Press Action ::: Write In Nader ... The W.I.N. Campaign

Sunday, August 22, 2004

Write In Nader ... The W.I.N. Campaign

By Rosemarie Jackowski

In spite of rumors to the contrary, Democracy is not dead yet. There is still a glimmer of hope. Spread the word, make yard signs, write letters to the editor, tell all your friends. Get the message on every blog site. We are taking our country back. Who are we? We are the vast majority of voters. We are the ones who say, “None of the above,” on Election Day. We are the ones who will write in “NADER”.

Even after a campaign of dirty tricks by the Democrats, a series of almost fatal blows to democracy by the Republicans, the disappearance of the last investigative journalist in the mainstream media, and a conspiracy to silence Third Parties and Independents by the Commission on Presidential Debates, guess what. We are still here. We are not only still here, but on November 2nd we will prove that the pen is mightier than the sword.

This time Nader will get enough votes to affect the outcome of the election. The WIN CAMPAIGN will change the course of history. In states where “NADER” does not appear on the ballot, there will be a campaign to write him in. This is strictly a grassroots movement. The official Nader campaign has not yet endorsed it.

There will be weeping and wailing about this campaign from the Republicrats. The Republican Party has the most to fear, because the Nader platform is a direct assault on most Republican policies. The Republicans should have foreseen this before they followed their leader into the quagmire. The Democrats should have foreseen this before they followed the Republicans into the quagmire.

And just for the record, the WIN CAMPAIGN was inspired by the Democratic platform committee. Remember, the DPC refused to include in the platform a statement that the invasion of Iraq was a “mistake”. That is the moment when the Democratic Party lost its Base. For many, that was the last straw. No one who opposes war can, with a clear conscience, vote for Kerry. The ABB voters should examine their consciences before they go into the voting booth.

The strongest argument in support of Nader is his platform. The way to convince undecided voters is to show them all three platforms (Nader, Democratic, and Republican) with the names omitted. The Nader platform wins almost every time. If voters were voting on platform issues only, Nader would win in a landslide.

Think about it. What is the percentage of votes needed to make an impression in Washington? In this election, 3 or 4 percent might be the magic number. There is growing support from Independents, Greens, Libertarians, Reformers, and Socialists. They will join with disenfranchised Democrats and Republicans to create a perfect storm of dissent on Election Day.

If everyone, who is not satisfied with either Bush or Kerry, gets 10 or 12 voters to write in NADER, we will reach our goal. The goal is to “win” the election, but not necessarily in the usual sense of the word. The objective is to bring fundamental change to the political and economic systems. This goal is much more important than winning just one election. The goal is to change the course of history. This is the only way to stop pre-emptive wars, to bring a single-payer health care system to all, to bring a livable wage to all workers, and to protect the environment. This is the only way to end corporate rule. If there is another way, let’s hear about it.

It is more important now, than at any other time in recent history, to show the Washington elite that the citizens have a voice. We will not allow our country to be controlled by corporations and unelected Washington think tanks any longer.

Don’t throw your vote away. A vote for Nader is a vote for change. A vote for either Bush or Kerry is a vote “to stay the course.” We might not get the president of our choice this time, but if our votes change the course of history, we will get the president of our choice next time, and then WE ALL WIN.

Rosemarie Jackowski is a free-lance advocacy journalist, living in Bennington, Vermont. She was arrested on March 20, 2003 in a peaceful protest against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. She is currently awaiting trial with the possibility of a prison sentence. She can be reached at dissent@sover.net.

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