Equal Time? Not if your name is Ralph Nader

This is for the Naderites.

The United States of America has a federal law that states:

"If any licensee shall permit any person who is a legally qualified candidate for any public office to use a broadcasting station, he shall afford equal opportunities to all other such candidates for that office in the use of such broadcasting station: Provided, That such licensee shall have no power of censorship over the material broadcast under the provisions of this section. No obligation is imposed under this subsection upon any licensee to allow the use of its station by any such candidate." (fact check)

How is it that in the Gubernatorial race for impeachment in California brought this law back into the forefront of American Media yet it is no longer valid for the presidential debate? Candidates for governor of California (numbering well into the hundreds) last year screamed and bitched and moaned about this law so that they too can have a chance at free media exposure.

The media itself was actually subdued by this, even impersonators made fun of this scenario in their comedy routines.

This is no laughing matter America, as corporations run the media you watch everyday (Rupert Murdoch owns 75% of the GLOBAL audience) including networks such as Fox News and in fairness Air America Radio pronounce completely conservative views and have pundits on the air without always giving the other opinion a chance to state their view on the air.

So here we have a public debate NOT sponsored by any media outlet in particular but run specifically by the Commission on Presidential Debates yet we only have 2 candidates. This is an outrage and an encroachment on this countries 1st amendment rights. If you are a legal candidate the LAW states you should be given equal time on the air. This includes PBS and CSPAN and any other network.

Air America's Randi Rhodes says we can't afford Ralph Nader. Sorry Randi. You are a great liberal voice, but not on this one. How can a liberal proclaim this statement? Honestly, this country needs a kick in the ass and apparrently it didn't work last time when Nader did give this country a kick in the electoral ass. We are still gonna have a bad election in florida thanks to paperless balots.

In an age of undecided voters vying over ever increasingly similar candidates, it is no wonder our democracy is at a stand still. People are having a hard time to decide between a war monger and a guy who sounds not so different from the war monger. However, there are other options and the only way this democracy can be saved is with more choices.

Elections are about choice. Yet the media has not allowed us to see who else is out there. Ralph Nader may very well spoil this election as the media would put it. Nader isn't the one who disenfranchised voters in Florida. Nader isn't the one who was apathetic about voters and their representatives on the Floor of the United States Senate.

The Democrats spoiled their own election last time and this time they are doing it again. They give is a candidate that has been pretty much hard to differentiate and draw contrast against the current president.

The media plays along by suppressing the other parties. I thought it was pretty interesting that in the pre-debate Hardball show, in the background you saw a Nader sign for the 1st 10 minutes or so of coverage. After that the Nader sign holder just disappeared. Maybe he didn't know he was on camera. Maybe he just had to go to the bathroom and couldn't get back to his spot. Maybe the producers said "holy shit what the fuck is a Nader sign doing back there, get him out" Somehow the same producer let a "Legalize it" poster to remain on the air throughout the Al Sharpton interview (for this I am greatful)

But that is speculation, and I would be committing the same terrible mistake the media makes if I continue on that route.

What isn't speculation is the fact that Nader was not allowed to debate either of these guys. Granted the country needs to get rid of this current president. Granted that this country needs more parties. Granted this country is founded on the freedom of speech and equal time is protected by federal law.

Ralph Nader. This country doesn't need a guy fighting for our rights as consumers, fighting against the corporations that rob us of our retirement funds, fighting for safer airplanes 30 years before terrorists could have used them to destroy us. This country doesn't need a guy fighting for our freedoms our human rights, and the human rights of others around the world. This country doesn't need someone to fight for making the environment safer. This country doesn't need someone who fights for world peace, gun control, and the destruction of the IMF and World Bank. This country doesn't need someone who fights for global economic fairness and the destruction of corruption.

Ralph Nader it is not that this country doesn't need you. This country doesn't deserve you.