Saxtonville: Day Four
Kari Chisholm
OK, four days now. Still nothing from the mainstream media on Saxtonville.
Now, I've heard from some media folks that it's to evaluate whether or not Saxton hired illegal immigrants. Sure. That's fine.
But the Saxtonville story isn't a hard one to cover.
First of all, just go down and take your own photo of the corrugated tin shed where Ron Saxton's farm housed actual human beings. It's at 3110 Oak Grove Road, Rickreall, Oregon 97371. (Here's a map.)
Second, take Ron Saxton's own words for it. Listen to what he said on Lars Larson (mp3)
So, we're on Day Four of the Saxtonville story and still no mainstream media coverage. Ready to do something about it?
Call the Oregonian's newsroom at 503-221-8400 and email the public editor at [email protected]. You can also send a letter-to-the-editor to any Oregon paper over at the TedK website.
Meanwhile, be sure to check out what Randy Stapilus had to say over at the Ridenbaugh Press. Among other things:
Up to now, Saxton has been beating Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski over the head on immigration. He may want to put on some protective headgear to deal with what could be coming next.
That sounds about right.
[Full disclosure: I built TedForGov.com and SaxtonWatch.com, but I only speak for myself.]
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connect with blueoregon
Oct 16, '06
Kari,
the more you pound this issue, the more likely it seems that Gov K is going to lose.
This is a mark of desparation, much like the forged Bush docuements that backfired against the sinking Kerry campaign machine.
Is that the "Jaws" sound-track I'm hearing, because I smell blood, and can hear the panicky splashing of liberals going down under the weight of thier ACLU type anchors.
Oct 16, '06
You know, some new track lighting, a few colorful area rugs and some INDOOR PLUMBING and Ronnie's tin shack would make a great house.
For a dog.
Woof!
Oct 16, '06
You know the Big O won't cover this. They're inexplicably in love with Saxton. He's an energetic visionary, don't you know; meanwhile, Kulongoski is a troubled, moody soul. Very Different Men. We can't be upsetting that apple cart by showing that Saxton is just another wealthy Republican who doesn't give a rat's ass about brown people.
1:26 p.m.
Oct 16, '06
Actually Dan, it's not desperation, it's called handing Saxton an anvil. His campaign is not making any headway, and his lack of a logical plan for change is stalling him. He's kind of just standing there, waiting to absorb Kulo's stepped up presentation of Saxton's emptiness--like he did Friday at City Club. Much like the panelists at that event, Oregonians are starting to say, "...but you didn't actually answer the question."
Don't blame us; Saxton's the one who set himself up by making the DMV the official gatekeeper of illegal immigration--rather than employers, of which he is one. The question fairly being asked is whether he walks his talk...and Saxton's answer has been "I don't know; we never really talked about it back then."
1:28 p.m.
Oct 16, '06
And by the way, you DO recall that the "forged documents" actually contained accurate information, as recalled by the woman who typed up the real copies...right?
Oct 16, '06
Torrid,
And by the way, you DO recall that Bush won the election.
Nuff said.
1:47 p.m.
Oct 16, '06
And by the way, you DO recall that Bush won the election.
If only winning elections were more important than the actual ACT OF GOVERNING, this point might make sense.
Oct 16, '06
So Dan, does that mean you promise now to give unquestioning support to everyone elected in Nov. 2006 because after all they won the election? And unquestioning support to the president elected in 2008 for the same reason?
Oct 16, '06
LT,
That's a fair question.
Will I give unquestioning support to anyone? NO
What I will do is sincerly hope that they are successful in their role.
While I disagree with Gov. K on certain issues, I certainly hope he is a success in running the state, just as I hope he will be if he wins again in November.
I don't want to live in a state where the elect are screwing everything up. I hope they do a great job as their success impacts my life (and my family) for the better.
With all that said, I hope Saxton wins and Ted has a nice retirement. No anomosity.
Oct 16, '06
On Sunday, "bicyclists angry about Hummer-named bicycles" was front page news.
Sometimes you just lose out to more important stories, Kari.
Live with it. ;)
Oct 16, '06
So the O reported that Saxton also has a beach house in Neskowin. Anyone got a photo of that? Anyone got an address so one of the coastal readers could go take a look? So Saxton owns a nice place in Portland, a vineyard in Rickreall, a house at the beach and this is the best he can do for his workers. He can rent an extra apartment to get his kid into the right school but he can't make a decent place for his workers. I want a beach house photo - so Kari can post it next to this one.
Oct 16, '06
Do you realize that most Oregonians live in far less glamorous accomodations than that? That is a sign of pure wealth and generosity by Ron Saxton... nothing short of a sign of the pureness of his heart and his lifelong belief in the betterment of humanity.
All I hear is a bunch of flip-flopping flim flam from those rich yuppies living it up in the West Hills of Portland, driving their SUV's on roads paved on gold and the blood of the hard-working poor.
Let's hear it to take the oppression off of ALL Oregonians by deporting all of the illegal immigrants who are destroying our way of life and bringing authentic Mexican food into our great, white state!
Oct 16, '06
Ronald L Saxton is the owner listed on this property. 45955 Kinnikinnick Dr. in Tillamook County.
The assessment says it has a real market value of $576,038.
Oct 16, '06
I saw Teddy buying cologne at Nordstroms (with TWO bodyguards in tow) in downtown Portland.
Hasn't he heard of FragranceWholesale.com?
If we're going to trash Saxton for owning too much real estate, then Teddy's extravagant spending habits should be fair game too! NOBODY SHOULD PAY RETAIL ON FRAGRANCES!
How about it Governor? How many bottles of cologne do YOU own? How many bottles of fragrance does a real man need?
Isn't Irish Spring good enough for you?
Oct 16, '06
Main flaw with trailergate is that
Saxton sold his share of the farm in 1999, and
The trailer we are taking pictures of today is twenty years older and in worse condition than the structure when workers were living in it
Time to move on...
Oct 16, '06
So, 20 years ago, this dump was a nicer dump? Um ... whatever. Saxton is a Rebublican who thinks a handful should be wealthy and the rest of us should live like dogs.
Don't think for a second that he'd limit his exploitation to Latinos. If he had his way, and there were no unions standing in his way, we'd all live like this. It's easier for him and his friends to stay rich that way.
Oct 16, '06
I'll just mention this again, IF you filled out I-9s for your employees, you know they were legal, if you didn't you violated federal regulations and you might not know. I-9s were around, then, even if it wasn't Saxton's issue, then.
Too bad about Saxton, he'd only rank as a moderate jerk without this stuff, so is he a major jerk or a criminal major jerk?
Oct 16, '06
First off, Saxton still claims to have a financial interest in this place. Check his filings with the ethics folks.
Second, anyone can tell this wasn't adequate housing twenty years ago either.
Third, if Saxton owns a place in Portland, a house on the coast and a piece of a 150 acre vineyard then he can easily do better by his workers than this.
12:14 a.m.
Oct 17, '06
unfortunately, you can get away with a lot as a farm boss. Several others have attested to the normalcy of the housing standard pictured (or imagined, anyhow). Other than the still very open question as to whether the dwelling was registered as labor housing--the tax code lists it as a "farm building" as opposed to "residence," which there were two of that looked like places humans might actually live--I don't think there's much of a legal/concrete rulebreaking case to be made.
But there is also a character component to elections, and it's not on phony "values issues" or the lowest common denominator of personal indiscretions. It's whether you stand up for yourself and others in your daily life. Leaders lead as much by example as by deed.
There are mitigating circumstances involved, but ultimately Saxton's character is at issue when he admits to migrant housing, appears to have migrant housing, and doesn't yet appear to have declared his migrant housing. And it's directly at issue when you consider the morality of even being even peripherally aware that people on your land, working for you--some you admit in possibly illegal situations--are living in squalor like that, and you sponsored it on your land.
Saxton is my least favorite political archetype: The Weasel. See Lieberman, Joe. Their whole approach reeks of craven careerism--and Saxton doesn't even have a career yet! Saxton is selling us crap his mother wouldn't buy from him, and winking and nodding his way through it to the rabid tax restrictors and immigrant bashers. He just gives off an intense odor of snake oil.
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