OPP supported bill (HB2762)for State Bank study commission to be vetoed by Governor Kotek

The Oregon Public Banking Alliance's supported bill (SB2763) in the Oregon legislature passed with bi-partisan majority votes in both the OR House and OR Senate. Yet Gov. Kotek has indicated that she will veto the measure.

Oregon Progressive Party legal advisor, Dan Meek, submitted this letter to the Governor.

___________________________________________

The State of Oregon has over $115 billion of investment funds, much placed with those bankers and operators. They charge Oregon huge fees (not disclosed), likely over $1 billion annually, and invest almost 100% in businesses outside of Oregon.

That includes $223 million in “an Israeli company whose smartphone spyware has been used against dissidents, human rights defenders and journalists by repressive regimes” and “two prison companies that run immigrant detention facilities.” -- Associated Press (November 19, 2019)

Oregon and its counties, cities, and districts also pay to Wall Street huge fees of about 5% of the $3 billion in public works bonds floated annually.

So Wall Street gets paid to take our money and then gets paid again to loan it back to us.

Eject the middle men: create a STATE BANK OF OREGON to avoid fees and use our investment funds for Oregon-based public works, housing, small business opportunities. Local governments should borrow needed funds from our State Bank at much lower interest rates. See http://www.orpublicbank.org.

I learned that you are considering vetoing HB 2763, which would at least start the ball rolling with a study.
___________________________________________

Senate Approves $886 billion war budget for FY2024

WAR BUDGET VOTE is bi-partisan again. On July 26, 2023, the Senate in a 86-11 vote (with three Senators not voting) approved the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Bill (S2226).

Once again Oregon's two Senators voted NO.

Others voting no included both Senators from MA (Sen. Markley and Warren) and VT (Sen. Sanders and Welch). In the past Oregon has been the only or one of two states where both Senators voted No. Oregon has frequently been joined by MA).

Once again the No votes were strongly out numbered by the Yes votes. The 11 No votes were 6 Democrats, 4 Republicans and 1 Independent (Bernie Sanders). The Yes votes were almost evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. See the Vote record: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00212.htm?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#state

Sen Sanders amendment to cut the budget by 10% was defeated by 88 No to 11 Yes. Amoung the Yes votes to cutting the budget were OR Senators Merkley and Wyden, VT Senators Sanders and MA Senators Warren and Markey. See the vote record https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00203.htm?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#position

Neither Sen Merkley nor Sen Wyden issued a press release explaining their vote.

Sen Sanders/Rep. Scott introduce $17 minimum wage bill into Congress

Sen. Sanders and Rep. Bobby Scott introduced a bill into Congress Tuesday to increase the federal min wage to $17/hour from its present $7.25/hour. It has been $7.25/hour since 2008. This increase would happen over the coarse of 5 years. In addition to the increase in min wage, the subminimum wage will be eliminated for teens, the disabled, and tipped workers. And future min wage increases will be tied to the annual increase in the median worker wage. No longer will Congress need to agree to increase the min wage. 28 million workers will see increases in their wages, about $3100 annually. 14 million of those workers benefits will be people of color.

The bill name is Raise the Wage Act of 2023; it was cosponsored by 146 members of Congress and 29 Senators. We don't know yet who those co-sponsors are. Nor do we know the bill number.

More details of the bill are available in this Common Dreams article: https://www.commondreams.org/news/17-minimum-wage

Read the text of the bill here: https://democrats-edworkforce.house.gov/imo/media/doc/raise_the_wage_act_bill_text.pdf

Read the Economic Policy Institute's analysis of the bill here: https://www.epi.org/publication/rtwa-2023-impact-fact-sheet/

But is $17/hour enough?

While there is great reason to welcome this move by Sanders and Scott to increase the federal min. wage to $17/hour over the course of 5 years, we must recognize that $17/hour is not a livable wage. A livable wage that would afford the ability to rent an apartment should be $21 to $24 per hour.

Rebecca Gordon puts some perspective on this question of a livable wage in this article, also from Common Dreams: https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/unaffordable-housing-washington-dc

UPDATE 7/28/23
BILL NUMBERS/LIST OF CO-SPONSORS NOW AVAILABLE

The bill numbers are S2488 in the Senate and HB 4889 in the House.

Here in Oregon Reps. Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, are all cosponsors. Andrea Salinas is missing and needs to be encouraged to add herself to the list of co-sponsors. Naturally, the two Republicans from Oregon are not co-sponsors, that is Chavez-DeFemer and Bentz. In the US Senate, both Sens. Merklley and Wyden are co-sponsors. Overall there are 150 House members listed with 29 Senators, all Democrats.

Sen Sanders to vote No on new $886 B war budget

Sen Sanders has written an op-ed, published in The Guardian, saying that he will vote against the $889 billion NDAA (war budget) when it comes before the Senate, likely next week.

Op-ed link: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/24/the-pentagon-doesnt-need-886bn-i-oppose-this-bloated-defense-budget

I am going to copy and mail it to our two Senators and my US Representative Earl Blumenauer, asking them to follow Sen. Sanders' lead and vote No also. And I will further ask them to issue press releases following their vote explaining their vote, in favor or opposed.

Find their addresses here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

House approves $886 billion war budget for FY2024

 The House last night approved the National Defense Authorization Bill (HR2670) to provide funding for the Dept of Defense and other war making agencies of the federal government, including some very right-wing amendments offered by Republicans.   Here is the story:  https://www.commondreams.org/news/four-house-dems-join-gop-to-pass-886-billion-military-bill-packed-with-right-wing-amendments  Amendments from progressive members of Congress were removed from the final bill.

Note that four Democrats voted with the Republicans for the bill, including Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Wash. state (Vancouver).

Also important is that this bill approved an amount $28 billion larger than last years budget.  And I does not include the amendment which would have moved $100 billion from the budget to domestic needs, like affordable housing, infrastructure repair, water system repairs, funds to reduce student debt and so much more. 

All Oregon Dems voted No; all Oregon Republicans voted Yes. See https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023328   

Now the Senate needs to enact their version, and assuming that it will be different from the House version it will go to a joint committee of the House and Senate for negotiations and working out a final version for both the House and Senate to approve (or not).  This process is on a fast track for completion asap.  

I would recommend calls to our representatives thanking OR Dem for their NO votes  asking that their issue statement explaining why they voted No.  

Find your representative/senator contact info here:  https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member   

Please use the Common Dreams article (link above) for talking points. 

Thanks, 

People over the Pentagon

 

OR People's Rebate - start collecting signatures for our more economically just future in Oregon

Oregon Progressive Party will soon start collecting voter signatures on the OR Peoples' Rebate proposed ballot initiative.  (Oregon Peoples' Rebate)

YOU CAN  help get this qualified for the ballot.  OR Peoples' Rebate is conducting signature gathering training session on Saturday. Please join in and help get this on the Nov 2024 ballot.  

This initiative would make a very small increase in the corporate tax but enough to rebate to every Oregonian $750 each, each year.  $3500 per family of 4 every year.  This could have an economic stimulus of $3 billion each year and raise 26% of those children living in poverty out of poverty.  

TIME TO START HELPING WITH THIS NOW..  SIGN UP FOR A TRAINING SESSION TO LESSON THE DETAILS.  

This initiative would make a very small increase in the corporate tax but enough to rebate to every Oregonian $750 each, each year.  $3500 per family of 4 every year.  This could have an economic stimulus of $3 billion each year and raise 26% of those children living in poverty out of poverty.  

TIME TO START HELPING WITH THIS NOW..  SIGN UP FOR A TRAINING SESSION TO LESSON THE DETAILS.  

---

David e. Delk | 503.232.5495 | Alliance for Democracy | Oregon Progressive Party |

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From: Oregon Rebate (2024) <info@oregonrebate.org>

To

Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 06:19:45 PM PDT

Subject: Collecting signatures NOW! 

Oregon Rebate 2024 is collecting signatures! Hello David,  As we announced in our last email, we are now collecting signatures to qualify the Oregon Rebate for the November 2024 election!  The Oregon Rebate starts holding the largest corporations accountable and provides a yearly guaranteed income of about $750 for every Oregonian to help us make ends meet, reduce poverty, and revitalize our local economies. There is no cavalry coming to save us and none of this happens by itself, let's do this! LET'S DO THIS! How you can help make this happen? Learn how to collect signatures and be a circulator! Some things don't have to be complicated: 120,413 valid signatures gets us on the November 2024 ballot.  Join us at an online training: Saturdays, 10:00AM - 12:00PM Many hands make light work. REGISTER FOR A SIGNATURE GATHERING TRAINING https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvc-6qrTwqGNHgtbXMvaVat3h2qv3tX_8m What have we been up to?  CERTIFIED BALLOT TITLE  — Read for yourself the Certified Ballot Title (CBT).It appears on the back of the signature sheets and will appear on the Voters' Pamphlet in November 2024.

Ranked Choice Voting in Oregon 

The Oregon Progressive Party issued this statement today regarding their support for Ranked Choice Voting:  

 "The Oregon Progressive Party supports the use of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in the conduct of all elections – both federal and state, primary and General elections – in Oregon. Ranked Choice Voting is an improvement on the conduct of our elections, eliminating the so-called spoiler effect of our present first-past-the-post elections, RCV allows the voter to choice their favorite candidate without worry that by doing so they can be charged with wasting your vote. RCV encourages more candidates to run for office, especially minority candidates. And RCV is very popular with voters. At the ballot recently, voters in both Multnomah County and the City of Portland joined voters in Benton county in approving the use of RCV. It is time for the approval of ranked choice voting in all elections in Oregon. "  

 

Oregon Progressive Party War and Peace Report Feb. 3, 2021 How many US Military Bases Are There in the World? The Soldiers Project reports that they are "roughly 750 US foreign military bases; they are spread across 80 nations! After the U.S is the UK, but they only have 145 bases. Russia has about 3 dozen bases, and China just five. This implies that the U.S has three times as many bases as all other countries combined." The Report goes on to give an estimate of the number of US troops overseas: 154,000 at minimum but the exact total is a secret. Note that this does not include American military bases nor personnel in the United States itself. New military base on Guam As it that were not enough American bases around the world, The United States opened its first new base in 70 years, a 4000 acre base on the island of Guam. The expectation is that 5000 troops will be stationed here. The base was established in cooperation with Japan in order to remove Marine troops from Okinawa. This new base joins another American base on Guam, the Andersen Air Force Base. And 4 new military bases in the Philippines As if roughly 750 military bases were not enough, now the United States has announced that the US will build at least 4 new bases in the Philippines. After these bases are built, the US will have a total nine bases in the Philippines. US Sec. of Defense said that “The United States and the Philippines are more than just allies, We’re family.” More details from The Hill. Japan to beef up it's military forces to, it says, counter China and North Korea In rejection of its pacifist constitution, written following WWII and giving up Japan's right to wage war and the means to do so, Japanese officials have announced a new 5-year plan to expand its Self-Defense Forces. The 5-year plan calls for a $320 billion plan making Japan the world's third-biggest military spender after the United States and China. Japan will double it'sr military expenditures to about 2% of GDP. The increase in military costs will likely mean increases in tobacco, corporate and disaster-reconstruction income taxes. US Australia invite Japan to join joint military exercises AlJazeera reveals that US and Australian officials concluded talks to increase "rotational presence of air, land and sea forces in Australis amid shared concerns over China." “Today, we agreed to deepen our defense cooperation in several important ways,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a joint news conference with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, that also included the two nations’ foreign ministers. “Based upon today’s talks, we will increase rotational presence of US forces in Australia. That includes rotations of bomber task forces, fighters and future rotations of US Navy and US Army capabilities,” he said. "The two countries have also agreed to “invite Japan to integrate into our force posture initiatives in Australia”, he said. During the same conference, it was noted that "Washington is planning to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to an air base in the region."

US Senators/Representatives end up voting for the War Budget A couple months ago we run this image in our report. Since then, the Congress did vote overwhelmingly in favor of the largest ever National Defense Authorization Act. Both Sen. Merkley and Wyden voted NO. Representatives Bumenauer and Bonamici also voted voted No on the NDAA. The non-defense portion of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill was an increase of just 5.5% over last year according to a report by the Senate Committee on Appropriations' Sen. Shelby (R- Ala). However, in another vote more recently on the Omnibus Appropriations Act which included funds for all of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), both Senators voted Yes as did Rep. Bumenauer and Bonamci. The Omnibus Appropriations Act totaled $1.7 trillion with more than half being to cover the National Defense Authorization Act. The NDAA was a $76B increase over last year's NDAA, a 10% increase. The Omnibus bill included $47 billion in support of Ukraine war efforts. In a clear indication of American priories, the bill also included just $38 billion for emergency disaster assistance for American hurt by forest fires, flooding and other climate related disasters.

Please call your US Senators and Representative and ask them why they voted for the war budget in the appropriations bill after having voted no in the National Defense Authorizations Act. Find contact info here using your address.

 Congress is set to vote approval on the National Defense Authorization Act (for fiscal year 2023).  This will be a new all time high budget amount in the area of 3.4 billion dollars.  This is money which could be used for real human needs.  Encourage your US Representatives and Senators to Vote NO.  

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink, at First Unitarian Church on Wed. Nov 16 7 - 9 PM.

 Join Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink, as she talks about her new book, War In Ukraine, Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict, at the  First Unitarian Church on Wed. Nov 16 from 7 - 9 PM.  

Nov 2022 OR Progressive Party monthly newsletter

The Oregon Progressive Party November 2022 Newsletter is available now here.

Read about new American war efforts, OR Progressive Party candidates on November 2022 ballot, new efforts to get ballot initiatives to limits big special interest money out of our elections, and more.

Will Democrats Ever Wake Up to the Need for Campaign Finance Reform in Oregon?

 Now that Phil Knight (retired from Nike) has contributed $3.75 million to Betsy Johnson (NAV) and $1 million to Christine Drazen (R), the Democrats appear to be waking up to the need for campaign finance reform in Oregon.  Too late.

The Democrats have been in control of the Oregon Legislature since 2007 (except for the even split in 2011) and have controlled the Governor's Office since 1987.  They have adopted zero limits on campaign contributions and almost entirely meaningless tagline requirements on political advertisements (after repealing Oregon's previous tagline requirements in 2001).

Now the Democrats are being outspent 2-1 in the Governor's race by the opponents.  All rely heavily on gigantic contributions.

Nathalie Paravicini Withdraws as Governor Nominee

She notes new commitment to campaign finance reform by Tina Kotek. Other candidates for Governor lack this commitment.​

​Statement of Nathalie Paravicini

August 30, 2022
​

Oregon's governor's race must have a pro-democracy candidate who prioritizes campaign finance and electoral reform.  Winning an election is not only about getting elected but also about raising alternative solutions and changing the debate. That objective was advanced when Tina Kotek last week made specific public commitments to prioritize campaign finance reform.

Democrats Massively Screw Up Electric Vehicle Tax Credits, Harm the Environment

The Democrat's "Inflation Reduction Act" actually drastically cuts the availability of federal tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs), effectively eliminating them for all new EVs.

There are 72 EV models currently available for purchase in the United States including battery, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric vehicles. Seventy percent of those EVs would immediately become ineligible when the bill passes and none would qualify for the full credit when additional sourcing requirements go into effect [2023].  Zero.

The $7,500 credit might exist on paper, but no vehicles will qualify for this purchase incentive over the next few years

John Bozzella, Alliance for Automotive Innovation

What if No EVs Qualify for the EV Tax Credit?

Also see If you want an electric car, buy one this week

Fraud of the Democrats' Claim that the Inflation Reduction Act Allows Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices

The Democrats claim that their "Inflation Reduction Act" allows Medicare to negotiate down drug prices.  That claim is very largely a fraud.

In fact, here is what the new law does:

• No Medicare negotiation of any drug prices before 2026.
  
  
• Beginning in 2026, the prices of only 10 prescription drugs in Medicare Part D would be negotiated. That would increase 15 drugs in 2027. Then in 2028 negotiation would cover 15 drugs in both Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B (typically drugs in Part B are given by doctors or in hospital outpatient treatment). In 2029 and later, negotiation would include only a total of 20 Part D and Part B drugs.

That's it.  Zero negotiation until 2026 and then negotiation on only a tiny fraction of the 4,000+ drugs that Medicare pays for.

House Dems provide most votes for new 2023 war budget in House

HR7900, the bill authorizing the "Defense" budget was approved last night 329-101 y-n.  The bill authorizes spending $840 B which includes $37 B on top of Biden's budget request.  the House bll allocates $808.4 billion for the Pentagon, $30.5 billion to the Department of Energy and another $400 million in defense-related activities elsewhere in the federal government. 

Here is how OR Representatives voted

Oregon
Nay	OR 1st	D	Bonamici, Suzanne
Yea	OR 2nd	R	Bentz, Cliff
Nay	OR 3rd	D	Blumenauer, Earl
Nay	OR 4th	D	DeFazio, Peter
Nay	OR 5th	D	Schrader, Kurt

And here is the vote nationwide divided by Dems and Reps.   Once again a clear bi-partisan approval. So who is the war party?  The duopoly: Dem/Rep Party. 

All Votes		Democrats	Republicans
Yea	77%	329	180	149
Nay	23%	101	39	62
Not Voting		1	1	0

Passed. Simple Majority Required. Source: house.gov.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h350?utm_campaign=govtrack_email_update&utm_source=govtrack/email_update&utm_medium=email

The vote in the Senate is expected in Sept.  Their Senate Armed Services Committee approved the Biden budget plus an additional $45 billion.  

After the Senate approves the budget, the House and Senate will form a committee to iron out the difference.  A new vote will be held on this joint bill and if approved, it will be sent to the President for his signature.  The President, however he is, always signs.  

War Powers Resolution regarding Yemen introduced in Senate

Sen Warren and Sen Sanders and Sen Leahy have introduced a Yemen War Powers Resolution to end American support for Saudi Arabia war efforts in Yemen, which has caused what is described as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.  This is a campion bill to    one introduced and supported by 100 members of the House by Rep. Jayapal and Rep DeFazio.  

Story on this from Responsible Stagecraft:   https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/07/14/senators-introduce-resolution-aimed-at-ending-the-war-in-yemen/ 

Sen Sanders press release: 

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-leahy-and-warren-introduce-war-powers-resolution-to-end-u-s-involvement-in-saudi-war-in-yemen/