My letter to Oregonian and note to Gordon Smith

[OregonBlue]

Senator Smith, Check out the Zogby poll, 1,275 likely voters and decide if you want to go on towing the party line or are you going to stand up for what's right? FYI, here's a copy of the letter I just sent to the Oregonian:

As I watched the nightmare unfolding in New Orleans, I called Senators Wyden and Smith to find out what they were doing to help. Mr. Wyden was back in Washington meeting with other leaders. Mr. Gordon Smith’s office informed me that he was “on a constituent tour”.

In the Energy Committee hearings yesterday, Mr. Wyden stated that the major oil industry players are holding $80,000,000,000, and demanded to know why they are not putting money back into energy infrastructure. While Mr. Wyden insisted on a written response to questions about gouging and reinvestment, Mr. Smith maintained the party line. He stated that during the Carter administration it was the imposition of price caps that led to long gas lines. Of course it was the oil embargo that led to long gas lines but HEH, who cares about facts?

Mr. Smith maintains the party line that, it is “boutique” fuels and ANWAR and government red tape that makes it unprofitable for the oil industry to build more refineries or reinvest in infrastructure. I personally consider $80,000,000,000 profitable.

My questions for Mr. Smith are, will he finally step up to the plate and stop the “business as usual” rip-off of the American people? Does he represent Oregonians or oil companies?

[FightingIrish]

1. Sounds like our delegation is getting an earful this week.

I sent this today:

Dear Senator Wyden,
I am writing you, Senator Smith and Representative Walden in one last attempt to see our constitution work. The Bush administration has committed one more fatal error and this time the innocent victims are not that far from home. Rewarding unqualified political supporters with positions critical to public safety is as criminal as his illegal war in Iraq. I was horrified to hear that Representative Blumenauer believes that impeachment is not appropriate because it would be as disruptive as the travesty of the Clinton impeachment. If George Bush is not long overdue for impeachment, then we should have no such provision in our constitution. Please exercise some leadership over our congressional delegation. If not, we will have some very junior new faces in the next congress.

[BlueJac]

3. Good Work....

I agree that if congressman are not doing OUR BUSINESS, the peoples work, then they must go. Junior congressman don't hurt my feelings, if this happened I think we would be getting some better action out of DC. Keep badger them, I've been doing that in Washington for quite some time. Demand they do what is right for the people!

[OregonBlue]

5. I know what you mean. I badger my represenative Walden all

the time. Write Wyden often and seldom bother with Smith. The last wekk 1/2 I've written and called to many times! I'm emailing all my letters, etc., to all my neighbors and checking to make sure they write and call too. These guys are getting an earfull.

Walden is vulnerable. Represents a moderate district, not really Republican but they threw in Wasco County.

[BlueJac]

6. Just keep working on them....

we can only hope! :kick:

[insanity]

7. Walden is not vulnerable

The people of southern oregon (less Ashland) generally love Walden. Look at how handedly he defeated his last two opponents (Buckley and the other guy). If there is someone who is vulnerable it is Sen. Smith, as he is being viewed more negatively since the lobbyist scandal.

[Robert Oak]

2. while you're at it

How about Oregon's disaster preparedness?

The tsunami warning was an absolute disaster!

Not even any sirens!

It's ridiculous how many people happen to be listening to the police scanner in order to see if there is a tsunami warning!

Plus have they even put supplies in locked small shelters at the emergency meet points? Hell no! They could easily put up some steel/aluminium buildings at the meeting points full of supplies and have them secured.

But, the Oregon coast guard I'm sure would be fantastic. They are constantly plucking people off of the rocks normally and just in general seems very together out here.

But, in terms of evacuation plans in some regions it's an absolute joke.

[sandnsea]

4. Guess what

My son works at the Fred Meyer here in Florence, he says they get tsunami warnings all the time. Only thing is, they don't know whether it's 20 inches or 20 feet. AND I never know there's a tsunami warning at all and neither does anybody else in town. Also, don't count on the Coast Guard because they've been reduced too, I'm pretty sure all of ours are gone.

I bet our pets are okay though, the humane society here has a $500,000 annual budget.