Presidential candidate, environmentalist Ralph Nader coming to Raleigh

This Saturday, July 12, independent presidential candidate and noted political activist Ralph Nader will speak at a rally at Saint Mary's School on Hillsborough Street. The event will take place in the Pittman Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., and the suggested donation is $10, or $5 for students.

An attorney who formerly served on staff at the U.S. Department of Labor, Nader founded the consumer and environmental watchdog organization Public Citizen in 1971. He went on to start dozens of other advocacy groups including the Clean Water Action Project and Multinational Monitor magazine.

This marks the fifth presidential race for the 74-year-old Nader, whose running mate this time is former San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Matt Gonzalez. Nader has often been blamed for Al Gore's loss to George W. Bush in 2000, though others have argued that the real problem afflicting Gore's campaign was his failure to articulate progressive values. Nader declined to seek the Green Party's nomination this year; the current frontrunner for that party's nomination is former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.

In this race as in his past White House bids, Nader is criticizing the Democratic nominee's willingness to court the right, highlighting Sen. Barack Obama's recent flip-flopping on telecom immunity, gun control, the death penalty, campaign finance and faith-based funding. In a money pitch on his campaign's website, Nader says:

When we ask our friends who support Obama about his recent flip-flopping on these and other issues, they say something like this:

You have to pander to become President.

Or:

It doesn't matter where Obama stands on the issues -- it's the symbolism of change that matters.

Okay, so if it's the symbolism of change that matters to you, and not the substance, then please go and support Obama.

But if you actually want a candidacy that stands steadfast for shifting the power from the corporations back to the people, then please drop a five spot now on Nader/Gonzalez.

You'll be supporting a positive, rock solid, steadfast campaign.

Charges of pandering aside, Nader's environmental platform is much more earth-friendly than either Obama's pro-coal and pro-nuclear positions, or Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's, which focuses solely on a market-based cap-and-trade approach to greenhouse gas emissions. Nader calls for the adoption of a carbon pollution tax, rejects nuclear power in favor of solar energy, and seeks stronger protections against toxic pollution. He also promises to work to end corporate personhood, perhaps the most fundamental challenge to abusive power in America.

A recent national CNN poll found Nader had the support of 6 percent of likely voters, ahead of Libertarian Party candidate and former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr. The Nader campaign is aiming for 10 percent support, which would get the candidate into the Google-sponsored debates in New Orleans on Sept. 18.

(Photo of Ralph Nader from VoteNader.org)