" Edging God Out). I view willingness to reconsider a position based upon new information as a mark of enlightenment.
Your primary problem with Ralph is centered around a car...a car, no more no less. In the end, it's just a car. I'm interested in more substantive issues...
My admiration for the man doesn't preclude the fact that he's a man, and as such, he's a great big bag of contradictory flaws--not unlike the rest of us. I think he'd be nearly intolerable to spend any time with, but that's also what makes him so damn effective. To me it's about what he's chosen to do with his limited time on earth that leaves me in awe. 40+ years of dogged single-minded service to his vision of the public interest has produced dividends that we each reap in a variety of ways.
The fact is, he was instrumental in sparking the consumer and citizen's rights movements that captured the radical notion that each of us has a right to demand and receive corporate and government accountability. He (and I) want to deepen our democratic institutions, so that each of us has a role in the decision-making process at work, at home, in the marketplace and in the halls of government. That's a good thing--right?
Ever heard of the Freedom of Information Act? His fingerprints are all over that nugget of democracy in action.
How about the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, or the Consumer Product Safety Act
I repeat, he's one of our greatest living Americans
I think you make a good point, Z. That which is is greatest strength in moving our culture is also that which GermanStar correctly identifies as his greatest flaw and which will prevent him from ever gaining public office.
It's the hubris thing. He dances on the edge. That is the only place, the edge, where one man can make a big difference.
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