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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2020)
ELECTION 2020 MyEagleNews.com By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle Carina Miller grew up in Senate District 30 living in the Warm Springs Indian Reser- vation near Madras and now runs as the Democratic nom- inee for a chance to continue serving the communities in the district. Miller said, while growing up in rural Oregon on the res- ervation, she recognized there were many issues in the dis- trict that were not dealt with that continue to be ignored. “With things like Black Lives Matter, it’s important now more than ever to have leadership that aren’t just going to acknowledge but address these issues,” Miller said. “It’s everything across the board that needs attention, and its not getting it.” Miller listed climate change as another issue that is not getting the attention it deserves. She was a supporter of the Clean Energy Jobs Bill, and was elected on the Warm Springs Tribal Council during this time. The lack of advocacy from the local representatives when they were in Salem and how information was disseminated regarding the bill was frustrat- ing to Miller because she said it was not an accurate portrayal of the people they were repre- senting or the bill presented. Miller worked as a social worker and educator and worked directly with children and family and saw how this impacted them. “That’s where my pas- sion for running for office comes from because I worked with people directly that were impacted by the lack of resources,” Miller said. “Our local economies haven’t been thriving, and the things that are being supported are more ben- efiting for corporate people, and they’re not benefiting fam- ilies and humans who live in this district.” Miller said her background and work as an edu- cator, social Carina Miller worker, earn- ing a degree in ethnic stud- ies, being the energy commit- tee co-chair for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and serving as the chair of the Native caucus for the Demo- cratic Party of Oregon gives her a unique experience that current and past senators never had. “I am running because I care about this district, and I care about all the people, and I know I have the experi- ence to actually pass bills that will have a positive impact on everybody,” Miller said. A goal that Miller has is to pass a carbon bill that doesn’t leave out the counties that were cut in the recent edit so coun- ties in the district could have access to funds to deal with utility costs and electricity. She would also like to look at edu- cation and Senate Bill 13. Senate Bill 13, now known as Tribal History/Shared His- tory, directs the Oregon Department of Education to create K-12 Native Ameri- can Curriculum for inclusion in Oregon public schools, according to Oregon’s state website. She said tribes are currently developing the curriculum, but the ethnic studies bill only had appropriation for those stan- dards. It still needs to be pushed forward to receive funding for professional development. She also wants to look at funding issues related to the Public Employee Retirement System through tax reform. “The solution is tax reform, and nobody wants to just say it,” Miller said. “Those are the kind of things I want to work on so we can stop focusing on these areas that take up all of our time in legislature asking ‘Where is tax revenue going to come from?’ when we can start looking at how we can transition from an extractive natural resource economy in rural Oregon to a sustainable A9 Findley wants to continue representing his constituents and have their voices heard Miller looks to use her experience, background to effect positive change Democrat says many issues are not getting the attention they deserve Wednesday, October 14, 2020 one and decentralize services Incumbent Republican that are more affordable for said he supports peaceful families.” Miller said COVID-19 protests but not property is a hard situation due to the destruction, assault uncertainty with the virus, but she hopes communities pri- oritize helping other people By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle first, follow guidance from science officials and recog- nize that leaders can be united Lynn Findley said, as a state senator, being a voice in moving forward with the for the communities in his coronavirus. district has been an import- Miller added she knows ant responsibility along with there are many people who getting feedback on pro- aren’t taking COVID-19 seri- posed legislation so his con- ously, and she doesn’t want stituents can be heard in to disrespect their opin- ions because as an indige- Salem. nous woman, she recognizes As the pandemic con- tinues, this that some- times the gov- responsibility ernment mis- has become represents what greater since they’re really COVID-19 doing. How- has made SENATE ever, she added public input DISTRICT 30 people need to harder to also understand receive. what people have lost due to “The public hearings we the pandemic. have are invited testimony Warm Springs has expe- only, and we don’t get peo- ple who come in and give us rienced lost lives due to the good input, and I don’t like pandemic, including the wife that,” Findley said. “I need of the Warm Springs chief, to ensure that I’m that con- according to Miller. duit between policymakers “We need to be responsi- ble leaders and acknowledge in Salem and people on the the pain that has happened,” ground that it impacts.” Miller said. “I just want it to Findley, the Republi- can incumbent for Oregon’s be clear that the whole pic- ture is shown of how native Senate District 30 from Vale, communities are at a higher said being in a superminority rate, being disproportionately is difficult because their impacted, and that’s not being voice is not always needed addressed at all by our repre- or wanted, but he believes sentation here.” success in the legislature is Miller said, when it comes achieved by reaching across to topics like racism, human- the aisle and working with ities and supporting immi- colleagues. grants who are neighbors, she “As I was in the House, will take a stand and address I think I passed more legis- lation than any other Repub- these topics. lican because I listen and “I’m very well versed, and I talk,” Findley said. “You I want to put my best foot for- ward, and I think if you look work with them collabora- tively to find a good solution at my work that’s always been for all.” reflected,” Miller said. “I have The biggest success that been prepared by my commu- nity, by my grandparents, by he has had so far as a sen- ator was the 911 bill in the my tribal elders and co-lead- ers on council. They taught me last long session. He said the and got me ready, and I have a bill originated in John Day lot of actual work that proves I because the city called him am ready to make the changes and said their 911 dispatch for this district, changes they center was failing due to a deserve.” lack of funds. ELECTION 2020 with the governor’s office, Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education to open some rural schools and businesses. “We’ve got to be respect- ful, and we have to have a safe work environment where everybody feels safe,” Findley said. “COVID is here, and we have to learn how to live with it and deal with it appropriately so we don’t kill our economy. Masks are terribly uncom- fortable, but if I wear a mask and it allows a business to stay open, it’s worth wearing a mask.” Findley said he respects and fully supports anyone’s ability to peacefully state their case and protest, but he does not support the destruc- tion of private property and assaulting others. “I’ve had a lot of con- versations with other cau- cus members on both sides of the aisle, and there are probably some injustices that have occurred, and we need to work better on that, but we’re in a law and order environment society, and we have to respect our law enforcement folks,” Findley said. He said the state needs to help law enforcement do a better job through training and through augmentation of people who handle mental health situations. Findley said he strives to have open communication and tries to be as transpar- ent as he can with the virtual town halls. He tries to visit each community in person. He also established weekly communication between county commissioners and elected legislators to talk about what is being done right and what can be improved on. “We’re all in this together, and I respect and understand the boun- tiful natural resources we have here, and we need to protect them,” Findley said. “They didn’t become degraded overnight, and they’re not going to be fixed overnight.” Find- ley worked with the city of John Day, and together they devel- Sen. Lynn oped legis- Findley lation that raised the fee collected for telephones, landlines and cellphones to go directly to the 911 funds. “That took a lot of work,” Findley said. “The first thing you say is here’s a conserva- tive Republican pushing to raise taxes, which is some- thing I typically don’t do, but in this case it was a crit- ical key safety measure for all of Oregon, and it took the entire session to do it col- laboratively with people on both sides of the aisle.” Findley said there were some hot-button issues during the last session, such as the cap and trade climate legislation, which was very divisive. He said the legis- lature heard from 34 of 36 counties in the state who opposed the bill. He said he is not a climate change denier and believes the cli- mate is changing and carbon levels are high, but getting to the problem requires more than just taxing people. “In my district’s case, we have better measures to reduce carbon,” Findley said. “Carbon sequestration with our natural resources is a key component of that, and that’s through for- est management, rangeland management and having healthy ecosystems, which reduces fires, which are bet- ter alternatives.” Findley served on a COVID-19 committee in the second special session and said the virus has impacted every aspect of life. He has been engaged on talking about the impacts on rural Oregon. Some areas, such as Wheeler County, with one case confirmed in the county, faced with the same economic restrictions as downtown Portland, he said. Findley continues to work Merkley bids for a third 6-year term in the U.S. Senate Republican challenger, QAnon supporter Perkins condemns Portland protests Sen. Jeff Merkley By Gary A. Warner Oregon Capital Bureau Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley is seeking to sew up his seat for another six years, hoping Democrats can snatch the Senate majority from Republicans on Nov. 3. “I’m going to work to fix our broken and dysfunctional Senate so it isn’t just a grave- yard for good ideas,” Merk- ley said in March 3 video to supporters. Merkley ironically made the comment while throwing in the towel on his unofficial bid to be the Democratic nom- inee against President Trump. Since 2019, he’d visited Iowa and New Hampshire to court progressive Democrats. He’s the third most liberal member of the Senate, accord- Jo Rae Perkins ing to voting site GovTrack. us, with only Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Kris- ten Gillibrand of New York to his left. With his polling numbers behind most of the 15-per- son primary field at the time, Merkley switched his atten- tion back to the Senate. There he starts out with the advan- tages of incumbency and the 286,560 voter registration edge Democrats hold over Republicans in Oregon. Linn County Republican Party Chair Jo Rae Perkins is his opponent in the Senate race, but Merkley more often is running against Donald Trump and the Senate major- ity that has made the presi- dent’s policies into laws. Merkley voted for Trump’s impeachment and against the president’s nominees for the Supreme Court, Brett Kava- naugh and Neil Gorsuch. Against a Senate Republican majority, Merkley was on the losing end of those votes. Merkley has called out the “racist rants and glorification of violence” of white suprem- acist groups he says Trump implicitly condones. He co-sponsored legislation to ensure there are enough poll- ing places on election day. He’s criticized what he says was Trump’s dismissal of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic crisis. Merk- ley says presidential inaction, delay and misinformation undercut efforts to slow the virus, which has killed more than 208,000 people in the United States. Perkins says she is a social and fiscal conservative who is an outspoken supporter of Trump and his policies on immigration, gun rights and taxes. Perkins says Democrats’ impact on the state is best illustrated by more than 100 days of protests in Portland. In a recent online ad, she zeroed in on Merkley amid visuals of demonstrators run- ning in streets, law enforce- ment in riot gear and the air swirling with tear gas. “This is not the Oregon you signed up for,” the ads say before shifting to a scene of Perkins looking out across a sweeping rural landscape. Perkins has attracted national attention for her sup- port of QAnon, a growing conspiracy theory movement that believes a “deep state” of government officials is trying to undermine Trump. The group is designated by the FBI as a domestic terror- ist threat. 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