Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008  
Wednesday, July 9, 2008   (No new news posted)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008   (Added to Monday's news)
Monday, July 7, 2008  

• Armstrong Williams, WA Times:   Smith Strategy Ultimately Won't Work.   While, the Republican Party must adapt to change, it has to stick to principle. After all, principle is so termed because it implies ideas that will stand the test of time, not merely mimic momentary sentiment. Republicans once wore their badges proudly, unafraid to take one on the chin for what's right. But now it seems some of them are willing to abandon their posts and coddle up to the opposition hoping to catch a little stardust.But Obamacans should be cautioned that when the star falls, as eventually it must, the only thing that will be left on their shoulders will be merely dust.
• PGE Hosts Open Houses On Rate Increase.   (Ted Sickinger, Oregonian)
• State to Send Out 3,000 OR Health Plan Applications.   (Helen Jung, Oregonian)
• Weyerhaeuser Tests Access Fee on Molalla Timberland.  The annual permits, prompted by 'a few bad apples,' may spread to more Oregon sites. (Olga Munoz, Oregonian)
• Group Homes Spur Controversy.  Oregon stuck between law and community fears as it releases mental patients with violent pasts. (Michelle Cole and Ashbel Green, Oregonian)
• Is Bill Gates Right Or Wrong about Capitalism, Not Philanthropy, Curing the World's Ills?   (Michael Rollins, Oregonian)
• Providence Health Clamps Down On Bandwidth.  The Portland-area hospital system halts employees' personal use of streaming audio and video online. (Anne Saker, Oregonian)
• Ron Eachus -- SJ -- On 2nd Amendment Ruling:   Ruling Landed Where Majority Stands.
• Appeals Court to Revisit Domestic Partnership Law.   Some say petition signatures were unfairly discarded. (SJ) [Surprise, surprise. Bradbury would "unfairly" discard Christian conservative petitions.]
• Blumenauer:   Columbia River Crossing Is Your Decision.   (Portland Tribune)
• Expanded Panel to Suggest Wages for Elected Officials.   (SJ)
• SW Portland Homeowners Object to Sidewalk Costs.   (Tom Hallman, Jr., Oregonian)
• OR Employer Coalition To Release Results of Study.  Study outlining the economic impact that the federal government's pending no-match rule is predicted to have on the state. (SJ)
• Blumenauer's Summit:   Regional Leaders to Focus On Critical Issues Monday.   (Portland Tribune)
• Peter Zuckerman, Oregonian Writes Puff-piece On Clackamas County's Lynn Peterson.
• Multnomah County:   Proposed Safety Levy Down, But Not Out.   (Portland Tribune)
• Julia Silverman, AP/Register Guard:   Smith Could Face Defections from GOP Base.  (KGW) [But, ORTL's Gayle Atteberry still lies for Smith. -- "We know it is posturing," she said. "But I know his heart, where he stands on our issue, and I am confident that he will always remain true to that cause. For that reason, in spite of some of these other things, I am going to keep on keeping on with him." -- Atteberry has had a mutual back-scratching relationship with Smith for years despite Smith's pro-abortion votes in the Senate. She doesn't care a bit about Smith's acutely pro-homosexual campaigns and votes. Tim Nashif (also a long-time mutual back-scratcher for Smith) -- "He is in a re-election campaign," said Tim Nashif, who heads the Oregon Family Council, a group that spearheaded the state's ban on gay marriage. "It makes perfectly good sense to me that he needs to say what he has done to appeal to Oregonians as a whole." [No matter to Smith derriere-kisser that Smith is the most prolific sponsor of pro-homosexual legislation.] For the part Nashif and Atteberry have played in supporting Smith's betrayal of Christian conservatives, and the ORGOP, see below: "Oregon Conservatives, Set Up and Sold Out."]
• On the Stump, Smith Rips Into Merkley.   (Jeff Mapes, Oregonian)
• Nine Indian Tribes Endorse Gordon Smith.   "Notwithstanding the significant number of Indians who are also Republicans, Indian country is overwhelmingly Democratic." -- ''If there's one constant theme to Sen. Gordon Smith's Indian country record,'' Rodgers said, ''it is treating Indian tribes as governments.'' (Jerry Reynolds, Indian Country) [Re: Treating tribes as governments." Yup. Smith is very liberal on this subject and proved it when he voted to make Hawaiians a sovereign nation. How much more could he have done if he were a Democrat?]
• Huffington Post's Bob Burnett Predicts Narrow Win for Merkley.
• Smith Predicts Extension of Fed Timber Safety Net During Roseburg Visit.   (NR Today)
• Newport Residents Petition DEQ about Discharge from Georgia-Pacific Plant.   (Oregonian) [A legitimate concern or just, once again, going after any capitalist timber related industries?]
• 9th U.S. Circuit Court Of Appeals Clears Path for More Logging.  Federal judges redefine standards for timber projects on public lands and deal a blow to environmental groups. (Oregonian)
• Activists' Initiatives to Dominate Oregon Ballot.  Perennials Bill Sizemore, Kevin Mannix and Russ Walker sponsor nine of 10 proposals that meet Thursday's signature deadline. (Oregonian)
• Steve Doell Gave Merkley Hope Before Coming Out Against Him.  Steve Doell: "I want to point out, we're a bi-partisan organization, and I will tell you also, we've unfortunately had to run up against some Republicans, and in some cases we've had to take some Republicans out. (OPB)
• Head of Anti-Crime Org, Steve Doell, Knocks Merkley's Record.   (Politicker OR)
• Smith Fires Back At Smith On Crime.   (Jeff Mapes, Oregonian)
• Smith Swings Through Eugene.   (RG)
• Sen. Smith Addresses Small Group In Grants Pass.   (KAJO AM)