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Page A4
April 30. 2008
Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We
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O pinion
The Portland Observer makes the following endorsements in Oregon’s May 20 Primary Election:
Barack Obama for President
O regon’s Democratic Party
voters should elect Sen. Barack
( )baina as their nominee for presi­
dent.
His inspiring message of hope
and collaborative politics makes
him the best candidate to ad­
dress critical needs in healthcare,
education, environmental poli­
cies. Social Security and future
appointments to the Supreme
Court.
Obama had the courage to
stand up against the invasion of
Iraq when the Bush administra­
tion put us on a course of unend­
ing war with justifications that Barack Obama
Obama has proved he is the bet­
proved flat-out wrong.
An Obama presidency would ter candidate to end the politics of
give America a second chance to personal destruction, bringing
prove to the world that our country Americans together after the disas­
really does stand for its democratic- trous years of George W. Bush and
principles with promises of equal­ Karl Rove.
Obama has already united people
ity and justice for all.
across party lines to register to
vote in record numbers, espe­
cially young people and African
Americans. He shows great prom­
ise in generating even more ex­
citement for the November Gen­
eral Election when a tide of new
voters can make it possible for
other progressive candidates to
win and break the deadlock in
Washington. D.C.
Obama is uniquely qualified to
serve as president. He has a com­
manding intellect with extensive
experience as acommumty orga­
nizer. state lawmaker and U.S.
senator.
He has generated support from
a wide constituency, including the
military.
With the closeness of the elec­
tion. Oregon has a unique opportu­
nity to make him our first African-
American president.
Sam Adam s for M ayor
Because of his energy, experi­
ence and passion to get things
done. Sam Adams is the best
choice tor mayor of Portland.
As a progressive leader, you
can count on Adams to continue
his advocacy for the disadvan­
taged and stand up to powerful
interests.
Growing up in a home that
needed food stamps and subsi­
dized housing to survive. Adams
can relate to helping people and
families who struggle and are too
easily left behind. He overcame a
personal bankruptcy caused by
uninsured medical expenses and
paid back the debt. He returned to
college after several years to fin­
ish his degree.
Adams is candid and honest in
his approach to governing. He
has tackled tough issues during
his 15 years in city government.
Sam Adams
including 12 years as chief of staff
for former Mayor Vera Katz. He has
proven that he's not afraid to take
a stand or face the pressures of
public life.
The city leader also appreciates
the economic burdens faced by en­
trepreneurs. He reduced red tape
and lowered taxes for small busi­
MMNIMHM
City o f Portland — C om m unity
B udget H earin g May 8!
The C ity Council will be p resen t to hear
vour testim on y on the P roposed B udget!
TH U R SD A Y , MAY 8 , 6 : 0 0 - 8 : 3 0 PM
6 :0 0 - C om m unity Fair
6 :3 0 - Budget Hearing
K IN G SCHOOL
4906 NE 6lh Ave
P ark: Lot, On S tre e t ♦ By Bus: 6 & 72
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ensuring equal access to persons w ith disabilities. Call
503-8 23 -2 0 36 , TTY 503-823-6868 w ith such requests.
OREGON ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY
ENTREPRENEURS (OAME) CONFERENCE
&. TRADE SHOW
May 8th, 2008
10:00am - 3:00pm
OK Convention Center
Register Early to Assure Your
Company Will Be Included!
Do not miss this fantastic opportunity to reserve exhibit spaces in
the 20TH Annual Conference and Luncheon and Trade Show at the
Oregon Convention Center.
The OAME Trade Show is designed for purchasers/buyers from
the Public and Private agencies to network with minority, women
and small businesses. It is also an opportunity for minority, women
and emerging small businesses to showcase their products and
services and to network.
Register now!!! Take advantage of this great opportunity to promote
your business and increase you're buying and selling options.
To reserve a booth or to purchase a luncheon ticket call the Oregon
Association of Minonty Entrepreneurs, (503) 249- 7744 or visit our
website www. oame. org
To Place Your
Classified Advertisement
Contact: Kathy Linder
Phone: 503-288-0033
Fax: 503-288-0015
e-mail: ciassifieds@portlandooserver.com
MMMHHHMN
McCain Doesn’t Show Enough
Does he actually
care to make a
difference?
by
More Info, Provide Your Testimony < inline:
nesses during his first term as a City
Commissioner. He is currently pro­
moting a transportation tax to fix
and improve the safety of our roads
and sidewalks, making room for in­
creased bicycle traffic and walking.
Advocating for schools and rais­
ing people out of poverty wage
jobs would be top priorities under
an Adams administration.
He proposes an education com­
pact as his first act as mayor to
wage battle against Portland's stag­
gering drop-out rate during high
school, especially for Hispanic and
African-American populations. He
also proposes the creation of an
endowment to make college afford­
able for lower-income students.
Adams is ready and qualified to
go to work to make Portland a great
American city. You can help get
there by electing him mayor in the
May 20 Primary.
J udge G reg M athis
Republican Presiden­
tial nominee Sen. John
M cC ain is touring
America. The America,
he says, that has been
neglected. Poor America.
Working-class America.
McCain kicked off his tour in
Selma on the Edmund Pettus
Bridge, the site of 1965's "Bloody
Sunday,” where armed officers
attacked peaceful civil-rights
demonstrators. His next stop was
Appalachia, an area where many
residents live in extreme poverty.
He headed to Youngtown. Ohio
where the loss of blue-collar jobs
has devastated the local economy
and the 9th ward in New Or­
leans. an area that has seen little
developm ent since Hurricane
Katrina hit nearly three years ago.
America has indeed “forgot­
ten” the people living in these
ture o f a man who cares about - plan to provide healthcare for
the needs o f the poor, at least in the 44 million Americans who
do not have it.
his political life.
McCain has to develop a plan
In fact, McCain has often
that provides early
childhood education
for the poor and he
must propose a realis­
tic solution to save
A m e ric a 's p u b lic-
school system.
His agenda must in­
clude a roadmap for
providing job training
as well as access to
pu b licity
campaign. He must convince the supported many of President funds to pay for college. These
average American, through pro­ B ush's policies, policies that are the issues America’s poor
posed policies, that he actually have not served A m erica’s poor and working class care about.
While he waits for the Demo­
cares enough to make a differ­ and working class well. Under
cratic
Party to select his oppo­
Bush,
the
U.S.
entered
into
a
ence.
nent,
McCain
should use the
John McCain, though more war that continues to push the
liberal than his R epublican country into debt, the number time he has on his hands to
peers, is a conservative. And of poor people has increased develop strategies that will d e­
his political views dem onstrate and public education has suf­ liver Am erica’s promise to all
that he does not believe in a fered. So much for com pas­ citizens, not ju st a privileged
few.
w om an's right to choose, he sionate conservatism.
Judge Greg Mathis is national
If
Am
erica
is
to
believe
that
supports capital punishm ent,
vice
president o f Rainbow PUSH
McCain
will
not
be
more
o
f
the
mandatory sentencing and does
and
a
national hoard member of
not
s u p p o rt
u n iv e rs a l sam e, the S en ato r m ust do
h ealthcare. H is p ast voting more than talk. He must pro­ the Southern Christian Leader­
record does not paint the pic- pose a realistic - and fundable ship Conference.
cities and in others. But McCain
must do more than simply land in
town for one night, make a speech
and continue on to the next stop
McCain has often supported
many o f President Bush s
policies, policies that have not
served Americas poor and
working class well.
W M M M M M m H M N I
Drug Ads Deliberately Deceive Consumers
J im H ightower
Four out of five doctors rec­
ommend that you not believe any
advertising that makes claims
based on the opinions of four out
of five doctors. Or. for that mat­
ter. ads based on the opinions of
even one. well-known doctor
Take Dr. Robert Jarvik. one of
the pioneers in the development
of the artificial heart. You might
have seen him on TV throughout
the past couple of years routing
the healing power of Lipitor, a
cholesterol drug made by Pfizer.
by
The pharmaceutical giant has
paid the doctor $1.3 million to
shill for the drug. In one of the
ads. Jarvik is depicted as an ath­
letic rower, skimming in his boat
across a mountain lake. The im­
plication is that he is full of vigor,
thanks to the cholesterol-clear­
ing power of Lipitor.
Jarvik's endorsement of the
drug oozes credibility - until you
realize a few facts not mentioned
in this $250 million ad campaign.
One. that’s not Jarvik rowing so
robustly across the lake. It’s a
stunt man posing as the doctor,
wht) apparently doesn’t row at
all. Second, while Jarvik touts
the cardiovascular benefits of
Lipitor, he is not a cardiologist.
And. even though he has a medi­
cal degree, he is not licensed to
practice medicine. What he is. is
a marketable medical name, hav­
ing been, as the ad put i t the
“Inventor of the artificial heart."
Oh. that’s the third hicky on
Jarvik's testimonial. He is not
"the inventor.” A large team at
the University of Utah worked on
the heart device back in the early
1980s. and they credit two oth­
ers as deserving of the "inven­
tor” honor - not Jarvik.
A top Pfizer executive says the
corporation regrets that the ad
led to any “misirepressions.” But
that's exactly what this direct-
to-consumer ad campaign was
designed to do. Drug companies
spend some $5 billion a year on
ads to “misimpress” as - and it’s
time to rein in their deceit.
Jim Hightower is a national
columnist and author.
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