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03/30/2008: "Why Ralph Nader presents an aware, viable alternative"
On the derailing of the consumer protection movement: Laws aren't being enforced, not enough prosecutors on the corporate fraud beat.
On the other candidates: Their campaigns are based on law and order. Not one has put the words consumer and protection together in one of their speeches.
On unfair contracts: A common clause now says that the seller has the right to change terms of contract at any time; that's the end of contract law.
On the sub-prime meltdown: It's the government's job to force credit rating settings. There should be a plain-language law mandating that mortgages are written in a language average people can understand
On education: Spend so much time teaching students to use computers but we don't teach kids how to shop for their maximum health safety and economic well-being... what's the point of earning money if you're just going to lose it to corporate scams?
On activism: You want a better country, you've got to spend more of your time more time away from "American Idol," and more time on your members of Congress. We're millions of people, but corporations don't have a single vote, and members of congress are there because of our votes, so make those votes count.
[ Nader has been a consistent voice for protecting the consumer from big corporations and big government alike. Where he is weak is that he does not address how to reform a government to a state where it can address the needs of its people, and not the needs of its institutions alone. ]
http://consumerist.com/373394/interview-ralph-nader-says-were-living-under-corporate-fascism