Advocate Nader Begins 'Campaign'

BOSTON--Consumer advocate Ralph Nader kicked off a somewhat unconventional presidential campaign yesterday, calling for reforms in the presidential election process and outlining his 10-point agenda for a new "initiatory democracy."

Speaking to an audience of approximately 200 in the Old South Meeting House, from which the Boston Tea Party was launched 218 years ago, Nader said that presidential campaigns have become "oceans of red ink filled with scandals and corruption."

He proposed that ballots be changed to include a "none-of-the above" option that would give dissatisfied voters the power to nullify an election or to write in their own candidate.

"These changes will preserve the integrity of the vote," Nader said.

Campaign workers said Nader will begin touring New Hampshire tomorrow in a bus with giant pencils on the roof and a sign saying "Write in Ralph Nader."

Accusing the other presidential candidates of making empty statements designed only to attract voters, Nader said he believed that at present, there is "too much power in too few hand, too much money in too few hands."

Nader said his aim in New Hampshire is to shake the other candidates out of their complacency. "Better than send them a message, send them a movement," he said.

Among Nader's suggested modifications in the election system are term limitations for politicians, public campaign financing and simpler voter registration rules.

Nader said Americans need to revitalize democracy by taking control of what they own. U.S. citizens today, he said, have virtually no power and must reclaim it.

"We have great assets in our country which we literally own...but don't control at all," Nader said.

Nader also called for consumers to act as "watchdogs" of their interests, for "ethical whistle blowers" in American industry to be protected from company retaliation and for workers to have a say in how pension money is invested.

The tenth point of Nader's "Concord Principles" refers to students. Nader argued that elementary and secondary schooling should be directed to educating children in "practical civics" and to making them bet. ter future citizens.

"There needs to be a fundamental civiccurriculum...[Students] go out into the worldthinking that if you can't fight city hall, whatdifference will it make?" Nader said.

As Nader was leaving the building, onespectator said to him, "So, you're running forpresident."

"No, you missed the point," answered Nader

"There needs to be a fundamental civiccurriculum...[Students] go out into the worldthinking that if you can't fight city hall, whatdifference will it make?" Nader said.

As Nader was leaving the building, onespectator said to him, "So, you're running forpresident."

"No, you missed the point," answered Nader