Who They Should Be Quoting

Too often, when looking for expertise on public policy, the "go-to" regional think tank is the Cascade Policy Institute, which is actually sad.

The Cascade Policy Institute hates you. Typically they are for anything that give business a regulation-free hand; they dress like conservatives and usually talk like some odd hybrid of Conservative Republican and Libertarian. But they do it oh, so reasonably, so you can't just tune them out.

The real organization that the news should look to, in my opinion, is the Oregon Center for Public Policy. In so far as policies and politics popular amongst the power elite over the last twenty years has favored the powerful and wealthy at the expense of the working class, OCPP, a Silverton-based organization realizes that too few people speak on behalf of the people in our society who ussually get given the short end of the stick and are told to like it. From their core principles document which can be viewed in full here:

• Stand with the poor. We search for solutions that benefit all Oregonians, but always with a special focus on the interests of the low-income.
• Economic justice. We believe in the equitable distribution of the economy's benefits.
• Good government works.
  We believe that government plays a necessary and positive role, and we
  are vigilant and critical in pursuit of improved effectiveness and
  efficiency.

I believe as they do. And they do a hell of a good job in articulating that making sure that the counting in the poor (which, if we let things be, most of us will be soon) isn't just good sense or some form of elite nobless oblige but an ironclad prerequisite for a country that isn't rotting from the inside out (kind of like what America is doing right now, thanks to the tender mercies of the Republican party).

Any set of wonks with a good heart who comes out of a little Oregon town does just fine by me.

They're some of The Good Guys.

The Bravest Man In Baker County

Chuck Butcher needs no introduction to anyone stumbling on this blog.

The reason I mention this is that after noticing me following him and putting a couple comments on this blog, he made me a member of his blogroll. I have, naturally, reciprocated.

But I notice he's an old hand round these parts, and I'm a squirt, so any announcing on his behalf is hardly necessary on my part. But I do admire Chuck because he's Democratic Party chair in Baker County, and that takes some courage if you ask me.

More than I've got, that's for sure.

So, mad urban-style props to you, Chuck.

"When the town is burning you don't check party labels. Everybody needs to grab a hose."

Waldport Mayor Herman Welch has left the Republican Party for the independents, incidentally making him the first (as far as the Independent Party of Oregon knows) independent public office-holder in Oregon.

See ya, wouldn't wanta be ya:

At the age of 74 and after 53 years, I have finally quit the Republican Party and have re-registered as an independent voter.

Most of us understand that the president's economic recovery program
is not perfect and perhaps has flaws. But we also understand that our
country is in the midst of a very serious crisis. The president
understands the gravity of the problem and is trying to do something
about it.

The Republicans in Congress (except for the three who put their
country first and set aside party ideology by voting for the stimulus
bill) have offered no constructive economic recovery ideas except to
continue tax cuts for the rich (if any are left) and offer only
worn-out ideology.

I still believe in having political parties that engage in vigorous
constructive dialogue on economic issues, but as President Obama said
recently, "When the town is burning you don't check party labels.
Everybody needs to grab a hose."

(the above from his Oregonian Letter To The Editor of the 22nd)

He's taking what I like to call The Chinuk Prescription: If you're sane enough to leave the Republican Party and can't stomach the idea of being a Democrat, at least register independent.

Moreover I'd add here that if you have senior-age Mayors of small conservative coastal towns deserting your party, you're not getting ahead. This guy supported you since the waning days of Ike.

Republicans never liked thier elders if they spoke sense anyway.

Welcome to reality, Mayor Welch.

Draft DeFazio?

He'd make a corker of a Governor. A principled liberal, popular in his district, who is Oregonian through and through.

My enthusiasm is guarded, though. Not because I don't believe in the man (I sure as hell do), but draft efforts in the past have debuted with much promise but wound up quixotic (I still remember the heartbreak of the Draft Kennedy for President campaign in the ancient 80's)

But here's me hoping this shows me up for the jaundiced cynic I am.