Intriguing.

Mr. Shields, I hope that we will see you in Sunriver this weekend.

yawn

"That's true, but I do think private sector management experience is far more relevant to the Governor's office than a legislative role."

Only if the private sector person has a clue that "running a government like a business" fails to take into account that the legislative branch is independently elected.

So, he grew up in a union household, once worked as a public employee, and has "solved problems and created jobs".

OK, he says Oregon is stuck. What is his specific vision for the future and plan to carry it out?

And, will there be video from Sunriver available here or elsewhere so that those of us who can't go can see the speeches?

He makes a good impression, I'll grant you that. Has the makings of a good political career.

But good enough to get me to abandon Kitzhaber? Not so sure, yet. Shouldn't he get his feet wet, serve as a County Commissioner or even Labor Commissioner, get some executive experience before going straight for the Governor's house like a bull at the gate?

Faulty premise- Oregon = a Business Enterprise

Government is not a business. Businesses do not elect their managers. Businesses work to enrich their corporate bosses and shareholders. Businesses are for the private good, not the public good. Businesses can pick and choose the enterprises, products and services they engage with. Government has the responsibilities of governance over land, people, and communities, and all that entails, from basic land use, human needs, protection of property and personal safety, protection of ecosystems, and business regulation, just to name a few. Being a manager at HP is no preparation for political leadership and governance.

Isn't trying to start at the "top of the political hierarchy" exactly what Steve Novick did...and fail at?

I don't hear many calls for him to "run for Labor Commissioner."

I agree, I may not pick him over the Doc., but it's a huge double standard to praise Novick, and punish Shields when they did and are doing...the very same thing.

Isn't trying to start at the "top of the political hierarchy" exactly what Steve Novick did...and fail at?

I don't hear many calls for him to "run for Labor Commissioner."

I agree, I may not pick him over the Doc., but it's a huge double standard to praise Novick, and punish Shields when they did and are doing...the very same thing.

Isn't trying to start at the "top of the political hierarchy" exactly what Steve Novick did...and fail at?

Steve Novick wasn't exactly inexperienced at politics. Quite the opposite. He'd somewhat extensively worked in government and on campaigns previous to his run for senate. I didn't end up voting for him, but not because he wasn't experienced.

But even if I agree that he wasn't inexperienced (which I'm not sure I can do based on what I know about him) he has never held any elected office...but was running for the U.S. Senate.

The earlier posts spoke about the need for this Shields guy to be a "County Commissioner or Labor Commissioner" before running for Governor. They didn't say he "was inexperienced" but they implied he'd never held any elected office. Since being Governor is being CEO of a large organization, I wish more people running for Governor had prior Executive Director and or CEO backgrounds.

Yes people gain experience in many different ways...but what Shields and Novick both lack...is elected office.

Whether or not that lack of prior office is relevant or not is debatable...but I don't like the pass Novick gets, while Shields is questioned on it.

When he says "Oregon is stuck" who is he talking about? The Legislature? Voters? The bureaucracy?

He may have "unstuck" the HP bureaucracy, but did he ever have to move the HP board into a different direction (analogous to our Legislature)? Did he ever have to move consumers in a different directiont (aka voters)?

I think this guy is an interesting option, I think new ideas would be good in Salem. I hope people give him a chance to hear what is ideas are.

Because of my experiences working in both the private and public sectors, I doubt I'd ever vote for a person coming directly out of business and running for Governor, or any statewide office, or State Senate or House, for that matter. Business has almost no relation to governance...a simple truth that has been forgotten due to the ceaseless propaganda efforts by business interests to influence citizens to think of business as the solution to almost everything. HP in Corvallis sued to recoup property taxes...was that good corporate citizenship? HP, in Oregon and elsewhere, hires legions of temporary workers, which it keeps for as long as legally permitted, then dumps onto the unemployment rolls, then rehires when they can legally do so, without the workers being considered permanent. The majority of these temps work in typical factory type jobs, and are paid not a lot above minimum wage. Many "intellect" workers are are also temps, and while they receive higher wages, HP will cut the wages of new hires and get rid of the previous workers, as supply increases. This is not the "old" HP, but just another profit uber alles international corporation...so anyone coming out of that background is NOT who I want running my state.

Agreed, Byard, but that is why he is qualified. The HP assignment was a killer. "Get us to work smart, but let us remain irresponsible sh*theads". He pulled it off. Who in Oregon- pick what you think's "stuck"- is ready to repent and convert? No one. It's the same task.

In that context, a good person is not a good leader. Jimmy Carter proved that years ago. SS' talent seems to be calling a spade a spade without pissing the spade off.

I had a list of questions for the AG, last cycle. I thought the most important had to do with the State's position on Death with Dignity and Medical Marijuana, vis a vis the threat of prosecution from the Feds. Real action aside, SS is the first candidate for gov OR AG that would actually answer that. Want a CEO that will stand up to the military over the guard? More likely SS than Kitz.

And, Dems, I personally like Kitz. Can you comprehend that that has nothing to do with it?

UPDATE ON DEFEND OREGON: spammers.

Note: off-topic plea for advice on how to get off these creeps' spamlist! Yep, I said "creep". Cause I don't have time to keep asking over and over! And I specified on first contact "no spam please". Oy!

I have emailed multiple times asking them to stop emailing me. They continue to spam.

So, cannot even remember which "important political person" was up here shilling Defend Oregon, but I'm now sorry I went to the site, signed to offer name support.

I've clarified to them more than a couple of times that I have no desire to be political-action-spammed. I merely added name-support.

Seems they are as good as the next guy about respecting such wishes.

Anybody know the trick for getting off a politically-correct spam list? I've had one webmail address utterly ruined by PC spam. Hehehehe. You folks are going to make it so that those of us who wish to CONTROL our contacts, and yet lend our support... back away from you permanently.

Call me stodgy, but I STILL have a bad taste in my mouth from the early 90's when Nader's organization sold my name and contacts to a huge array of PC junk mailers. Heretofore, our little Cherokee County mailbox saw nothing but bills and a letter from my MT sis, and after one phone contact with Nader's jerks, I was being hounded by an onslaught of mailings weekly from sources I'd never heard of!!! Egad! Oy vey!

So: my advice, unless you want autobot garbage sent to your email, do not connect with Defend Oregon's site. they aren't listening.

Sigh.

I don't know if Mr. Shields would make a good Gov or not, but it sure is nice to get someone from the outside in the mix for a change. I am so tired of career political hacks that some new blood is a welcome change of pace.

Friends,

Where does Steve Shields stand on the tax measures? On the Revenue Restructuring Task Force and Public Comm. on the Legislature reports?

Is he aware of what St. Treasurer Ben Westlund says is important to bring Oregon's financial house into top shape and restore what Westlund calls basic Oregon values?

Regardless of what happens to the tax measures in January, does Shields believe that kicker reform should be debated in the Feb. session?

If he can answer those and other questions, he is a viable candidate.

If not, then "The HP assignment was a killer. "Get us to work smart, but let us remain irresponsible sh*theads". He pulled it off. Who in Oregon- pick what you think's "stuck"- is ready to repent and convert? No one. It's the same task." smells like another Bruggere campaign.

And I will tell you right now that if Shields and Frank Morse were the nominees and Shields looked like another Bruggere, I would be active in the Morse campaign. I will not be part of another disaster like the 1996 Nov. US Senate election, and I would change my registration to NAV after the May primary (as I did in 1996 ). We deserve candidates who can talk about issues. And yes, John and Bill, that means that you too must start discussing these issues!

I don't care if Steve Shields was the best thing that ever happened to HP. Until Shields can be specific on issues, he bears the weight of Bruggere's "I founded a company" claim that business experience alone = political success.

Steve just announced 2 days ago. He'll be speaking at the Oregon summit forum Sunday morning. He's got a lot to offer. He also doesn't assume he has all the solutions or knows everything now. Steve supports the taxes measures and believes kicker reform is needed.

Thank you KC!

"He'll be speaking at the Oregon summit forum Sunday morning. "

I hope there will be video posted here or somewhere so that those of us who could not attend the event in Sunriver will be able to hear the speeches.

<h2>As I recall, that is how many of us heard the US Sen. candidate speeches in 2008.</h2>