My name is Spruce Houser, and I took part in the founding convention of a national scale Green Party in Elkins, West Virginia in 1991. In 1996, I was one of the primary organizers of the Nader campaign in Eugene. In 1998, I co-authored and coordinated the first ballot initiative in the country to assert local democratic control over corporations - a measure which merited both a visit and national newspaper column from Nader in support.

I have great news for Green Party enthusiasts - WE HAVE ALREADY WON A VICTORY IN THIS CAMPAIGN BEYOND THE WILDEST IMAGINATION! Nader has been speaking to rallies ten to fifteen thousand, we have crossed the threshold into being taken seriously, and have become a real factor in this election. We are now unquestionably on the political map of this country!

My urgent appeal is that Greens not squander the power that has been placed in their hands by this unbelievably close election. I continue to urge Green supporters in all states where the outcome is essentially certain to still vote for the Nader/LaDuke ticket. But the swing states are truly another matter. We have already made a powerful statement. I believe it would be irresponsible and directly counter to the long term interests of the Green Party to continue to make our "statement" in those states which have the potential to give this election to Bush. The price we would have to pay would be much too high.

If Bush is elected, the progressive movement in this country will be placed back into a perpetual crisis mode. Its energy and resources will, out of necessity, become mired in a backbreaking effort to prevent the progress of the last 30 years from unravelling. There will be hardly any breathing space and precious little energy to put toward the pro-active work of building the Green Party. We will be back in re-active mode.

I believe that Greens who would actually assist in the election of Bush have lost sight of our larger purpose as a movement championing environmental sanity and social justice. We must not become trapped and blinded by our own rhetoric. We must clearly retain our own identity as Greens, but in the name of the values for which this party stands we must come together in a coalition of common interest with the Democrats in order to prevent an electoral tragedy of vast proportion from occurring.

It is an agonizing situation for many Greens. I honor and respect that struggle. But we had no way to know six months ago that our votes would become invested with this kind of power. We now have a responsibility to use that power wisely. A vote for Gore in this incredibly unique situation does NOT translate into an endorsement of every position he has taken! But it could very well create the breathing room and the conditions for the real flourishing of the Green Party that has now become possible.