Pubdate: Mon, 28 Aug 2000
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2000 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190
Fax: (408) 271-3792
Website: http://www.sjmercury.com/
Author: David A. Yomtov

COMMON CITIZENS LOSE OUT

RALPH Nader and the Green Party are trying to open up political discourse 
to include topics of great importance to millions of people. As long as the 
Democratic Party insists on ignoring these concerns, there is little 
incentive to vote for its candidate. While Al Gore offers lip service to 
the working class, his actual policies and those of his party are 
watered-down versions of Republican policies.

For the last eight years, under an undeniably dynamic Democratic 
leadership, I have watched the continuing trend of corporate welfare, drug 
war expansion, and the ever-decreasing living wage. I am now convinced that 
the possibility of having a Republican president is only slightly more 
depressing than having another Democratic president.

If Gore is not willing to "defend" the common citizens in deed (and not 
just in word), he risks losing the votes of those he alienates. This is not 
the fault of those voters who vote their conscience.

If Gore is worried about losing votes to Ralph Nader, he should actively 
and affirmatively adopt Nader's core positions. Were he to do so with 
conviction, his campaign woes would fade away.

David A. Yomtov, San Jose
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