TO THE EDITOR
tween interested parties? What about com-
munity input or democratic debate on such
subjects? Or is our democratic process being
thwarted? Are “we the people” powerless to
influence decisions that affect our commu-
nity’s quality of life? Not if we take a stand;
not if we speak out; not if we vote with our
voice and pocketbooks. Other communities
have done it and we can do it, too.
Communities can influence local political
and economic quality of life decisions.
Sometimes when you see how the “good old
boy wheeler-dealers” make things happen, it
just doesn’t feel like it. Enough already.
Debra McGee
Eugene
YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE
A few days ago I found a button that my
dad got when he was in college. Jumbled
with promotional buttons from his old job,
old Eugene Celebration buttons and a ran-
dom mix of silly and strange buttons, this one
caught my eye. It said, “If I were 21 I’d vote
for Barry.” I turned 21 this week and I’ve
been voting for three years.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for
many of my peers. It shouldn’t surprise us
that tuition is going up and entry level jobs
are going down when only 36 percent of the
18- to 25-year-old age group showed up to
vote in the last presidential election. Issues
that matter to us are ignored by politicians be-
cause we aren’t the ones who elect them.
It’s great to hear about groups like the
Oregon Bus Project (cover story, 4/15). On
the UO campus the New Voter Project is
working to register as many people as possi-
ble and encourage them to use their votes.
Your vote is your voice. Politicians make de-
cisions that will affect your life. If that’s not
enough of a reason to vote think about how
hard my dad and his generation worked to
give us that voice. Now that we have it, use it!
Keely Hartel
Eugene
PROUD TO BE A DEMOCRAT
I have never been more proud to be a
Democrat. Whether at the local, state, or fed-
eral level, the Democratic Party is offering
candidates who are smart, experienced, and
dedicated to helping those who have been in-
tentionally left behind. Sure, there are differ-
ences within the party as to who should be the
Democrat representing us as mayor or coun-
cilor, but can anyone say we have chosen bad
candidates? I don’t think so. Can anyone say
we have chosen folks who are without im-
mense talent or integrity? How would you
like to be a lobbyist who had to go into Peter
DeFazio’s office and try to offer him cam-
paign money as bait to switch his vote against
something he felt important to Oregonians?
That is integrity.
Or try to convince Kitty Piercy, Andrea
Ortiz, Betty Taylor, David Kelly or
Democratic Lane County commissioners like
Peter Sorenson to go along with something
that was against the interests of the poor and
the powerless? That is compassion .
It takes guts to get out in front of the peo-
ple and offer to be a leader, and whatever hap-
pens in May or November, we Democrats did
well in choosing candidates with that
courage. Sometimes it is difficult to see the
difference between political parties, but not
here, not now. I have lived in places where I
felt no one represented me in local or federal
office, and that is a lonely feeling. All I had
were Ralph Nader types, pretending to be for
the people, but never having the guts to be-
come Democrats and hold office.
Hugh Massengill
Eugene
ENDORSE BETTY TAYLOR
Once in a while a person with intelli-
gence, integrity, experience and devotion to
the people she or he serves will run for office.
We now have such a person in Betty Taylor.
She truly works for the long-term good of our
community. Betty speaks out for the kind of
progress that enhances the very quality of life
that attracts people to live and work in
Eugene. She supports helping our existing
local businesses and promoting a healthy
downtown, as well as protecting area water-
ways and trees.
Voters in Ward 2 who believe in open and
accessible city government should join the
many organizations and leaders who endorse
Betty, and cast their votes for this wise and
hard-working candidate.
Marjorie Tracy
Eugene
VOTING WITH ENVY
I’ll mark my ballot with excitement and a
little envy this spring. I’m excited to vote for
Bonny Bettman and Kitty Piercy. Candidates
so competent and committed to conservation
and compassionate community values can al-
ways count on my vote.
Yet I’m envious of my former neighbors
between 13th Avenue and the river because
they get to vote for Andrea Ortiz, and I do not.
When I was in Ward 7, I never got any good
choices for City Council on the ballot.
Instead, my only choice was Meisner.
Don’t get me wrong. I think Meisner is a
decent, intelligent guy. For instance, a while
ago I tried to get the council to protect civil
liberties by voting against a dangerous ordi-
nance. The ordinance took powers of punish-
ment, which any kid knows are supposed to
be the purview only of judge and jury, and
handed them to the police, by letting them de-
cide who was allowed the freedom to fre-
quent our downtown. When I cited the Bill of
Rights’ guarantee that liberties shall not be
taken away with out due process, Meisner
mumbled along earnestly, as if he sort-of,
kind-of, almost knew the Fifth Amendment
by heart. I was shocked, then when, instead of
voting with Kelly and Taylor to protect civil
liberties, he blithely black-eyed the Bill of
Rights by voting with Nathanson and com-
pany to implement the ordinance.
Ward 7 could do worse than Meisner, I
suppose, but finally it has a chance to do bet-
ter. Elect Andrea Ortiz.
Martin Champion
Eugene
NEW LEADERSHIP NEEDED
This year (finally) our nation’s environ-
ment will be a high priority among voters.
The same will be true for Eugene residents
when they cast their ballots for the May 18
primary. In that regard, the R-G editorial staff
was off the mark when they chose to endorse
the Ward 7 incumbent Eugene City Councilor
Scott Meisner.
In choosing Meisner, the editorial staff
mistakenly used the word “independent” to
characterize him. The evidence, as judged by
public interest groups, would indicate other-
wise. This incumbent has primarily served
private interests in his decision-making, to
MAY 6, 2004 5