June 2007 newsletter
June 2007 Newsletter
Editor's note: We are "under construction", so pardon our look. We are
a work in progress. As we design our new website, we naturally want to
create a beautiful, easy to use (and download) newsletter. In the
meantime, here is the newsletter for June, 2007. Next month we hope to
unveil the new, improved version. As always, your comments and
suggestions are welcome!
Measure 37 Reform Headed for Senate Floor 
1000 Friends of Oregon Issue Plea: Tell Lawmakers to vote "Yes"
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources committee last week added
more amendments to HB3540, the M37 "fix" bill which will be referred to
voters. The measure was sent to Ways and Means, which voted it out of
committee Friday. It is now headed to the Senate floor with a vote
likely by Tuesday. If passed there, it will ead back to the House for
concurrence.
1000 Friends of Oregon sent an email to supporters Friday urging them
to contact lawmakers and urge them to vote "yes" on HB3540-C.
http://www.friends.org/issues/M37/index.html
Central Committee Meeting Highlight:
Guest Speaker, Dr. Todd Jarvis on Measure
37 and "Dueling Water Experts"
Polk County Democrats will get the benefit of two decades of experience
in dealing with water and development, especially as it relates to
Measure 37 reform. Dr. Todd Jarvis, Senior Researcher for Oregon State
University Institute for Water and Watersheds is the featured guest
speaker at the June 14 Central Committee meeting. (see Upcoming Events)
Dr. Jarvis' topic is "Measure 37 and Dueling Water Experts: Why the
future of groundwater use may look like nothing from the past."
Riggs Wins Chemeketa Board, 
Governor's
Office Internship
Oregon's Community colleges are poised for new infusions of money and
that's just fine with Chemeketa's newest board member, Rich Riggs,
elected last month by a slim 115 votes over challenger Dan Clem to the
college's Zone 7 representing Polk County. Governor Kulongoski has
pushed for greater funding for higher education, and the new community
college budget is likely to include the extra $9 million he sought.
It's the right direction for Oregon, according to Riggs, who campaigned
on a platform urging greater state funding of higher education. "I want
to improve state community college funding," he told us. "It is a
matter of getting together various board members, and talking to the
Oregon Department of Community Colleges Committee for Workforce
Development which oversees the state's 17 community colleges."
Oregon Community Colleges Association will hold summer workshop
training on the coast for new board members, who assume office in July.
It is a busy summer for Riggs, who started May 18 as an intern for the
governor's office, set to through August. He enjoys the variety of
duties. "It's always a different type every day", he said. A Willamette
University Law School student, he says he is considering a career as a
policy maker or even legislator in Oregon government. He says his first
campaign taught him valuable lessons about what it takes to win:
knocking on doors.
Canvassing the Key
"All the work people did canvassing, going door-to-door made a huge
difference," he told us. "Every politician, political staffer, every
person told me the same thing," he said. "People feel like they know
you," he said, "and just meeting the person makes a difference." He
said almost all of the 3.000 brochures were distributed, and he
personally handed out about 1,500. Additional factors included the
endorsement from the Polk County Democrats and the Statesman-Journal.
Interview with Melissa Chernaik
Education Key to Upholding 
Gay Rights Bills
BRO Activists Confident Despite Threat of Overturn
Basic Rights Oregon has already determined the petition
drive to overturn the two gay rights bills will likely get the required
55,179 signatures for each to put the issue on the November 2008
ballot.
"We think they probably may do it and get the
signatures," BRO communications director Melissa Chernaik told us May
31. "It's not a lot and it's not that hard, especially if they pay
petitioners, as they said they will do." In 2004, Basic Rights Oregon
led the fight against Ballot Measure 36, which voters approved,
amending Oregon's constitution to define marriage as between a man and
a woman.
The three Mid-Willamette activists of a group calling
itself Defense of Marriage and Family Again have until 90 days after
the close of the 2007 Legislative session to gather the required
signatures of registered voters in order to get the referendum on the
ballot. Success would effectively put the new laws on hold until the
outcome of the election. If upheld, the earliest they could go into
effect would be after the election is certified, likely December, 2008.
"That means another whole year that families aren't
protected from discrimination," says Cherniak. For her organization,
the key to seeing victory now is educating the public on the findings
of the 2006 Governor's Taskforce on Equality in Oregon.
Taskforce recommendations lead to bills
"They studied, did extensive research and analysis, and
held public hearings throughout state", Chernaik said. "The
recommendation to the governor from this non-partisan taskforce of
business and community leaders from across Oregon was that Oregon, in
order to end anti-gay discrimination needed two laws: one outlawing
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and the
other to implement some kind of legal recognition of families who were
currently considered strangers under the law but were in fact
families...out of which came the domestic partnership law."
To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, go to http://www.basicrights.org/.
To read about the Governor's Taskforce on Equality in Oregon go to http://www.oregon.gov/Gov/taskforce_on_equality/gtoe_index.shtml
DPO Regional Training Prepares Activists, Future Leaders
Early sign-up encouraged
The Democratic Party of Oregon and the DNC are holding three more regional trainings
across the state to train and prepare activists and future leaders with
the skills and knowledge to ensure Democratic victories throughout
Oregon.
There are more than a dozen classes available at each training. For a description of each class please go to http://active.dpo.org/ct/KdLBfpY1WPyj/
Training Venues:
June 9 - Union County - Eastern Oregon University in La Grande
Date TBD - Deschutes County - Central Oregon Community College in Bend
July 22 - Josephine County - Grants Pass High School Performing Arts Center
The one-day trainings will include lessons on fundraising,
communications, voter targeting technology, volunteer recruitment,
precinct organizing and coalition building.
Please attend one of the four remaining regional trainings for
democratic progressive activists this summer. These trainings are free
and will be held in a county near you. Registration is required so
please sign-up today at http://active.dpo.org/ct/K7LBfpY1WPym/
A Call for Letters to the Editor
In keeping with its announced strategy of targeting vulnerable Oregon
seats in 2008, the DPO is looking for people who will write letters to
the editor about Senator Gordon Smith, particularly about his voting
record on Iraq. Below is a sample letter from DPO Communications Chair,
Marc Siegel with links for those interested in learning more. DPO field
representative Jesse Bontecou encourages us to make it a priority to
get the word out that letters are needed, and soon. Marc Siegel, DPO
Communications Director, provided the following talking points:
Gordon Smith's votes don't match his quotes and we can't let him get away with it.
He says he opposes the Iraq War. But May 24 he voted to continue
funding it. That's his second vote in a month to continue funding the
war.
What can you do about it?
We need to make sure Oregonians hear the truth. Write a letter to your
local newspaper exposing the gap between Gordon Smith's public comments
opposing the war and his consistent votes to continue it.
Please use these talking points below to write a letter to the editor
to your local newspaper. Click here to find a newspaper near you - www.oregondemocrats.org/write_a_letter
And forward this email on to your friends and family. Invite them to visit http://www.stopgordonsmith.com/ and join our grassroots campaign for progressive leadership in the U.S. Senate.
Talking Points
- I can't believe Gordon Smith voted again to continue funding the Iraq War.
- He voted for this bill even though it contains no real timetable for
withdrawal and toothless benchmarks the president can waive at any
time.
- He voted for this bill even though it's a blank check for President
Bush and an endorsement of President Bush's failed policy.
- He voted for this bill even though the vote comes less than six
months after he famously said on the floor of the U.S. Senate that this
war may even be "criminal."
"I, for one, am at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting a
policy that has our soldiers patrolling the same streets in the same
way, being blown up by the same bombs day after day. That is absurd. It
may even be criminal. I cannot support that anymore."
(U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), December 7, 2006)
- He voted for this bill even though all four of Oregon's Democratic U.S. House members opposed it.
- He voted for this bill even though Oregon's Democratic U.S. Senator Ron Wyden opposed it.
- This is the second time this month Smith has voted to prolong our
troops' stay in Iraq. In mid May he voted against bringing to a vote an
amendment that would remove troops from Iraq.
"Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., voted against bringing to a vote an
amendment that would remove most troops from Iraq by March 31. The
amendment, sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., failed in a 29-67
vote. It needed 60 votes to be brought for an up-or-down vote. Sen. Ron
Wyden, D-Ore., voted for the amendment."
(The Oregonian, 5-16-07)
- Smith's consistent votes to continue the Iraq War should be no surprise to anyone who follows his record.
- He will say anything to please the public, but he votes to please one constituent, President Bush.
- Smith votes with President Bush 90 percent of the time.
- We can't trust what Gordon Smith tells us.
- No matter what he says, he votes to continue the Iraq War.
- No matter what he says, he votes to support President Bush's flawed policies.
Polk Democrats Celebrate Passage of Historic Gay
Rights Legislation
Vicki Berger attends Gloria Holland's Party 
Overturn Petition Casts Shadow Over Victory
Good food and high spirits greeted celebrants at a Gloria Holland's
outdoor party May 16, and with reason: basic human rights had just
taken a monumental step forward as Governor Kulongoski signed HR2007,
the domestic partnership bill, and SB2 the anti-discrimination bill,
the most significant gay rights legislation in more than 30 years. Also
in attendance was Vicki Berger (HD-20), the only Republican to side
with Democrats to get both bills out of committee.
Gloria,
newly elected Polk Democrats Recording Secretary and wife of Chair Alan
Holland, hosted the event at their West Salem home. It was one of
several such parties held throughout the state to honor gay rights
activist groups such as Basic Rights Oregon, whose leadership played a
prominent role in the bills' passage.
BRO Executive Director, John Hummel, cautioned party guests to continue
their fight, as victory is far from assured. Earlier that day three
Mid-Willamette activists filed papers to mount a petition drive to
overturn those bills (see related story).
On their website, http://www.basicrights.org/
is more information on steps to take to keep the hard-won victory a
reality. Another party guest, BRO field organizer Maceo Persson, is
also available to answer questions at: maceo@basicrights.org.
June 7 - Thursday, 8:00 am-3:00 pm: Emerging Leaders Day
is a biennial opportunity for aspiring Democratic legislators to spend
the day "serving" with current House Democratic lawmakers. Learn the
nuts and bolts of the legislative process and get a firsthand view of
democracy at work. Emerging Leaders from all 60 Oregon Legislative
districts are welcome.
For more information contact Michele Rossolo at 503-249-0457or michele@futurepac.org if you missed the May 29 deadline.
June 7 - Envision Oregon, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Mission Million Museum, Salem, 5:30 Registration begins, 6:00 pm welcome by Vicki Berger (R, HD-20). Sponsored by 1000 Friends of Oregon more info: http://www.envisionoregon.org/
June 9 - DPO Regional Activist Training, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Union County, 1 University Blvd. (Zabel Hall), La Grande, OR 97850
RSVP by: June 4, 2007 at 8:00 pm
This is the third of five regional training programs held throughout Oregon. Who should attend? County officers, precinct organizers, and any registered Democrats who want to help lead the 2008 election effort. What sessions are available?
There are many topics, covering a range of skills that people will need
to put to work in the election cycle. For a complete description of
each topic, visit http://www.oregondemocrats.org/training_programs.
Hosted by: DPO Field Organizers Jesse Bontecou jesse@dpo.org 503-239-8660 and Autumn Wilburn autumn@dpo.org 541-434-2189
June 14 - Monthly CC Meeting, 7:00pm Salem Electric, 633 7th St, NW, Salem Everyone is welcome! Refreshments:
6:30 pm, meeting 7:00 pm. Guest Speaker, Dr. Todd Jarvis on M37,
Dueling Water Experts. For questions/information: Email our Chairperson, Alan Holland, or him call 503-371-3920 or 503-551-0580 cell.
June 17 - 3:00 PM, Volunteer Recruitment & Support Committee This
committee is activating our precinct structure to build a strong
Democratic support network for voters, register new voters, and recruit
new precinct committee people and volunteers. Join us! We meet at the
home of Suzanne (Suzi) and Truman Price, 7210 Helmick Road, Monmouth,
503-838-5452. For more info, email Suzi at:
volunteerchairSP@polkdems.org.
July 1 - 5 Western Days, Independence Riverfront Park We need volunteers to help staff the booths. If you are interested, please contact Suzi Price at (503) 838-5452
July 12 - Monthly CC Meeting, 7:00 pm Christ's Church, 412 W. Clay St., Monmouth (at the corner of Whitman) Everyone is welcome! 6:30 pm refreshments, 7:00 pm meeting. For questions/information: Email our Chairperson, Alan Holland, or him call 503-371-3920 or 503-551-0580 cell.
July 14 - Second Annual Squantum Whiffle Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival, Noon - 8:30 pm
Dancing Oaks Nursery, 17900 Priem Rd., Monmouth. We need volunteers to
assist with the Silent Auction! Call Fred Brown at (503) 510-4579 or
email him at brown2909@juno.com
July 19 - 21 - Dallas Summer Fest, Polk County Courthouse
Lawn .We need volunteers to help staff the booths. If you are
interested, please contact Suzi Price at (503) 838-5452