Fund for Public Interest Research

In the aftermath of Ralph Nader's colossal, nation-damaging ego trip of 2000, I still maintained that his earlier career was a good one and that there were still good aspects of his legacy. I cited the PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) movement as an example of something founded by Nader that has been of great benefit in American politics. Three things have soured Nader's legacy even more: his 2004 attempt at a repeat of the 2000 ego-driven disaster (this time without help from the Green Party, to credit them with learning a valuable lesson); the full scale of disaster that the Nader-enabled Bush administration has proven to be, fully in line with my warnings in 2000 and contrary to the Nader claim that Bush and Gore were equivalent; and finally, the decline of the PIRG movement into an anti-labor, union-busting political machine that seems to be betraying its roots.

I didn't so much come to this story as have it thrust upon me from several sides. A discussion with a new New Democratic Majority member about what kind of canvassing options were available for pay brought up the PIRG efforts, which I knew were paid, and a comment from Michael Bouldin that he had heard they had become horrible to work for, a kind of progressive political sweatshop.

That was the first I heard about PIRG's decline. Some 20 years ago I tried canvassing for CalPIRG in Los Angeles. It was to be a holiday job, combining my need for some income with my interest in politics. I went through their training and trial period. It was hard work, but exciting. I remember coming home each night of that brief period so keyed up that it took a couple of Guinesses to calm me down for bedtime. We worked from a script and started by working with experienced staff. My partnered staff member liked my style and delivery, saying that I seemed to be a natural. I didn't really find canvassing that enjoyable, but with his encouragement I really felt I could do it.