Perspective from the 19th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write. I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf. The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie. And it is where you want to be on a golf course.
In response to this blog headline, what is up for grabs is the size of the margin by which Democrats will control the political process in Salem.
And, of course, the Office of the Governor also is on the ballot, with polling saying the race between Democrat incumbent Tina Kotek and Republican challenger Christine Drazan is too close to call.
As I write this, there is not much more time to vote and, of course, don’t mail in your ballot – it will not arrive in time.
Oregon Public Broadcasting does its usual good job of describing key races in Salem under this headline: “Six races could set the balance of power in Salem next year.”
Written by Dirk VanderHart, the story carried this subhead: “Oregon legislative Democrats aim to pad super-majorities in the House and Senate, while Republicans are looking to claw back ground.”
Here is how VanderHart started his story:
“Oregon voters will cast their votes in 75 legislative contests on November 3. To understand the balance of power in Salem, you probably only have to track about half a dozen of them.
“Control of Congress may be in play this election season, but the Beaver State’s electoral map is not given to such swings.
“For legislative Democrats, the biggest risk on November 3 is losing the three-fifths supermajorities they currently enjoy in the Capitol’s oak-and- walnut-clad chambers — margins that allow them to pass new taxes without a single Republican vote.”
Already-dominant Democrats also could have a chance to run up the score, with a national political mood prevailing against the worst president in U.S. history, Donald Trump. That could mean the Ds flip Republican-held districts and pad their ranks in Oregon.
If you want to read the full story, go to OPB’s website. If you care about politics in Oregon, you’ll achieve two objectives – you’ll be generally smarter and you’ll know more about control in Salem for a session that starts after the first of the year.
For now, let me comment on the general subject of control in Salem drawing upon my long role as a lobbyist in Oregon.
First, at this election season, it is worth pondering this conundrum.
- Do you want those who win to stick with their party when they vote at the Capitol?
- Or, do you want election winners to vote their conscience in Salem?
A conundrum, which is an interesting word. It means a “confusing problem difficult to solve.”
A lot of political news coverage these days focuses on #1 above.
Do Democrats or Republicans stick with their leaders when the time comes for tough votes? Or, do they go their way and make individual decisions?
I never held elective political office and I never will, but I tend to favor #2 above. Voting your conscience is the best approach. Otherwise, how do you live with yourself if you cast votes you hate just because your party expects you to do so?
Regarding the likely outcome of the election in Oregon – Democrat control of the political process in Salem – I wish the Ds in charge would be more open to bi-partisan action.
Often, they say there are, but then they don’t walk the talk.
Republicans chafe in the minority, but, by now, they should be used to it. It’s been that way for years.
One major credential is necessary for bi-partisan action in Salem: Leadership.
Legislators who have the ingrained ability to lead should be given leadership assignments so solve problems somewhere in the middle where is where the best solutions lie. Too often these days this type of leader is missing in action.
My definition of leadership, by the way, leans on the ability to identify all sides of a controversial debate, then bring them together to hammer out a middle ground solution.
So, as voters, all we can hope for is a better long legislative session in 2027 without the partisan rancor that has marked recent sojourns at the Capitol.
In addition, I believe the power of supermajorities is over-emphasized in the sense of the ability of the Ds to pass tax increases on their own without any Republican help. Increased taxes are not popular and we have learned time and again that voting for such increases creates tension.
Especially if it cannot be proved politically that tax increases are necessary as was the case with the proposal last session to impose increased transportation taxes. It was a tough sell, no matter your political affiliation.
So, as the hackneyed phrase says, “only time will tell” on taxes and other controversial subjects.
