National issues appealing but measures matter

By Scott R. Cooper, Crook County Judge
first published in the Central Oregonian, Prineville, Oregon, September 2008

American interest in political conventions is dead. In future, the conventions—long a television “filler” may be consigned to the cable channels while the networks opt for reruns of “American Idol” and “The Bachelor” to keep ratings up.

Or at least that was the convention wisdom before the 2008 conventions.

Nearly 38 million viewers are estimated to have watched Barack Obama’s speech. The speeches of John McCain and Sarah Palin tied for third place in the all-time history of viewership on Fox news, coming in only behind the President’s speech to the nation on the eve of the invasion of Iraq and a presidential candidates’ debate in 2004.

With numbers like that, the network’s pronouncements that the conventions are “dead” remind me of Mark Twain’s wry observation that “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated!”

With the approach of the election this November, I think a lot of people who thought American and Oregonian interest in politics was dead are about to be proven wrong.

Both tickets have emerged post-convention energized by their respective candidates. For the first time in American history we have an African American, a woman and two old white guys—one from the East and one from the West on the tickets. There’s a little something for everyone.

And people aren’t just excited about their own candidates. They are being energized by their desire to ensure the defeat of the opposition as well.

Democrats are appalled by John McCain’s choice of a social conservative who seems to have every one of the party’s sacred cows in her gun sight and appears to be intent on slaughtering them all.

Republicans hear the twin rumbles of an approaching wealth redistribution engine threatening popular tax cuts and military doves flapping ever closer. Neither sound has much appeal.

All this drama will no doubt cause Oregonians to turn out and cast their votes in record numbers this November. But as they study the national candidates, I wonder how many of them are equally prepared to decide important questions that will be facing back home.

In addition to interesting “people” races, this November’s ballot has 12 important initiative and referendum questions as well. Arguably, the way Oregonians respond to these proposals may shape your life more than the new face in Washington, D.C.

Thus, it might be a good idea to study and consider these measures a little bit before your ballot arrives in about six weeks.

A good example of a question that has big implications for everyone who pays taxes is the question of whether to repeal the “double majority” requirement for raising property taxes. That’s exactly what is proposed in Measure 56, which would provide that money measures presented in the May and November elections need only pass by a majority of those casting ballots. Gone would be requirement that these measures have to also receive a nod of assent from 51 percent of those registered to voters. If passed, this measure undoubtedly will make raising taxes—a feat deemed nearly impossible under the current system—easier. More than one opponent, however, says that more taxes are the last thing we need in this state and in the present economy. Chances are you haven’t even thought about this question yet. Here’s your chance.

A pair of measures on the ballot—measures 57 and 61—will increase mandatory sentences for those convicted of drug trafficking, identity theft and property crimes. One measure is being sponsored by unsuccessful candidate for governor and attorney general Kevin Mannix who engages the electorate theses days through the initiative process. The other measure was placed on the ballot by the legislature as an alternative to the Mannix proposal. Whichever gets the largest number of votes will “win” and become law. The concern I have in all the hoopla about whether Mannix or the Legislature knows best is whether passing either measure is good for Oregon. While cracking down on crime is a desirable in and of itself, the cost is high. Since the state’s money basically goes to three places: education, care for the elderly, the disabled and low-income people and corrections, are we willing to live with bigger elementary school classes and fewer caseworkers investigating abuse of seniors in order to ensure that the neighborhood crackhead gets a $40,000 per year room and board package plus education and job training courtesy of the state of Oregon. I’m not sure the trade off is worth the price.

There’s yet another measure that I think deserves some deeper attention: Measure 58 prohibits teaching a public school student in a language other than English for more than two years. This measure reflects the impatience of those who do not appreciate their scarce tax dollars being used to provide one-on-one instruction to the children of non-English speaking families year-after-year. I totally agree with and support the idea that we are an English-speaking nation and that children attending public schools need to be English proficient; however, I’m not sure this is the way to achieve that goal. As the parent of an elementary school child who speaks perfectly good English, the last thing I want is more valuable instructional time taken away from teaching my child reading, writing and math. In this day and age, the Number One imperative for teachers is to raise test scores among low-performing kids. If they fail to do that, schools can suffer dire financial consequences. Teachers already struggle to try to provide challenging curriculum for all 25 students in the typical classroom. Put a couple of non-English speaking kids receiving no outside help in the mix, and my kid may never be presented with challenging curriculum. While the concept is right, this may be a measure fraught with unintended consequences.

These are just a few of the measures on the ballot this November. All will be highlighted in your Voters Pamphlet. You can also study them online at the Oregon Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.state.or.us/ under the elections tab. These issues are going to be important to all of us and to the future of our communities and our children, regardless of whether JoBama or McPalin moves into the White House.