Interview w/Ralph Nader, a dreamer at the White House

Mr. Nader, for about 40 years now, you strived to abolish both child and adult poverty in the United States. Is it correct to say that the poverty rate is growing?

As the wealthiest country in the world, with high productivity per capita, a country that produces an abundance of capital, credit, technology and food, we can end poverty. Yet, according to the Bureau of the Census poverty and hunger for children and adults is increasing rather than decreasing - 34.6 million Americans lived in deep poverty, 12.1% of the U.S. population. Many millions of Americans live in what is called "near poverty" by the Labor Department.

In Europe, we often hear alarming news about Bush and Cheney going far beyond the Constitutional bonds. For Europeans, America used to be the land of freedoms but we have the impression now that, after the Patriot Act, things have changed very much: are we too pessimistic?

Civil liberties and due process of law are eroding due to the "war onterrorism" and new technology that allows easy invasion of privacy Americans of Arab descent and Muslim-Americans are feeling the brunt of these dragnet, arbitrary practices. We need to restore civil liberties, repeal of the Patriot Act, and an end to secret detentions, arrests
without charges, no access to attorneys and the use of secret "evidence," military tribunals for civilians, non-combatant status and the shredding of "probable cause" determinations. They represent a perilous diminishment of judicial authority in favor of concentrated power in the executive branch. Sloppy law enforcement, dragnet practices
are wasteful and reduce the likelihood of apprehending violent criminals. We should expand civil liberties to include basic human rights in employment and truly equal rights regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race or religion.

Some time ago, you have met Mr. John Kerry, a gentleman under all points of view. Still, John Kerry has never taken a stand against the war in Iraq and he approves the Patriot Act, so what basic differences are there between Kerry and Bush?.

There are more similarities than differences. The areas where there seem to be differences are on social issues -- also known as the cultural issues.