Campaign 2008: why and how to bother

Gordon Smith (R-OR) is a very beatable senator, given all the incumbent protections that occur on the political scene. So it comes as no surprise that now that the senate Democrats and Harry Reid (D-NV) are war-mongering, that Senator Smith is the first Republican of note to climb howdt of the box and oppose the war. I encourage this behavior - opposing war - for countless reason, but this currying for political favor tells me that not only can we defeat Senator Smith, but he is already running scared. Oregon is a blue state only because the Portland/Eugene corridor has greater population than the rest of the state. That would be like Massachusettes (Massholes?) controlling all of New England.

Douglas County, Oregon is a single watershed the size of the state of Connecticut. Our house representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) is from Springfield - the low-budget half of Eugene on the other side of the River (just kidding - damn touchy springfield reader(s)). If Douglas County voted 100% against Rep. DeFazio, he would still be elected handily. Oregon is gerrymandered into five house districts, four Democratic districts with less combined land area than the one Republican district. But in blue/red terms - this state has mostly red territory, including all the rural areas. The green team is not really a factor, mostly because the personality necessary for political activity does not really appeal to members of the enviro persuasion. Ecotopia is an example of rural blue/green philosophy, perhaps viable if the powers would leave us alone to our own devices.

There's the rub. In this pay to play world, you have to play or they take it away. No opting howdt. If you don't vote, even a principled non-vote - the system still elects someone and the lemmings follow by their noserings. So if you really wish to opt howdt - be political on a very local basis by getting involved with your community on whatever level you are interested in.

This does not mean political parties or running for office. It means becoming an independent volunteer to set things the way you think things should be, in a microcosm of your own choice. If we start now, becoming active in civic organizations with the expressed purpose of making contact with other strong minded active agents of change, then the neo-independents (neo-conservative, neo-liberal - hmm : scratch that term), then a new thought process of individual responsibility with group support based via negotiable consensus and mutual trust might have the legs to react to campaign 2008 at the time the current political elite stop feeding at our red, white and blue trough.