Strong Leaders will be on Display Tonight at Environmental Issues Debate
Jon Isaacs
Tonight, five groups representing Oregon's thriving environmental community come together, with media co-sponsor The Portland Mercury, and moderator, Oregonian columnist Dave Sarasohn, to host what will be the best attended Gubernatorial debate in 2010. We expect a full house in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom at 6pm. If you haven't yet RSVP'd for the event, you can still do so here, but with over 900 RSVP's already in you may find yourself in the overflow seating room, which will be available. You can also sign-up to watch on the live webcast.
On behalf of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club, Oregon Environmental Council, Environment Oregon and Oregon Wild, I want to express my sincere thanks to the three candidates who have agreed to participate in tonight's debate - Bill Bradbury, John Kitzhaber, and especially to Allen Alley.
Bradbury and Kitzhaber each have long and extraordinary environmental records, and we are grateful to have their participation tonight. We couldn't host a legitimate event of any kind about the environment without both of them being a part of it. I expect their knowledge and expertise will be on full display at the debate.
However, I want to especially thank Allen Alley for his decision to participate alongside Bradbury and Kitzhaber. As a Republican candidate for Governor, Alley's willingness to participate in a discussion on environmental issues is a true display of courage and leadership. He deserves more credit and praise then I can give him in this post for being there tonight. Do I expect we will hear some things from Alley that we disagree with? Absolutely. But at least he's willing to show up and say those things directly to us. That says a lot about him. And I expect we will find out that we agree with Mr. Alley on some issues as well.
I was asked yesterday why I think we've received such a positive response to the environmental debate. To me, the answer is simple - Oregonians deeply value Oregon's natural legacy. So deeply that environmentalism and conservation have become part of our cultural fabric. Oregonians expect their Governor to lead the way in protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink. Oregonians expect their Governor to protect our forests, mountains, rivers, beaches, farmland and parks - and the quality of life we enjoy because of them. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Kulongoski and our current legislative leadership, Oregon has become a national leader in building the clean economy of the future. Oregon voters want to know who will continue to build on this by creating more green jobs, better transportation and a sustainable economy as Oregon's next Governor.
The candidate who shows the strongest commitment and displays the greatest vision for carrying on this legacy will be elected the next Governor of Oregon. That's why tonight's debate is such an important event.
Allen Alley's decision to join Bradbury and Kitzhaber at PSU tonight shows that at least one Republican candidate for Governor understands this. If Republicans ever want to win another statewide election in Oregon, they will follow Alley's lead.
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Mar 30, '10
And a congrats to you Jon, for recognizing Alley for his participation. Music to my ears!
Mar 30, '10
"If Republicans ever want to win another statewide election in Oregon, they will follow Alley's lead."
You betcha.
And Allen Alley leading the GOP rejection of the global warming charade being used to perpetrate extreme and harmful policies will be good for voters to consider this November. Alley, like virtually every other Oregonian supports genuine environmentalism which "protects the air we breathe and the water we drink; our forests, mountains, rivers beaches, farmland and parks - and the quality of life we enjoy because of them."
Not so genuine is the idea "Oregon has become a national leader in building the clean economy of the future."
I find that laughable. Oregon's economy is not going to recover with green hype and environmental extremism.
I hope Alley makes that point clear.
Oregon's economy has been hobbled by the irrational and narrow pursuit of the politically correct green jobs at the expense of so many other opportunities.
The injecting of global warming fighting, carbon emission reduction into transportation and other planning will only worsen Oregon's position.
In stark contrast to Kitzhaber or Bradbury, Alley will prevent these additional mistakes as Oregon's next Governor.
Mar 30, '10
Back in 2002, 1000 Friends of Oregon was able to score all three Republican candidates at their annual conference - Jack Roberts, Kevin Mannix, and Ron Saxton, as well as the Stein, Hill, and Kulongoski.
It´s too bad that Dudley and Lim are skipping this one, and that 1000 Friends isn´t a cosponsor (did they decline or weren´t asked?)
11:18 a.m.
Mar 30, '10
Thanks Jon!
Mar 30, '10
"Oregon's economy has been hobbled by the irrational and narrow pursuit of the politically correct green jobs at the expense of so many other opportunities. "
Such as?
Mar 30, '10
Richard:
And Allen Alley leading the GOP rejection of the global warming charade being used to perpetrate extreme and harmful policies will be good for voters to consider this November.
Bob T:
Recall that this Jon Isaacs a few months ago quoted the Ore. Repub Party platform which said that they accept the fact of global warming but have doubts regarding it being caused by humans, and then claimed that the Ore GOP denies it altogether. I repeatedly asked Isaacs to explain why he took an official statement that acknowledges global warming and turned it into one of a flat out denial of it altogether. Of course, he disappeared and could not display the same kind of courage that he now acknowledges is possessed by Mr. Alley. He was caught making up stuff, so he hid.
Bob Tiernan Portland
3:49 p.m.
Mar 30, '10
Back in 2002, 1000 Friends of Oregon was able to score all three Republican candidates at their annual conference - Jack Roberts, Kevin Mannix, and Ron Saxton, as well as the Stein, Hill, and Kulongoski.
My memory may be faulty, but I actually don't think Ron Saxton showed up for that one.
4:28 p.m.
Mar 30, '10
It´s too bad that Dudley and Lim are skipping this one . . . ,
It's my understanding that Senator Lim wasn't invited, just Alley and Dudley.
Mar 31, '10
Posted by: Richard | Mar 30, 2010 10:18:30 AM
"If Republicans ever want to win another statewide election in Oregon, they will follow Alley's lead."
You betcha.
<h2>And not following Sarah Palin's lead is a pretty good place to start as well.</h2>