I've just finished her current book, Fanatics & Fools: The Game Plan for Winning Back America. The woman's words are pearls.
Listen to her on the pre-2000 political landscape:
...[N]either major party was addressing three key issues facing us: 1) the painful truth that we've become two nations, separated by an ever-widening economic gulf -- not just in income but in educational opportunities, access to health care, even in the quality of the air we breathe and our statistical chances of living to an old age; 2) the way money is corrupting our politics and campaign contributors are buying public policy; and 3) the nation's failed $40-billion-a-year war on drugs, which has turned into a war on the poor and minorities.
You GO, girl!
So how did this Nader-supporting Populist come to the point where she's supporting John Kerry? Here's what Arianna herself says:
I didn't have a problem with Ralph Nader's running in 2000. But that was then and this is now. Now we have seen George Bush's true colors. We have seen what has happened in Iraq. We have seen what has happened to the goodwill we once enjoyed around the world. We have seen the results of his regressive economic policies. We have seen who benefits and who loses in the world according to George Bush. It's folly to pretend that it doesn't make a difference whether Bush or his Democratic opponent is in the White House. It's like trying to unring the last three years' carillon of alarms.
It's all well and good to dream about how wonderful it would be to remodel your home, but when your house is going up in flames, your first priority must be putting the fire out. Our collective priority for the near term must be to evict the Crawford squatter from the White House. Only then can we set about remodeling our democratic home.
Well, I could certainly argue about Nader in 2000. I saw Bush's "true colors" in 2000, and I've never had much patience for the people who run around crying about how they feel betrayed, he didn't keep his promises. So George W. Bush lied...that's kinda like complaining that the Pacific Ocean is wet.
However, I applaud Arianna for coming around to the anti-Bush side, and I'm glad to have her aboard. She's a clever, amusing voice of reason, and I think she's doing more than her part.
Now this is about the time everyone starts talking about John Kerry, and saying "But M, Kerry seems to agree with Bush on just about everything...how can you support him?" And I have to confess, I have about as much enthusiasm for John Kerry as I have for scrubbing out garbage cans or watching American Idol. Now Howard Dean, there was a candidate to get excited about...before the vested interests realized what a danger he was to them, and decided to get rid of him.
Doesn't matter. Sure, Kerry represents a return to the politics of pre-2001, and will do precious little to address the three major problems that Arianna cited above. Doesn't matter. Like Arianna said, the house is on fire. The world under George W. Bush makes the politics of pre-2001 look like heaven.
I don't have to have enthusaism for Kerry, and neither does Arianna, and neither do you. Because Arianna and I have all the enthusiasm we need against Bush. I have often said that I would vote for Satan himself, if he were willing to call himself a Democrat and run against Bush. Hell, I would vote for the Pope, I would vote for Jack Valenti, I would vote for Little Bo Peep and/or any of her sheep if they ran against Bush. Voting for Kerry is a no-brainer.
Read Arianna's book. You'll enjoy it. If you know anyone who has half a brain and is still on the fence, give it to them to read. You won't be sorry.
M.
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