Human services require

political attention
As the political dialogue is hijacked to narrowly focus on taxation and terrorism this election season, the electorate is inadvertently taxing and terrorizing even more than our education system. Human services are beyond the crisis stage in this land of child poverty and substance abuse.
As the media virtually ignores funding cutbacks for mental illness, elderly care, counseling services, the arts, health needs and so many more essential services for those who desperately need them, what little humanity we have left is called into question. The interests of those who can afford to buy media messages are trampling the common sense approach of serving vulnerable citizens.
Rarely reported studies show that prevention is cost-effective four to seven times over when serving at-risk people and families. It saves prison costs, other crime costs, health care costs and other social services costs by simply providing help to people with needs.
Disabled, poor, and drug addicted people are not bad people. They, along with the uneducated, children with behavior problems and domestic violence clients will help themselves if given proper intervention that they have not been previously afforded.
As service-provider cuts are being ignored and long-term Measure 11 inmates are finally being released with few prospects and little assistance, the question arises: Is the rising cost of caring so little about each other really worth it?

Mike Meyer

junior

family and human services program

Vote no to help

Oregon’s economy
This is in response to the editorials about Measures 23 and 25 (ODE, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29). Voting yes on both measures would negatively affect Oregon’s already suffering economy.
Voting no on Measure 23 is voting yes for improving Oregon’s economy. It is preposterous to believe an 8 percent income tax increase is not huge. Most people’s taxes are approximately 30 percent of their salaries. Another 8 percent on top of that means it would be difficult to earn a decent wage. Consider the people who have medical and dental insurance.
Not only are insurance benefits worthless if everyone has free health care, but Oregon insurance companies would go out of business, which would add to Oregon’s already ridiculously high unemployment. This relates to voting no on Measure 25.
Raising minimum wage another 40 cents will make Oregon’s minimum wage $1.75 above the federal minimum wage. Oregon also has the highest unemployment rate. A high minimum wage and a high unemployment rate are related. Raising minimum wage forces employers to lay off employees, raise prices or both, because they cannot afford to pay $6.90 an hour and expect to earn the same profits.
Those who rely on $6.50 per hour may see their wage change if Measure 25 passes — not from $6.50 to $6.90 per hour, but from $6.50 to zero per hour, with a trip to the unemployment office.
Voting no on Measures 23 and 25 is good for Oregon’s economy.

Luke Aillaud

junior

journalism

Bradbury’s actions

fight the hype
Before you cast your ballot in the elections, stop and think about what Senator Gordon Smith stands for. The attack ads of the Republican Party and Gordon Smith have done more than stretch the truth. Recently, the Republican Party ran an ad saying that Bill Bradbury decided to clearcut his own property 10 years ago. Ray Wood, owner of Ray Wood Logging and the man who helped harvest timber on Bradbury’s property, denies this allegation.
The truth is that Bradbury went far beyond state environmental laws to protect the health of his land. Smith is running deceiving attack ads to look moderate and divert attention away from his own dismal environmental record.
Let’s take a look at some of Sen. Gordon Smith’s far from moderate votes:
The National League of Conservation Voters ranking (2001) — 0 percent; failed to give support for Senate Bill (H.R. 2217) to restrict drilling and mining in our National Monuments; voted against amendment (H. Con. Res. 83) to increase funding for environmental programs in 2002 federal budget; offered amendment (H.R. 2217) to suspend endangered species protection for Coho Salmon and two other endangered fish in Klamath Basin of Oregon and in California.
Bradbury believes in a sustainable environmental policy and has received endorsements from the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club. This November, don’t believe the lies. Vote Bill Bradbury for United States Senate.

Kevin Curtin

sophomore

political science