by Ralph Nader
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| List Price: | $25.95 |
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| Lowest New Price: | $6.84 |
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Product Description
The man who shook up American politics in 2000—and is doingso again in 2004—returns to hold both parties' feet to the fire with his straight talk about Bush, corporate government, and the whole political charade. Ralph Nader—relentless activist, brilliant visionary—may also be the most honest man we've got left in politics. And yet from the moment Nader declared his presidential candidacy on Meet the Press, he's faced relentless opposition, mainly from Democrats fearing that competition from an inspiring independent could dent their voting block "as it did in 2000." Even his old pals at The Nation joined in the party panic. Now, in The Good Fight, Nader swings back harder than ever at those who "want to block the American people from having more voices and choices" and have lost touch with the concept that votes must be earned, not inherited or entitled. He takes on corporate-occupied Washington and the government's daily abuse against ordinary citizens: "Corporations are saying no to the necessities of the American people. They're saying no to health insurance for everyone, no to a living wage, no to tax reform, no to straightening out the defense budget, which is bloated and redundant, no to access to our courts." And most of all, he urges a speedy return to stronger civic motivation. If fed-up citizens don't actively join the fight for improvement, then ultimately we have no one to blame but ourselves for the inadequate checks on the erosion of our civil liberties. In an era when politicians sell us rhetoric and then sell out our principles, Nader stands as a crucial voice of candor. The Good Fight is a call to awareness and action that will captivate readers of all political stripes and help us define what we must do to shape the brightest future for our nation.
Amazon.com Review
The old analogy of apples and oranges, long used to describe things that are completely different, has been rejected by some due to the fact that apples and oranges are, scientifically speaking, extremely similar. For longtime activist, author, and occasional political candidate Ralph Nader, the Democratic and Republican parties, like apples and oranges, may offer different packaging, but are the same on the inside. In The Good Fight, Nader attacks both for their complicity in corporate America's attempts to solidify their power and wealth at the expense of the average citizen's health, job, food, environment and economic future. Still, Nader says, the biggest threat facing regular people comes from inside. "Our lack of civic motivation," he writes, "is the biggest problem facing our country today." And with that in mind, he offers a guide to the powerful institutions at work in the world as well as some advice on how to affect change. Having worked as a civic crusader for so long, Nader is able to present his indictments clearly and is especially compelling when telling the stories of common people who lose their livelihoods and sometimes their lives to corporate profiteering and who then often lose again when they or their families seek redress from a corrupt system where the politicians are in bed with the executives. Some Democrats have accused Nader of taking votes away from their candidates and handing the 2000 election to George W. Bush. Political junkies looking for counter-arguments are mostly out of luck here (John Kerry is mentioned once, Al Gore not at all, and no mention is made of any ambition to elected office) but it becomes clear in reading The Good Fight that Ralph Nader's political career is all about clearly communicating his message. And on that front, he is highly successful. --John Moe
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 This book is a must-read for every u.s. resident, 2008-05-06
In The Good Fight, Ralph Nader, long-time consumer rights crusader, presents startling figures about the corporate-dominated United States. There is an essential difference between what the people want for the U.S. and what multinational corporations are currently doing. This book not only highlights those differences, it inspires the reader to take action. Peaceful protest and determined activism can (and will) change the country. Mr. Nader has been doing it for decades, and this book will help every reader to join him in "The Good Fight."
If every person in the country reads this, we will be one step closer to overcoming the 'manufactured consent' into which we have fallen. By restoring citizen activism and honesty to politics, democracy can eventually return to the U.S.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 Good homegrown knowledge, 2007-11-16
Mr. Nader provides an idealistic and sensible approach and criticism to how things are done today.
He offers solutions, which is refreshing and is not afraid to say unpopular things. This was a good book.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
"The Good Fight" that I wish we weren't losing!, 2006-11-22
Many people have mixed emotions when it comes to the tenacious Ralph Nader, but truth be told, Ralph Nader proves time and time again what an amazing intellect he really is. After reading this book I'm thoroughly convinced that this man should be president of the United States, and that we should start considering third party alternatives. I've come to the conclusion that the Republicans and the Democrats don't have our best interest at heart and they can't be trusted with our well-being. With that said, most Americans feel the same way since many of us don't participate in these farcical elections.
If we had a real democracy we'd be exposed to many alternative viewpoints, and candidates such as Nader would have been permitted to participate in the presidential debates. Many Green Party candidates weren't allowed to debate in the 2006 elections. Michael Berg (who ran for congress in Delaware) wasn't allowed to debate; when he tried he was escorted off of the stage. Senator Hillary Clinton refused to debate Howie Hawkins in New York, and in Seattle Washington Aaron Dixon was arrested for trying to participate in the senatorial debate. For this reason alone this book is an important read. We as Americans need to ascertain that our constitutional rights are in jeopardy.
The "Good Fight" is a true magnum opus of bona fide leftwing opinion backed up with facts, facts that should scare the heck out of us.
Fact 1: HIV/AIDS infects forty million people worldwide and life-sustaining drugs are not available to a large majority of people because these drugs cost more than $10,000 a year in the U.S. and other first world countries. Nader said that the drugs are extremely expensive "because the brand-name companies have patent monopolies that prevent price-lowing competition. And our government (under the Clinton administration) was acquiescing with The World Trade Organization (WTO) over these patents. Countries such as India began manufacturing generic medicine, but the larger drug companies still hold the patents to the original medications and sell them for quadruple the price of what they are really worth. Meanwhile, "countries in the WTO will not be allowed to exercise their own safety standards. In addition, drug companies themselves lobby and threaten governments in developing countries. Often such countries suppress the generic cheaper competition that could save millions of dollars and help control HIV/AIDS," said Nader. When governments and corporations interfere with peoples' right to live, it's not only unethical, but it can be construed as murder. Think about it: Nader is not saying that pharmaceutical companies don't have a right to make a profit; they just shouldn't have the right to make it at the expense of peoples' lives when a pandemic such as AIDS threatens the entire world.
Fact 2: Both "political parties received $9.3 million from convicted criminals during the 2002 elections," according to the "Corporate Crime Reporter." Corporations such as Pfizer and Chevron were part of the scandal. Pfizer contributed $1.1 million to the Democrats and Republicans and Chevron gave $875,400 to both parties. So, what the American people really need to inquire is; do our votes or opinions really count when powerful companies can purchase politicians at a whim? When democracy is for sale to the highest bidder then it's an oligarchy.
Fact 3: "The foreign policy and intelligence agencies operate in secrecy and rarely have to explain themselves, even to each other. (The 9/11 Commission provides a welcome exception, but received a chilly reception from the Bush Administration)," said Nader. The truth is the 9/11 Commission report is a fraud but Nader did say that, "the U.S. Constitution requires publication of the governments budget, but when an American citizen challenged the secrecy of the CIA's budget in federal court, the case was dismissed." Nader didn't name the citizen in question but Article I of the Bill of Rights does guaranty "a redress of grievances."
Nader's book covers the issues of corporate fraud, Bush and Cheney's obliquity over 9/11, globalization, decimating of the world, plus environmental issues.
I don't agree with everything Nader has to say and you won't either, but that isn't the point. The point is he was a presidential candidate that should have been heard in 2004 and had the right to run on equal terms against Bush and Kerry. And we should be mighty angry that he wasn't given the opportunity to do so.
And as much as people would like to believe that if Nader didn't run for president, 9/11 would not have occurred. I'm afraid to inform those people that 9/11 was in the works all along. Just ask yourself how the USA Patriot Act became law so quickly and ponder on the fact that John Kerry wrote the money laundering provisions in the act. And according to Alex Jones, John Kerry and Bush are distant cousins. Think about it? Our last presidential election was bogus! We need to take our country back and the only way to accomplish it is by voting for alternative candidates.
Excellent Read!
2 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
 Thousands Dead in Iraq -- Meet An Acomplice, 2006-04-21
Nader is nothing more than a sanctimonious accomplice fore everything that has happened over the past five years. The blood of nearly 2,500 American soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians is on his hands. This cannot be ignored when discussing this book. A book that will get absolutely no attention from the goons he actively helped put in the White House.
3 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
Four stars for the book, minus four for handing the White House to George W. Bush, 2006-03-22
What to make of Ralph Nader?
For the record, his main arguments - that on non-hot button issues, the two parties are so close together as to be inseparable, that corporations are subtly perverting every facet of our lives, and that civic apathy is the main problem our country faces politically - are absolutely on target.
I might not agree with some of his ideas on reforming government - a 100% tax on incomes over $100,000 is a ludicrous idea, for example - but I have no argument with his fervent wish to see it reformed.
Therefore, in an abstract sense, this is a useful book, even if you don't agree with Nader's ideas. But the problem with Nader is that his ideas and actions have not been abstract; indeed, they've caused our government to be taken over by ideologues who line their pockets, and say "liberal" ten times a sentence to excuse their actions. Worse yet, these ideologues have made the problems Nader mentions far more serious.
Any thoughtful discussion of Nader and his ideas has to take this into account.
There is an argument that in order to truly reform government, it has to crash and burn first. By running in 2000, Nader ensured just that. Whether that was his intent or not is unclear (I suspect it might have been), but the outcome was not in question. Putting Bush in the White House and the GOP in charge of Congress has been an unabashed disaster for this country, in ways obvious and subtle...and worse yet, in ways that we probably won't really understand for another 20 years.
One can't judge this book, and Nader, without giving thought to the consequences of his actions. That is why I give it one star...and if I could, I'd give it zero stars. There is a better way to improve our government than to have George W. Bush and the GOP take it over and destroy it, and whether this is what Nader intended or not, that's what happened.
That is why I give this book zero stars...not for Nader's ideas, but the unforgivable consequences of his actions.
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