The Liftoff: Oregon legislators call for vaccine "mandate"
Plus: Everyone is testing the waters in Gov's race, COVID déjà vu, homelessness sweeps across the state, support for "Greater Idaho" by the numbers, and Oregon's multi-billion dollar coffee company
Welcome to another installment of The Liftoff! Usually, there is a “summer lull” following the legislative session; this year, between ongoing wildfire and pandemic crises, redistricting, and political maneuvering ahead of the 2022 elections, there’s been no break. Here’s hoping August brings some rest.
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With our plug out of the way, let’s jump in. Here are the top stories on Oregon politics, government, campaigns, and elections.
1. Three Oregon legislators call for vaccine “mandate”
Three Oregon legislators, all doctors, have called for a vaccine mandate.
Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Portland): “It’s time that to mandate vaccinations to participate in society. Those who choose to be unvaccinated are sacrificing the health of our communities.”
Rep. Lisa Reynolds (D-Portland): “I agree with my friend and colleague [Rep. Dexter]: it’s time that we restrict the unvaccinated from our public spaces (restaurants, etc).”
Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-Portland): “Couldn’t agree more. It is in everyone’s interest to control this pandemic. We require shoes & shirts in stores even though their lack doesn’t harm anyone. Why wouldn’t we require vaccination against the worst health threat we’re facing?”
Rep. Dexter is a pulmonary and critical care doctor. Rep. Reynolds is a pediatrician. Sen. Steiner Hayward is a family physician. It’s not clear what the policy would entail, or whether there is broad support among the Legislature’s Democrats. The next regular legislative session will not begin until 2022, so it would take a special session (or perhaps an executive order from Governor Kate Brown) to enact such a proposal. Opposition from conservatives to such a proposal would be enormous.
2. More Oregon leaders test the waters on a run for Governor
Summer is the perfect time to test the waters on a run for Governor. On the Democratic side, almost no one is ready to declare — but almost everyone is thinking about it. Here’s the latest:
Speaker Tina Kotek is preparing to run for Governor, according to Willamette Week.
Multnomah County Chair Deb Kafoury says she wants Kotek to run for mayor in a WW interview (seems like a fun job). Kafoury has essentially given up on Mayor Ted Wheeler’s leadership (“I don’t think there’s anything I can do to…make him do things better or different”). Also, she doesn’t think a journalist would make a good governor. In related news — she is openly considering a run for Governor herself.
Speaking of journalists, Nick Kristof continues to be the subject of his journalist colleagues’ speculation. Legendary Oregon reporter Floyd McKay wrote about him — and in an email, he reminded me that Governor Charles A. Sprague is the other Oregon Governor who started as a journalist in the last century (him and Tom McCall, who, according to McKay, was “a great admirer of Sprague”).
Treasurer Tobias Read was in D.C. testifying on Oregon Saves at the invitation of Senator Ron Wyden.
Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle, whose agency just got hit with another lawsuit, held a fundraiser with national political consultant and head of Strike PAC, Rachel Bitecofer.
Labor leader Melissa Unger is out with her first op-ed after floating a trial ballon about a potential run. The Oregon Way has the exclusive here.
On the GOP side, Mayor Stan Pulliam dominated another Oregon Catalyst straw poll. The poll is unscientific and not an indication of what the vote split will be — but it may indicate enthusiasm (and/or tech savvy).
Buckle up: There’s a long way to go in the race for Governor.
3. COVID déjà vu hits Oregon, undermines faith in institutions
Déjà vu all over again: Last summer was beset by a raging pandemic, out-of-control wildfires and smoke, and hot weather. Sound familiar?
Oregonians are becoming increasingly Balkanized by the state’s response to crisis, as the Delta variant surges. Beleaguered and exhausted government leaders (at the state and federal level) are now favoring “recommendations” in place of the mandates that characterized last summer. One major exception is public schools, where students and teachers will be required to mask in the fall. The move is being met with pushback, to say the least (threats of “unenrollment” in the public school system are rising).
How will this go? Populist conservative commentator Saagar Enjeti is predicting the fallout: “Here is what will happen: Vaccinated upper middle class will wear masks, social distance, force it upon kids for eternity. The *actually* vulnerable will disregard, become more skeptical of the vaccine, bear brunt of inevitable mini-lockdowns, and die/get sick.”
Two things can be true at once: Public health professionals and elected leaders can be doing their best to make apolitical, data-driven decisions, which require rapid shifts in policy — and a pandemic-wary public (particularly those exposed to polarized media echo chambers) can still lose trust and patience.
4. Cities’ homelessness response divides Portland, Bend
Homelessness is not just a Portland problem. While city officials in Portland were clearing a homeless camp in Laurelhurst Park, the city of Bend was sharply divided over law enforcement behavior at a similar occurrence.
From The Oregonian: “Laurelhurst Park homeless encampment razed, displacing nearly 70”
The Portland Bureau of Transportation was helping ease the transition for the displaced people, according to City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, by “connecting folks with services, providing hygiene materials, and doing whatever they can to help people with their needs.”
From OPB: “Bend leaders divided on police response to homeless camp closure”
Bend City Councilor Megan Perkins told OPB “we have absolutely no plans to do any camp closures in the near future.”
5. Oregonians weigh in on “Greater Idaho”
Our friends at the Oregon Values and Belief Center have some great data on how Oregonians think about the “Greater Idaho” movement. Portland-area voters think counties should not be able to join greater Idaho, regardless of what their voters think, by a nine-point margin. Voters outside of the Willamette Valley feel that the counties should be able to join, by a four-point margin.
6. Oregon’s new billion-dollar businesses
While many Oregon businesses are struggling to hire enough employees, big news for two Oregon companies: Dutch Bros (the coffee company) and Vacasa (the vacation rental company that competes with Airbnb and VRBO, but also uses their platforms).
From Mike Rogoway at The Oregonian: “Dutch Bros IPO could turn the small-town coffee chain into one of Oregon’s most valuable companies”
According to the New York Times: “Dutch Bros. is exploring an initial public offering with a valuation of $3 billion to $5 billion.”
More from Rogoway: “Vacasa will go public in deal valuing Portland company at $4.5 billion”
7. Politics Roundup: what we’re reading
$3 billion change: From the Oregon School Boards Association: “PERS board lowers earnings outlook, which will raise employer rates”
The verdict is in: Mike Nearman is guilty, admits he opened the Capitol to “appear favorable to certain citizen groups”
Tiger of the House: An update on the saga of Congressman Peter DeFazio vs. The United States Senate
Governor Kate Brown on wildfires to Jake Tapper on CNN: “Climate change is here, it’s real, and it’s like a hammer hitting us in the head”
On whether she’s considering re-implementing statewide mandates: “We are moving to a more localized, traditional approach.”
Lori Chavez DeRemer reports raising $100,000 in the first two weeks of her challenge to Rep. Kurt Schrader
The Red Scare: Jason Beebe, the mayor of Prineville, announced a run for the U.S. Senate and calls Senator Ron Wyden a communist
Be prepared: A massive, 8.2-magnitude earthquake hit off coast of Alaska; no tsunami risk — this time
If you do one thing today: sign up for emergency alerts
A new approach to closing the Digital Divide: No One Left Offline, the City of Talent, and Umpqua Bank are partnering to help Oregonians displaced from last summer’s fires access the internet. (Kevin, editor of TOW, operates NOLO).
Read more in the Mail Tribune
What did we miss?
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