Oregon's elected political class of 2009 MUST campaign with the health care reform package of their choosing in order to have the credibility to act on health care reform when they take office
Regardless of what public office they are running for the issue of health care is connected to it. The single most important question relating to our state's moral and economic health care crisis is below. In addition to the US Senate, statewide contests, several city council and county commission races, every candidate for the Oregon legislature has been asked to answer this question.
You are encouraged to contact these candidates to confirm or challenge their indicated positions. If they won't pick one of the only three viable options on the public table, choices A, B (both of which took years to achieve this status) or C, then regardless of what else they say or how long they take to say it, their answer effectively results in the status quo. No new entries are allowed after the starting gate opens. You can't bet on a horse that isn't in this race.
Which of these competing options for health care reform in Oregon do you support?
A. The Oregon Community Health Care Bill (Which involves no new taxes, will reduce public institutional expenditures for health insurance by 20% and provides equality of health care for public employees and citizens.)
John Frohnmayer US Senate (http://ivotejohn.com/blog/?cat=3)
Pete Sorenson Lane County Commission #3
Nadia Sindi Lane County Commissioner #4
Mark Newey Multnomah County Commission #1
Bruce Barclay Multnomah County Commission #3
Sam Adams Portland Mayor
Jeff Bissonnette Portland City Council #1
John Branam Portland City Council #1
Mike Fahey Portland City Council #1
Charles Lewis Portland City Council #1
Eldon Rollins State Senator, 1st District Democrat
Donald Nordin State Representative, 7th District Democrat
Barbara Wright State Representative, 58th District Democrat
All of these candidates deserve your support and your vote. Write in John Frohmayer for US Senate regardless of your party affiliation.
B. Senate Bill 329 (Which, according to Representative Mitch Greenlick, will cost an additional Billion dollars in taxes and relies on the failed private health insurance industry model assuring continued unsustainable escalation of public institutional health insurance contributions.)
Jeff Merkley US Senate Democrat
Bob McDonald State Senator, 9th District Democrat
Sean Cruz State Senator, 23rd District Democrat
Mitch Greenlick State Representative, 33rd District Democrat
It is no secret that on the issue of public health care policy Republicans are proudly establishment Social Darwinists. Despite the curious fact that some Republicans voted for the benign unfunded SB329, not a single Republican candidate for the legislature supports taxing their constituents a Billion dollars to cover the actual cost of SB329 (right decision, wrong reasoning). During the recent special legislative session, the Democrats controlling the senate buried the idea that health care is a right. In addition, with the onset of an economic recession there appears to be a very, very large number of legislative candidates from both chambers who are Democrats that will not support a Billion dollar tax increase to cover the million Oregonians during the year who anxiously live without health insurance (see status quo names below). When combined with zero Republican votes this total will predictably doom full funding for SB329 in the 2009 session. This raises the question: What is the relevance of the Oregon Health Fund Board traipsing around our state seeking public recommendations for funding a Billion dollar tax scheme when almost no legislative candidates have the courage to campaign in support of a Billion dollar tax increase making it virtually impossible to find a majority to vote in favor of full funding for SB329 during the 2009 session.
C. Maintain the status quo. (As long as these folks have their own health care needs taken care of they do not have the motivation nor the courage to publicly stand for a solution which would seriously address Oregon's moral and economic health care crisis and possibly endanger their electability by incurring the wrath of the all powerful private health insurance industry lobbyists. Of course, it's certainly possible that some or many of these legislative candidates may change their minds and support the Oregon Community Health Care Bill after the primary or vote for a Billion dollar tax increase when elected. You should ask them about that, being especially wary of Democrats. Note to candidates: Those listed below will be seen by voters as the No New Taxes For Health Care Reform Candidates. Voters are likely to be outright hostile if you lie to them during your campaign about your intentions to raise or not raise taxes to pay for Senate Bill 329.)
As you read these names think about the impact that the decision of these candidates, many to become elected officials, to maintain the status quo will have on the health care available to your friends, neighbors and family and the unstoppable rising costs of public employee health insurance premiums and the corresponding diminishment of services provided by your school district, your city, your county and your state, all of which you support by paying your taxes.
Steve Novick US Senate Democrat
Gordon Smith US Senate Republican
Steve Marks Representative in Congress, 5th District Democrat
Nancy Moran Representative in Congress, 5th District Democrat
Kurt Schrader Representative in Congress, 5th District Democrat
Mike Erickson Representative in Congress, 5th District Republican
Kevin Mannix Representative in Congress, 5th District Republican
John Kroger Attorney General
Greg Macpherson Attorney General
Kate Brown Secretary of State
Vicki Walker Secretary of State
Annabelle Jaramillo Benton County Commission #3
Chirs Nusbaum Benton County Commission #3
Ray Nelson Clackamas County Commission #3
Partrick Reed Clackamas County Commission #3
Martha Schrader Clackamas County Commission #3
Craig Gingerich Clackamas County Commission #4
Mat Green-Hite Clackamas County Commission #4
Charlotte Lehan Clackamas County Commission #4
Dave Mowry Clackamas County Commission #4
Ron Adams Clackamas County Commission #5
James Bernard Clackamas County Commission #5
Lori DeRemer Clackamas County Commission #5
Emil Hnidey Clackamas County Commission #5
Katherine Kehoe Clackamas County Commission #5
Trent Tidwell Clackamas County Commission #5
Bobby Green Lane County Commissioner #4
Rob Handy Lane County Commissioner #4
Deborah Kafoury Multnomah County Commission #1
Wes Soderback Multnomah County Commission #1
Roy Burkett Multnomah County Commission #3
Mike Delman Multnomah County Commission #3
Robert Milesnick Multnomah County Commission #3
Judy Shiprack Multnomah County Commission #3
Diane McKeel Multnomah County Commission #4
Carla Piluso Multnomah County Commission #4
Roy Rogers Washington County Commission #3
Eric Squires Washington County Commission #3
Kris Bledsoe Yamhill County Commission #2
Leslie Lewis Yamhill County Commission #2
Donna Nelson Yamhill County Commission #2
Sho Dozono Portland Mayor
Amanda Fritz Portland city council #1
Chris Smith Portland city council #1
Nick Fish Portland city council #2
Ed Garren Portland city council #2
Harold Williams Portland city council #2
Jim Middaugh Portland city council #2
Lloyd Chapman Salem Mayor
Janet Taylor Salem Mayor
Richard Goche State Representative, 1st District Democrat
Wayne Krieger State Representative, 1st District Republican
Harry McDermott State Representative, 2nd District Democrat
James Fox State Representative, 2nd District Republican
Tim Freeman State Representative, 2nd District Republican
Julie Rubenstein State Representative, 3rd District Democrat
Ron Maurer State Representative, 3rd District Republican
Dennis Richardson State Representative, 4th District Republican
Ronald Schultz State Representative, 4th District Republican
Peter Buckley State Representative, 5th District Democrat
Margaret Howe State Representative, 6th District Democrat
Sal Esquivel State Representative, 6th District Republican
George McKibbin State Representative, 7th District Democrat
Bruce Hanna State Representative, 7th District Republican
Paul Holvey State Representative, 8th District Democrat
Arnie Roblan State Representative, 9th District Democrat
Al Pearn State Representative, 9th District Republican
Jean Cowan State Representative, 10th District Democrat
Philip Barnhart State Representative, 11th District Democrat
Elizabeth Beyer State Representative, 12th District Democrat
Sean VanGordon State Representative, 12th District Republican
Nancy Nathanson State Representative, 13th District Democrat
Chris Edwards State Representative, 14th District Democrat
Richard Olsen State Representative, 15th District Democrat
Andy Olson State Representative, 15th District Republican
Sara Gelser State Representative, 16th District Democrat
Dan Thackaberry State Representative, 17th District Democrat
Bruce Cuff State Representative, 17th District Republican
Marc Lucca State Representative, 17th District Republican
Sherrie Sprenger State Representative, 17th District Republican
Clifford Wooten State Representative, 17th District Republican
Jim Gilbert State Representative, 18th District Democrat
Victor Gilliam State Representative, 18th District Republican
Hanten Day State Representative, 19th District Democrat
Kevin Cameron State Representative, 19th District Republican
Richard Riggs State Representative, 20th District Democrat
Vicki Berger State Representative, 20th District Republican
Brian Clem State Representative, 21st District Democrat
Betty Komp State Representative, 22nd District Democrat
Tom Chereck State Representative, 22nd District Republican
Wesley West State Representative, 23rd District Democrat
Craig Pope State Representative, 23rd District Republican
James Thompson State Representative, 23rd District Republican
Bernt Hansen State Representative, 24th District Democrat
James Bunn State Representative, 24th District Republican
Edward Glad State Representative, 24th District Republican
James Weidner State Representative, 24th District Republican
Kim Thatcher State Representative, 25th District Republican
Jessica Adamson State Representative, 26th District Democrat
Matthew Wingard State Representative, 26th District Republican
Tobias Read State Representative, 27th District Democrat
Russell McAlmond State Representative, 27th District Republican
Jeff Barker State Representative, 28th District Democrat
Gregory Steiert State Representative, 28th District Republican
Chuck Riley State Representative, 29th District Democrat
Jeff Duyck State Representative, 29th District Republican
David Edwards State Representative, 30th District Democrat
Andrew Meyer State Representative, 30th District Republican
Bradley Witt State Representative, 31st District Democrat
Deborah Boone State Representative, 32nd District Democrat
Mitch Greenlick State Representative, 33rd District Democrat
Suzanne Bonamici State Representative, 34th District Democrat
Piotr Kuklinski State Representative, 34th District Republican
Larry Galizio State Representative, 35th District Democrat
Tony Marino State Representative, 35th District Republican
Mary Nolan State Representative, 36th District Democrat
Steve Oppenheim State Representative, 36th District Republican
Michele Eberle State Representative, 37th District Democrat
Scott Bruun State Representative, 37th District Republican
Linda Brown State Representative, 38th District Democrat
Christopher Garrett State Representative, 38th District Democrat
Stephen Griffith State Representative, 38th District Republican
Tobias Forsberg State Representative, 39th District Democrat
Bill Kennemer State Representative, 39th District Republican
Dave Hunt State Representative, 40th District Democrat
Carolyn Tomei State Representative, 41st District Democrat
Randy Uchytil State Representative, 41st District Republican
Jules Bailey State Representative, 42nd District Democrat
Regan Gray State Representative, 42nd District Democrat
Gordon Hillesland State Representative, 42nd District Democrat
Teddy Keizer State Representative, 42nd District Democrat
William Shields State Representative, 43rd District Democrat
Tina Kotek State Representative, 44th District Democrat
Cyreena Boston State Representative, 45th District Democrat
Jonathan Coney State Representative, 45th District Democrat
Michael Dembrow State Representative, 45th District Democrat
Ben Cannon State Representative, 46th District Democrat
Jefferson Smith State Representative, 47th District Democrat
Mike Schaufler State Representative, 48th District Democrat
Nicholas Kahl State Representative, 49th District Democrat
Barbara Kyle State Representative, 49th District Democrat
John Nelsen State Representative, 49th District Republican
Gregory Matthews State Representative, 50th District Democrat
John Lim State Representative, 50th District Republican
Brent Barton State Representative, 51st District Democrat
Linda Flores State Representative, 51st District Republican
Steven Richkind State Representative, 52nd District Democrat
Suzanne VanOrman State Representative, 52nd District Democrat
Matt Lindland State Representative, 52nd District Republican
Phyllis Thiemann State Representative, 52nd District Republican
Conrad Ruel State Representative, 53rd District Democrat
Gene Whisnant State Representative, 53rd District Republican
Judith Stiegler State Representative, 54th District Democrat
Charles Burley State Representative, 54th District Republican
George Gilman State Representative, 55th District Republican
Bill Garrard State Representative, 56th District Republican
Gregory Smith State Representative, 57th District Republican
Ben Talley State Representative, 58th District Democrat
Bob J enson State Representative, 58th District Republican
Mike Ahern State Representative, 59th District Democrat
John Huffman State Representative, 59th District Republican
Cliff Bentz State Representative, 60th District Republican
Timothy Smith State Representative, 60th District Republican
Jeff Kruse State Senator, 1st District Republican
Richard Koopmans State Senator, 2nd District Democrat
Jason Atkinson State Senator, 2nd District Republican
Alan Bates State Senator, 3rd District Democrat
Steven Frank State Senator, 9th District Democrat
Robert McDonald State Senator, 9th District Democrat
Sarah Arcune State Senator, 9th District Republican
Roger Beyer State Senator, 9th District Republican
Fred Girod State Senator, 9th District Republican
Kevin Nortness State Senator, 12th District Democrat
Brian Boquist State Senator, 12th District Republican
Mark Hass State Senator, 14th District Democrat
Lisa Michaels State Senator, 14th District Republican
Ginny Burdick State Senator, 18th District Democrat
John Wight State Senator, 18th District Republican
Diane Rosenbaum State Senator, 21st District Democrat
Margaret Carter State Senator, 22nd District Democrat
Jackie Dingfelder State Senator, 23rd District Democrat
Laurie Anderson State Senator, 25th District Democrat
Maren Lundgren State Senator, 27th District Democrat
John Robbins State Senator, 27th District Republican
Christine Telfer State Senator, 27th District Republican
Douglas Whitsett State Senator, 28th District Republican
David Nelson State Senator, 29th District Republican
Ted Ferrioli State Senator, 30th District Republican
Below are two documents which are extremely relevant to public discussion, debate and decision making. Merkley, Courtney and all the rest of the Democratic leadership in the legislature and the Democratic party refused to even acknowledge this letter. Their utterly unjustifiable, undemocratic conduct gives the lie to claims of "inclusion" of ideas in the resultant SB329 and is clear evidence of either collusion with or cowardly capitulation to the powerful private health insurance industry lobbyists.
The public institution contributions to health insurance premium figures cited below raise the questions:
1. How long will taxpayers and voters, especially those without health care, continue to accept without challenge and outrage paying more than a thousand dollars a month for public employee health care premiums?
2. Do public employees deserve better health care than the taxpayers that pay for their health insurance?
3. Which two of the three choices above will continue to increase the costs of public employee health insurance costs while decreasing, in direct proportion, the amount of public dollars available for public services in every public institution in Oregon?
These questions are on the public table. They can no longer be ignored and will have to be addressed.
Richard Ellmyer
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March 12, 2007
Dear House Speaker Merkley and Senate President Courtney:
The current legislative debate over health care reform in our state does not include our view that the profit oriented private health insurance industry must not be the model upon which a solution to Oregon's moral and economic health care crisis should be based and that Oregon elected officials - public employees - voters and taxpayers must have equal access to the same level of health care not a perpetuation of our current multitiered health insurance class system.
We request that you find a place holder bill in each chamber which would substitute in its entirety the language of the Oregon Community Health Care Bill (see attached) so that an alternative choice may be discussed and debated this session. The Oregon Community Health Care Bill is the only current fully formed piece of proposed legislation which supports our vision of health care reform. We would welcome others that also meet our requirements.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Richard Ellmyer - Oregon Community Health Care Bill author
Sam Adams - Portland City Council
Jeff Cogen - Multnomah County Commissioner
Edwars "Chip" Enbody - Hubbard City Council
Darrell Flood - Mayor of Lafayette
Bill Hall - Lincoln County Commissioner
Jim Needham - Mollala City Council
Michelle Ripple - Wilsonville City Council
Mary Schamehorn - Mayor of Bandon
Pete Sorenson - Lane County Commissioner
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FYI - A Sampling Of Maximum Current Public Employer Contributions To Public Employee Health Insurance Benefits
Dollar figures are for individual paychecks per month.
Multnomah County - $ 1,282
City of Eugene - $ 1,256
City of Portland - $ 1,246
Portland Public Schools - $ 1,217
Oregon State University - $1,188
Portland State University - $ 1,129
City of Gresham - $1,120
University of Oregon - $ 1,084
State of Oregon - $ 1,006
Beaverton School District - $ 921
Multnomah County ESD - $ 768
Metro Regional Government - $ 763
Lane ESD - $ 750