Discussion for article #229233
Isnāt Oregon a vote-by-mail state, and arenāt most of the ballots already out and probably already mailed back?
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No way Richardson beats Kitzhaber. He is a far right ideologue, apparently a personable man, and able to work in the legislature, but that fact that Kitzhaber has abysmal taste in women is not enough to disqualify him. Oregon pays for Medicaid abortions and is the only state NOT to put restrictions on a womanās right to choose; we do not elect an anti-abortion, anti-gay Mormon who lives in a gated community in Bend.
By the way, just to let TPM know my polling firm conducted a poll recently on the chances of the senate becoming republican majority. Much to our surprise we found that almost 90% of the people in the country want to replace every single democrat in the senate with a republican. Thatās a total game changer and bodes ill for the 2016 presidential election. Cross tabs can be provided on request.
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Yes, Oregon is completely vote by mail but the ballots were only sent out a week ago. Iāve yet to read my voters booklet just like many others.
Kitz has not had his eye on the ball these past four years that much is certain. And his fiance apparently is a self serving woman who has used his office to garner business for her consulting business. If Oregonians had a choice other than Dennis Richardson then the majority would probably not do what Iām going to do this yearā¦hold my nose and vote for Kitzhaber.
AND Iām voting for Open Primaries. If we had this in place this season the odds are that weād have choices between Kitz and a more compelling Democrat this season. The same holds true for Senator Merkely.
Oregon is so deeply blue that the Democrats get elected knowing that they can be mediocre while in office and still be voted back in.
Open Primaries where the top two, regardless of party affiliation, proceed to the general election can be the remedy for that.
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The problem with Kitzhaber I can understand (especially after the failure of the stateās health exchange). But whatās your beef with Merkley?
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Yes, Oregon is vote by mail. I have seen the voters pamphlet at the Post Office, but I havenāt received my ballot yet.
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Consider the source. KXL is a right wing douche nozzle. Rush Limbaugh, Lars Larson, Michael Savageā¦All assholes, all the time.
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Too bad Frohnmayer didnāt run this time to give Oregonians a real alternative to Kitzhaber, eh?
Interesting thought on the open primaries. Not sure I want to empower āindependentsā any more than they already are.
As for Oregon being deep blueā¦ the Oregon legislature is split right down the middleā¦ it would be nice if it was weighted more towards the population and less towards arborvitae and cows.
Monica Wehby was interviewed on OPB and let me just say I would definitely be looking at a second opinion if she was my kidās neurosurgeon.
http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/thinkoutloud/segment/senate-republican-challenger-monica-wehby/
Jeff is OK, I really have no beef with him Iād just like to see more legislative results. Maybe itās difficult for him being in Wydenās shadow, he does not seem all that productive.
He was the major push behind filibuster reform. For a first-term senator in a highly dysfunctional Senate, Iād say heās been unusually productive.
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Wait. Youāre blaming Merkley because he hasnāt had any legislative successes in the most divided and non-productive legislature in the past 100 years? In a Senate that blocks routine cabinet appointees, you think a freshman senator who is 1 of 100 should have written and enacted some signature legislation?
Are you really that dense or are you just one of those people who believe in unicorns?
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Yep, it gets pretty red outside of the Portland metro area, Eugene and Corvallis and this is reflected in the legislative split. Our congressional delegation however does reflect the population.
As for the open primaries Iām independent and have no power at all under the present system. I am allowed to vote for whomever the two parties generously spin up for me. Iām pretty damn certain there are better candidates out there than Monica Wheby and Dennis Richardson. Republicans in Oregon produce miserable candidates. Iād rather have two good choices than a decent choice and an abysmal choice.
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Cue the Crickets on 3ā¦2ā¦1
That much is true.
Donāt wet your panties people. I voted AND volunteered for Merkely both in 2008 and this season. That does not mean that I wear blinders however.
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Oh, I thought we were having a pretty reasonable discussion, but I see weāve just made the leap to gendered insults. Okay then.
KXL Radio - Home of Lars Larson and every other right wing nut job in the state. pffftā¦
Sooner. The point of the top two vote getter measure is to make Democrats fight it out in the primary AND the general. Itās designed in this state to weaken the democratic party. Donāt get sucked in!
Welcome to my world in California, chief.
Thanks to our version of Open Primaries, euphemistically called āTop-Twoā, My choices in a large California city are the following:
- Democratic Union-Approved Machine Operative
- Democratic Union-Approved Machine Operative
I am not allowed to even write-in a candidate in the general election.
Now I am a union supporterā¦but the unions in California expect everyone other than them to tighten the belts in tough times (which we have had all to many of in the recent past).
And, I am a registered Democratā¦but they take my vote for granted and are much more interested in very narrow, special-interest legislation like foie-gras bans and allowing 5 year olds that consider themselves to be transgendered to use the opposite-sex bathroom ā as opposed to working on the very real economic problems this state has.
We were sold a bill of goods with Top-Two, and Iām sorry I voted for it. We were told we would get āmoderatesā, which has not happened. Instead, in Democratic districts we get Loyalist vs. Loyalist, and in Republican districts we get Tea vs. Tea. If this came up for repeal, I would happily vote to scrap it.
So be careful what you wish for sir.