Quotes By Ralph Nader

Turn on to politics, or politics will turn on you.

John D. Rockefeller wanted to dominate oil, but Microsoft wants it all, you name it: cable, media, banking, car dealerships.

It is fascinating to watch legislators turn away from their usual corporate grips when they hear the growing thunder of the people.

If God hadn't meant for us to eat sugar, he wouldn't have invented dentists.

Our founders did not oust George III in order for us to crown Richard I.

Up against the corporate government, voters find themselves asked to choose between look-alike candidates from two parties vying to see who takes the marching orders from their campaign paymasters and their future employers. The money of vested interest nullifies genuine voter choice and trust.

The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

Every time I see something terrible, it's like I see it at age 19. I keep a freshness that way.

No presidential candidate should visit Las Vegas without condemning organized gambling.

The shortcomings of America's political leaders do not stop at our borders.

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.

I once said to my father, when I was a boy, 'Dad we need a third political party.' He said to me, 'I'll settle for a second.'

The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock on their door. That's the only difference.

This (George W. Bush's) administration is not sympathetic to corporations, it is indentured to corporations.

Sanctions against polluters are feeble and out of date, and are rarely invoked.

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

Like sex in Victorian England, the reality of Big Business today is our big dirty secret.

Once you don't vote your ideals... that has serious undermining affects. It erodes the moral basis of our democracy.

Let's not just look at it as taking votes away from Gore. Our support comes from a lot of people.

When strangers start acting like neighbors... communities are reinvigorated.

The liberal intelligentsia has allowed its party to become a captive of corporate interests.

A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.

Addiction should never be treated as a crime. It has to be treated as a health problem. We do not send alcoholics to jail in this country. Over 500,000 people are in our jails who are nonviolent drug users.

The networks are not some chicken-coop manufacturing lobby whose calls nobody returns.

Your best teacher is your last mistake.

This country has far more problems than it deserves and far more solutions than it applies.

The 'democracy gap' in our politics and elections spells a deep sense of powerlessness by people who drop out, do not vote, or listlessly vote for the 'least worst' every four years and then wonder why after every cycle the 'least worst' gets worse.

I don't think meals have any business being deductible. I'm for separation of calories and corporations.

The corporate lobby in Washington is basically designed to stifle all legislative activity on behalf of consumers.