Chlorophyll

This has been a tough election season for a Green. Well, at least for this Green.

I've been a registered Green longer than I have been with any other party, first signing up in 1992.

I have voted Green in presidential elections since 1996, during Ralph Nader's first run as a stand-in candidate for the Greens.

I have worked to get Green votes. And every single day I watch the news I am reminded on why I could never be a Republican or a Democrat.

But still, I'm conflicted. It is very hard for me not to get caught up in the excitement of the Obama campaign. I can't vote for him, because my state is a closed primary state. The Greens don't have a primary in my state, so I'm stuck sitting on my hands until November.

I like Cynthia McKinney and even worked on one of her congressional campaigns. Ralph Nader is one of my heroes.

But if Obama is on the ballot in November, he's getting my vote. And I bet I'm not the only Green vote he gets.

What a great day for America it would be to have an African American man elected president. Yes, it would be better if it was an African American woman, but I'll take what I can get.

Throw in he's anti-war; willing to meet with the nation's enemies; isn't taking corporate cash or money from PACs; well, he's almost Green like. What's better is he can win.

As for my party, there are times I want to throw up my hands in disgust and walk away. The cards are stacked against us with draconian ballot access rules, the media, voter habits.

We have to be better organized and stronger to beat through all of that to truly make a difference. And with the constant internal squabbles, that's not going to happen.

Internal debates are good in helping us define who we are and what we want. But at some point you have to find consensus and move on, or you will never grow. And I fear that is where the Greens are going.

Dems are about to pass telecom immunity and the Repubs are still raging war against Latinos. I want nothing to do with either party.

But the Greens are still throwing a tantrum and unwilling to grow up. So how can I continue to support them?