Wrighting Left

Wealth concentration threatens America

2011-12-14T22:01:00.000-08:00

If the wealthy are the job creators, they sure have been lousy at it lately. You'd think we'd have jobs coming out of our ears.

No, the real job creators are the middle class, whose spending has always been the key driver of our economy. A rapidly growing pool of wealth stagnates among the wealthy, while the shrinking middle class contributes less and less to economic circulation.

Blocking our recovery is the infamous Golden Rule: those with the gold make the rules. As the rich have become richer, they have become more powerful, blocking any attempts to restore balance. The concentration of wealth has now reached dangerous levels, a vicious cycle threatening not only our economy but democracy itself.

Imposing a modest surtax on income beyond a million dollars isn't about class envy, or punishing wealth, or ending capitalism. It's about saving our country.

Congress and the President: Don't drop the millionaire surtax!

2011-12-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that despite the President's laudable insistence so far on a new tax bracket for income over a million dollars a year, Democratic leaders are considering dropping it. Please don't walk away from this important policy!

Bush-era rollbacks of progressive taxation resulted in a greatly increased concentration of wealth among a few powerful people, while the poor and the middle class saw their standard of living decline.

The problem with our less-progressive tax structure is not just that it's unfair. It's also unwise. Contrary to Republican rhetoric, job creation comes from the consumer spending of the masses, not the stagnant wealth of the rich. The economy is having a hard time recovering because the poor and middle class have a smaller slice of the pie than ever.

And in our money-driven political system, the increase in concentration of wealth has been accompanied by an even more dramatic increase in concentration of political power among the few. The wealthiest now own not only most of the economy, but most of the Congress. The "Golden Rule" of those with the gold making the rules has never been more true.

Restoring progressive taxation is crucial not only to millions of struggling Americans, but to the economic recovery and to the restoration of democracy in America. Please strike a blow against corruption and decay, and don't back down now!

Republicans don't understand small business

2011-12-09T08:00:00.001-08:00

Republicans say we shouldn't raise taxes on millionaires because many of them own small businesses whose profits are taxed as personal income. This argument is ignorant and misleading.

Having once owned a small "S" corporation myself, I know these businesses' owners are only taxed on the net profits, after paying all expenses and workers. Raising tax rates on the wealthiest of them does not discourage hiring, as the Republicans claim. In fact, hiring an additional worker actually reduces their tax burden.

Too extreme for Robertson?

2011-10-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Pat Robertson blames hurricanes on gays, 9/11 on secularists, and the Haitians' earthquake on their ancestors for allegedly bargaining with the devil. He believes separation of church and state isn't in the Constitution. He believes we should assassinate foreign leaders we don't like.

When a guy this extreme says the Republican candidates are getting too extreme ... well, for once he's right.

A better way to raise revenue?

2011-09-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

Republicans claim that restoring tax rates on the rich will raise "only" 800 billion dollars, complaining that half of Americans don't pay any taxes at all.

Good point. Maybe we could raise $800 billion from the poorest Americans! After all, there aren't that many millionaires, but there are millions of poor people!

Well, as it turns out the total wealth of the bottom 50% is about 1.6 trillion dollars. So we could pull it off ... if we simply confiscated half of everything they own.

Given the Republicans' rhetoric lately, I wouldn't be surprised to hear them say that's perfectly fair. Serves the poor right for being poor, doesn't it?

Class warfare indeed

2011-09-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

The economy stinks, but the rich have the biggest share of wealth ever. And with few good investments available, they're just sitting on their money -- rather than spending and circulating it like the rest of us do. No wonder the economy stinks!

It's a self-perpetuating problem. The solution is to restore taxes on the rich to where they used to be. Not only is this better for deficit reduction than taxing folks of lesser means, it helps get the money moving again!

The middle class is suffering. If the rich now scream "class warfare," I can only thank them for finally acknowledging the truth.

You mean Drivers Ed isn't already required?

2011-03-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Wait ... what? Oregon doesn't already require Driver's Ed?

Well, no wonder most drivers don't use their turn signals here. No wonder I once heard someone claim innocence after a crash because "the sign said YIELD, not STOP!" And no wonder hundreds of Oregonians are killed by cars every year.

Driver's Ed taught me not just what the rules of the road are, but how to drive safely. It taught me that motor vehicles are deadly weapons. And it taught me that driving is not a right.

We're not getting our young drivers off to the right start. It's time for Oregon to join the rest of the developed world and mandate Driver's Ed.

Right wing terrorism a serious threat

2011-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

The 1990s saw a wave of right wing terrorism, with bombings of courthouses, IRS offices, Amtrak trains, Forest Service offices, the Atlanta Olympics and the Oklahoma City federal building.

Now the paranoia and violence are back. And a member of Congress has been shot in the head.

As before, fuel is poured on the flame by right wing media personalities spouting hatred, paranoia and lies, from G. Gordon "head shots" Liddy to Glenn Beck. Now we even have politicians calling for "Second Amendment Solutions" and exhorting the true believers to "reload" rather than retreat.

It is their right to do this. But that doesn't make it right.

Rep. Blumenauer: Reject the tax compromise!

2010-12-15T23:00:00.000-08:00

I thank you for your opposition to the tax compromise coming before the House. It is my belief that the proposal endangers Social Security by reducing its income and breaking the wall between it and the general fund; perpetuates unfair tax policy that will be even more difficult to repeal later; and stimulates the economy insufficiently to justify its trillion dollar price tag. In the long run it causes far more economic damage than it averts.

No doubt failure to pass this bill will endanger the weak economic recovery by abruptly cutting off extended unemployment benefits and by raising taxes on lower income earners. It is unfortunate that President Obama has set a trap whereby liberal Democrats will appear to be at fault for this, when in fact it is the fault of filibustering Republicans who refuse to give up staggeringly unfair tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans. But regardless of the political fallout, voting NO is still the right thing to do. Thank you again for standing up for fiscal sanity.

Rep. Walden: Reject the compromise!

2010-12-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

As an Oregonian, I strongly urge you to join the rest of our state's delegation in rejecting the tax legislation before you. While I certainly don't understand how liberals could support a bill that raids Social Security and continues the enormous redistribution of wealth towards the wealthy, I find it even harder to understand how alleged fiscal conservatives could support a bill that adds nearly a trillion dollars to the deficit and stimulates the economy so inefficiently.

While failure to pass this bill may cause short-term harm to the economy, its passage would cause far greater harm in the long run. I implore you to vote NO.

Sens. Wyden and Merkley: Reject the compromise!

2010-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

I strongly urge you to reject the compromise tax measure about to come before the Senate. It is lousy fiscal policy and lousy politics.

Failure to renew unemployment benefits will cause much suffering and could endanger the weak economic recovery. It is unfortunate that the President has crafted a compromise in which "liberal" Democrats may appear responsible for these results. But sometimes it is necessary to do the right thing anyway regardless of the consequences -- which would still be the responsibility of filibustering Republicans, not of Democrats standing up for fiscal sanity.

In the long run, future suffering will likely be far greater if this legislation does pass. President Bush's regressive tax cuts will now come up for renewal in a Presidential election year when it will be more difficult to finally reject them permanently. The proposed bill also adds a trillion dollars to the deficit without targeting the funds optimally, undermines Social Security's trust fund when it needs strengthening, and breaks down the wall between Social Security and the general fund. All of these factors will cause far greater long term damage to the economy than any immediate damage to the current recovery from failure to pass the bill.

I desperately hope that you vote NO.

Economic ignorance is expensive

2010-11-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Republicans preach the myth that businesses and homeowners can't run deficits, so government shouldn't do so either. The truth is that Americans run deficits -- that is, borrow money -- with great enthusiasm.

And thank goodness, because borrowing and lending directly increase the money supply, with every dollar of lending further generating several additional dollars of new economic activity.

The 2008 banking crisis abruptly wiped out the private sector's ability to borrow, causing a powerful economic contraction. As bad as the economy is today, it would have shrunk much further (making the deficit worse yet) if the federal government hadn't been the borrower of last resort.

The best news from this week's elections is that the Republicans didn't gain enough power to actually put their reckless economic agenda back into practice.

Fool us once ...

2010-11-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

It was the Republicans who presided over tax cuts for the wealthy, two expensive pointless wars, and the housing bubble and collapse. These are the primary causes of the ballooning deficit -- which is now sweeping them back into office.

They're like the burglar who breaks into my house, and then shows up again the next day to sell me an alarm system.

Candidates for Metro President: Metro and Mountain Biking

2010-10-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

[sent to candidates Tom Hughes and Bob Stacey]

I am a local voter, genuinely undecided with respect to the current race for the Metro Council Presidency. I need to ask you about an issue that is near and dear to my heart, and upon which Metro could have a tremendous influence.

As you well know, we are renowned as a bike-friendly community. As a regular bike commuter I am grateful for the fantastic infrastructure that has been built both near my Portland home and where I work in Beaverton, and I am aware that you share my pride in what has been accomplished so far.

But it is particularly ironic that because I live here, where I can so comfortably and easily reduce my carbon footprint by bicycling to work, I have to get into my polluting automobile and drive for an hour in order to go mountain biking.

Most metropolitan areas similarly blessed with so much natural bounty have seen fit to develop mountain bike trail systems accessible to local cyclists without leaving town. In fact, the lack of local mountain bike access was cited by Bicycling magazine earlier this year as a primary reason for ranking Minneapolis ahead of Portland as America's most bike-friendly community. The League of American Bicyclists may even consider removing our region's "Platinum" rating next year over the issue.

Continued national accolades will clearly be contingent on remedying this deficiency. Efforts to date have met with little success. A recent proposal to add a modest amount of new trail, in a part of Forest Park with minimal ecological significance, has met with furious opposition from hiking user groups and has ultimately been stymied. Most other existing areas of publicly owned land are being managed for natural values and not developed for recreation, leaving us with few possibilities there.

And here is where Metro comes in. Metro is the only local agency acquiring significant areas of land for parks and preservation. No doubt many of the parcels being purchased have sufficient ecological significance to justify limiting recreational access (and I don't just mean by bicyclists). But it would surprise me if at least some of the acquisitions might not be suitable for mixed recreation including off-road bicycling.

Metro's core mission is to manage our growth and foster the development of a healthy, livable community where we all drive less and pollute less. Mountain biking is clean, quiet, non-polluting and healthy. Encouraging this popular activity to occur locally, rather than outside the growth boundary, is entirely consistent with that mission, and Metro is in a unique position to do something about it.

As Metro Council President, would you encourage your organization to evaluate the suitability of your lands for mountain biking, and at least consider allowing the development of bike trails on suitable lands? I eagerly await your response prior to election day.

Republicans: keeping us in stitches

2010-03-23T12:00:00.001-07:00

I can't help but laugh when I hear Republicans whining about the process used to pass health care reform. Backroom deals? Using the reconciliation process to bypass the filibuster rule? Sounds like one of the cleaner months of the Bush era.

Nothing unconstitutional about health care reform

2010-03-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

So the obstructionist Republicans think they can block health care reform in the courts?

Sorry guys, but there's nothing new or unconstitutional about mandatory health care coverage. For nearly half a century all working Americans have been forced to pay for medical coverage, and a government run plan no less! It's called Medicare.

Rep. Blumenauer: Thank you for your vote

2010-03-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

I want to to thank you for standing up for Medicare reimbursement rate reform, and to let you know I now strongly support your YES vote on health care reform.

Like many of your constituents I would very much prefer a single payer system, and am appalled that the bill does not even offer a public option. Nonetheless, the events of the past year demonstrate that this is the best we can do in any foreseeable American political climate, and this bill still accomplishes many good things.

Thank you for standing up for Oregon, and against Republican obstructionism.

McCall's dream fulfilled

2010-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

Back in 1973, Governor Tom McCall proposed to make education funding more equitable by slashing property taxes and increasing taxes on the wealthy and big business.

The first half of this vision was accomplished years ago, but we've suffered as a result of the remaining unfinished business. Now we've finally finished the job.

Measure opponents spread misinformation

2010-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Like many business owners who have publicly opposed Measures 66 and 67, Jan Eldredge (Letters, Jan. 23) butchers the facts when describing the impact to their business. Specifically, it is completely untrue that the new revenue-based corporate minimum tax will be levied on top of corporate income tax.

This tax of approximately 0.1% will be levied only upon businesses such as Portland General Electric that do not declare profits, and which therefore pay no corporate income tax.

It will truly be a shame if voters reject these measures based on widespread misinformation like this. Oregon's businesses and the wealthy would only be very modestly burdened by passage of Measures 66 and 67. Our poor and middle class, however, will be very heavily impacted if we are forced to find some other way to close a $1.2 billion hole in our budget.

Class warfare? You bet!

2010-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Measure 66 and 67 opponents are quick to scream "class warfare!" Well, heaven forbid the losing side should fire a single shot! Class warfare has been waged brutally on America's working and middle classes for the last 30 years.

Real income has shrunk - we now see a generation less well off than their parents - while concentration of wealth has increased drastically. Taxes on the wealthy are at an all time low, a recipe for economic stagnation punctuated by repeated asset bubbles.

Measures 66 and 67 will restore a little more fairness to the system. They will place an undue burden on no one, and they will plug a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget. The budget cuts caused by their failure would create enormous misery around the state. Don't let today's class warriors win yet another round.

Pat Robertson is a curse

2010-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

So Pat Robertson thinks the Haitian earthquake is divine retribution for a claimed 200 year old pact with the devil? You'd think an an alleged Christian minister might be better informed about his own religion.

Christianity's fundamental message is not one of hate, fear and destruction as preached by Robertson, but one of redemption, forgiveness, love and peace. Perhaps he might browse a copy of the New Testament once in a while. You know, the one with Jesus in it.

$10 is not enough

2010-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm in the most-aired ad for Oregon Measures 66 and 67. Almost everyone in Oregon who has a television has seen this:

Private insurance drags down our economy

2009-10-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

The profit margin reported on October 27 for the health insurance industry doesn't count the salaries of their overpaid executives, nor their armies of inefficient bureaucrats whose primary goal is to delay and deny payment.

It also doesn't count the average $85,000 spent per physician in dealing with insurers. Or our inflated auto and homeowners' premiums because health "insurance" doesn't cover most injuries. Or the billions going to lawyers as we sue each other over medical expenses. Or the billions more lost by lenders to medical bankruptcies. Or the further billions lost in trade as domestic employers compete against countries whose governments pay for health care.

An efficient single payer system, covering everyone's medical care regardless of cause or employer, would cut this stupid waste enough to buy everyone a "gold plated" plan with the money we already spend.

"Teabaggers" misrepresent American history

2009-09-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Boston Tea Party, whose memory is invoked by today's "teabagger" protesters, was not about runaway taxes or creeping socialism.

Our forefathers' first objection to tea taxes was that Britain funneled the revenue back to colonial governors to keep them loyal.

The other was that the Tea Act of 1773 repealed taxes on the British East India Company, in which King George and many British Lords were major shareholders, while continuing to tax everyone else.

The original Tea Party was a protest against unchecked predatory corporate power and against government giving special advantage to the wealthy and powerful. In other words, what today's Republican party appears to stand for.

Republicans want us to think Kennedy opposed health care reform

2009-08-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sean Hannity whines that we're being implored to get behind health care reform because it's "what Ted Kennedy would have wanted."

Well, it is. If we dare draw attention to the fact that Kennedy called reform "the cause of my life" while honoring him, the Republicans cry crocodile tears of how "dishonorable" that is.

Rush Limbaugh warns against "using" Ted Kennedy's name to advance health care reform as an "insult" and "supreme hypocrisy," because it would "deny Americans the choices Senator Kennedy had".

Oh really? Ted Kennedy had a health care plan paid for by the federal government. It is the Republicans, not the Democrats, trying to use Kennedy's name to deny us these choices.

Republicans already politicizing Kennedy's death

2009-08-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago, Republican leaders charged that Democrats "insulted the memory" of Paul Wellstone and "hijacked" his memorial by "turning it into a political rally." Hogwash! That service was exactly what Wellstone had said he wanted.

Now the Republicans are shocked - shocked! - that Democrats would push for health reform in Ted Kennedy's name.

The Democrats aren't being disrespectful by daring to advocate for the issue that Kennedy called the "cause of his life." The so-called "Wellstone effect" consists of false accusations and crocodile tears from Republicans in a crass attempt to exploit the death for their own political gain.

PUBLISHED: Rep. Frank right to question the insane

2009-08-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Link to published letter [8/24/09]

Showing up at a town hall to question an expanded government role in health care and the economy? That's patriotic.

Showing up carrying a poster of President Barack Obama sporting a Hitler moustache and calling healthcare reform a "Nazi policy?" That's just plain loony.

Kudos to Barney Frank, D-Mass., for calling this out and jeers to the other Representatives who have been treating lunatics as if they are reasonable.

I'm tired of the media amplifying the noise generated by the nutcases and drowning out the reasoned debate that America desperately needs to have.

Single payer the only sensible solution

2009-08-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

The cost of our current health insurance system is staggering. Private insurers have an overhead rate of 30%, ten times that of federal plans like Medicare. Dealing with thousands of different plans costs the average doctor $85,000 per year. Insurers' failure to provide true full coverage is by far the leading cause of both bankruptcies and personal injury lawsuits. And placing responsibility for coverage on employers has clobbered our workers' competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Using taxpayer funds to expand this idiotic system would bankrupt us.

The only workable way to truly reform health care is to throw out the fat and start over with a lean single payer system. The rest of the developed world has already done so.

Mr. President, Senators Wyden and Merkley, Rep. Blumenauer: SIngle Payer is best, Public Option an absolute minimum

2009-08-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

I believe our health system's biggest cost problem is the waste and inefficiency of the insurance industry, and the best way to reform it is to replace it with a single payer system.

I would be willing to live with a public option -- as long as it is set up to be truly competitive, and not merely a dumping ground for insurance companies to abandon their more expensive insureds.

Without at least the public option to compete with the private sector, I believe that any changes to provide universal coverage would simply enrich inefficient and wasteful private insurers with another trillion dollars in public money, ultimately bankrupting the country.

[Additional note to Senator Wyden:] I am trusting you to put the interest of the public above those of the insurers -- opponents of the reforms I support -- that have contributed to your campaign fund.

PUBLISHED: Dropping 'public option' exposes the scam

2009-08-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Link to published letter [8/21/09]

[actual published text in bold]

This liberal is glad President Barack Obama may drop the public option for health coverage "reform".

A public option would ultimately fail anyway, as it became a dumping ground for private insurers to ditch their higher-cost patients.

Obama's move exposes current attempts to provide universal coverage for the sham -- and scam -- that they are: a trillion dollar funnel of our tax dollars to expand the scope and profits of today's wasteful, inefficient, bureaucratic and capricious private insurers.

On health coverage, the federal government has a proven track record of being (literally) 10 times more efficient and easier for physicians to deal with than the private sector. Single payer is the only meaningful reform that won't bankrupt the country.

Health care "protests" appear coordinated

2009-08-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

What is most curious to me about the latest turn in the health care debate is how town hall meetings seem to have been inundated by disruptive, unruly "protesters." Not just here and there, but all across this vast, diverse nation -- and almost simultaneously.

One might be led to think that someone with an interest in the outcome is coordinating all this.

230 mpg claim for GM Volt is not believable

2009-08-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

GM's claim that their new Volt can get 230 mpg is incredible. By that, I mean not believable.

The EPA has always rated fuel economy for cars that plug into the grid based on the energy equivalent of the electricity they use. For example, the 2001 Toyota Toyota RAV4 EV was rated at 104 mpg.

GM says that in all-electric mode the Volt will go 100 miles on 25 kilowatt-hours. Under longstanding EPA rules, that amounts to only 140 mpg. And all-electric mode is the most efficient scenario possible for this car that can run on both grid power and gasoline. The only way GM could claim 230mpg is if they are only counting the gasoline used and not the electricity.

That makes the 230 mpg claim a lie, and GM should know better.

Ban all cellphones while driving, not just handhelds

2009-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Driving while phoning is dangerous, and a major reason why roadway death rates refuse to fall despite incredible advances in vehicle safety. But Oregon's new ban on the use of handheld cellphones while driving won't fix the problem.

It isn't the act of holding something in your hand that is dangerous; most people are perfectly capable of driving with one hand. It's the act of conversing with someone not present in the vehicle, and uninvolved with the surrounding conditions. Numerous studies have shown this, and even an idiot should be able able to deduce it.

What the legislature should do is ban all telephone use while driving, handheld and handsfree. Of course if they did that, the phone companies wouldn't rake in their expected millions as everyone needlessly upgrades to handsfree devices.

Immigration reform demands wage reform

2009-04-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Those who propose immigration reform tell us that Americans are "too lazy" to do menial work. On the other end of the spectrum, those who would crack down and close the border claim illegal immigrants are stealing "their" jobs.

Both "sides" of this debate are wrong.

Illegal immigration first became a serious problem in the 1980s as the real minimum wage fell precipitously in the face of inflation. It's not that Americans too lazy to do these jobs. It's that we can't live on them anymore.

This is an economic problem, and wages are the cause. If we raised the minimum wage back to historic levels, Americans would fill the entry-level jobs again, and the illegals would stop coming.

Make the Marion berry official

2009-02-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

[A recent attempt to designate an official state berry has caused a political brouhaha.]

Oregon's blackcaps, straws, rasps and blues
are all delicious berries most fine,

And let us not forget the grapes
that make all that wonderful wine.

But remember, in choosing
our official fruit of the vine,

That it is the sweet Marion berry
to which we can truly say "you are mine."

PUBLISHED: "Not With Sam" hypocrisy

2009-01-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Link to published letter

I thought the "not with Sam" crowd wanted the mayor to resign so the city could get on with its business. So what do they think they are accomplishing by barging in and taking over meetings where the city is trying to conduct its business?

Oregonian stymied in its attempt to steal Portland's vote

2009-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

The Oregonian's contemptuous dismissal of Sam Adams' supporters (in today's editorial) as being driven either by ulterior motives or desperation was patently offensive.

Further, just one day after printing a lurid account of a men's room kiss you state that not only is sex between consenting adults not a "fit topic for public discussion," but that Adams probably lied because that is "not a universal opinion."

That's a hair's breadth from acknowledging that what Adams did wrong was to mislead the bigots of the world about something that is clearly none of their business. That is perhaps more commendable than condemnable.

But rather than admit this, the Oregonian just left this loose end of all its twisted logic dangling so as not to contradict its premature call for resignation last week.

You do not get to decide who is mayor of Portland, and neither do your statewide and suburban readers. We, the voters of the city, will decide. You thought that by shaming Adams, you could get him to resign and take away our franchise. Sam stood up and proved you wrong, and at least for that I can be proud of him.

There's at least one thing about this scandal that is more self-serving than Sam Adams' past behavior, and that is the Oregonian's current behavior.

Mayor Adams: Don't back down!

2009-01-23T23:30:00.000-08:00

Mayor Adams, we think the media have gone too far in calling for your resignation, and we're absolutely disgusted at the thinly (if at all) veiled hatred that has passed for "public opinion" on the Internet this week. We were thrilled to attend tonight's rally in your support.

You know whether you had sex with a minor or traded favors with Amy J. Ruiz, and we don't. Despite what has happened, we trust you to look within yourself and do the right thing. If the allegations are true, you cannot win and you simply must resign.

But if the allegations are false, you are just as strongly compelled to stand tall and strike a blow against the hatred that festers within our community! We believe that many of the attacks against you come from outside, and that you still have strong support from real Portland citizens.

The beast that has backed you into this corner may be intimidating, but ultimately it is weak and cowardly. If you aren't guilty of any crime and you stand up to this monster, you WILL defeat it! You will also expose this small-minded hate for what it is, our community will be better off as a result, and we will teach the rest of the world a powerful lesson about right and wrong. You're the most capable and energetic mayor we've had in a long time, we've got serious challenges in front of us and we need you back at work. Don't let the bastards win!

City Councillors: Support Sam Adams!

2009-01-23T23:00:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU for standing behind Sam Adams! We attended this evening's rally to support him. We would not want him to resign unless it is revealed that he had sex with a minor or traded favors with Amy J. Ruiz, which so far we do NOT know to be the case. Sam is the most capable and energetic mayor we've had in a long time, and we need him back on the job!

We suspect that most of the alleged public "outraged" being expressed online is coming from those who live outside the city, and from a handful of loudmouthed bigots who should be ignored anyway. We believe that Sam has the support of the majority of real Portland voters, and that if he faces down the hatred he will prevail. Thanks for your support!

Standing by my Sam

2009-01-22T23:00:00.000-08:00

I'm all for investigation of whether Mayor Adams had sex with someone under 18, and whether there was a quid pro quo in hiring Amy J. Ruiz. I suppose Willamette Week is to be commended for its investigation. But unless and until either charge turns out to be true, there is no reason for him to resign. Sam is highly capable, qualified and (until this week) motivated, and we've got extremely important work for him to do.

The "public" reaction -- especially what's been posted to online comment sites traditionally dominated by conservative loudmouths -- is a chilling and disturbing reminder of the bigotry that still thrives in our community. Much of the hate I've read so far is sufficiently laced with anti-gay rhetoric to reveal it for what it is.

And much of this so-called "outrage" against Adams comes from suburbanites whose opinion is irrelevant to whether Adams stays in office. I'm convinced that when the smoke clears, we'll find he still has strong support from actual Portland voters.

Stand by your Sam

2009-01-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

So far we know Sam Adams had sex with another consenting adult. And he lied about it to the media. Neither act is a crime.

If it turns out Adams' partner was under 18 when they first had sex, or that there was a quid pro quo in Adams' hiring of Amy Ruiz, I will be the first to call for his resignation -- and for criminal charges against him.

But so far we do not know those things to be true. Meanwhile, we've got an ambitious, capable, and (until this week) highly motivated mayor in office. The events of this week are a ridiculous distraction from the city's important work, and a disturbing reminder of the bigotry that still thrives in our community. At least for now, this Portland citizen stands by his Sam.

Mayor Sam Adams: Hang in there!

2009-01-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

We know there's been a lot of hate directed your way this week, but we just wanted you to know you have a lot of support out there in the community.

A lot of the virulent hate has come from non-Portlanders, and it's sufficiently laced with anti-gay rhetoric to reveal the bigotry that it represents.

We plan to attend tomorrow's rally in your support. Please DO NOT RESIGN! We hired you to do an extremely important job, we think you're the right guy to do it, and we still need you to do it! Don't let the haters get you down. We're convinced that when the smoke clears, you'll find you still have strong support from the actual voters of Portland.

Attached is the sign I have posted in my car's rear window.

Let the healing begin

2009-01-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

On this historic day, we make the peaceful transition away from eight years of divisiveness, corruption, cynicism, obsession, secrecy, arrogance, cronyism, unconstitutionality, scandal and at times downright criminality.

As our wounded nation leaves another tainted administration behind, it is the Inaugural address 34 years ago of Gerald Ford that most powerfully echoes through history and resonates in the hope of today:

"My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over."

PUBLISHED: Electric vehicles much cleaner

2009-01-12T23:30:00.000-08:00

Link to published letter

Erik Halstead's letter "Electric cars still have 'tailpipes'," published January 8, is so misleading I am astonished that the Tribune published it. In it he argues that electric vehicles simply push emissions somewhere else.

First of all, electric cars are inherently more efficient and use less energy than comparable fuel powered cars. Go to fueleconomy.gov and you will see that the 2002 RAV4 EV -- an electric SUV offered briefly in California -- was rated at the energy equivalent of 112 mpg, five times more efficient than its gasoline counterpart. That also means one-fifth of the carbon emissions.

Furthermore, due to the inherent limitations of battery technology, electric vehicles tend to be smaller than conventional cars, making them less consumptive and polluting on average. The scaled-down vehicles featured in the original December 11 Tribune story get the equivalent of more than 200 mpg, making them nearly 8 times more efficient than the average car.

Finally, in terms of local and regional pollution study after study has found that generating electricity at a single large source, even from fossil fuels, is far cleaner per unit of energy than burning it in thousands of small engines with individual emissions control systems.

And that's per unit of energy consumed: once you consider that electric cars use 5 to 8 times less energy than gasoline cars, you can see that the amount of pollution generated is many, many times less.

Of course, those in the energy, automotive and auto repair industries, who all stand to lose if we start driving electric vehicles, don't want us to realize this.

Senator Wyden: Please fix the Wilderness Bill!

2009-01-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

Although I enthusiastically supported earlier versions of the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness bill that included National Recreation Area designation for popular mountain biking areas, I am dismayed at the current version of this legislation.

The compromise in earlier versions was historic, showing you as a leader in figuring out how to manage multiple conflicting interests while protecting land from development, and reflecting well on your legacy. It is my view that much of the political support that coalesced behind the earlier versions was contingent upon this compromise. I know mine was: I wrote a number of letters to the editor supporting your earlier proposals, urged many other cyclists to do the same, conducted numerous exploratory rides of the area and posted photos and information to the public. Despite the fact that as a mountain biker I would lose access to some of the less well-known trails on the mountain, I supported this legislation because I felt protecting the land from development and destruction was even more important.

So to learn that the provision that ensured my earlier support had been removed -- and that the clean, quiet, environmentally friendly and perfectly compatible activity of riding a bicycle will be banned from 130 miles of trails -- feels like a hammer to the chest. It is simply heartbreaking for me to learn that this brutal loss is the first direct consequence of our wonderful and historic victories in November.

I regret that I must vehemently oppose the Wilderness bill in its current form, and I urge you to do the same unless it is fixed.

Rep. Blumenauer: Please fix the Mt. Hood Wilderness Bill!

2009-01-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

While I wish I could share your enthusiasm for the new Mt. Hood wilderness bill -- and I enthusiastically supported earlier versions of it -- I must vehemently oppose it in its current form because it bans bicycling on more than 130 miles of trails.

As you well know, bicycling is clean, quiet and environmentally friendly, and this is equally true on dirt trails as it is on pavement. Previous versions of this Wilderness legislation set a landmark precedent for the future by calling for the creation of a National Recreation Area that preserved bike access to many of Mt. Hood's trails while still protecting them for development just as well as formal Wilderness status. This historic compromise has been stripped from the current version.

The bipartisan support for earlier versions of this legislation was contingent upon this compromise, and I find it a heartbreaking betrayal that it is left out now.

As a fellow cyclist (I just finished my 12 mile ride home from Beaverton a few minutes ago to discover this awful news), I beg you to oppose this legislation until it can be fixed. There is absolutely no legitimate reason to kick bikes off this many miles of trails, and I find the bill completely unacceptable in its current form.

National Park Service: I support the proposed bicycling rule change

2008-12-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you for accepting my comments concerning RIN 1024-AD72, the National Park Service rule change for bicycling. I fully support the proposed rule [which would revoke the current blanket restriction of bicycles to paved roads in National Parks, and allow park managers to consider allowing bicycles on trails on a case by case basis].

Bicycling is a clean, environmentally friendly recreational activity. It is similar to hiking in its overall impact, and is far lower than any motorized or pack animal use. I am firmly convinced that there are many trails in the national park system where bicycling would be compatible with the natural values and with other users.

As I'm sure you are aware, the vast majority of national park visitors never enjoy the parks away from their vehicles. Allowing safe bicycling would broaden the parks' recreational offerings to both children and adults, and encourage many more to explore the parks away from their cars.

I visit national parks frequently. In recent years I have hiked in Badlands, Olympic, North Cascades, Joshua Tree and Yosemite, as well as many lower profile areas such as Mojave National Preserve, Newberry and Ebey's Landing. I have mountain biked at Mount Saint Helens National Monument, and consider it a prime example of what should be possible in national parks.

I have bicycled around Crater Lake a number of times, but limit myself to once per year (and only on a weekday) because the road is so dangerous. It has always seemed odd to me that in most national parks bicycles are permitted only on narrow, crowded roads shared with inattentive motorists and hulking RVs.

Earlier this year I visited Death Valley, exploring spectacular Echo Canyon and Chloride City by bike, even spending a night "bikepacking" on dirt roads away from the car. Surely allowing quiet, clean bicycles on some of the old roads, ways and trails closed to motor vehicles could be compatible with the values of this magnificent and rugged park.

Mountain biking will help bring additional tourist dollars to communities near parks at a time when public lands visitation is declining. Mountain bikers also volunteer prolifically, and can be counted on to show up to help build environmentally sound, sustainable trails.

Thank you for considering my comment. Bicycling is a wonderful way to explore our national parks and I hope the proposed rule change will be implemented.

PUBLISHED: Send in the plows

2008-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Isn't it slick?

Don't you love ruts?

Bouncing near airborne on ice chunks, getting stuck in mid-lane.

Send in the plows.

But where are the plows?

There ought to be plows.

Well, maybe ... next year.

Bailout filibuster was class warfare

2008-12-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

I am no big fan of the Detroit automakers. I initially opposed their bailout, and only grudgingly supported it when it was scaled back and got some teeth put into it.

But then Republican Senators from states with foreign auto plants killed it.

Suddenly I realized that this was another skirmish in the Republicans' continuing war on working people. And, suddenly, I became ready to march in the streets in favor of the bailout.

It's over!

2008-11-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

I can think of no more succinct way to summarize the Republicans' electoral defeat than to quote the late Gerald Ford: Our long national nightmare is over.

The real McCain speaks up

2008-11-04T23:00:00.000-08:00

Just 15 minutes after the polls closed here on the west coast, John McCain gave the most gracious and eloquent concession speech I have ever heard in my life.

It was the real John McCain who gave that speech. I like that guy. I've missed him. I still might not have voted for him, but the McCain who spoke tonight would have made a much better president than the McCain who's been campaigning all year.

Economist made the right choice

2008-11-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sir -

I have been hoping that the Economist would not endorse John McCain. Self-admittedly ignorant of economics, he would slash federal spending when consumer spending has already collapsed. He would also retain George Bush's lopsided tax cuts, robbing us of the fiscal breathing room needed to maintain stimulus now and to lay the foundation for a stronger economy after the recovery. If, as many fear, we are falling into an abyss with respect to liquidity and demand, these plans would be disastrous.

Barack Obama has proposed more sensible policies than Mr. McCain on economics and across the board. I am delighted that you have endorsed Mr. Obama, and that you have done so "wholeheartedly."

McCain would bring economic doom

2008-11-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Manufacturing activity collapsed last month. Interest rates fell almost to zero. Deflation started to set in. These are signs of an impending depression, where monetary policy fails and spending is the only tool left in the toolbox.

John McCain's plan? Slash government spending when it's the only thing still propping up the economy. Keep the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, perpetually robbing us of the fiscal balance needed to enable rebuilding.

Barack Obama's smart plans would limit the damage, while McCain and his ignorant Hoover-Bush policies would bring economic doom. Never have we had a clearer choice in front of us.

Why I voted for Obama over McCain

2008-10-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

You know, I used to like John McCain. When he was a maverick.

Recently he has abandoned principled positions on two of the greatest issues facing our nation. He now wants to keep the Bush tax cuts that spread wealth upward and plunged us into deep deficits. He also courts the religious right leaders he once properly called "agents of intolerance."

While McCain has demonstrated frequently erratic and undignified behavior, Barack Obama has remained steadfastly calm and Presidential through brutal attacks and serious national crises. Every time I look into the biggest "character" charges against him, what appear from a distance as mountains turn out to be molehills and mirages.

Obama has taken more sensible positions than McCain, understands the economy better, and appears to have the temperament and intelligence needed to lead us through the troubled waters ahead. That is exactly what I am looking for in a President.

Economist sharing mismatched names with Republicans?

2008-10-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sir -

Last weekend, I found two copies of the Economist in my mailbox: one addressed to me, and one to a "Dan Wrislit." Around the same time I also received a fundraising letter from John McCain intended for the fictitious "Dan Wrislit."

What disturbs me most about this is not that your respectable paper might be sharing its subscriber lists with the Republicans, but that you might be doing so through one of the Republican-friendly database companies who have improperly purged voter registrations in several states by mismatching voters' names.

Willamette Week shows integrity, Alley doesn't

2008-10-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I was just about to vote for Allen Alley as [Oregon state] Treasurer when his on-air lie about supporting John McCain called his character into question. This prompted me to do further research and to conclude that Ben Westlund was better qualified for the job. Thank you, Willamette Week, for showing the integrity to report Alley's breach even while it undermined your own endorsement.

Palin shows typical Republican hypocrisy

2008-10-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

While Sarah Palin enthusiastically bashes Barack Obama for wanting to "spread the wealth around", it is now revealed that just this summer Palin herself said, "collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs."

Well, under Palin's definition I guess that means she and Obama are both "socialists". Which makes her something else that Obama is not: a hypocrite.

Keep gas prices down by conserving

2008-10-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Tribune reports that gas prices are headed below $3 per gallon. This is great, but let's not get complacent. In the short term, OPEC is already talking about cutting production to drive prices back up. In the long term, we'll be out of this new recession in a couple of years and global demand will put price pressure on energy again.

We can't drill our way out of this mess. Conservation is the only real answer, and we can all help. Drive less. Slow down and don't race up to red lights. Try taking transit once a week, and catch up on your reading while you're at it. Ride a bike once in a while. Get a home energy audit, and use a programmable thermostat.

It's not oil companies that set the price of gas. It's the demands of consumers.

Wealth is already being redistributed - to the wealthy

2008-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

John McCain and Sarah Palin are still at it, harping on Barack Obama for wanting to "spread the wealth around."

The fact is that money earned from actual work is taxed at far higher rates than money made from interest, capital gains, inheritances or corporate dividends. The higher tax rates paid by people who make their living by working are the main reason why the rich keep getting richer, while the rest of us struggle to keep up.

Our current tax structure is sickeningly unfair. Rolling back Bush's tax cuts to the wealthy will help level the playing field, and will return the deficit to where it was before he took office.

ACORN flap distracts from real election shenanigans

2008-10-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

As near as I can tell, only a small percentage of the voter registrations turned in by ACORN were fraudulent. Most of those were already flagged as suspect by ACORN, which is required by law to turn in all signatures collected, so I hardly see how this is a great burden upon elections officials or a threat to "the fabric of democracy" as Republicans like to put it.

No, what really scares the Republicans is that ACORN has signed up millions of legitimate new voters who are unlikely to vote for them. Given that ACORN disproportionately represents poor black people, this seems like a last-ditch appeal to latent racism.Worse still, these attacks are a distraction from Republicans' own attempts to suppress the vote. Indiscriminate purging of voter rolls and a systematic failure to properly staff and equip Democratic-leaning polling places have stolen the vote from millions in the last two elections, and the damage done by overtly partisan voting machine vendors simply cannot be measured.

These problems will be even worse this year, and the Republicans are simply trying to make enough noise to drown out this important news.

What's wrong with spreading the wealth?

2008-10-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Class warfare is nothing new. The rich have been winning for a few years now, as our tax system increasingly rewards investment over work. To quote a popular phrase from Wednesday's debate, what's wrong with "spreading the wealth around" a little?

Thanks to economic changes I make less money than I used to. When I made more back in the Clinton era I paid higher taxes, and that's exactly as it should be. Historically, progressive taxation corresponds with greater economic growth and lower taxes. Those who benefit the most from our capitalistic system, and are struggling less to feed and house their families, should pay more to help run it. It's fair, and it works.

John McCain originally opposed George Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and now he supports keeping them in place. This flip-flop is one of the biggest reasons I cannot support him for President.

Don't be fooled! [Initial] Bailout plan is a scam

2008-09-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

It was investors who speculatively drove up housing prices for years, forcing millions of homeowners to pay inflated prices simply to shelter their families. It was investors who later bailed, trapping millions in upside-down mortgages. It was bankers who failed to screen mortgage applicants properly, misled them about the terms in countless instances, and built a financial house of cards on top of them.

Now the American taxpayers are supposed to spend Trillions - with a T - to bail out the bankers and investors who got us into this mess, without even gaining us an equity stake in return? And while failing to protect the homeowners whose bad mortgages are at the core of the problem?

This bill, if passed, will be by far the biggest scam ever perpetrated upon the American people. It will leave the middle class enslaved to debt for decades, furthering the Republican's grand scheme to divert more and more tax dollars into their buddies' pockets and away from programs that actually help improve ordinary Americans' quality of life.

Bush is right that "the world is watching." They're watching to see just how gullible we are.

McCain lies about Palin's earmarks

2008-09-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

John McCain has just gone on a talk show claiming that Sarah Palin never requested earmarks as governor of Alaska. In fact, she has requested over $200 million as governor, and McCain should know it. Are we dumb enough to elect yet another liar President?

No surprise MAX is unsafe

2007-11-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

As a regular MAX rider, I am sad to say that I am not at all surprised that the trains have a crime problem. A recent incident opened my eyes to the fact that there is no effective law enforcement on the trains.

The incident itself was minor: a woman sat next to me on a 6-foot bench at the Beaverton Transit Center and lit up a cigarette. When she refused to put it out, I asked an off-duty (but uniformed) TriMet driver to ask her to do so. He refused, saying he did not have the authority, and he wouldn't have time anyway with all the serious crime he has to deal with. A call toTriMet confirmed that this is their policy: Only police officers have the ability to enforce rules and laws.

And then it occurred to me that I rarely if ever see actual police officers on the trains. The system is wide open for anyone to get away with anything they want at any time. Now I'm not going to stop commuting on MAX, nor will I stop riding it to the zoo with my toddler. But I am going to be more careful, knowing that if something goes wrong there is a good chance there will be no one to help.

Governor Kulongoski: A liberal urges you not to fire George Taylor

2007-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Dear [Oregon] Governor Kulongoski:

Like most sensible people, I believe that human-caused climate change is a grave threat, but I urge you not to move [state Climatologist] George Taylor's office to a state agency and replace him. This would be ethically wrong, and would cause tremendous political damage.

It's a violation of his academic freedom. If he's wrong, better to just let him turn into a laughingstock as evidence piles up against him.
Firing an academician for political reasons will make him into a political martyr.
It will backfire on us liberals more broadly. Conservative bloggers are drooling over the chance to prove us "hypocrites" for preaching tolerance and freedom of thought while persecuting those with a different viewpoint. Please don't prove them right!
It plays right into the key claims of the skeptics: that the science cannot be trusted because scientists are biased, promoting climate theory to get more research dollars, and that dissenters would lose their jobs. Again, please don't prove them right!

Toy Terrorism

2007-02-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm glad Boston moved quickly to neutralize the terror threat posed by Lite-Brites stashed around town. But just to be on the safe side, I hope we deploy our G.I. Joes and Milton-Bradley Battleships to guard the city for a while.

Democrats finally show their backbone

2007-01-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Senator Jim Webb, responding to the President's Speech, made bold claims that "the President took us into war recklessly," that the resulting disarray was "predictable and predicted," that it "damaged our reputation around the world" and that it cost us "opportunities to defeat the forces of international terrorism."The only thing outrageous about these statements is that we've been waiting nearly five years for the Democratic leadership to make them.

Rove is the reason for the buildup

2007-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Why is George Bush proposing a buildup of troops in Iraq when he knows he won't get it? Even many Republicans oppose the move, with Congress looking likely block funding for the proposal.

The reason can be seen in the domestic agenda of the new Democratic Congress. On the docket are ethics and lobbying reform, a minimum wage increase, immigration reform, medicare drug price negotiation, enhanced port security, student loan relief, a shift from Big Oil subsidies to alternative energy, voter rights protections and increased stem cell research.

All of these reforms will make America stronger. All are supported by large majorities of Americans. All have the potential to pass within the first 100 days. And all are opposed by the Bush administration.

Gee, what better way to obstruct the will of the people than by tying up Congress for weeks in a pointless debate over an ill-advised policy that won't happen? Even more critically for Bush's allies, a hamstrung Congress will have less chance to take on big reforms like universal healthcare and campaign finance reform. Looks to me like Karl Rove is back on the job.

Senator Smith: Sign on to Bicycle Commuter Benefits Act

2006-05-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Senator Smith:

I urge you to co-sponsor Senator Wyden's Bicycle Commuters Benefits Act, S. 2635. As an Oregonian who has been commuting by bike for 6 years (usually 3-4 days per week), I have learned the benefits of bicycle commuting: I have lost weight, I have gotten in better shape, I get sick less often (yes, even riding inOregon rain!), I am more refreshed and productive at work, I use much less fuel and I contribute less to both traffic congestion and to the environmental downsides to driving.

For most people, there are still substantial barriersto bicycle commuting, but stronger incentives would encourage many to try it out. Although there is a cost associated with this program, we must remember that driving is enormously subsidized in our society, far beyond the contributions of fuel taxes. A tiny bike subsidy is only fair! Besides, every person who gets out of their car and on a bike is reducing congestion and wear and tear on the roads, not to mention using less fuel. Thus, bike commuting incentives actually pay for themselves in reduced operating costs for our transportation system as a whole. Again, I urge youto sign on to S. 2635.

SD Governor Mike Rounds: Veto the abortion ban

2006-03-03T12:00:00.001-08:00

Dear [South Dakota] Governor Rounds:

I am writing to urge you to veto the abortion ban now upon your desk. By not allowing exceptions for rape or incest victims, the bill simply goes too far.

I am particularly appalled at the invocation of Christianity to justify such a brutal prohibition. My mother is a native South Dakotan (from Vienna) and a Lutheran minister. Three of my grandparents are also from South Dakota (Britton, Willow Lake and Watertown). They raised me to believe that Jesus stood for compassion. Forcing a young girl to bear the child of her rapist is such an act of cruelty that the Christ I worship would certainly condemn it.

What has South Dakota come to, that such a bill could gain passage? I hope you will send this bill back to the Legislature and tell them to get it right.

South Dakota abortion ban is un-Christian

2006-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

South Dakota's proposed new abortion ban exposes the un-Christian nature of the so-called "Christian" Right.

This new law bans abortions even in cases of rape or incest. A girl who is molested by her father will be forced to bear her father's child. A rape victim will be forced to deliver the offspring of her rapist.

I cannot think of anything more cruel or lacking in compassion. Jesus Christ stood for love and compassion, and he would not stand for this.

Those who celebrate this legislation in Christ's name make a mockery of Christianity, and are hypocrites of the worst order.

South Dakota's new law is anti-Christian

2006-02-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

South Dakota's strict new abortion law, intended to challenge Roe v. Wade, prohibits abortions even when the pregnancy endangers the mother's life, and even when she has been molested by a family member or raped.

Some so-called "Christians" hail this as a success, but I was raised to believe that Christ stood for love, peace and compassion. Forcing a woman to bear the child of her rapist is neither loving, peaceful nor compassionate. It is cruel not only to the mother but also to her child.

I can see how a fellow Christian might come to oppose most abortions, but South Dakota's new law is patently anti-Christian. I am sick and tired of watching the forces of evil take over our country in the name of my Lord and Savior.

Defenders of spying deserve deportation

2006-02-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Beverly Ann Sharpf says she is "thrilled that our president is doing everything possible to keep me safe" -- including spying on citizens for which he may or may not have probable cause to do so. And he may not, since he refuses even to notify a secret rubber-stamp court of his surveillance of American citizens.

This is a direct challenge by the administration to the other two branches of government. Left unchecked, it will illegally expand the president's power and set a frightening precedent. Bush may not have set out to accumulate ever more power, but power corrupts. Without the Founders' checks and balances, even the most ethical president can continue expanding his power and become a despot and eventually even a dictator.

Benjamin Franklin cautioned that those who would give up essential liberties for a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security. Ms. Sharpf and the many others who have written similar letters certainly deserve neither. Their encouragement of attacks of American citizenship proves them to be unworthy of it.

Irresponsible cycling doesn't justify physical violence

2006-01-20T12:00:00.001-08:00

Randy Albright might have been out of line by riding outside the bike lane. He was certainly out of line when he blocked the path of a TriMet bus in attempting to engage the driver.

But the subsequent physical attack on him was even more out of line. Committing an act of violence against another person is never, ever justified except in the defense of oneself or others. It is disturbing to observe so many of my fellow citizens celebrating this unidentified assailant. Some have even said Albright should have been murdered for his actions.

It is disturbing, but it is not really surprising. After all, we live in a culture of violence that celebrates gory video games, unprovoked war and "collateral damage."

I do agree with the letter writers who advocate mandatory safety education for cyclists. Given the current atmosphere, though, we need to include self-defense training in the curriculum.

Cyclist conflicts highlight need for better enforcement

2006-01-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I'm not surprised by the open hostility between some drivers and cyclists exposed in the Oregonian's recent series. Our streets have become increasingly lawless in recent years as traffic enforcement has evaporated. Twenty years ago I could not have imagined writing this: we need more police enforcing order on the streets.

Many cyclists run red lights with impunity, or ride after dark without lighting. But as a cyclist, I've stopped trying to talk rogue bikers into behaving, having been physically threatened on a number of occasions for doing so. I now limit my efforts to making myself lawful, predictable and visible. Those who pay attention to their surroundings may notice there are more cyclists like myself than they realized.

Many drivers are just as irresponsible as the cyclists they condemn. As a motorist, I've been injured twice in recent years by inattentive drivers. It seems far too many people pay less attention to the road than to their phone conversations, meals, maps, DVDs and navigation systems. Not have we become less attentive, but we're driving faster and more aggressively, with less patience than ever for time-wasting annoyances such as red lights and pedestrians.

So now everyone is mad at everyone else. We could wipe this problem out by recognizing the need for more enforcement, starting with the worst offenders. It won't do much good to carry out "stings" of cyclists who creep through stop signs when no one is around or drivers who go 25 mph in a school zone on a Sunday. But we'd make real progress if we tried to nail drivers and cyclists who run red lights, bikers who don't use lights at night, and road-ragers who tailgate and cut everyone else off.

If we all knew there was a chance of actually getting caught, maybe we'd all behave.

PUBLISHED: Evangelical Christians misguided

2004-11-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

The most stunning result of Tuesday’s election was the tremendous role of "moral values." This so-called morality seems to consist of intolerance for gays, federal funding of religious schools, opposition to abortion, an obsession with others’ sexuality, and a new crusade in the Islamic world.

My moral values are a little different: equal education for all, tolerance of gays, reproductive freedom, and restraint in war. What am I, some kind of crazy secular humanist? No! I’m a Lutheran. The son of a minister, I was raised in a religious household where Sunday services were not optional. But I was taught that Jesus stood for peace, love and compassion, and my political views are informed by these beliefs.

The "Christianity" that seems to have motivated half of this country to the polls is unrecognizable to this Christian.

PUBLISHED: Closed Bush event speaks volumes

2004-09-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

[Link to published letter]

The Tribune’s coverage of the recent campaign visits by George Bush and John Kerry failed to note a critical difference between the two events. As usual, Kerry’s rally was open to everyone, protesters included.

But like all of his rallies, Bush’s was open only to those who have pledged to vote for him. Also as usual, dissenters were confined to a small barbed-wire enclosure (perversely known as a “free speech zone”), far out of Bush’s sight. At other rallies, including places like Pittsburgh, Texas, and South Carolina, peaceful protesters who turned up at Bush’s private rallies have even been arrested and jailed - for the crime of waving the wrong sign in a sea of signs.

If Bush treats the American people with such contempt when he is up for re-election, how will he treat us when he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore?

PUBLISHED: Bush enabled Enron's scheme

2004-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

[actual published text in bold]

The outright malice revealed in the new Enron tapes is exceeded only by the outright corruption of a Bush administration that enabled and prolonged the 2001 Western power crisis.

Bush actively campaigned in 2000 against the price controls then in place, arguing for "open markets." But the only market ever opened was the segment already dominated by Texas companies like Enron and Dynegy, leaving the rest of the industry hamstrung.

Enron then ran prices up by shutting down plants, overloading transmission lines and flooding the market with bogus transactions. When Western senators threatened to reimpose price caps, Dick Cheney consulted head crook Kenneth Lay and testified against caps the following day. He even had the nerve to blame the "shortage" on environmentalists.

It is no coincidence that "the Crooked E" was Bush/Cheney's biggest contributor in the 2000 campaign. The tapes reveal that it expected a big payback, openly gunning for "Kenny Boy" to be named energy secretary and for its chance to shaft those socialist California grandmothers.

Enron engineered an illegal transfer of billions in wealth from the West Coast to Texas with the administration's blessing, displaying a level of corruption that makes me sick to my stomach. The least we can do is throw the Enron crooks in prison and the Bush administration crooks out of office.

PUBLISHED: Case shows dangers of power

2004-06-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

[Link to published letter]

The federal government recently argued before the Supreme Court that it can be trusted not to abuse its new, unchecked powers to investigate and detain citizens. At about the same time, it began conducting secret searches of Brandon Mayfield’s home. Then it arrested him and held him without charges for two weeks, his property (and even his child’s homework) was seized, his business was left to flounder, and his mouth was gagged while the government publicly stated its "case" against him.

I can’t think of a more vivid example of why we need to restrain the government’s power: not only to guard against its becoming oppressive, but also because sometimes it simply makes mistakes.

PUBLISHED: Weigh the good against suffering

2004-05-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

[Actual published text in bold]

The recently publicized atrocities committed against Iraqis by US troops are deeply dismaying. But the sad reality is that crimes against humanity – even rape, torture and wanton murder – are quite common during war. It is part of war’s inherent nature, in which widespread chaos, violence, loss and dehumanization both incite and provide cover to a minority of twisted psychopaths to perpetrate despicable acts against others.

In America we are lucky to have been insulated from the horrors of war for many years, but we’ve forgotten one of its basic truths. Atrocities are committed in all wars, and by individuals from all sides. War is always hellish, and its human cost is always staggering. There are no exceptions. Before we can justify going to war, we must somberly weigh the good to be gained against the tremendous suffering that is certain to result.

Does anyone remember us gravely deliberating these things before we invaded Iraq? Not that I can recall.

PUBLISHED: Bush's tax cut is discriminatory

2003-08-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

After all the obscene tax cuts Bush has lavished upon the wealthy, it’s nice to finally see some relief aimed at the middle class. Too bad he has gone out of his way to exclude certain people whom he apparently deems undeserving.

Empty-nesters, young singles, and couples who are unable or choose not to have children – middle class though they may be – need not apply for his latest tax break.

Having children is a laudable lifestyle decision, but based on current birthrates it sure doesn’t appear to need a financial incentive. And lots of people are struggling right now regardless of whether they have children or not. I’m trying to support myself and my wife, who has four more years of school before she can make any money, on a single income that has declined substantially this year. We’re selling our house and taking on a lower-cost lifestyle to ensure that we make it through the rest of this Bush recession.

An extra $400 would be fantastic right now, but this “family friendly” tax break doesn’t help my family at all.

PUBLISHED: Bush misses forest for the trees

1992-09-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

"I really enjoyed that helicopter ride ... and let me tell you, there are a lot of trees up here. So don't listen to the critics."

George Bush's statement during his recent visit to the Northwest illustrates that, as with so many other domestic concerns, he simply has no grasp of the issues involved in our region's logging controversies.

The continued harvest of old-growth forests, which are the spotted owl's primary habitat, will provide some short term jobs, but there just isn't very much commercially viable ancient forest left. At current harvest levels, these stands cannot sustain jobs through another decade, even if we cut down every single old tree that remains.

There are plenty of trees growing in second-growth forests, however, and these are what our President saw from his helicopter. If modern forestry techniques were universally adopted and lands were properly managed to ensure sustainable long-term harvests, these second-growth forests could easily replace timber jobs that are currently being lost.

The timber industry is in need of reform. If President Bush really wanted to preserve timber jobs, he would encourage the industry to move from the destruction of ancient forests to the practice of sustainable techniques in new forests. This would be accomplished by banning clearcutting on all Federal land, mandating that all harvested areas be replanted, and establishing industry standards for accountability in forest practices. Further relief could come to hard-pressed timber workers if raw log exports were halted, and the $300 million annually spent by the Forest Service to subsidize timber companies were instead spent on job retraining and economic development in timber communities.

George Bush's recent visit to the Northwest displayed his ignorance with respect to environmental issues, and seemed directed more towards fixing blame than towards fixing our problems. We need leadership that is less interested in dividing people, and is more interested in bringing them together to work towards a common solution.

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