Oregon Governor's debate tonight 8pm channel 10

[Viva_La_Revolution]

The biggest political question in Oregon for the last several weeks - without a lot of visible poll results - is the state of play in the governor’s race, between incumbent Democrat Ted Kulongoski and Republican challenger Ron Saxton.

Looks increasingly as if, after a stretch where the candidates were closely matched, the governor has opened a substantial lead again.

We’re not sure we buy the whole 11-point Kulongoski lead in the just-released Riley Research (of Portland) poll report (this copy by way of the Oregonian political blog). But, with maybe a few points shaved off, it does match other scraps of evidence we’ve encountered lately about the top Oregon contest.


Mods, I know you'll have to move this, but give it a few minutes, please? :loveya:

[davidinalameda]

1. I think that we will lose that race

Everything I've seen has said that Kulongoski is pretty much toast

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. are you watching?

I'm curious about other opinions of Kulongoski. All I hear is "he's done nothing"

I don't have much of an opinion of him myself. He's not in the news very often. :shrug:

[sandnsea]

6. Mental Health Parity #1

Fighting the land use law so we don't lose environmental protections. Adding lottery funding to education. Fighting for civil unions. Turned unemployment rates around. The meth program.

He's actually done a lot, it just seems that it's actual work and not empty slogans, so people don't recognize it as much.

[classof56]

8. Check Kulongoski's website--TedforGov.com

Good summary of his accomplishments and his vision for Oregon's future. I support Ted, have his sign in my yard, have donated to his campaign and I have written endorsements for him. Maybe he won't go down as one of our great governors (Tom McCall for instance) but he's a whole heckuva lot better than Saxton, who the way I see it would do nothing positive for our state and our future and could take us giant steps backwards.

I encourage everyone to vote for Kulongoski. Ignore the Oregonian's editorial endorsement of Saxton. Remember--they endorsed Bush in 2000 and we all know how well that worked out!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Saxon sets off my Ick meter

not as loudly as bush did, but he's definitely smarmy.

[sandnsea]

4. He's doing good in Florence

Lots of Kulongoski signs, lots of Dem signs. The funniest thing I saw, though, was a Ron Saxton sign in the middle of a clear cut last week-end. I wish I'd had a camera. Riley called our house and Florence is a pretty middle of the road bunch of voters. I think Kulongoski's going to win. I missed the debate though, dang.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. ON now! at least PBS in Portland is carrying it

got cable out there on the Wet Ccoast? :hi:


K actually pointed out the fact that the new meth law has cut down on the number of home labs, but now there is meth coming in in large batches from elsewhere. I tried to tell them.

[sandnsea]

7. Got it

Thanks!!

[sandnsea]

9. I think he's doing very good

I can't see what Saxton has to offer at all. Governors don't have a significant impact on pollution???

And newsflash, if they harvest any more timber over here, we aren't going to have any trees left and I'm not kidding.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. I'm trying to take notes for a wrap up post, but those answers pissed me off

what a jerk

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. "Mr. Saxon likes to tell me what I think!"

says with disgust by the Gov. :rofl:

[sandnsea]

13. I wish he was clearer on the forests

I wish he'd defend logging in Old Growth better, that was a key problem on the Biscuit. I'm glad he's clear in defending the roadless areas at least.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

10. Marking your ballot for Opti-scan - don't use black Bics!!

Elections office says too much red in the ink makes it not read. :wow:

blue or pencil.

[sandnsea]

14. Ours - don't use pencils

Ours are ink only, so why don't they just say blue pens only to cover the whole state. Grr.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. I just threw up a post, other states use Opti-scans...

Will you please add the info about the pencils in your district?

Now we have to freakin worry if our vote will get counted because of the color of the friking ink they told us was ok to use!! aaaghhahhhhhhh!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2483398&mesg_id=2483398

[sandnsea]

16. Yeah I did

I knew about the red ink cuz I had checked previously. I didn't know about the black. We don't use bubbles though.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

17. very rough notes...

I'll try and find time to flesh them out tomorrow.



PERS – S says K was ignoring the problem until he brought it up 4 years ago

K put 40 troopers back on the road and expanded the crime labs
trying to find more funds anywhere to hire more

2 billion in future revenues. 1.4 will go back in kickers

DA’s back K
S by local sheriffs

rural crime seems to be rising?

S says K believes that state government can’t operate an more cheaply and we have
to raise taxes to pay. I believe we can change the way it runs and cut costs.

K I reformed Pers, Juvenile justice system, and ?

Education
K efficiency in school system, unified health care, outsourcing payroll and ? , start with pre-school to avoid spending in juvenile system.
reporter asks – where will this money come from?
k – things like the health care, transportation is a big chunk of budget. all OR needs to be educated. This is the most important thing we can invest in.
S says we’re not getting the job done. More money is not the answer. ( That’s not what he said asshole!)
plan to keep college avail to working ors
s- community college reducing teaching staff in k-12??!!
k – Shared Responsibility program for college loans


k has done nothing about global warming until lately, sounds like.
S will not address it at all, says governors have nothing they can do about it. (except PREPARE moron!!)

s says the feds have not been pulling the rug out from under or
k – we need to insist the feds honor the contract with the NW in effect for 100 years

Salvage logging
S does not accept the premise of the question
K timber harvest up 30%. must salvage within 2 years, but that’s not happening. after that they need to be left for the good of the forest.

S against of rez casinos

dykes need repairs
S – we have to get on top of this, no one is paying attention. access the conditions, the state did not build these, we need to find people responsible and charge them
K – pacific corp. had the respon. of maintaining the dykes, they have not been maintained.

il. immigration
K – (too many services given to illegal) Fed law has laws that are being broken.
Tough on border situation, humane to people For guest worker program
s – said didn’t I already answer that? says k has given 4 different answers
K I have been consistent about immigration, agrees with bush ick

Priority first 6 months
s – we’re going to change some of the agency heads, do audits, education involves more money but also more scrutiny
k- greater efficiency, 14 of 18 recs made by business
education, health care (Healthy care), OR renewable energy capitol of the us.

liked k’s answer about leg. meeting 120 days one year, 60 next to deal with budget issues caused by fed. gov.

S- merit pay for teachers
k- no, give ops to more education, pay based on teachers investment, time etc.

s - k has proposed $4 mill in new taxes
k- nothing more important then investing in education. global economy, you have to be able to compete. didn’t really refute the new taxes except some funding from current programs

#48
s – no on #48. yes on #41 –
k- first time he’s said no on 48, $41 horrible for OR, will take money that is needed to rebuild general fund that fell 25% in 03


closing comments
K – I’m not the flashiest politician around, and I don’t attend a lot of photo ops. or in #10 in job creation, economic growth, rate of hunger, business growth.
s – action plan for Oregon. Is it time for change? (stole the dem line, lol) used editorial comments to boost his creds!

[sandnsea]

18. Additional comments

Rural employment - Saxton supports corporate ag, Kulongoski mentioned ethanol plant, environmental focus.

Logging - the trees have to come out within 2 years in order for the wood to be useable. K says that's the forest service's fault. I'm not entirely sure, I suppose if the forest service didn't try to log where they aren't supposed to they could get the sales done faster. OTOH, it is environmentalist strategy to fight every sale making it difficult to get any through within 2 years. When K talked about not logging on land that hadn't ever been logged, I don't know why he just didn't say "Old Growth". Are there seriously people in this state who don't want to protect Old Growth???

Immigrant driver's licenses - Nobody said this, but when my son got his driver's license he needed very specific documentation and a ton of it. I can't see how the process could be more difficult, and forgeries will never be stopped. I also wish somebody would say that it doesn't matter who does low-end jobs, they will always need state assistance. I did like that Kulongoski started with illegal employers, that's one step better than Saxton.

Anyway, this really seemed to me a classic people Dem vs corporate Pug debate.