Students asked questions and voiced concerns about the presidential election and physician-assisted suicide during Sen. Ron Wyden’s “Sidewalk Office Hours” outside the University Bookstore Wednesday afternoon.
“I just walked by today, saw Senator Ron Wyden and thought it would be a good opportunity to learn something,” ASUO intern Mike Barnhill said. “It’s nice to see what a national official has to say.”
The first question thrown Wyden’s way didn’t address the country’s split support for the presidential candidates, but rather Oregon’s split loyalties in this Saturday’s Civil War game between the University of Oregon and Oregon State University football teams.
“This is a complicated issue. I have certain obligations as a Duck, and certain obligations as a United States senator to represent my state,” Wyden said. “I’m looking at the possibility of wearing a green jacket and an orange scarf.”
On a more serious note, Wyden addressed the complications surrounding the unsettled presidential election and said the public will not allow the election to go on “forever and ever.”
“The founding fathers knew democracy would not always be completely tidy,” Wyden said. “One thing I’ve learned over the past few days is that no vote is too small.”
Voicing the question on many American minds, freshman Patrick Smith asked about the discrepancy between the Electoral College and popular vote.
“In the possible event Al Gore wins the popular vote and Bush wins the Electoral College, would you support a constitutional amendment that would do away with the Electoral College?” Smith asked.
In response, Wyden said there will be Senate hearings about the Electoral College and reminded the crowd that the Electoral College ensures that small states such as Oregon are heard. If the United States gets rid of the Electoral College, we may never see a presidential candidate in Oregon again because they’ll go where the big media markets are, Wyden said.
“We saw a lot of Gore and Bush during this election because they were competing heavily for Oregon’s electoral votes,” Wyden said. “Our seven votes are a big deal. I spoke to the vice president this morning, and they’re still a big deal.”
Wyden, who is filibustering in the Senate to protect Oregon’s one-of-a-kind physician-assisted suicide law, continued to advocate his fight.
“When Congress comes back Dec. 5, we’re going to continue to filibuster [on the issue of physician-assisted suicide],” he said. “It’s going to be an uphill battle, but I’m going to fight with all my strength to protect Oregon’s rights.”