The shortcomings of America's political leaders do not stop at our borders.
— Ralph Nader
Up against the corporate government, voters find themselves asked to choose between look-alike candidates from two parties vying to see who takes the marching orders from their campaign paymasters and their future employers. The money of vested interest nullifies genuine voter choice and trust.
I once said to my father, when I was a boy, 'Dad we need a third political party.' He said to me, 'I'll settle for a second.'
Let's not just look at it as taking votes away from Gore. Our support comes from a lot of people.
A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.
A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.
I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
People are stunned to hear that one company has data files on 185 million Americans.
I don't think meals have any business being deductible. I'm for separation of calories and corporations.
Our founders did not oust George III in order for us to crown Richard I.
The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.
For almost seventy years the life insurance industry has been a smug sacred cow feeding the public a steady line of sacred bull.
We must strive to become good ancestors.
The nation is faced with one of the most corporate-orientated anti-consumer Congresses in our history.
It is fascinating to watch legislators turn away from their usual corporate grips when they hear the growing thunder of the people.
Like sex in Victorian England, the reality of Big Business today is our big dirty secret.
There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.
The liberal intelligentsia has allowed its party to become a captive of corporate interests.
This country has far more problems than it deserves and far more solutions than it applies.
The corporate lobby in Washington is basically designed to stifle all legislative activity on behalf of consumers.
The networks are not some chicken-coop manufacturing lobby whose calls nobody returns.
The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
John D. Rockefeller wanted to dominate oil, but Microsoft wants it all, you name it: cable, media, banking, car dealerships.
The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock on their door. That's the only difference.
The 'democracy gap' in our politics and elections spells a deep sense of powerlessness by people who drop out, do not vote, or listlessly vote for the 'least worst' every four years and then wonder why after every cycle the 'least worst' gets worse.
If God hadn't meant for us to eat sugar, he wouldn't have invented dentists.
Once you don't vote your ideals... that has serious undermining affects. It erodes the moral basis of our democracy.
Power has to be insecure to be responsive.
No presidential candidate should visit Las Vegas without condemning organized gambling.
Sanctions against polluters are feeble and out of date, and are rarely invoked.
When strangers start acting like neighbors... communities are reinvigorated.
Every time I see something terrible, it's like I see it at age 19. I keep a freshness that way.
President Reagan was elected on the promise of getting government off the backs of the people and now he demands that government wrap itself around the waists of the people.
Turn on to politics, or politics will turn on you.
Your best teacher is your last mistake.
