Democrats abandoning ideals, Ralph Nader says

Former independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader blasted Democrats and Republicans alike as he spoke before a subdued crowd of roughly 300 at a Seattle Center conference room yesterday. Nader accused Democrats of abandoning their liberal ideals by failing to oppose the war or champion the causes of the working class and the poor, minorities and the environment. He also complained of Democratic efforts to keep him off ballots in various states. Democrats, he said, should have beat Bush by a landslide, but they failed by trying to capture conservative voters and abandoning their liberal base. Nader called on people to join a concerted campaign to pressure Congress, saying 1 million people around the country dedicating 200 hours and $100 a year could advance liberal causes. Nader also was stumping for money to pay off a roughly $250,000 debt from the 2004 presidential campaign. [more]