Bus Project engages youth in politics
The project invites many
Oregonians to participate
in politics and to support
progressive candidates
Roman Gokhman
Campus/City Culture Reporter
The Oregon Bus Project repre
sents a cross between MTV’s “Road
Rules” and “Mr. Smith Goes To
Washington” — it’s a bus full of
politicians and students traveling
around Oregon in support of pro
gressive candidates in swing districts
where the vote can go either way.
The project is now in its second
year of increasing youth participa
tion in politics, and supporters say it
has been incredibly successful. The
brainchild of Portland lawyer Jeffer
son Smith, the project has been
championed by Democrats all over
the state.
“I was the person to say ‘We need
to get on the damn bus,’” Smith said,
adding the project would not be pos
sible without the support of others
— such as Gov. Ted Kulongoski, for
mer Gov. John Kitzhaber and Sen.
Ron Wyden, and many high school
and university students.
Kulongoski said the project gave a
renewed energy to campaigns in 2002.
“(The project) brought a fresh
new way for young people to have
an immediate impact on the politi
cal process,” he said in an e-mail
interview.
"(The project) brought
a fresh new way for
young people to have
an immediate impact
on the political
process"
Ted Kulongoski
governor of Oregon
Oregon Secretary of State Bill
Bradbury said he also supports the
project because he is worried that
youth participation in politics is
declining.
“That’s a real concern,” he said. “I
support anything involving getting
young people to vote.” Bradbury has
given four speeches in support of the
program and of its leader.
Smith said he has several goals for
the project: Bridge the urban-rural
divide that separates liberals in met
ropolitan areas and conservatives in
agricultural towns, engage people —
especially youths — in politics, and
get them to vote for progressive can
didates. All of the candidates the
project has supported to date have
been Democrats.
“We’re not adverse with support
ing progressive Republicans — as
long as they are truly progressive,”
said Portland attorney Anne
Martens, Smith’s coworker.
Project members bought a 1978
touring coach in May and “filled it
with crazed loons,” Smith said.
“Riders” travel to cities and towns
where progressive candidates have a
chance to win elections, hold com
munity conversations and go door
to-door to support these candidates.
Project members select the candi
date they want to support by judging
his or her attention to the “six E’s”
— education, election reform, envi
ronment, economic fairness, equal
rights and ’ealth care.
Martens said she joined the proj
ect to counteract cynicism in poli
tics, adding that many people com
plain about the effect politics has on
their lives without doing anything
about it.
Smith said riders knocked on
about 70,000 doors during the last
Oregon election cycle.
“This is the most exciting thing in
Oregon politics in the last 20 years,”
he said. “Oregon should be a state
that sets an example to the nation of
what a state can be like.”
Smith, a 1996 University gradu
ate, said too many people think poli
tics is boring — something he is try
ing to change.
About two-thirds of riders have
been students, Smith said. Universi
ty students, such as ASUO President
Rachel Pilliod and College Democ
rats Co-Chairman Mike Linman,
have gone on several trips.
University freshman Eathan Fir
po, who rode on 10 trips and in
terned for the project, said Jeffer
son’s dream has been successful so
Courtesy
far. Firpo said he got involved in the
project because he was tired of voic
ing his opinions but not reinforcing
them with actions.
“I had been an armchair philoso
pher too long without doing some
thing,” he said. “I needed to be a
part of it.”
Contact the reporter
atromangokhman@dailyemerald.com.
uueb Pore/
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Crime watch
Theft and recoveries
The Department of Public Safety received stolen
bike reports from Hamilton Complex and from an
off-campus location. DPS also received four found
property reports.
Saturday, Feb. 15,11:52 p.m.: DPS received a
report of a subject carrying two bicycle tires at the
East 13th Avenue and Agate Street intersection.
Disorderly conduct
DPS received eight suspicious subject reports, four
graffiti reports, three noise reports, three trespass
ing reports, two vandalized vending machine re
ports and two disorderly conduct reports.
Saturday, Feb. 15,6:55 a.m.: DPS received a
report of a male subject on the roof of Gilbert Haii
Sunday, Feb. 16,1:51 a.m.: DPS received a re
port of a verbal dispute at Lot 16, near PLC
Monday, Feb, 17, 2:27 a.m.: DPS received a
report of harassment, which occurred via online
instant messenger at Bean Complex.
:
Monday, Feb. 17, 4:00 p.m.: DPS received a
report of two students being stalked near Pacific
Hall. Eugene Police Department is presently inves -
tigating a possible stalking order on the suspect.
Monday, Feb. 17, 4:37 p.m.: DPS received a
report of public indecency by a male subject at the
Knight Library.
DPS received reports of five issued minor in pos
session of alcohol citations, three alcohol-related
incidents and three drug law violations.
11,12;44 a.m.; DPS received a
* DPS received 10 towing/traffk related reports,
three sleeping suspect reports and two can rum
maging reports.
Friday, Feb. 14,11:08 a.m.: DPS received a re
port of two dogs exhibiting violence near East
1!
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officers to issue more than a letter
of trespass.
Hicks said neither of the two al
leged masturbators are University
students, and EPD spokeswoman
Kerry Delf added that the two
suspect descriptions are complete
ly different.
Contact the reporter
at caronalarab@dailyemerald.com.
014617
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• GMAT • TOEFL* PPST/P
The University of Oregon Testing Office is an official ETS computer-based
testing site. Testing is available year-round, Monday-Friday, 2 sessions a
day. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 541.346.2772 or by visiting
the Testing Office.
The Testing Office is located on the 2nd floor (Rm. 238) of the University
Health and Counseling Center, 1590 E. 13th Ave., Eugene OR.
The period of greatest demand is usually Sept, through March, so it makes
sense to plan ahead.
For more information visit the Testing Office web site at
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