The Weekly Way (5/7/21)
Lessons to be learned.
Editor’s Note: Looking for Oregon’s Sixth (Wo)Man*
This note originally appeared in The Register Guard.
In basketball, “the sixth (wo)man” is the first person off the bench to replace a player in the starting line up. They’re accountable. They’re focused. And they’re selfless. Soon, Oregon will have its own sixth man—thanks to a growing population, the state has earned an additional seat in the US House of Representatives—one more than its current five.
Whoever enters the race for Oregon’s sixth congressional district ought to keep a “sixth man” mentality in mind: accountable to the people of their district, not their party; focused on being a great public servant, not a politician; selfless when it comes to making the choice that’s best for their re-election or the one that’s best for their constituents.
Historically, only a few members of Oregon’s congressional delegation have managed to fulfill this vital role. Consider the congressional career of Les AuCoin. Though Rep. Aucoin counted the metro area as his core constituency, he advocated for projects that would benefit Portland (like the construction of light rail) and the state as a whole (like banning oil exploration off the Oregon-California coast and blocked mining in the Three Sisters Wilderness).
Reflect on the Congresswoman Edith Green, who was known for "her independence, tenacity, and ability," according to the Philip Cogswell of the Oregon Encyclopedia. Sounds like a sixth woman, right? That's why it's unsurprising Green was such a team player—always keeping the long term interests of her state and nation first. So she helped pass President Lyndon B. Johnson's anti-poverty legislation, then demonstrated her independence by breaking ranks with the President—opposing the escalation of US military involvement in Vietnam. She even passed up prestigious opportunities, like serving as the Ambassador to Canada for President Kennedy, to continue to serve Oregonians.
Remember Congressman Wendall Wyatt—a sixth man well before he was elected, Wyatt served as a pilot in the Marines during World War II. His service-oriented mentality continued in D.C. He worked with Democratic House Leaders to achieve significant legislative accomplishments, including investments in public works projects. Like Green, Wyatt was unafraid of being independent—one journalist labeled Wyatt as "pro-choice, pro-gun-control and the driving force behind efforts to bring commerce to Oregon..." Ultimately, Wyatt had his selfless score knocked by his guilty plea for failing to report spending activities while he was chair of the Nixon campaign in 1972. Notwithstanding that blemish, Wyatt continued to serve even after leaving Congress—serving as a commissioner for the Port of Portland.
Oregonians don’t need someone who places party before the people, reelection before pressing demands, nor special interests before the special concerns of all Oregonians. Voters need to elect a sixth (wo)man. They should look for candidates that reject all the trappings of our partisan era. If I were to run, this is how I’d be a sixth man:
Run the campaign with only the support of small donors. Pledge to learn from both sides and compromise when it’s best for Oregon. Serve tirelessly but not endlessly. Visit every corner of the state, work with communities across the political spectrum, and shun the temptation to simply climb the party ladder. Oh and have an ideologically diverse staff, rather than an office prone to partisan groupthink.
So, Oregonians, let’s put a sixth (wo)man into play.
Here’s to a better Oregon,
Kevin
To do:
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To ponder: Is the Economic Glass Half Full?
To read:
It can be hard to identify silver linings in these tough times, but Commissioner Minty Morris is optimistic that increased civic participation will remain a norm long after the pandemic. Read the full article here.
Pre-COVID-19, getting civically involved was logistically difficult, financially (and often times emotionally) expensive, and time intensive. In the “old” days, local governments were notoriously non-tech savvy, but the pandemic forced what would have been a long and slow transition to happen quickly. Smaller local governments everywhere started ramping up their technological capabilities. Klamath County was one such example.
As a Klamath County Commissioner, I recall just a few short years ago strongly pushing our staff and board just to get our meetings streamed on the web. Now, we've invested in Zoom, WebEx, and various other platforms so our citizens can be with us, even when in-person meetings weren't desirable or possible. The logistics of staying informed have become much easier (everything is posted online). The expenses have decreased (no childcare required to “attend” a meeting). The time has even gone down (no commuting to a distant meeting).
Jessica Gomez has seen too many Oregonians hit the benefits cliff. It’s time for a new approach to our social safety net. Don’t miss her bold proposal.
So how do we align our social safety net to seamlessly integrate with employment and provide families with a true path to prosperity?
I would like to introduce what I call the Public Assistance Offset (PAO) Program, a program designed to encourage employment and offset the cost of expanding the various public assistance programs for people who are employed. Instead of benefits being eliminated as a family’s income rises, benefits would remain fully intact while their PAO contribution incrementally increases.
Oregon’s response to the pandemic has not been perfect — nor has the response of any government. That said, Mark Hester wants to make sure we take important lessons home to improve our goverance going forward. Read more here.
In emergencies, excessive process and vague (though agreeable) values must be balanced against the dire consequences of delaying live-saving remedies.
The balance between process and outcomes was slightly better in the State’s response to the pandemic-induced rent crisis. In this case there was a good short-term plan – ban evictions and provide aid to landlords – and as a result there was short-term success. But the long-term plan remains a work in progress. Each time eviction bans near their end it creates confusion and angst for tenants. Meanwhile unanswered questions loom for landlords – especially the likes of Mom-and-Pop landlords relying on their properities for their livelihood.
Zoom has done a lot of good, all things considered. However, there’s nothing like connecting with Oregonians around the state in person. Read more about Kathleen Cornett’s travels here.
There is a meditation about driving in Oregon. Experiencing the beauty. Knowing you are on your way to meet in person, to learn deeply about what is happening in a community, to find common ground and share a meal and some laughs. Hundreds of Oregonians do this work, day in and day out, mile after mile, year after year.
Road warriors travelling to and from the centers of power and commerce. Connecting. Knitting communities together. Making Oregon better. I hope we can keep them both—person to person, and options for effective broad participation using technology. Either way, let’s keep talking!
To watch:
Did you miss Civic Saturday? That’s OK - watch Cyreena Boston Ashby, Alexandria Goddard, and Kevin Frazier below. If you’d like to help plan the next Civic Saturday, message Kevin.
To quote:
There will be different ideas, different viewpoints, and different approaches to be sure. Yet underlying all these will be that one objective...that common goal...a bigger and better Oregon—morally, materially and spiritually.
Gov. Snell.