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Global Politics under Trump and Bolton (and Bush)

Submitted by info on Thu, 05/03/2018 - 03:39

BRASS TAX proposed by Progressive Party city council candidate

Submitted by DavidDelk on Mon, 04/23/2018 - 23:44

More Services/No cuts/Tax the Rich!

Julia DeGraw, Progressive Party endorsed candidate for Portland City council (Position 2, currently filled by Nick Fish) Julia DeGraw last week announced her BRASS TAX proposal in a press conference.  The Basic Rights and Social Services Tax (BRASS Tax) will focus increased city level taxes at major corporattions and the city's wealthiest citizens, raising revenue to fund services without cuts to basic city services.  

From Julia's press release:
 

The BRASS Tax is a revenue plan tied to funding for crucial social programs, including: 

  • City-wide, tuition-free and universal Pre-K staffed by teachers paid and supported on par with Portland’s K-12 teachers.

  • Massive expansion of public emergency, transitional and affordable housing projects, built or purchased with bonds paid back through rents and BRASS Tax revenues.

  • Mental health and addiction programs to reduce suffering and replace a criminal justice-approach to health problems.

  • Full-time, family wage positions at Portland’s Parks and Recreation to end the excessive reliance on “temporary” workers.

In order to fund these programs, the BRASS Tax proposes the following changes to Portland’s tax structure:

  • Raise Portland’s business income taxes on the biggest companies, which are almost all global multinational corporations. This progressive tax would raise the threshold for exemption, while raising rates at the top.

  • Create a city income tax with rising rates on the top 10%, 5%, 2% and 1% of income-earners.

  • Enact a city-wide luxury tax on extravagant consumer goods and services—cars over $80,000, jewelry over $5,000, cosmetic surgery, moorage/slip fees for yacht owners, a special tax on corporate box reservations and season tickets at the Moda Center and Providence Park. 

  • Improve upon the Novick CEO tax.

  • Explore a linkage fee similar to what Seattle has – it would be the price of doing business in Portland for big out-of-state developers and contractors.

View her press conference and get more details here. 

Solution Favored by Republicans (and some Democrats)

Submitted by info on Mon, 04/09/2018 - 18:32

Nominations for Seat(s) on State Council

Submitted by info on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 22:00

The deadline for Members of OPP to suggest nominees was March 14, 2018. The nominees suggested by Members were Chris Henry and Marc Koller. They have both said they are willing to serve.

The State Council believes that both of them would be valuable additions:

  • Chris has been the OPP's leading vote-getter in Oregon elections every 2 years since 2014 (and 2nd leading vote-getter in 2012). His vote totals have been legally necessary to maintaining our status as an official Oregon minor party.  Chris is an active union member and long-haul truck driver.
     
  • Marc Koller has been running for U.S. Representative in Oregon's 3rd Congressional District (mostly the east side of Portland an Multnomah County, plus some of the west side and some of Clackamas and Hood River counties). He is a long-experienced business executive, union member, and educator at several universities and other schools.

The State Council is amenable to having both of them serve on the State Council. That would require amending the Bylaws to increase the number of persons on the Council from 5 to 6. The State Council can amend the Bylaws by majority vote.

The voting of OPP members on the State Council candidates, Chris Henry and Marc Koller, will take place at the OPP Monthly meeting on April 16 (7:00 pm) at the usual meeting place (411 S.W. 2nd Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Portland). The meeting will also be available by conference call at (712) 775-7031, code 209-508-222#.

If you have questions, please send them to statecouncil@progparty.org.

Oregon Progressive Party Launches Initiative to GET BIG MONEY OUT OF OREGON POLITICS

Submitted by DavidDelk on Sun, 03/04/2018 - 22:53

The Oregon Progressive Party has begun actively collecting signatures on a new statewide initiative petition (IP1 for 2020). This petition would:

  • allow Oregon to join the ranks of 46 other states with limits on money in the political process,
  • protect campaign finance reform measures adopted by initiative from being gutted by the sitting Legislature, as has happened in Massachusetts, Missouri, and South Dakota.

Oregon is the only state whose constitution has been interpreted to prohibit limits on contributions and expenditures to influence the outcome of elections, be they candidate elections or initiatives/referenda. As a result, Oregon elections are among the most expensive in the nation. The Oregonian reports Oregon is second only to New Jersey in per capita spending on state legislature races.
 
The chief petitioners are:

  • Liz Trojan, State Council, Oregon Progressive Party
  • Ron Buel, founder of Willamette Week

We Need Your Help ASAP
We need to collect 1,000 valid Oregon voter signatures in order to get a ballot title for the initiative. You can help us with this effort. Please contact David e. Delk, Co-Chair of the Oregon Progressive Party, for instructions and petition sheets. David can be contacted at davidafd@ymail.com or 503.232.5495.

How the Petition Reads
It is a model of simplicity.  It reads:

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Oregon, there is added an Article II, Section 25, of the Constitution of Oregon:
Oregon laws consistent with the freedom of speech guarantee of the United States Constitution may: regulate contributions and expenditures, of any type or description, to influence the outcomes of any election; provided that such laws are adopted or amended by an elected legislative body by a three-fourths vote of each chamber or by initiative.

Senators Merkley and Wyden should support end to Yemen war

Submitted by DavidDelk on Sun, 03/04/2018 - 22:53

In ten days from the resolution introduction, the Senate will vote. Please add your voice in support of the Resolution.

The Oregon Progressive Party wrote Senators Merkley and Wyden to support Senator Sanders introduced War Powers Resolution to end American involvement in the Saudi-lead war in Yemen. You are encouraged to call our senators with the same message.

The letter:

The Oregon Progressive Party encourages Sen. Merkley to join Senators Sanders, Lee, and Murphy in support of their Privileged Resolution opposing the Saudi war on Yemen, filed Feb 28, 2018. Their joint War Power Resolution calls for the end of American support for Saudi Arabia in their war on the Houthis rebels in Yemen, including the removal of US troops from the conflict and an end to  selling the Saudis weapons, providing limited intelligence and helping with air refueling, all acts of war.

The Saudi lead coalition, including the United States, has been engaged in a war on the civilian population, driving millions of people into exile, and resulting in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

The Senators argued that Congress has not authorized these war actions and propose this resolution in order to exercise the Constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize war actions, an authorization which has not been given.

The Oregon Progressive Party does not support war action.  Conflict must be resolved using diplomatic efforts. If the United Stated uses war action, it must only be to defend the United States from military attacks on the United States territory itself, which certainly has not happened in this case. Our involvement in this war just extends the endless wars we have engaged in since 9/11 and which we oppose.

In ten days from the resolution introduction, the Senate will vote. Please add your voice in support of the Resolution.

Gun Checks

Submitted by info on Wed, 02/28/2018 - 04:22

Open Period for Nomination to One Seat on State Council of Oregon Progressive Party

Submitted by info on Fri, 02/02/2018 - 04:55

The term of Alaina Melville as a member of the Oregon Progressive Party (OPP) State Council has expired. The party will conduct an election for a new 5-year term for this seat. Members of OPP may suggest nominees for this seat until midnight of March 14, 2018.  We will post the names of the nominees on this website on March 15.

Please send your suggested nominations to statecouncil@progparty.org. A nominee must qualify as a Supporter or Active Member of OPP and must maintain that status throughout the term of office.

Supporters and Active Members of OPP will be eligible to vote in this election.

Votes may be cast at the party's monthly meeting on March 19 (7:00 pm) at 411 S.W. 2nd Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Portland. The meeting will also be available by conference call at (712) 775-7031, code 209-508-222#. Votes will also be accepted by email to vote@progparty.org on or before midnight of March 18.

Beyond M101

Submitted by DavidDelk on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 08:52

This op-ed was submitted to The Oregonian 1/6/18

Oregon Progressive Party encourages a Yes vote on Measure 101. The hole in the state health care budget which would be created by its defeat would mean too many individuals being denied health insurance and being forced to use the all-too expense emergency room. That is not a tolerable situation.

However, we also recommend that everyone read the voter pamphlet arguments against passage. When you do, you will find many of the same arguments that we, as progressives, usually make ourselves of government policy and process.

First is that we are taxing the wrong people and organizations. Progressives were strong supporters of Measure 97 to tax the largest of the large national and multi-national corporations in order to fund our shared governmental expenses. Measure 101 abandons that approach completely. Instead those corporations will not pay these increased tax “assessments” at all. The tax increase instead will be paid by people like you and I and small businesses and school districts. As one opponent wrote in the voter’s pamphlet: “And it’s absolutely indefeasible that big corporations and insurance companies were exempted from sharing the burden to pay for Medicaid.” Or a small business owner wrote, “Asking families like ours to shoulder the burden of paying for Medicaid while big corporations contribute nothing to help provide health care to Oregon’s most needy citizens is outrageous.”

Beyond M101

Submitted by DavidDelk on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 08:52

This op-ed was submitted to The Oregonian 1/6/18

Oregon Progressive Party encourages a Yes vote on Measure 101. The hole in the state health care budget which would be created by its defeat would mean too many individuals being denied health insurance and being forced to use the all-too expense emergency room. That is not a tolerable situation.

However, we also recommend that everyone read the voter pamphlet arguments against passage. When you do, you will find many of the same arguments that we, as progressives, usually make ourselves of government policy and process.

First is that we are taxing the wrong people and organizations. Progressives were strong supporters of Measure 97 to tax the largest of the large national and multi-national corporations in order to fund our shared governmental expenses. Measure 101 abandons that approach completely. Instead those corporations will not pay these increased tax “assessments” at all. The tax increase instead will be paid by people like you and I and small businesses and school districts. As one opponent wrote in the voter’s pamphlet: “And it’s absolutely indefeasible that big corporations and insurance companies were exempted from sharing the burden to pay for Medicaid.” Or a small business owner wrote, “Asking families like ours to shoulder the burden of paying for Medicaid while big corporations contribute nothing to help provide health care to Oregon’s most needy citizens is outrageous.”