Give Us ‘West Wing’
W
atching the debates? Following local
politics? Pulling out your hair?
Suffering from uncontrolled
fits of crying, laughing and nervous
diarrhea? Then you are among the
educated and enlightened who know
how critical this election is — not
only on the cosmic level (the sun
might not come up Nov. 3), but also
down here on the ground where we
walk around and try to make sense of
the human condition.
We’re bleary-eyed and giddy from
wrestling with the endorsements in this issue.
We don’t claim great wisdom and insight, and we’re
biased as hell in favor of democracy, free speech, education, accountability and
other radical concepts. So we urge you to also do your own research. Read the
Voters’ Pamphlet, study daily newspapers, check out the League of Women Voters
election guide, attend City Club debates, listen to public radio, watch CTV, talk to
friends and neighbors, get involved in campaigns, etc.
The biggest decisions in Eugene concern renewing the five-year local option levy to
keep teachers on the job; and the $7 million for a crime victims’ facility to be added
to a new $29 million police station. We’ve twice voted down the fancy cop shop, but
now it’s back in a pretty package. A vote for needy crime victims will likely be used
as a mandate for the police palace. Sneaky. Irritating.
At the county, the Don Hampton/Faye Stewart race is a big one. Will an environmen-
tal progressive or a pro-sprawl conservative carry the swing vote on the polarized
Board of County Commissioners? The implications are huge for the future livability
of Lane County.
The Oregon Senate is evenly divided going into this election. Republicans dominate
the state House, but that could also change in November. Holvey, Barnhart,
Ackerman and Ficek need our help. Some statewide measures on the ballot would
have little impact on our daily lives, but Measure 37, if it passes (shudder), would in
effect eliminate land use planning in Oregon. Picture Eugene sprawling away a la
Las Vegas.
N
ationally we expect DeFazio and Wyden to continue representing us in
Congress. Wyden sometimes acts more like an R than a D, but he’s better
on the issues than Al King, so he gets our nod. The presidential race is
anybody’s guess. Pollsters are predicting another photo finish, but our country has
changed over the past four years. We are more politically polarized, fewer of us are
reading newspapers, more of us rely on talk shows and TV for our “news.”
Mainstream media conglomerations are flexing conservative political muscle.
Grassroots organizations are breaking records registering new voters. All these
things contribute to uncertainty in the presidential crap shoot. At this point, the out-
come of the election will be determined not by undecided voters, but rather by
which campaign inspires more people to get off their butts and vote.
We could grit our teeth and survive another four years of Bush’s bumbling, embar-
rassing incompetence. The bigger problem is his administration. The White House
thugs have to go. Fanatical hawks are driving our foreign policy in reckless direc-
tions and quashing our civil rights, polluters are in charge of dismantling our envi-
ronmental protections as quickly as possible. All attempts to rein in greedy, corrupt
corporations have been subverted. Thanks to Bush appointees and Congress, the
drug companies, oil companies, insurance industry and government contractors are
cashing in while the deficit soars and the poor get poorer. We are being driven to
national bankruptcy in order to stuff corporate coffers.
We would support almost anyone running against Bush, but fortunately the Dems
have come up with a candidate who has the ability to lead us in a whole new and
more positive direction, both at home and abroad. John Kerry would put together
an administration that makes sense. No more rats guarding the cheese. Kerry would
give us a fresh start in world affairs. Kerry would give us a White House that looks
more like “West Wing” and less like “Dynasty.”
Half the people in our country who can vote don’t vote, which means those of us
who do vote are taking on even more responsibility and power. Our national election
will be carefully watched in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, because what
we do is felt around the world. Let’s make some big ripples Tuesday, Nov. 2. Then
we’ll wash our faces, put on some fresh underwear and watch the sun come up
Wednesday on a whole new world. — TJT
4 OCTOBER 14 2004
TO THE EDITOR
HAMPTON’S BEST
I heard my very first Faye Stewart for east
Lane County Commissioner radio plugs
today. He has the support of his wife. That’s
nice. And the support of Lane County’s sher-
iff. That’s something.
But Don Hampton has actual experience
on the job. He may not have family fortune or
developer dollars backing him but he does
have experience as mayor of Oakridge before
being appointed as East Lane Commissioner.
West Lane Commissioner Anna Morrison
even voted for Hampton’s appointment after
passing over Faye Stewart on the list of
wannabees when Tom Lininger resigned the
post to teach law at the UO. Now there’s an
endorsement!
The upcoming commissioner election is
very important. The board is composed of
five commissioners who vote to decide many
issues. Don Hampton has shown himself
willing to vote against highly questionable
land use issues that would make a lot of
money for a few.
What is Faye Stewart’s position on
McDougal and Musumeci style develop-
ment? Know before you vote. The big boys
make millions but there’s nothing in it for lit-
tle people except urban sprawl.
I was out at the Short Mountain land fill
the other day and looked down to find dozens
of Cedric Hayden for CC lawn signs.
Hopefully Faye Stewart’s will soon join them
and Faye can continue his work on the school
board.
Keep Hampton!
Norm Maxwell
Lorane
RESPECT FOR ACKERMAN
State Rep. Robert L. Ackerman is running
for re-election in the North Eugene area and I
would urge voters in that area to return him to
office.
I first met Mr. Ackerman when I elected to
represent Springfield on the Board of LCC.
At that time Mr. Ackerman was chair of that
board. Mr. Ackerman not only earned my re-
spect, but the respect of his other fellow
board members and the members of the ad-
ministration and union leaders with whom he
interacted. He took his role as chair of the
board very seriously and always had some
thoughtful and insightful questions to ask re-
garding the items on which we were to make
decisions. He was especially valuable to the
board and to the college because of his legal
background and his years of experience
gained from his local practice in the legal
field.
I think the citizens of Oregon, Lane
County and Eugene have been well served by
Mr. Ackerman and I, therefore, urge the vot-
ers of his district to retain him as their repre-
sentative in Salem.
G. Dennis Shine
Springfield
A LITTLE RESTRAINT
Indeed, Waldo Lake and the surrounding
landscape is a special place (Outdoors col-
umn, 9/30). So special, that, in the early
1980s, hundreds of Oregonians worked end-
less hours to make sure it was protected as an
official Wilderness area in the 1984 Oregon
Wilderness Act. And much of it was.
Ironically, Waldo Lake itself is not in the
Waldo Lake Wilderness. In the political
horse-trading that preceded passage of the
act, Senator Hatfield decided that the trail
around the west side of the lake should be the
wilderness boundary, so that motorboats
could use the lake and land on the western
shoreline. That left us with two problems:
two-stroke oil-spewing motors polluting one
of the three purest large lakes in the world
and mechanized use (bicycles) of land that
qualifies as Wilderness.
It looks like the Forest Service, with our
help, is about to solve the first problem. We
can solve the second problem with a little
self-restraint. Please honor the land for what
it is, wild and untrammeled.
Get to know Waldo on foot, and ride your