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An Independent Spirit: Oregon, Her People, and Her Legacy

An Independent Spirit: Oregon, Her People, and Her Legacy. By Brianne Kennedy Politics 303 Professor Basu Willamette University Spring 2004. Overview of Presentation. Service-Learning Experience Why Oregon Matters A Maverick State from the Beginning Oregon: Things Look Different Here

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An Independent Spirit: Oregon, Her People, and Her Legacy

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  1. An Independent Spirit:Oregon, Her People, and Her Legacy By Brianne Kennedy Politics 303 Professor Basu Willamette University Spring 2004

  2. Overview of Presentation • Service-Learning Experience • Why Oregon Matters • A Maverick State from the Beginning • Oregon: Things Look Different Here • Looking Back and Working Ahead “She flies with her own wings.”State Motto

  3. The Good The Bad Service-Learning ExperienceJackie Winters for Congresshttp://www.jackiewinters.com

  4. Why Oregon MattersHealth Care • The Oregon Health Plan stands out as an “innovative, trail-blazing formula for achieving universal health care.” (Source: Oregon Health Care Forum, December 2000) • “I do not know of any more thorough and better-intended effort to ration health care than [Oregon’s].” (Peter Ubel, MD in Pricing Life, page 150) • In Pricing Life, Ubel uses the Oregon Health Plan as a case study for his discussions of, among other things: -Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) -Defining “health care rationing”(11) -Ranking the importance of health care services (56-57) -The role of physicians in rationing (107), and -Methods for rationing (149)

  5. Why Oregon MattersAssisted Suicide • Oregon is the only state which currently allows assisted suicide. • “One in 1,000 people in Oregon chose to end their lives in 2003.” (Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/special/assisted_suicide/) • “Opponents can no longer afford the luxury of assuming that ‘it can never happen here.’” (Wesley Smith in Forced Exit, page 140) • In Forced Exit, Smith spends roughly 40 pages discussing Oregon. • Since assisted suicide has been legalized in Oregon, at least 14other states have “considered measures to legalize assisted suicide and/or euthanasia.” (Source http://www.mfc.org/resources/backgrounders/assistedsuicide.htm)

  6. Why Oregon MattersThe Death Penalty • “Oregon is going to play a special role in [ending the death penalty] nationally.” Sister Helen Prejean, November 2001 (Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer 11/9/04) • “LIFE FOR A LIFE” INITIATIVE (failed) -Would have replaced the death penalty with mandatory life imprisonment. -Chief backers were Sen. Hatfield, OR Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. -Appeared in 2001 to be the only drive in any of the 38 states with the death penalty to repeal it. (Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer 11/9/04) University of Oregon Conference Debacle See: "Reasons Not to Oppose Death Penalty“ Oregonian 3/3/02

  7. Key Dates in Oregon’s Founding -1542:Spain discovers Oregon’s coast -1805: Lewis and Clark explore Oregon -1843: The first pioneers arrive on Oregon Trail -1848: The Oregon Territory is created -1859: Oregon becomes the 33rd state (Source: http://www.thingstodo.com/states/OR/history.htm) “Oregonians have a strong streak of individualism. It’s been an element in Oregon character since pioneer days.” E. Kimbark MacColl, Historian A Maverick State from the BeginningOregon’s “Pioneer Roots”

  8. Oregon was the first state to: -Directly elect its U.S. Senators -Pass a strong minimum-wage law -Ban non-returnable bottles and cans -Mandate that all beaches remain public -Address GM food labeling on ballot Manzanita Beach A Maverick State from the BeginningPioneering Progressiveness • “We are votin’, gloatin’ pioneers, controlling our destiny, protecting our space.”Steve Duin, Journalist(Oregonian 11/9/97) • A Citizen Legislature • Oregonians once seriously considered creating a separate country. • Oregon legalized abortions before Roe vs. Wade.

  9. Oregon: Things Look Different HereMajor Demographic Divisions • Rich vs. Poor • Oregon ranks fifth among the 50 states in terms of income inequality between the rich and poor. • 11.6% of Oregonians currently live under the poverty line, including 21.1% of children under 5. • Urban vs. Rural • Urban and rural areas of Oregon are so different that they are sometimes referred to as “the Two Oregons”. • About 45% of Oregonians live in the 5 counties the federal government has termed “the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Statistical Area”. The other 55% live in Oregon’s 31 other counties. • "Myths and Realities of the Two Oregons" (Sources: http://www.skidmore.edu/~j_gottli/socioeconomic.html; http://www.impresaconsulting.com/2Oregons.htm; “Poor slip further while the rich get richer”, The Register Guard 1/18/00)

  10. Oregon: Things Look Different HereA Snapshot of Oregon Politics • Party Registration • 21 percent of Oregon’s voters are registered as independents, more than any other state in the country. • There are only 44,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Oregon. • The State Legislature • The Senate is evenly split with 15 Republicans and 15 Democrats. • There is a Republican majority in the House, although only by 5 of 60 total seats. • Election 2000 • Bush lost in Oregon by fewer than 6,800 votes. • Oregon is going to be vital in the 2004 presidential election. (Sources: “Bush Campaign Targets Oregon, Washington”, Oregonian 6/14/03; http://www.leg.state.or.us/)

  11. The Good The Bad Looking Back and Working AheadA Few Final Thoughts

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