WashCo Dems Latest Updates

Sat 10/4/08 I just came home from 2 1/2 hours of door knocking for the Mark Hass for State Senate campaign. Met a lot of nice people in Aloha, and one major.... old grouch who insulted me. Fine. It must really suck to be him. The next person was awesome!
So I finish my list, install a few lawn signs and head home. As I'm literally serving myself some lunch, my cell rings and I hear a familiar voice "Hi, I'm Rainie from the Jeff Merkley campaign" and I think this can't be OUR Rainie, she hates to phone bank. But it was Rainie, and she was indeed calling folks on the phone. Turns out the phone list was jumbled (she thought I was someone else) but we get to talking and she tells me that Jeff's campaign is doing well, Jeff is a little bit in front of Smith, but they really Really REALLY need folks to canvass and call voters. So I'm a sucker for a good cause and agree to do some phone calling over the next few weeks (in addition to canvassing for Mark and other stuff.) Because I really Really REALLY don't want to see Gordon Smith spend another SIX YEARS in the US Senate cancelling nearly every vote that Ron Wyden makes, and I really Really REALLY want to see Jeff Merkley go to DC to represent us.
Now I challenge YOU, my dear friends and fellow Democrats, to step up and add one more job to your already frantic, hectic, busy lives, and call the Campaign For Change Office in Beaverton and volunteer to spend a few hours, one or two days and/or evenings a week until the election, working to get Jeff elected to the US Senate. Make calls from the Merkley office or from home, walk the neighborhoods and meet voters, wear a Merkley button or shirt everywhere and engage people about real change.
Just for a few more weeks. It's really Really REALLY critical we win this one. President Obama needs a filibuster-proof-Senate, and Jeff Merkley needs YOU to help him get there.
When we win in November, you'll be able to say "I really wanted this and I helped make it happen!" And that will feel really Really REALLY good!

Jeff Merkley for US Senate, Beaverton Office
14025 SW Farmington Rd
Beaverton, OR 97005
Phone: 503-619-7583
campaign@jeffmerkley.com

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Meet Senator Ron Wyden at our Office
Senator Wyden is dropping by to thank us for all of our hard work.
Please join us to thank him for his strong leadership!
12250 SW Broadway, Beaverton (across the street from the Beaverton Bakery)

Get Ready to Party, Washco Dems Style!
The 25th anniversary of our premier fundraising event…the election of Barack Obama…the re-election of our legislators (plus the election of a few new ones)…and a sweep of statewide Dems elected - what’s not to celebrate? Mark your calendars now for the Maurine Neuberger Banquet, Nov 15, Tualatin Country Club, starting at 6:00pm.  Featured speaker Attorney General John Kroger!  Emcee Kari Chisholm of Blue Oregon!  Delicious Food (Prime Rib, Halibut)!  Complimentary table wine!  Exciting Silent and Live Auctions with 2008 convention memorabilia! 
Watch this space for online registrations coming soon.  And get ready to C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E!

Oregon voters deserve leaders who talk about the issues that matter in this election and exactly what they will do to address the challenges we face.  That's why today Jeff Merkley is releasing a news series of web videos on THE ISSUES. 
As he has done on his "100 Town Tour for Change," Jeff Merkley will introduce himself to more voters across Oregon and talk about his specific plans to create jobs, cut taxes, make health care more affordable, end the war, and more.
Join Jeff's campaign to restore Washington DC and America as Oregon's next US Senator.

For more info please visit http://www.jeffmerkley.com/issuevideos.php

While a little biased (it is the Huffington Post) this explains the current situation - and how we got here - very well.

Excerpt from the Huffington Post, by Hale "Bonddad" Stewart, October 2, 2008

As far as I have seen, no one has offered any solution to the credit crunch that makes any sense. Frankly, I am beginning to think there is no palatable solution.

First -- let's see what the basic problem is. US banks (and every other bank out there) use a fractional reserve system:

Fractional-reserve banking is the banking practice in which banks are required to keep only a fraction of their deposits in reserve with the choice of lending out the remainder while maintaining the obligation to redeem all deposits upon demand. This practice is universal in modern banking

.....

A demand deposit at a bank (e.g. checking account) or banknote issued by a bank (bank-issued paper money) is essentially a loan to the bank, repayable on demand, which the bank uses to finance its investments in loans and interest bearing securities. The nature of fractional-reserve banking is that there is only a fraction of cash reserves available at the bank needed to repay all of the demand deposits and banknotes issued. The reason people deposit funds at a bank or hold banknotes issued by a bank is to store savings in the form of a demand claim on the bank. One important aspect of fractional-reserve banking is that the note holders and depositors still have a claim to repayment of their funds on demand even though the funds are already largely invested by the bank in interest bearing loans and securities

So, the short version is the bank takes deposits and either makes loans or buys other higher-yielding assets. Either way, the bank makes money on the "spread" or the difference between the rate of interest they pay on deposits and the rate of interest they get on their long-term loans or investments.

Now, let's assume that a lot of banks have purchased securities with their deposits that are backed by mortgages. Also remember that we are in the middle of a really massive housing correction, meaning the price of homes is decreasing big time. As a result, the value of the assets purchased by the banks is decreasing. Whenever you hear about a bank "writing down" its assets, what they're essentially doing is saying, "these assets that we purchased that are backed by mortgages aren't worth what we thought they were." So banks are now saying these assets -- that are also backing loans they are making -- are decreasing in value. Hence, the banks have less ability to make loans. Hence, a credit crunch.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hale-stewart/nothing-proposed-will-sol_b_1...

The purpose of the Washington County Democratic Central Committee is
to help qualified Democrats get elected to public office.
•
We encourage Democrats to run for public office and to apply for
appointments to serve on local boards and commissions.

Still not registered to vote? 
New to the area or new address since the last election?
Kids reached the age of 18 since the last election?
Underage but will be 18 by November 4th? 
Be sure you are registered by filling out an Oregon Voter Registration Form and turning it in to the County Election Office by Tuesday Oct 14th (including postmark date if you mail it in.)
Not sure how a good Democrat should vote? Visit our Voting Guide page for our recommendations! 
Not sure of your Voter status? Click here to verify!
Still have questions? Contact the Elections Office at 503-846-5800.

Here at last: Printable Washington County Democratic Voting Guides (aka Slate Cards) tailored for each House District, as recommended by the Washington County Democratic Party.
Click here or on the Feature of the Month Iceberg on the left sidebar to see, print and share!

This year it is vital that we vote the entire Democratic ticket to recapture the White House, and to build veto- & filibuster-proof majorities in Congress and the Salem Legislature.
And for the Oregon Ballot Measures, remember this: Vote YES on the First Four, and nothing more! Measures 54~57 are carefully crafted referrals from our Oregon Legislature. The rest were written by either republican Kevin Mannix or convicted racketeer Bill Sizemore!
Print extra copies of your Democratic Voting Guide, and share them with your friends and neighbors and while canvassing.

It just keeps getting better and better. Read this excerpt from Forbes.com:

The Paulson Plan
Bad News For The Bailout
9/23/08

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill seem determined to work together to pass a bill that will get the credit markets churning again. But will they do it this week, as some had hoped just a few days ago? Don't count on it.

"Do I expect to pass something this week?" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., mused to reporters Tuesday. "I expect to pass something as soon as we can. I think it's important that we get it done right, not get it done fast."

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, says his office has gotten "close to zero" calls in support of the $700 billion plan proposed by the administration. He doubts it'll happen immediately either. "I don't think it has to be a week" he says. "If we do it right, then we need to take as long as it needs."

The more Congress examines the Bush administration's bailout plan, the hazier its outcome gets. At a Senate Banking Committee hearing Tuesday, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle complained of being rushed to pass legislation or else risk financial meltdown.

"The secretary and the administration need to know that what they have sent to us is not acceptable," says Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn. The committee's top Republican, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, says he's concerned about its cost and whether it will even work.

In fact, some of the most basic details, including the $700 billion figure Treasury would use to buy up bad debt, are fuzzy.

"It's not based on any particular data point," a Treasury spokeswoman told Forbes.com Tuesday. "We just wanted to choose a really large number."

Click Read More to see the rest of this story
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Wow. If it wants to see a bailout bill passed soon, the administration's going to have to come up with some hard answers to hard questions. Public support for it already seems to be waning. According to a Rasmussen Reports poll released Tuesday, 44% of those surveyed oppose the administration's plan, up from 37% Monday.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who testified before the Senate committee Tuesday, will get a chance to fine tune their answers Wednesday afternoon, when they appear before the House Financial Services Committee.

A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says she is optimistic that the House will pass a bill this week. But that doesn't mean the Senate, which is by nature more sluggish than its larger counterpart on the other side of Capitol Hill, will be so quick to act.

"They will act first," says Sen. Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "Many of our members today were just beginning to have interaction with Secretary Paulson."

Dodd proposed his own counter-proposal to Paulson's plan earlier this week. Among other things, it calls for limits on executive compensation at troubled firms and for the Treasury to take a contingent equity stake in those firms. On Tuesday, Paulson rebuffed both ideas, as it might discourage firms from participating in the bailout program.

Those things aside, lawmakers have plenty of other concerns with Treasury's proposal. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., suggested the bailout be doled out perhaps $150 billion at a time, instead of $700 billion all at once. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., says it has an initial cost of $2,300 for every man, woman and child in the country. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., calls it a "financial socialism and it's un-American."

Dodd says that in speaking with his Senate colleagues, all are agreed on three issues: that a bailout bill include some oversight accountability for the Treasury, protection for taxpayers and that it address the continuing foreclosure problem.

He also points to one other concern: Paulson, the bill's chief architect, is scheduled to leave office in just four months.

"I'm not about to give a $700 billion appropriation to a secretary I don't know yet," says Dodd.

At Wednesday night's Washco Dems meeting, it was suggested that concerned citizens contact their US Senators and Representative to ask what is being done about the Economy meltdown, and more importantly to tell them your feelings, concerns and opinions about how it should be handled. Most agreed they were not too thrilled with Bush's original paln to give Hank Paulson a dump truck full of money to do with as he pleased.
For Washington County and neighboring areas, the following contact info applies:

US Rep David Wu, 1st Congressional District    
202.225.0855 (DC Office)
503.326.2901 (Portland Office)
Email Rep. David Wu

US Senator Ron Wyden
202.224.5244 (DC Office)
503.326.7525 (Portland Office)
Email Senator Ron Wyden

US Senator Gordon Smith
202.224.3753 (DC Office)
503.326.3386 (Portland Office)
Email Senator Gordon Smith

For other members of Congress click here.

From The Huffington Post (Blog entry abridged. Click on link below for full story.)

Which nominee for President of the United States is homophobic and has a gay chief of staff at his Senate office in Washington, DC?

A. John McCain
B. Barack Obama

If you guessed "B," you're in the wrong spot. You belong here. If you guessed "A," congratulations, you passed with flying colors.

Mark Buse is not just a Chief of Staff for a homophobic United States Senator, but he is helping that Senator get elected to the White House.

While McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, he supports amending state constitutions defining marriage as between a man and a woman. McCain knows our country needs everyone who wants to serve in the military and he knows that DADT is wrong, yet he swings to the right on repealing it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-rogers/john-mccains-chief-of-sta_b...

10. Take your birth control
  9. Teach your kids evolution
  8. Ask her how she found the time to do a skit on Saturday Night Live
  7. Buy a Hybrid
  6. Suggest raising taxes on gun sales
  5. Let your kid dress up as "Dumbledore" for Halloween
  4. Ban maybelline at hockey games
  3. Let women take questions from the press
  2. Build a wind farm that blocks her view of Russia

  And the #1 Way to piss off Sarah Palin is....

   1. Elect pro-chioce candidates up and down the ticket!

  (Lifted from an email from Planned Parenthood)

Oregon Senator Mark Hass has produced a campaign video "Uncomplicated" about his life in Oregon and his vision to restore the best our state has to offer, while moving forward with new opportunities.

UPDATE: Join Mark for canvassing in Beaverton, Aloha & SW Portland on the following Saturday mornings from 10~Noon: Oct 4th, 11th, 25th.
More info and contact numbers at www.markhass.com

Wednesday September 24th

Social Time: 6:30 PM • Meeting: 7:00 PM

Kingstad Center
15450 SW Millikan Way
Beaverton, OR 97006

Featured Speaker:
Courtney Dillard: a professor at Willamette University’s Rhetoric Department and speaker-trainer for the Barack Obama campaign in Oregon will speak on the technique of persuasion

(Minutes) (Agenda)
(Driving/MAX Directions) (Roberts Rules of Order) (Google Map)

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The Oregon House Democrats are currently hiring canvassers to walk and contact voters in Wilsonville and Bull Mountain.

Ability to travel with flexibility is strongly recommended.  Canvassers walk and talk to voters in the afternoon and evening, up to five hours at a time, outside and in the rain or shine.  Limited flexibility in shift scheduling (students/part-time applicants encouraged to apply!).

Pay starts at $12/hour with performance-based increases up to $14/hr.  Positions remain open until filled.  Please send an email with attached resume and references to Tom.  Contact (503) 239-8648.

This is at a non-profit organization. Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster. Phone calls about this job are ok. Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

Election 2008 Phone Banks for BM 60 and 58

Election 2008 phone banks are volunteer/ OEA member activities. Please call your OEA UniServ Council office to volunteer! The phone calls can be made from home, either individually or at a cell phone party. For more information on Election 2008 go to www.oregoned.org or www.defendoregon.org. Please click here for information about ballot measures 58 and 60.

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Learn How to Talk the Talk on Sizemore Measures

The Parents and Teachers Know Better Campaign — the coalition to defeat ballot measures 58 & 60 – are conducting a series of speakers bureau trainings around the state. Measures 58 & 60 are Bill Sizemore’s anti-education initiatives that are a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching Oregon’s students that will take away local control from educators, parents and school leaders — they very people who know what’s best for our kids.

OEA members can learn more about the campaign, volunteer opportunities and how to talk about the measures with colleagues, friends and neighbors at the speaker’s bureau events. Over the next two weeks, the campaign will be in Portland, Salem and Eugene. We encourage you to attend and bring your friends. Download a flyer here and distribute them at your work site.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.parentsandteachersknowbetter.com

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Voting Matters — Help Your Local Schools — Yes on 56

For years, many of your local schools have had to suffer - not because your community didn't support your schools at the ballot box, but because apathetic voters chose to sit out the election. That's not democracy.

Recently, the Voting Matters coalition — which includes OEA, firefighters, law enforcement officials, and business leaders — all of whom share the goal of restoring fairness to local elections — launched their campaign to restore democracy and basic fairness in local elections.

Measure 56 fixes an outdated law that gives more power to non-voters than to voters. Under current state law, the unfair "double majority" requirement allows non-voters to decide the outcome of certain local elections if the turn-out rate is under 50 percent. Even if an overwhelming majority of voters support a measure, their votes can be canceled out by people who choose not to even participate in the democratic process.

This has caused school districts all across Oregon to waste time and resources going back to the ballot time and again with measures that already passed, some as high as 74%, only to find the cost of the new bond to be millions more for the community.

To learn more about the Measure 56 coalition, please contact the Voting Matters campaign at 503-288-5514. For a worksite flyer, visit OEA's Election 2008 web page.

When Obama '08 opened a Campaign for Change office in Beaverton, Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian joined dozens of Democrats that signed up to volunteer. Brad knows that Oregonians cannot afford a four year extension of the Bush administration and the time for change is now. That's why he is proud to volunteering his time this weekend.

This Sunday afternoon, Brad invites you to join him at a volunteer phone bank. The time for change is now and Barack Obama cannot do it without you. Join Brad this Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Campaign for Change office at 14025 SW Farmington Road in Beaverton.

WHO:    Washington County's own Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian
WHAT:    Phone Bank for Barack Obama
WHERE:   Campaign for Change Office, 14025 SW Farmington Road, Beaverton
WHEN:    Sunday, September 28 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
WHY:    Because "Yes We Can!"

Contact:  Alejandro Hoekstra, 503-520-1860

Oregon State Treasurer Randall Edwards and Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian will announce how Obama's Oregon economic plan with help Oregon's working families and host an economic forum alongside Oregonians affected by the economic downturn.

WHERE: 

Barack Obama's Campaign for Change Headquarters

3016 SE Division Avenue

Portland, OR

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As the country faces more job losses, rising high gas prices and financial turmoil on Wall Street, Oregon's economy has been severely affected. State unemployment reached 6.5 percent in August, leaving more than 123,000 Oregonians without jobs.  Since President Bush took office, gas prices in Oregon have gone up 161 percent and housing prices continue to fall.

Oregonians can't afford four more years of these same failed economic policies.  Edwards and Avakian will discuss how Obama's Oregon economic plan will provide Oregonians with immediate economic and energy relief, real tax relief, as well as how his plan will  help those facing foreclosure and help get the Oregon economy back on track.

Featuring Web Videos Focusing on Westlund’s Priorities

The campaign of Oregon Senator and Democratic nominee for State Treasurer Ben Westlund launched a re-designed website this week at www.benwestlund.com featuring web videos from people who know and have worked with him on his priorities of making health care affordable, investing in renewable energy, public safety, fiscal responsibility and quality education. 

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“Ben shares the priorities of Oregon families and I know he has what it takes to make the financial decisions that will move Oregon and Oregon’s families into the future,” said Representative Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) who has a featured clip on the home page and on the education priority page.

The Fiscal Responsibility priority page features Bend businessman Mike Hollern. “He’s been fiscally responsible, he understands finance, he’s a businessman,” said Hollern in the video. “I think he’ll be very effective.”
 
Other people featured are Doctor Senator Alan Bates (D-Ashland) on the Meet Ben page, consumer health care advocate Maribeth Healey of Clackamas on the priority page for affordable health care, senior advocate Phyllis Rand of Salem, and Liz Cruthers of Woodburn on the public safety priority page.

A retired successful business owner, Ben is one of Oregon’s most effective champions for quality education, making health care more affordable and investing in new renewable energy sources.

He and his wife Libby, who serves on the Mount Bachelor National Ski Patrol, have two children: a son B.J. (20) and a daughter Taylor (15). They live in Tumalo, just outside Bend.