On voting

In the last presidential election, I voted for Nader. I chose to vote for Nader; my vote was not stolen from Gore; by doing so, I did not vote for Bush; I have no regrets. I am glad to see that Nader has decided to run again, and I believe that Democrats have more to lose than gain by demonizing him. I also believe that getting Bush out of office is of utmost importance and I'll be voting accordingly this election. (This piece in The Nation comes closest to reflecting my own views on the Nader and the current election.)

Perhaps the most infuriating statements tossed around in discussions of Nader and those who chose or may choose to vote for him are the ones that equate a vote for Nader (or really any third party candidate) as a "wasted" vote or "throwing away" a vote and closely related to these concepts, the "stolen" vote. It is disheartening to me to hear such negativity directed at a freedom that is exercised by so few in our country. Voting is one of the greatest privileges we have and along with it, the freedom to vote for any candidate we choose. The only wasted votes are those that are not cast.