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