Unfortunately Oregon does not have run-off elections or rank-choice voting, so my US Representative will likely be elected by a minority in a closed primary election. With apologies to Ricardo Barajas, Nolan Bylenga, Rachel Lydia Rand, I've narrowed my focus in the seven-person race to these four just based campaign website professionalism:
 |
 |
 |
 |
| FUNDING ISRAEL'S WAR CRIMES | |||
| ...achieve a long-term, negotiated ceasefire that ensures the release of all hostages, the enduring defeat of Hamas and facilitates security in the region. | ...Labeling of War Criminals: Treating foreign leaders who commit war crimes as war criminals and labeling them as such... Conditioning Foreign Military Aid: Making sure that any and all foreign military dollars that supply weaponry or related goods are only sent/access to funding is only received with surety that war protocols are being followed and human rights are not being violated. |
...The Netanyahu government’s response - bombing civilians in schools, refugee camps, and hospitals; denying food, water, medical care; bombing evacuation routes - this is not an acceptable response, and it has led to a horrific humanitarian catastrophe... | (No foreign policy found on website.) |
| I'm sure most Democratic politicians don't want to criticize President Biden, but his soft touch of Netanyahu and continued funding of Israel's war crimes are inexusible. | |||
| CLIMATE CHANGE | |||
| • Pass a Green New Deal... • Transition to 100% clean electricity nationwide to decarbonize our economy... • Ban new development of fossil fuel infrastructure both on public lands and offshore... |
• ...We must aggressively invest in renewable energy sources like wind and solar power... • Green Jobs: ...create a thriving green economy in Oregon by supporting businesses that prioritize sustainability and innovation... |
• Green New Deal • ...carbon pricing; resisting the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure; and holding Big Oil accountable for the impacts of climate change... • ...preventing deforestation and stopping methane leaks... |
• Green New Deal • expand renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power, and support research and development of clean energy technologies... |
| Green New Deal is nice, but I'm looking for Dem willing to push drastic changes like nuclear power, mandatory solar on all new construction, ban new gasoline vehicles by 2050, etc. | |||
| HOMELESSNESS | |||
| • Safe housing should be a fundamental right • ...Support renters with rental assistance... |
• Advocate for housing as a fundamental human right, ensuring access to safe, affordable housing for all. • Champion a "Housing First"... |
• ...Housing is a fundamental human right... • ...Investments in shelter, transitional and recovery housing, and supportive services... |
• housing-first approach... • wraparound support |
| Housing First is a nice ideal, but unworkable. People living in crisis on the street -- especially dealing with mental health and drug issues -- can't just abruptly go into rental homes, pay rent and bills. Transitional housing programs are mandatory. | |||
| AFFORDABLE HOUSING | |||
| Invest in new, affordable housing... | ...prioritize the construction of affordable and supportive housing units... | ...affordable housing preservation programs... • Reforming low income housing tax credit programs... • Expanding voucher programs... |
• ...rental assistance programs, eviction prevention measures, and access to supportive services... • Increased funding for housing assistance and investments in affordable housing... |
| Unfortunately none of the candidates offer any tangible way to create affordable housing (e.g. encourage landlords to offer low rent). The Housing Choice Voucher program was intended to let renters access market rate rentals, but it instead has become an ineffective program outsourced to housing authorities that can't attract real estate professionals. The federal voucher program needs to be completely reformed. • Encourage more shared housing which is what most non-voucher holders have to do if they can't find apartments. • Stop treating landlords like government contractors. Most entrepeneurs have no interest in participating in government program -- especially if it can't offer anything more than market rate. • The burden of housing inspection and compliance should be on the voucher recipients (e.g. renters). • The government should build housing. There is currently a great opportunity to convert vacant office and commercial spaces into shelters and low income housing. Block housing didn't work because it was poorly managed, but lessons can be learned. |
|||
| DRUG USE | |||
| • expand the number of detox beds and drug treatment programs... • ...increase access to Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT)... • ...comprehensive criminal justice reform, prioritizing effective treatment over punishment... • Invest in mental and behavioral health resources in schools, communities, and our justice system... |
• Advocating for a holistic approach to addiction, including prevention, treatment, and harm reduction, while promoting evidence-based strategies... • ...medication-assisted treatment (MAT) options... • ...harm reduction measures like supervised injection sites and naloxone distribution... • ...reducing the criminalization of drug use... |
(Not found on website) | (Not found on website) |
| I guess I don't blame these Democratic candidates from evading the Oregon Measure 110 disaster, but I would hope they would have more courage to address the fiasco we have all had to deal with. Oregonians obviously support treatment, but we wanted a more effective way to compel users into treatment -- not just handing out tickets to people openly smoking meth on the streets. Unfortunately I think many Dems are under the illusion that people will make sensible decisions if given the opportunity. | |||
| UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE | |||
| •...every American has access to high-quality, affordable health care with the ultimate goal of a single-payer model... | (Not found on website) | • Medicare for All | • Medicare for All |
| NATIONAL VOTE-BY-MAIL | |||
| • John Lewis Voting Rights Act • For the People Act • Expand national vote-by-mail. • End the electoral college. • Expand statehood to Washington D.C. |
• John Lewis Voting Rights Act • ...Opposing discriminatory voter ID laws... • ...early voting, mail-in balloting, and accessible polling locations... • ...Gerrymandering Rules/Reform... |
• John Lewis Voting Rights act • ...sensible campaign finance reform, including caps on all political contributions... |
• ...automatic voter registration at the age of 18... • ...same-day voter registration... • ...early voting periods... • ...access to mail-in ballots... • ...language access services... • ...restore the Voting Rights Act... • ...combat voter suppression efforts. ...like restrictive voter ID laws, purging voter rolls, and limiting polling places... |
| The John Lewis Voting Rights Act is the bare minimum. A national vote-by-mail system, voter ID ban, expand The House and Electoral College to The Wyoming Rule; statehood for DC, Northern California, and Puerto Rico; uniform gerrymandering; etc. | |||
| IMMIGRATION REFORM | |||
| (Not found on website) | • ...pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have contributed to our communities... • ...Reuniting families separated by immigration policies... • ...protect vulnerable populations, including refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution • ...stand firmly with DACA recipients and Dreamers... • ...ending the detention and deportation of non-violent offenders... • ...stronger labor protections and workers' rights... |
• ...ending the practice of separating families... • ...ensuring Dreamers can seek citizenship without penalty... • ...expanding the pathways to legal immigration... • ...It makes no sense that we prohibit asylum seekers and other immigrants from working while at the same time we’re experiencing a workforce shortage... • ...create and fund efficient, fair, and humane border processes... |
• ...Reinstate and expand DACA... • ...compassionate and fair policy for those seeking asylum... • ...auditing and reimagining agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol.... • ...Provide refuge to those fleeing persecution, violence, and the ravages of climate change... |
| Pathway to citizenship and improving asylum courts are great ideas, but Dems need to be realistic. Illegal immigration is a burden on local governments especially for border states. The federal government does need to set an asylum seeker cap and set a per person budget. I know that sounds harsh, but Dems can't pretend it's not a problem and need to develop solutions with real costs -- not just we can welcome everyone. | |||
| SIGNIFICANT ENDORSEMENTS | |||
| • MultCo Commish Sharon Meieran • The Oregonian • Fmr Gov Kitzhaber • Fmr Gov Kulongoski • Fmr MultCo Lisa Naito |
• Pride Northwest Exec Dir Debra Porta • Community Warehouse Exec Dir Anna kurnizki • Portland Gay Men’s Chorus Exec Dir Mark McCrary |
• US Sen Bernie Sanders • US Rep Ilhan Omar • Fmr State Sen Avel Gordly • Ptld Commish Carmen Rubio(?) • Fmr Ptld Commish Steve Novick |
• Stacey Abrams • Human Rights Campaign PAC • State Rep Rob Nosse • Ptld Commish Carmen Rubio(?) |
