TO THE EDITOR
compensation” when condemning or taking
private property. Oregon does not need
Measure 37. It would be a disaster.
Karen Reid
Springfield
RURAL DOCS GET HELP
Supporters of Measure 35 claim it is
needed to help rural doctors. But I just found
out that the Oregon Legislature passed a law
last year providing funds to pay up to 80 per-
cent of their malpractice insurance. This is an
Oregon solution developed by a Republican
Legislature and signed by a Democratic gov-
ernor. Why do we need to amend the
Constitution and pass Amendment 35 if rural
doctors are already getting help? Let’s give
our Oregon solution a chance to work. Vote
no on Constitutional Amendment 35.
Kristin Barber
Springfield
THE RIGHT TO WEALTH
Many people wonder about the sincerity
of the Bush administration when they speak
about promoting democracy abroad and how
democracy in the Arab world is essential to
our national security. I believe they are sin-
cere down to the bottoms of their hearts. I
also believe that when they speak of democ-
racy, they are really speaking of capitalism
and free trade. I believe that they truly think
that our national security hinges on securing
the rights of American corporations to do
business abroad. Their heart-felt belief is that
this corporate success all over the world will
guarantee our way of life for decades to
come. I believe that most Americans have
lost sight of any separation between democ-
racy and capitalism. And people have bought
into the idea that to protect the American
dream, one must defend the right of any
American to amass as much wealth as is hu-
manly possible.
If this is what you believe to be the prom-
ise of America, then the Bush message is
your ticket to the future — your lottery ticket
that, if you play just right, can make you the
next Donald Trump.
I am reminded of the story in Exodus,
when Moses was late returning from the
mountaintop. Those who were frightened that
they had been deceived began to melt down
their gold and make false idols to worship.
Our way of life has become the worship of
these false idols of oil and wealth. And a reli-
gious zealot playing on our fears can do great
harm.
Carol Horne
Eugene
PARTISAN FACTION
Faye Stewart’s recent curious boasting
(letter to Eugene Chamber 8/13) of being “an
active member of Eugene’s business commu-
nity” along with his earlier saying he’ll sell
the Lane County Fairgrounds and form a rad-
ical partisan voting faction with
Commissioner Anna Morrison concerns me
greatly. His apparent lack of judgment and
political independence are very disappoint-
ing. Stewart’s acceptance of $1,700 of cam-
paign cash from notorious Eugene developer
John Musumeci who lusts after our fair-
grounds is deeply distressing.
When the Board of Commissioners chose
former Mayor Don Hampton to fill Tom
Lininger’s vacated East Lane seat, they (in-
cluding Commissioner Morrison) rejected
Stewart as a finalist due to his obvious lack of
suitable qualifications.
While Hampton’s political resume in-
cludes the Lane Economic Committee,
Chairman of LRAPA, Coast Fork/Middle
Fork and McKenzie Watershed Councils and
16 years in local elective office, Stewart’s re-
cent campaign reports read like a “who’s
who” of Eugene developer interests —
poised to trample upon our rural Lane
County’s special character.
As a retired dentist who had to come up
the ranks in my profession with years of
training, internship and hands-on experience,
I am more comfortable with Hampton’s 30
years of experience in East Lane classrooms
and 16 years of local and county office.
Those thousands of hours and hundreds of is-
sues give Hampton the winning edge in my
book. Big campaign money, high priced po-
litical consultants and saturation commer-
cials can’t compete with Hampton’s record of
experience and independence!
Dr. Tom Creager
Cottage Grove
REJECT MEASURE 35
Did you know it is easier to check the
background on a contractor remodeling your
kitchen than it is to find out if your surgeon
has a history of reckless or negligent behav-
ior? If we want to improve patient safety we
should crack down on reckless and negligent
doctors. Measure 35 will not do anything to
improve patient safety and it will hurt
Oregonians. Before we amend the constitu-
tion we should try something less drastic.
Voters should reject Measure 35.
Cathy Fitzsimmons
Eugene
THINK OF THE DAMAGE
In 1993 I lived in Colorado and worked
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