Ralph Nader explains how voting for the 'least worst' candidate corrupts democracy

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader on Monday decried the lack of choices at the ballot box and predicted super rich candidates would run in 2016.

Speaking on C-SPAN, Nader said the influence of money on the political process along with the weakening of unions had prevented candidates from addressing certain controversial issues. Voting for the lesser of two evils had also allowed candidates to skirt around particular topics.

"As voters, we get too satisfied with least worst choices, so we'll vote for the Democrats because we think the Republicans are worse, or we'll vote for the Republicans because we think the Democrats are worse," he explained. "And every four years both of them get worse, because if you're a least worst voter you don't pull the least worst candidate. You're desperately supporting the least worst candidate because the other guy is worse. So you lose your bargaining power, and they don't have to give you the time of day the minute you indicate you're a least worst voter."

Nader, a five-time candidate for President of the United States, denied the two parties were so entrenched that it was impossible for a third party candidate to win a national election. He remarked that super wealthy individuals such as New York mayor Michael Bloomberg had the resources to run a successful presidential campaign.

"Here’s what I think is going to happen. We will have the usual Green Party and libertarian parties in 2016. But there are some mega-billionaires who are seriously considering running third party, and the minute a mega-billionaire announces, like Ross Perot, they get enormous press, they get the polls and they are in play. "

Self-financed candidates had the potential "to be attractive to a lot of voters," Nader said, because they were not beholden to political donors and special interests.

"So people are ready," he added. "But you have to convince them that the candidate has a chance to win. They’re not convinced the little third parties have that chance because of all the obstruction."

Watch video, courtesy of C-SPAN, below: