Today is the last day of the fundraising quarter and here in Oregon progressive Democrat Jeff Merkley is running neck and neck against Republican Gordon Smith. Republican Gordon Smith has been propped up by the special interests like big pharma while Merkley's campaign has been fueled by thousands of everyday Americans. Today, I want to take a minute to tell you why I believe Merkley deserves your support.
Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Merkley
Jeff Merkley is a BETTER Democrat!
Jeff Merkley is a staunch progressive Democrat who has proven that he has the character to always hold on strong to his values. Is Jeff for UHC? Yes. Has Jeff opposed the Iraq War from the start? Yes. Did Jeff adamantly oppose telecom immunity and illegal surveillance of American citizens? Yes. Does Jeff Merkley believe that gay couples deserve the same rights that married couples enjoy? Yes. Is Jeff a strong supporter of fair trade and strengthening workers' right to organize? Yes.
It's not just that Jeff Merkley holds progressive stances and will be a dependable progressive vote in the Senate, he's also proven he's a very effective leader. In the Oregon House, Jeff engineered a takeover of the House and helped end 16 years of Republican rule. Once he was elected to House Speaker, with only a one vote majority, he led the most progressive session our state has ever seen. Merkley pushed through domestic partnerships, the card check, payday lending regulation, ethics reform, legislation forcing insurers to cover contraceptives and he passed the most expansive renewable energy package our state has ever seen. I really could spend all day touting Merkley's progressive accomplishments in the Oregon House. Moving on....
People have asked me why I'm so sure Merkley won't become influenced by the lobbyist stronghold in DC. Without hesitation I always respond, "He's not built that way." It's not just that I've been able to get to know him on a personal level that makes me believe he'll hold true to his values, I also know his history.
This is What I Call Character
Jeff Merkley isn't a power hungry guy. He's not a guy who loves schmoozing with lobbyists. Jeff Merkley has always been a very humble person and I think it's because of his upbringing and his experiences abroad. Merkley is the son of a mill worker and the first in his family to go to college. In his teens and early twenties he studied abroad, immersing himself in different cultures throughout the world. He lived in a small village in Ghana, worked at an environmental camp in Mexico and hitchhiked through the West Bank and through revolutionary torn Central America, just to name just a few of his experiences.
Merkley earned his degree in International Relations and later became a Presidential Fellow at the Pentagon. Merkley worked as a national security analyst and then worked for the CBO. When Merkley lived in DC, he chose to live in one of the toughest neighborhoods struggling with the crack epidemic. Jeff told me awhile back that he always wanted to have one foot firmly planted in reality while working at the Pentagon. While at the CBO, Merkley was becoming increasingly frustrated by the war spending and secrecy by the Reagan Administration. What did Merkley do? He spoke out.
Merkley left the CBO and wrote an op-ed in the NY Times criticizing the Reagan Administration for their outrageous war spending. You guys want more Democrats with spines? Jeff's your guy. Here's a snippet from Ridenbaugh Press about why he left the CBO:
In the late 80s, he said, "I was waiting for the Reagan Administration and then the [first] Bush Administration to allow there to be this substantive conversation on the B2, and so I took a leave of absence from the Congressional Budget Office, while I was waiting for that. And six months later, it still wasn’t possible to write that study, and so then I resigned from the Congressional Budget Office. It was unusual to have such a major, major investment not vetted through a congressional examination."
His Times op-ed ("The Stealth Fiasco") concluded, "Until now, military secrecy has choked off serious debate. But the Administration and Congress can no longer duck the issue. If Stealth cannot make contributions to national security proportional to its cost, it should be canceled."
After Jeff left the CBO, he could have had any job he wanted. He chose to become director of Oregon's Habitat for Humanity. Merkley helped close down crack alleys in NE Portland, started affordable housing programs and helped disaffected youth get back on their feet. Once he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives he became known as a workhorse and not a showhorse. Here's a snippet from the Oregonian about what kind of person Jeff has been as an Oregon legislator:
At the Legislature, however, Merkley gained a reputation as a political recluse -- especially after he worked his way into the leadership ranks. Lobbyists and fellow legislators say he often holed up with his policy work when he didn't have to be on the House floor or in meetings.
Merkley skipped the after-hours schmoozing to get home to Mary and their two children. He didn't hang out longer than he had to with lobbyists or even other lawmakers.
His colleagues in the House call Merkley an even-tempered policy wonk who values privacy. House Majority Leader Dave Hunt, D-Gladstone, who worked closely with Merkley over the past two years, says he never heard him mention some of his most colorful adventures, such as the Central America trip.
"He's not a show horse. He is a workhorse," Hunt says.
Former Rep. Deborah Kafoury, who is running for Multnomah County commissioner, says Merkley reminds her of some of the intense students she knew in college.
"We used to call them 'heavy, deep and real,' " Kafoury says. Like Hunt, Kafoury says she heard few details about his past.
"I really wish he would show more of that," she says. "That's who I think he is, more so than this straight-laced person you see on TV. He really does have an interesting story to tell."
Merkley does have a story to tell. He's lived an incredible life and has done so many amazing things to better the quality of life for hardworking Oregonians.
Show your Support for Merkley!
I hope that I've made a good case why Jeff Merkley deserves the support of my fellow Kossacks. He'll be a fantastic progressive Senator, who will bring his experience and sound judgment on foreign and domestic affairs to the Senate. He will bring his ability to build progressive coalitions to help pass real reforms and will add much needed backbone to the Senate. If you want to throw some change Merkley's way and help send him to Congress, you can donate to the Kossacks for Merkley Act Blue Page.