Newbie from Brownsville wants to talk governor

[exlrrp]

Hi my name is james Worth, I am a relatively new person to DU and OR. I just moved to OR from CA last year
I am 57, a disabled Vietnam Veteran but with a lot of energy and I want to use it in the politics of this state.
I'm intersted in the gubernatorial race this year. I don't know the personalities involved but so far I'm not that thrilled by Kulongoski, tho, being a yellow Dog Democraat I would vote for him and giove him money if he was our candidate. Anybody want to share any insights here?
I will be also giving to all the Dems running, I live in De Fazio's duistrict and I liked him before I moved here, about the only OR Rep known nationwide.
Any insights, suggestions appreciated. I amm intersted in attending get togethers, want to hook up with other ativists
James Worth

[sandnsea]

1. DeFazio is my Rep too

Blumenauer's a good one from the Portland area, he's got a good national reputation too.

Pete Sorenson http://www.petesorenson.com and Jim Hill http://www.jimhill2006.com are also running in the Dem primary for Governor. Jim's got the SEIU and OSEA endorsements. He's a fighter, that's for sure.

I have no idea what I'm going to do, I think a primary with a sitting governor is strategically stupid. The Republicans are absolutely licking their chops at this, I know that.

[exlrrp]

2. Sorta looks like it

"I think a primary with a sitting governor is strategically stupid. The Republicans are absolutely licking their chops at this, I know that."
I hate to say it but one of the worst mistakes democrats make is to eat each other while the opposition laughs. The nother side supports each other, even when they don't always agree--our side enjoys fucking each other up. Or so it seems sometimes, like with the Feingold Censure issue--I would have thought that would have been a unifier for Democrats--it sure works for me, anyway and can't imagine why other Dems didn't jump on it.
What exactly is wrong with Kulongoski, anyway? being a late comer I don't know how the years previous to '04 went for him--sorta get the feeeling he has some baggage there but don't know what it is. The public employees union won't endorse him and other local committees also
Anybody give me a little history on the guy?

[sandnsea]

3. He's not Kitzhaber, perhaps

He was really popular. Kulongoski signed the public pension reform bill, that hurt everybody who touched it. Then there's the Goldschmidt scandal, ouch.

http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=87528

I don't know, I don't see much difference between now and 4 years ago, our unemployment rate is better, our economy is a little more sluggish. I'm not sure what a governor in this state can do about the economy, we're already mowing down the trees like spring grass, we let the potato farmers kill the salmon off, we have to tip-toe around global trade. It's a tough deal.

[exlrrp]

4. I'd like a stronger leader

There's lots of positions to take that say something in this world and there's ways of taking positions that are meaningful.
Governors can make or break a states politics--CA's got a Republican governor now because Davis put people to sleep. It was as much Davis's fault he lost as Arnolds, he didn't put up any real fight at all, nobody knew or cared about his positions. The first Dem governor CA had in 16v years and he lost it because he was basically too much of a nebbish.
Kulongoski strikes me as similar al;though I may be judging the man harshly with insufficent knowledge. Regardless, I'll vote for him if he's the candidate but I wish they'd fielded someone stronger

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. I haven't been that thrilled with Kulongoski.

I campaigned for him in the general, but I was really hoping for Hill. That said, the idea of Hill taking him on in the primaries infuriates me.

Did you know that Kulongoski grew up in an orphanage & when he was 18 joined the Marines. He then used the GI Bill to put himself through college & law school.

Welcome to DU exlrrp!

:hi:

[sandnsea]

7. Sorenson started that

Don't blame Hill. I don't know if he figures he may as well take advantage of the division, or whether the party decided Hill has a better chance if Kulongoski goes down. Sorenson is the one that makes me mad, I am so sick of ranters who wouldn't have been able to do any better against the right wing bullshit the last 2 years. If we end up with Kevin Mannix over this, Sorenson needs to be kicked right straight in the nuts, every single day for the next 4 years. :grr:

[hraka]

10. A little about the candidates

The Governor was the only one of the 3 who did not say he would support the winner of the Democratic Primary if it weren't him. I am a member of the Washington County Democratic party and had the opportunity to ask questions of both Hill and Sorenson. In 2 weeks it'll be the Governor's turn.

Pete Sorenson is charasmatic, intelligent, and passionate about Oregon. He has served as a State Senator and Lane Co Commissioner. Jim Hill has been around awhile, having served as State Treasurer as well as State Representative and Ass't Attorney General. He is well known and respected in Salem and in Oregon. (I voted for him for Treasurer.)

I also voted for Governor Kulongoski. He came out with a bang, and has done more for gay rights in Oregon since Goldschmidt passed the executive order banning discrimination in the executive branch of the state government. (This was later repealed by Ballot Measure 8.) However, for all his attempts, gays and lesbians have no more rights now than we did before he took office. For all his wonderful beginnings, he has proven to be somewhat of a letdown. (Part of this is due to a Republican controlled House.)

Information on each candidate is avail online. I Googled them by name + oregon and came up with a wealth of info, not just their own websites. CDon't just go to their autobiographies if you want info. Look at newspaper articles, interviews, and bad press as well.

(edited for typos)

[sandnsea]

11. I live in Lane County

I've been listening to Pete Sorenson's rantings for quite a while now. He's been brutal to Kulongoski. I'm not impressed with the red meat wing, sorry. From what I see, Democrats are throwing mud at each other when we are in the best possible position in the last 20 years. We should be building an Oregon Dem Party Identity, putting up a sensible rebuttal to the tax cutting and environmental deregulation and the damage it's done. Ted Kulongoski has done as good a job as he can in fighting the new land use law, the clear cutting, the tax cuts, and has stood up for gay rights, a Governor isn't a magician. I don't see any reason for Sorenson to attack him except for pure opportunism, to try to ride the red meat express into the Governor's mansion. I'm not going to listen to everybody equally, and I'm not going to pretend Sorenson could do any better job because he rants more.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

12. Amen!

I can't stand the idea of a bruising primary. Kulongoski is doing the best he can with what he has to work with.

It appears we're getting out the old circular firing squad once again. If mannix or gawd forbid saxon get in because of this I will scream.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

6. Sign up with the Linn County central committee

That's where the activists are. Their web site is http://www.linncodems.org/
And, as it says on their website, the next meeting is one week from now (Wed.
April 19) in the old Albany Armory.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. Meet ups every month in Portland

Welcome to Oregon exlrrp!

Check this forum on the last week of the month, we'll be deciding where to meet this time. We try to hit different pubs everytime, Portland has so many different 'flavors'. ;) We always meet at the same time, First Saturday of the month at 4pm.

We'd love to have you join us. :hi:

[hraka]

9. Link to debate transcripts

Go to www.dpo.org (Democratic Party of Oregon) and look for the link to the transcript of the Gubernatorial Debate held 4/06 (Gubernatorial Forum Audio On-Line). All 3 Dem candidates took part, the 1st one so far.
The neat thing about it was it was organized by the democratic parties of Multnomah, Washington, Lane, Yamhill, and Clackamas counties, along with the Plumber's and Steamfitter's Union. The DPO got involved after Kulongowski agreed to join.
Welcome to Oregon. I was born here and, while I've left several times, have always come home. It's a wonderful place to live.