Eugene weekly., April 15, 2004, Page 4, Image 4

TO THE EDITOR
ADDICTED TO WAR
It is tax season, and I have stamped my en-
velope and sent my check to the state of
Oregon, wishing there was a fairer tax struc-
ture with increased taxes for those with higher
incomes and corporations, that provided much
needed revenue for education, social, medical
and other services.
But I will not voluntarily give a penny of
my federal income tax to the federal govern-
ment. Taxes of the wealthy and of corporations
have been vastly reduced. Military expendi-
tures have vastly increased, as the government
invests billions for nuclear weapons in space,
stations armed forces around the world, and
pays for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hundreds of U.S. soldiers and thousands of
Iraqi people are being slaughtered. The na-
tional debt has climbed into more trillions and
the entire Social Security “Trust” Fund has
been loaned out. Medicare, vital to such a large
proportion of our elderly population, is being
dismantled. Human services are becoming vir-
tually nonexistent. The U.S. budget is in sham-
bles. The continued viability of the economy,
and especially the dignified, stable lifestyles of
millions of middle and lower income people,
are threatened.
Let’s look at our U.S. government in the
same way we regard an addicted member of
our family. Our government is addicted to war
and has lost the abilities, structures, and habits
of peace-making, of love. Sometimes, mem-
bers of a family, and in this case, the general
public of the United States, need to surround
the addicted family member with love and
with firmness, to say “No” to their addictive
habits and help them re-learn how to live in a
functional way.
My refused federal income tax and federal
excise taxes on my telephone bills will be used
for life-giving purposes. Retired General
Hague once said, “Let them march all they
want, if they pay their taxes.”
Peg Morton
Eugene
A FEW GOOD COPS
I would like to praise Hanna Olsen’s letter
(4/1). Coming and saying something like that
in Eugene is as bad as admitting you were a
communist during the McCarthy trials. The
one thing we all seem to forget is what she
stated: Police officers are people and not all of
them are bad as some people would like them
to be.
I have much respect for the police officers
of both Eugene and Springfield. And they
have on more than one occasion either helped
me when I was in danger or just helped me.
When Kip Kinkle decided to shoot up my high
school, the police were quick to respond. The
ones I met handled the situation with care. The
ones that took down our information were
kind and polite. The Eugene police officers
that I met and talked to during the Nike Town
riot of October in that same year were all kind
and respectable.
Am I saying that there are no bad officers?
No, I am sure that there are a microscopic and
tiny few who are, but this is a very tiny section
of a larger group of fine, respectable people
who day in and out put their lives on the line to
save ours.
And by the way, could anyone find me the
actual piece of paper or legislation that says
there is a separation of church and state?
“Freedom of religion,” not Freedom from reli-
gion.
James Ready
Springfield
SHOOTING CANS
Thank you for Tom Lininger’s opinion
piece (3/25) about the recent Supreme Court
decision resulting in obstacles for those prose-
cuting domestic violence cases. I found it in-
formative and well thought out until Lininger,
questioning the justice’s opinion, wonders if
he “was shooting cans with batterers the night
before he issued the decision.”
BY PETE SORENSON AND GARY ‘‘SPRUCE’ HOUSER
A Coalition to
Defeat Bush
Learning from the Germans
I
t has not fully dawned on progressive, “Green”-oriented voters in this country that
the expectedly close election may very well place in their astonished hands not only
the power to defeat Bush but also push the Democratic Party in a bolder direction.
The numbers from the last election irrefutably reveal that the Nader vote in many
states was larger than the margin of difference between Bush and Gore.
Sharply contested elections have been seen elsewhere as golden opportunities to
use crucially needed votes as “leverage” to move mainstream parties toward positive
changes. In Germany in 2002, there was a very close election between the liberal Social
Democratic Party (SDP) and the conservative Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU).
The German Green Party recognized a chance to exercise influence and entered into ne-
gotiation with the SDP about Green-oriented policies it would be willing to support if a
coalition between the two was able to defeat the conservatives. The Green vote indeed
made the crucial difference and the coalition was formed.
German Coalition Advances Progressive Cause
A formal “Coalition Agreement” has been signed that includes the following: 1) All
nuclear power plants in Germany will be phased out; 2) the principle of sustainable de-
velopment shall be the “central goal of the government’s reform policies, guiding the
way government does its business;” 3) consumer protection will be recognized as a
“central cross-cutting principle of government action;” 4) “on climate protection,
Germany is to propose that the European Union adopt a 30 percent greenhouse gas re-
duction target and, if EU agrees, itself adopt a 40 percent target;” 5) an agricultural pol-
icy will be adopted that is “orientated to nature and people and their health” and which
“rewards animal welfare;” and 6) extensive food labeling will be done to provide trans-
parency and respect consumer choice regarding genetically modified foods.
In addition, Greens have been installed in the quite significant cabinet posts of for-
eign minister, environment minister, and minister of consumer protection, food and agri-
culture.
In the U.S., it would be quite a stretch to imagine people with Green credentials being
appointed to secretary of state or director of the EPA. The “winner take all” system (as
4 APRIL 15, 2004
opposed to the more democratic system of proportional representation in places like
Germany where 8 percent of the vote translates into 8 percent representation in gov-
ernment) does not allow for much influence by smaller political parties. Extremely close
elections, however — even in systems like the U.S. — are one of the few exceptions to this
general rule.
Strategic Alliance to Defeat Bush
A cooperative alliance could be formed between Sen. Kerry, Gov. Dean, Sen. Edwards,
Rep. Kucinich and Nader. Kerry and Nader could negotiate their own form of the
German Coalition Agreement. Nader could ask Kerry to use his executive powers to im-
plement progressive changes and also propose and support specific legislation. He
could request that Kerry commit to specific appointments. In return, Nader could agree
to use his candidacy as a pulpit to promote his views but not seek ballot access in the
key swing states.
One of this column’s authors, Peter Sorenson, actually presented a proposal in early
2000 to Gore’s campaign manager that is similar to what we now describe. He sug-
gested that Gore offer to appoint Nader as attorney general. If this proposal had been
accepted and implemented, it is very possible the entire election would have turned out
differently.
Nader has agreed to meet with Kerry during April to discuss how they can “collabo-
rate” toward the “common goal” of defeating Bush. Nader is to be commended for tak-
ing this step, one he refused four years ago. Even if these discussions do not bear imme-
diate fruit, an all-important line of communication will have been established. Further
into the election year, tensions on all sides are bound to increase. As this happens, it will
be very fortuitous for Kerry and Nader to have initiated this link.
Many progressives are beginning to catch on to the rare and amazing power that this
election may very well give them. Some are actively laying the groundwork for a
German-style, strategic coalition between progressive Democrats and Greens called the
Green Democratic Alliance. It is receiving its initial impetus right here in Eugene, where
the concept was enthusiastically embraced by Kucinich in his recent visit. In order to
share this concept nationwide, a website is about to be launched at www.greendemocra-
ticalliance.org
The German Greens have “raised the bar” and challenged progressives worldwide to
join them in a profound paradigm shift. Those who advocate for a sustainable way of life
must begin to pro-actively direct government policy rather than react against it. If U.S.
Greens and Green-sympathizers follow the inspiring path that has been demonstrated
in Germany, the result will be such empowerment.
Pete Sorenson is a Democrat, working with the Kerry campaign, and a Lane County Commissioner. Spruce Houser has
been involved in many Green-oriented public interest campaigns, including a ballot initiative to assert local democratic