Oregon Populism Undoes the Massachusetts Malaise

[Joanne98]

Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 09:20:04 AM PST
Yesterday, Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved critical tax levies, 54-46, proving that progressive populism is alive and well in the electorate, even in a recession, and the first time since 1930 that a voter-approved income tax has passed, and the first time since 1931 that busienss taxes have been raised.

The situation was dire for Oregon, facing the very real possibility that they'd have to shorten the school week to just four days, and make even deeper cuts to public safety. Oregon, as Meteor Blades wrote in his pre-election diary, was facing a $4.2 billion revenue shortfall.

On the "Yes" side, Oregon's progressive community rallied with strong backing from labor, the state's Democratic office-holders, and a huge range of activist groups, including The Bus Project, which mobilized young voters. Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain praised the coalition, "I've never seen a field effort like the one the campaign is running." That voter education and GOTV effort played out, and they beat goliath Phil Knight--Nike CEO--and his team of anti-tax activists calling themselves "Oregonians Against Job-Killing Taxes." Put that in your pipe and smoke, Frank Luntz.

They were so well organized and their message resonated so well, they had the upper hand even in financing the campaign, raising at least $2 million more than the anti-tax group. As Bus Project booster, and Montana organizer extraordinaire, Matt Singer tweeted last night: "Bus Project engaged youth. Progressives campaigned as populists. This is how we win."

That is how we win, by not letting the Teabaggers claim the populist mantle and not assuming that populism = anti-government or anti-tax. We win by fighting hard for progressive values, including a belief in basic fairness and income equality. The other Singer, Jonathon, sums it up well:

Continued>>>
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/1/27/830949/-Oregon-Populism-Undoes-the-Massachusetts-Malaise

[alstephenson]

1. K & R for Oregon.

Apparently the adults are in charge in Oregon.

[Lifelong Protester]

2. double Kick and R for Oregon and populism

n/t

[Lost4words]

3. K & R!

[earth mom]

4. Oregon Rocks!

:woohoo:

[paulsby]

5. it's a poor analogy

here's why.

oregon is about as blue a state as you can get. and they voted... blue

mass. is about as blue a state as you can get . and they voted red.

a real counterpoint to mass, would be a state that is reliably red (a la arizona) voting blue.

THAT would be a statement

oregon just did what they always did. it's good, but it's hardly some sort of major thang, like MA was.

hth

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Oregon just replaced a Republican Senator w/ a Democrat in 08

MA has not had one since the 70's.

[paulsby]

7. i did not know that

thanks. that is interesting

[NICO9000]

8. Phil Knight - An Oregonian who did plenty of job killing himself

Who the fuck is he kidding? How many Nike products are made in the USA? What a shameless asshole pig!

[Uncle Joe]

9. I agree with the diarist at Daily Kos, these are the key paragraphs.

"After the Beltway elite read the results of the special Senate election in Massachusetts last week as an indication of conservatism on the rise, Oregon voters clarified the message: It's not conservatism, but rather populism that is on the rise....

The message out of Oregon, like the message out of Massachusetts, is resonating: Voters are in a populist mood right now -- not an anti-government one, necessarily, but a populist one nevertheless. The progressive brand of populism that resonated with Oregonians this month is slightly different than the one that rang true in Massachusetts. Yet the message is just as clear.

The real question now is whether DC will listen, or if instead it will continue to cling to its common wisdom."

If anything I believe the nation is in an anti-corporate supremacist mood and are looking to the government to represent the people's best interests for a change.


Thanks for the thread, Joanne.:thumbsup: