OLCV prepares to step up their political game

Carla Axtman

It appears that the Oregon League of Conservation Voters is getting ready to take their political work to the next level.

First, the Oregonian has a Q&A with OLCV's new Executive Director, Jon Isaacs:

How are Oregon environmentalists doing politically?

The environmental community does not get the respect it deserves from elected officials. When it comes time to making compromises, it's the environmental community that gets kicked out of the room. If you look at the values of Oregonians, it shouldn't be that way.

Are environmental groups uncomfortable with politics?

Being very involved with campaigns and partisan political races is something the environmental community is still figuring out how to do. The history is sit-ins, and protests outside the political arena. But if you're not playing in major political campaigns, partisan races, Democrat and Republican, you just don't exist in the political system.

In addition, Isaacs has been writing at the OLCV blog, noting that a coalition of more than 40 environmental organizations is preparing to throw down for Measures 66 and 67:

The Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) is a coalition of more than 40 environmental organizations representing advocates for wildlife, clean air & water, fish, renewable energy, parks, transportation, recycling, land use and consumer protection. OCN endorsed the Yes on 66 & 67 campaigns and made this the top priority for the coalition’s work during the next three months. The coalition will actively recommend a Yes vote ton these critical measures vand turn out its combined membership of more than 200,000 Oregonians to vote Yes in January. The campaign effort will be coordinated by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.

OLCV has done work for campaigns and issues before, and has been effective. But this does seem like a more aggressive political approach than we've seen before.

This should be extremely interesting to watch.

By Carla Axtman Nov. 06, 2009