Posted in2022 election National politics

Raphael Warnock for president. Someday.

It was quite a night for political aficionados like me yesterday. I settled in to watch MSNBC's coverage of the Georgia runoff election between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker around 5 pm. Between then and 8:30 or so, when the Senate race was called in favor of Warnock, I went through a bunch of ups and downs until the final Big Up. I'm resisting talking about the lead changing hands, because this is an inaccurate way of describing what happened.  An election night isn't like a football game where the outcome is uncertain as the teams each score in an…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election Marion County politics

Marion County out to undermine gun control and climate action

It's not easy being a conservative in a liberal area, or a liberal in a conservative area, because your elected officials tend to do things you'd rather not have done.  Of course, a lot depends on what's meant by "area." I'm a liberal. I live in Oregon, a blue state. So mostly I'm good with what statewide elected officials (all Democrats) do. Within Oregon, I live in Salem -- that's my address, though I'm not in the city limits -- which leans decidedly leftward. So mostly I'm good with what the Salem City Council does, as the council has a…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Ed Dover makes sense of election results in City Club talk

After every general and midterm election for the past dozen years or so, Ed Dover, Professor Emeritus of Politics, Policy and Administration at Western Oregon University, gives a talk to the Salem City Club about what just happened. I always look forward to hearing Dover, because he's so entertaining and informative. Today was no exception. He started out by talking about the power of political metaphors, the goal being to create a memorable image or phrase that will stick in peoples' minds. This year "Red Wave" was heard over and over -- the image being of a 100 foot tall…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Democrats hold U.S. Senate. My liberal joy increases.

A few days ago I wrote about how after feeling good on Tuesday's election night, Democrat me was feeling even better Thursday night. Now here I am on Saturday night, two days further along in the post-election period, and I'm feeling tremendous. I'll let some Twitter screenshots tell the tale, with the aid of some words from me. This is huge, Democrats having at least 50 seats in the Senate, the number they have now. The win by Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada was expected, but by now means certain. It came down to mail ballots in Clark County, Nevada's…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Democrats doing great post-election in Oregon and nationally

I was feeling good last Tuesday on election night when it was clear that the widely predicted Republican Red Wave was going to be much closer to a Red Ripple.  Now, two days later, with more election results in, I'm feeling even better! Which means that Republicans are feeling worse. My compassionate Buddha-nature is sorry for that, but not so sorry to prevent Democrat me from listing in this blog post some reasons why my political mood is so positive. (1) Most importantly, Tina Kotek has been declared the winner of Oregon's Governor race over Christine Drazan. This was my…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Election looking good for Democrats in Oregon and nation

There's still a lot more votes to be counted in the midterm election, but right now, as a Democrat, I'm feeling good about how my party has fared. For sure this hasn't been a Red Wave election, as so many pundits predicted. At best, we're talking a Red Ripple. And when all is said and done, even that might be an overstatement.  Here in Oregon, Democrat Tina Kotek is leading Republican Christine Drazan 46-45 in the Governor race, with unaffiliated Betsy Johnson at a mere 9%. Too close for comfort, but I suspect Kotek will come out on top when…
5
Posted in2022 election

Everyone will be unhappy with tomorrow’s election

If you're anxious about the midterm election tomorrow, join the club. A really big club. Because everyone is going to be unhappy with how it turns out. Well, other than the people who don't care at all about elections and politics. They will be completely happy with the election, because it'll be over and they don't have to put with those annoying campaign ads on TV and lawn signs around the neighborhood. But the rest of us, no matter our political persuasion, are going to find much to be unhappy about once the election results are known. (No matter what Trump…
1
Posted in2022 election Chris Hoy City of Salem

Community Improvement Bond discussed at Salem City Club

In next Tuesday's election Salem voters will decide the fate of the $300 million Community Improvement Bond. Last Friday the City Club had an informational program about the bond featuring new Mayor Chris Hoy and Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Hoffert. It was more interesting than I thought it would be. But then, my life is pretty routine, so I have a low bar when it comes to what I find interesting. Quite a few City of Salem staff were there, including the recently appointed City Manager Keith Stahley. But they couldn't advocate for the bond, leaving that up to…
1
Posted in2022 election

Only 28% of Marion County voters have cast their ballot. So vote!

I'm a Democrat. But I want as many people as possible to vote in every election -- Democrats, Republicans, unaffiliated. Everybody who is registered. So, if you haven't returned your ballot, do it as soon as possible. Remember that now Oregon allows mailed ballots to be counted even if they arrive after election day (November 8), so long as they're postmarked on or before election day. And the postage has been paid. And you can drop off your ballot at an official drop box until 8 pm on election day if you don't mail your ballot. Click here to locate…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

GOP targets Oregon Senate, so vote for Deb Patterson and other Dems

Here's one more reason to vote for Deb Patterson (D) rather than Raquel Moore-Green (R) in their Senate District 10 race. (I've cited other reasons in a previous blog post.) Deb Patterson Oregon's Senate has been targeted by national Republicans as a top priority for a GOP takeover. So says a July CBS News Story. The main Republican committee for state legislative races aims to flip four more state chambers from Democratic control, seizing on widespread frustration with Democrats' handling of the economy, as inflation reached a new 40-year high on Wednesday. The Republican State Leadership Committee (RLSC) has added Maine's…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Vote for Tina Kotek, because Christine Drazan is scary

Recently I tried to jump-start the discussion at the beginning of a meeting of like-minded liberals on a pleasant Saturday afternoon.  "In the upcoming election, what outcome would make you the most unhappy? For me, it would be Republican Christine Drazan being elected Oregon governor, because she'd take our state backwards in so many ways." I still feel that way, though I had to agree with someone that the Democrats losing control of the U.S. Senate would be dreadful also.  Tina Kotek (D), Betsy Johnson (Unaffiliated), Christine Drazan (R) But Drazan coming out on top over Democrat Tina Kotek still…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Democracy is at stake in the upcoming election

I put my Oregon ballot in the mail today. It felt good to vote. Ever since I was eligible to do so, I haven't missed voting in any election. Per usual, I voted for every Democratic candidate because I believe more strongly in what Democrats stand for, than in what Republicans do. But this year there was an extra reason for me to fill in the box next to people belonging to the Democratic party: I'm deeply worried about Republicans wanting to subvert our democracy. That's never happened before in my 50+ years of voting.  Until 2022, Oregon and the…
1
Posted in2022 election

Paul Evans debates Dan Farrington in HD 20 race

I'm not sure how fans of Paul Evans and Dan Farrington will take this, but it's what popped into my mind when a fellow Salem City Club member asked what I thought of the noon-time debate between the House District 20 candidates today. I said, "It was like watching a debate between two slices of white bread." Not that there's anything wrong with white bread. I just prefer whole wheat, because it has a more interesting flavor. Paul Evans (D) and Dan Farrington (R) Neither candidate showed a lot of energy or enthusiasm. Now, I'm not sure whether this was…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election National politics

Ukraine aid another reason to vote for Andrea Salinas in CD 6

Like most Americans, I'm a big supporter of Ukrainians' fight against Russia's unprovoked invasion of their country. The military and economic aid being supplied to Ukraine by the United States has done a lot to not only stop the Russian advance, but to help Ukraine gain back territory lost in the early days of the war. However, Kevin McCarthy, who likely will be the Speaker of the House if Republicans take back that branch of Congress, has said that a GOP-led House probably will oppose more aid for Ukraine. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is signaling that if Republicans…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

Vote YES on all four Oregon ballot measures. Here’s why.

Soon ballots will be mailed to Oregon voters. When you consider the statewide ballot measures, my advice is: vote YES on all four.  This is why I believe each deserves to pass.  Measure 111 amends the state constitution to require the state to ensure affordable health care access. The state must balance health care funding against funding for schools and other essential services. Courts must respect that balance. So it isn't a blank check for Oregon to go wild on health care spending. The measure simply sets forth a laudable goal: people should be able to get health care at…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election

My simple election advice: Vote for Democrats

I'm often a verbose guy. But sometimes it only takes a few words to express how I feel. Here they are. Today our monthly Salon discussion group met. At one point we talked about how back in the times after I moved to Oregon in 1971, there were moderate Oregon Republicans worth voting for. Governor Tom McCall. Senators Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood. Others who I can't remember. But those days are gone. These days virtually every Republican politician has to bow at the altar of Donald Trump or they can't win a GOP primary. So if you see a…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election City of Salem

Salem’s $300 million bond measure deserves a half-hearted “Yes” vote

I don't live in the city limits, so won't be voting on the $300 million infrastructure bond measure on the November ballot. But if I was able to vote on it, I'd sigh, grit my teeth, roll my eyes, and then reluctantly mark "Yes." The Salem Reporter has an informative story about the bond measure.  Salem voters next month will decide whether to fund repairs to streets and build new roads, replace aging fire trucks, improve parks and buy land for branch libraries and affordable housing over the next decade. The city is seeking voter approval in the November general…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election Oregon politics

Tom Andersen and TJ Sullivan debate in HD 19 race

Today the Salem City Club hosted a debate between Tom Andersen (D) and TJ Sullivan (R), who are vying to represent House District 19 in the Oregon legislature. In Sullivan's opening statement he said that he'd had a reaction to the vaccine (Covid, I assume), causing a stroke. He's on the road to recovery. It was moving to hear Sullivan say that when he was finally able to touch his thumb and index finger together, that was so thrilling he kept doing it all day long.  The first City Club question was about whether the candidates favored repealing Measure 110,…
No Comments
Posted in2022 election Oregon politics

Why Walsh deserves to win over Thatcher in SD 11 race

I could describe what happened in the main part of Friday's Salem City Club debate between Richard Walsh and Kim Thatcher before telling you who I think should win in the race for an open state senate race in District 11. Richard Walsh and Kim Thatcher However, the way Thatcher answered a question from an audience member near the end of the debate to my mind disqualifies her from serving not only as the SD 11 senator, but in any political office. That's because I have no tolerance for those who spread the Big Lie that Joe Biden somehow stole…
1
Posted in2022 election Oregon politics

Kotek only Governor candidate who will fight climate change

If you're an Oregonian who cares about fighting climate change, there's only one Governor candidate who deserves your vote: Tina Kotek, a Democrat. The other candidates -- Republican Christine Drazan and unaffiliated Betsy Johnson -- oppose what Oregon is doing now to combat the global warming that's causing hotter weather, more intense wildfires, and other nasty effects in our state. So says a well-researched OPB story, "Oregon governor's race will dictate the state's direction on battling climate change," that I learned about via Twitter.  Here's some excerpts from the story.  In the last decade, Oregon has sought to position itself…
No Comments