Ralph Nader: Biography and Issues

Ralph Nader is one of the more recognized independents in this election. Most people have heard of him, and a lot of people know who he is.

Ralph Nader was born on February 27, 1934 in Winsted, Connecticut to Rose and Nathra Nader. His parents were immigrants from Lebanon. His family owned and operated a restaurant in their town. His family avidly discussed politics all through his childhood.

Ralph graduated from Princeton University in 1955, and from Harvard Law School in 1958. The following year, he served six months in the United States Army, and then worked as a lawyer in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a professor of history and government at the University of Hartford from 1961 to 1963. In 1964 he worked for the Assistant Secretary of Labor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and advised a Senate subcomittee on car safety. He wrote Unsafe at Any Speed, in 1965. It was a study on the issue of many automobiles, including the Corvair, being unsafe. The publicity surrounding this, and increases in traffic deaths, led to the passing of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Act which established the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 1971, with the support of many young activists, Nader founded the non-governmental organization, Public Citizen, as an umbrella organization for various activist projects. Included in the list of projects is The Chemical Feast, which investigates the Food and Drug Administration, and No Contest, which deals with corporate lawyers. In the 1970's and into the '80's, Nader spoke out against nuclear power plants. He advocated alternatives, such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power.

He resigned as head of Public Citizen in 1980. He turned his focus to campaigning against multinational corporations and started numerous non-profit organizations.

His first actual run for President occured in the 2000 election, though he was on the ballot in several primaries in 1992 and 1996. In the 2000 election, he recieved 97,421 votes. In 2004, he ran as an independent, but followed the principles of the Green Party. He even stated in a documentary, that he was offered money to not run. He had a much better showing, recieving 463,653 votes.

He has authored many books, and even appeared on Sesame Street in 1988.

Ralph Nader's running mate is Matt Gonzalez.

What issues are most important to Ralph Nader? Where does he stand with issues that are important to you? Here's where to find out!

ABORTION:Supports NOW's agenda on reproductive rights. Supports Roe v Wade. Feels women should privately decide what is right for them.

BUDGET & ECONOMY: Wants to spend surplus on infrastructure and public works. Feels that high gas prices are the fruit of corporate power. Feels that half the federal budget is now being spent on defense.

CIVIL RIGHTS: Feels that Patriot Act infringed on Muslim civil rights. Supports rights to privacy. Supports gay marriage. Long history of fighting in sexual politics.

CORPORATIONS: Feels that Washington is corporate-occupied territory. Does not feel that McCain or Obama are taking on corporations. Feels that corporations have too much control over people's lives and too much influence over government. Wants to shift power from corporations to consumers.

CRIME: Opposed 1996 expansion of the death penalty. Feels that corporate crime is worse that crime in the streets. Supports a moratorium on executions. Focus on crime prevention instead of harsher sentences.

DRUGS: Feels the drug war has failed despite money put into it. Supports rehabilitation over incarceration. Supports legalizing marijuana and treating drug addiction as a health problem. Supports legalization of industrial hemp. Voted A+ by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record.

EDUCATION: Wants to abandon standardized testing and focus on civics skills. Invest more in K-12 education to reduce poverty. Supports choice within public schools. Supports removal of commercialism in schools.

ENERGY & OIL:Supports renewable energy sources. Opposed to drilling, says it's a temporary solution. Supports more renewable energy sources and more efficiency. Long time supporter of renewable and alternative energy sources. Supports raising CAFE standards. Supports energy independence.

ENVIRONMENT: Instrumental in the establishment of EPA, CAA & CWA. Wants to end all commercial logging in National Forests. Supports more funds to maintain National Park system.

FAMILIES & CHILDREN: Feels that corporations are commercializing the world of children. Supports personal responsibility. Parents should teach conflict resolution. Feels that TV ads, targeting children is "electronic child molesting". Feels that the national speed limit saves lives. Long time advocate of safety issues.

FOREIGN POLICY: Feels the US should be the world's humanitarian superpower. Support social and economic justice around the world. Wants to assist Russia and Israel towards having better governments. Feels that selling arms is not a good way to conduct foreign affairs. Support human rights as cornerstone of US policy.

FREE TRADE: Opposes free trade. Feels that free trade allows for exporting of jobs out of US. Renegotiate NAFTA & WTO.

GOVERNMENT REFORM: Supports civic engagement to fight corporate influence over government. Primary architect of the Freedom of Information Act. Opposed to commercial donations to elections. Supports term limits. Supports publicly funded campaigns, no corporate or foreign money.

GUN CONTROL: Supports Brady Bill and thoughtful gun control. Supports trigger locks, licensing and banning of some guns.

HEALTH CARE: Supports single-payer health care system. Proposes 3.5% payroll tax to fund universal health care system. Wants to use Canadian system as a model. Supports letting FDA regulation of nicotine as an addictive drug. Feels tobacco is world's largest air pollutant.

HOMELAND SECURITY: Supports repealing the Patriot Act. Supports cutting funding for defense. Opposes "don't ask, don't tell". Supports Test Ban Treaty and arms control.

IMMIGRATION: Don't criminalize the border, but doesn't support open border, either. Guest workers OK, but with labor standards.

JOBS: Supports a living wage of at least $10/hour. Focus on family farms, rather than large agricultural businesses. Supports strengthening unions. Supports raising minimum wage. Supports limiting executive salaries and perks.

PRINCIPLES & VALUES: Published book The Seventeen Traditions, about his upbringing. Feels the political system benefits from outside competition to the two-party system. Suffers from Bell's Palsy. Uses person income as societal change agent. Says he is running because 61% of people feel both major parties are failing.

SOCIAL SECURITY: Feels that candidates focus on the elderly because young people don't vote. Says bankruptcy of social security is nonsense. Feels pensions should be controlled by people, not banks or insurers. Feels that privatization replaces certainty with risk.

TAX REFORM: End perverse incentives that reward Wall Street speculators. Stop tax cuts and deal with real problems. Tax code loopholes benefit corporate donors and cost taxpayers. Supports taxpayer imput into tax and spending policy. Opposes flat tax.

TECHNOLOGY: Feels TV immersion deprives children of exposure to nature. Supports putting all Congress voting records on Internet. More free info from government via computers and airwaves. Feels Microsoft is anti-competitive and anti-consumer.

WAR & PEACE: Supports a rapid, but responsible withdrawal from Iraq. Supports negotiating with Iran. Supports impeachment of Bush and Cheney on falsehoods of Iraq war. Supports Palestinian statehood and security for Israel.

WELFARE & POVERTY: Feels charity work is good, but politics addresses root causes. Attack corporate welfare kings. Limit executive compensation to 30-1 over lowest pay.