O c to b e r 18, 2000
Page A 4
(Tlje ^lorthxnò ©bsertter
RE Opinion
Articles do not
necessarily reflect or
represent the views of
Chr Iportlanb (OhacrLier
Take Big Money Out Of The Running
T h e O re g o n P o ­
litic a l A c c o u n t­
a b ility A ct, M e a­
sure 6, on the N o ­
v e m b e r b a llo t
r e p r e s e n t s th e
b est real h ope o f
resto rin g d em o c­
racy to th e p eo p le
s o th a t c a n d i ­
d a te s c a n c o m ­
p e te b a s e d on
th e ir id e a s a n d
q u a lific a tio n s ,
n o t th e ir b an k a c ­
co u n ts. M easu re
6 w o u ld a llo w
q u a lif ie d c a n d i­
d ates w h o ag reed
to stric t sp e n d in g
lim its to receiv e
“ c le a n m o n e y ”
public funding in­
ste a d o f p riv a te
c o n trib u tio n s .
T h is v o l u n ta r y
system w ill create
a m ore level p la y ­
ing field - a llo w ­
in g m o re q u a li­
fied can d id ates to run v ia b le c a m ­
p a ig n s. S im ila r re fo rm s h a v e
passed and are w orking in four other
states: M aine, V erm o n t, A rizo n a
B i Jo A nn B ow m an . S i a t i R l p r ls lm a -
t iv e .
^ îo rtla n b
(©bserücr
USPS 959-680
Established 1970
STAFF
E
d it o r
P
C
in
h ie f
,
u b l is h e r
Charles H. Washington
E d i T o R
Larry J. Jackson, Sr.
B
u s in e s s
M
anager
Gary Ann Taylor
D istrict 19
W hat if th ey gave an elec tio n
an d nob o d y cam e? A s the co st o f
e le c tio n s c o n tin u e s to se t n ew
reco rd s, few er peo p le are ch o o sin g
to m ean in g fu lly p articip a te - by
co n trib u tin g th eir tim e, m oney, or
ev en th eir v o tes - to a p ro cess they
in c re asin g ly see as rem o v ed from
the real needs o f th eir lives. U n fo r­
tu n a tely , this ju s t m ak es the p ro b ­
lem w orse, leaving candidates m ore
d ep e n d en t th en e v e r on sp e cia l in ­
terest co n trib u tio n s in stead o f c o n ­
stitu en t support.
W hen it co m es to m o d em d e ­
m ocracy , it is m ore im p o rtan t than
e v e r to ex p o se the ro le o f m o n ey in
po litics. P eo p le o f co lo r, w o m en ,
p o o r and w o rk in g p eo p le - all b ut a
sm all m inority o f w ealthy in d iv id u ­
als and business w ould b en efit from
tak in g the in flu en ce o f m o n ey o ut
o f p o litics. A t a P o rtlan d c o n fe r­
en ce, M oney in P olitics: A M o d em
C ivil R ights S truggle, held this past
A p ril, T arso L uis R am o s c o m ­
m en ted , “ Is it any w o n d er that p u b ­
lic po licy in adequately p ro tec ts the
rig h ts and ad d resses the n eed s o f
co m m u n ities o f co lo r? W e d o n ’t
have the b an k ro ll. W e c a n ’t affo rd
Michael Leighton
C
E
opy
d it o r
Joy Ramos
C
r e a t iv e
D
ir e c t o r
Robert Parker
4 7 4 7 NE M a rtin Luther King,
Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 9 7 2 1 1
5 0 3 -2 8 8 -0 0 3 3
Fax 5 0 3 -2 8 8 4 )0 1 5
since they are the only group that
stands to lose by cutting ties between
special interests and political candi­
dates. The $ 10,000 contributors who
account for alm ost 70% if the funds
given to candidates aren’t going to sit
by idly while measure 6 rolls over them.
But the threat posed by lobbyists is
countered by the strong coalition be­
h ind M easu re 6 w h ich in clu d es
CAUSA, Ecum enical Ministries o f
Oregon, APANO (Asian Pacific Ameri­
can Network ofOregon), the League of
W om en Voters o f Oregon and thou­
sands ofindividuals from every county
in Oregon.
Com m unities across Oregon came
m ove one step closer to national cam ­
paign finance reform this election. It is
critical that we support M easure 6 so
candidates can com pete based on their
ideas and experiences, not their bank
accounts.
Once we level the playing field or
Oregon politics, the state will discover
powerful new voices that have been
drowned out by the volume o f money
now awash in the system. In the midst
o f confusing, cluttered ballot in which
the publ ic good is m ostly on the defen­
sive here in Oregon, it is great to have
one positive thing to vote on which will
put the voice o f the people into our
political system.
Abortion Pill: No Panacea for Women Letters To the Editor
R adic al W omen
A sst . P ublisher
it. T h e price tag o f d em o crac y is
too h ig h .’’ F in ally , th e re is a c a m ­
p aig n finance refo rm altern ativ e
that can achieve m eaningful results.
and M a ssa c h u se tts.
I f the e le c tio n w ere held today,
M easu re 6 w o u ld p ass by n early a
tw o -to -o n e m argin. O u r co m m u n i­
ties clea rly rec o g n ize that o u r in d i­
v id u al v o te s m a tte r less th an the
ch eck s w ritte n by b ig m o n ey co n ­
trib u to rs. W h at O re g o n ia n s are
ju s t b e g in n in g to u n d ersta n d is the
p ro fo u n d ch a lle n g es th is p resen ts
to the c o n c e p t o f o n e p erso n , one
v o te - p erh a p s th e m o st im p o rtan t
idea in th e d ev e lo p m e n t o f re p re ­
sen tativ e d em o cracy . F o r w h en w e
look fu rth er, it is n ot h ard to see the
c o n seq u e n ces o f a sy stem that p ri­
o ritiz es w ea lth y in te rests w ho can
b u y a c ce ss to th e system . T he
problem o f m oney is politics is truly
a d irect c o n c e rn o f all o f u s w ho
care d ee p ly ab o u t civ il rig h ts.
G iven th e chance, all o f us w ould
c h o o s e to e le c t re p re s e n ta tiv e s
w ith no strin g s attac h ed , so that
th ey are free to v o te th e ir co n ­
scien ce w ith d irec t ac co u n tab ility
only to the people w ho elected them.
B u t M easu re 6 faces a v ery real
th reat. T h at th rea t is th e sam e rea­
son th e re has b een no refo rm le g is­
la tio n sin ce 1973. T h at th reat is
sum m ed up in on e w ord: lobbyists.
It is o n ly n atu ral th a t lo b b y ists
sh o u ld be o p p o se d to M easu re 6,
T he FD A 's recent approval o f
mifepristone{RU^f86)isavictoiyofsorts
for pro-choice advocates. However, the
drug fells far short ofbeing the “wonder
drug” that will give women reproductive
freedom without a fight.
There ismuchexcitementamong femi­
nist groups over the decision, which has
been held up for years because o f
rightwing threats to boycott any pharma­
ceutical company manufacturing the
drug. Will mifepristone end the debate
and battle over abortion? No. The drug
is not a quick and easy solution to an
unwanted pregnancy.
Itmastbe administered within the first
49 days o f pregnancy, but over half the
abortions in the US. take place after this
period. A physician mast administer the
drug and follow-up visits are required.
This means women mast liave access to
health care and be close enough to a
medical facility fortreatment. However,
forpoor women— many o f them women
o f color, immigrant and young— who
don’t have adequate health care, these
conditions do not exist Additionally, the
lack o f conchisive research on the long­
term health effects and risks o f RU-486
should be o f concern.
The same establishment that has
sanctioned mifepristone has also ap­
proved the use o f the toxic, sterility-
inducing contraceptives like Noiplant1*
and Depo-Proverà, as well as the deadly
Daikon Shield.
There is no pill that will end the debate
over the issue o f abortion rights.
Antiabortionists are determined to roll
back every gain made for women to con­
trol their own bodies. Therightwingwill
continue its terror against abortion clin­
ics, providers, staff, clients, and any pills
or procedures that give women choices.
Denying women their reproductive
rights is a crucial part ofkeeping women
in second class positions and maintain­
ing the inferior statas o f females is key to
keeping profits high. Today’s rights
were won throughmilitant organizing. To
safeguard and expand the right to abor­
tion, the feminist movementmustbe will­
ing to continue the fight and not get
seduced by narrow medical solutions for
broader political problems.
In light o f the climate o f violence and
hatred against women by “pro-lifers”
and scapegoating politicians, Radical
Women callson feminists todemand: full
and free access to safe abortions and
contraceptives; pre-and post-natal care;
24-hourquality childcare; no forcedster-
ilizations; nationalized healthcare; and
co m m unity-controlled defense o f
women’sclinics.
These demands will not be won with
polite, liberal lobbying,orby electmgpro-
choice Democrats who fail to make na­
tionalized healthcare a reality. It’sgoing
to take a radical, grassroots m ovement
led by uppity women o f color and poor
and working women-joined by feminist
men-to make the needed changes. And
we will not stop at anything less than full
equality in a society that values every one
o f us!
Support Measure 97
We are writing this letter urging
to support Measure 97 because o f
our personal experience with our
dog Buddy, a 140 pound German
Shepherd who didn’t come home
last Jan. 5. We found his body, not
more than 100 yards form our
backdoor. Bloodyfoam was around
his mouth and nose. We also found
curious pink film can sized objects
on the path way where we found hint.
We then learned where Buddy was
poisoned in a wooded area where
kids, hikers, dog walkers and fisher­
men travel - a well-worn pathway.
We found six M 44’son or along the
path. Five o f them were active and
full o f poison gas. One was dis­
charged, no doubt the one that killed
Buddy.
Any child would be attracted to
the pink capsules. W ecalledourvet
who was afraid to accept his body.
The poison center could not help as
withinfonnatioa FinallyalabatOSU
was able to tell our vet how to handle
the body safely. We urge you to join
as and vote on Measure 97 to ban
cruel traps and two deadly poisons,
which include sodium cyanide.
Dixie and George Tippett,
Estacada
Measure 6 is overdue.
The money going into political
campaigns is getting bigger and big­
ger. Interestingly, the same deep
pockets are giving to both parties.
It seems there is one massive
merger, big corporatiorcs with politi­
cians - and the line between Repub­
licans and Democrats is getting
blurred, and like all mergers there will
be lots o f people getting down-sized
- the American people are the real
losers - just like HMOs. Let’s give
government back to the people.
Dan Keefer
Portland
e-mail
news@portlandobserver .com
sd09cdption@portlandotBerwerxom
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