Several folks have asked me what I plan to do if elected SOS.
- Keep Government Honest. As a journalist for more than 20 years, my job was to investigate the facts and bring people the truth. As Secretary of State, I’ll be doing very much the same thing, primarily overseeing elections and auditing programs to keep government honest.
- Make Secretary of State Nonpartisan Position. It is hard for the public to be confident that the Secretary of State’s office will fairly and impartially oversee elections, whether for candidates or ballot measures, when the SOS is selected in a partisan election. There is no Democrat or Republican way to be fair. Fairness starts by leaving partisanship outside the door of the Secretary of State’s office.
- Keep Elections Fair and Open. Only people legally entitled to vote should vote, but everyone who has the right to vote should be encouraged to vote and every vote should count. That goes for signature on initiatives and citizens referrals as well. No one should have to ever wonder whether their vote or their signature might be disallowed because of the personal or political views of the Secretary of State.
- Audit Government Programs for efficiency and effectiveness. The Secretary of State should be responsible not only for financial audits that make sure every dollar is accounted for but should also conduct performance audits to make sure government programs are accomplishing their objectives as efficiently and effectively as possible.
- The Secretary of State works for the people, not the political parties. As Secretary of State, I will never forget that I work for you, not the political parties or any special interest group. My goal is to maximize citizen participation in government by building their trust and confidence in the public process.
Last night Kathy and I went to the Two Buck Movie Theater. We saw that “The Great Debaters” was playing. The movie came out a while ago but dropped out of the local (Eugene/Springfield) theaters quickly. The movie got great reviews. I’ve talked with friends in the African American Community who think the movie died here due to lack of interest, because it’s about an African American Debate Team in the 1930’s. I’ll tell you what, you can’t miss this movie. It’s one of the most powerful movies I’ve watched in a long time. The cool thing was, that last night the little theater was packed. I’m guessing since this movie is in the 2-buck theater that it will be coming out on DVD soon. Go see it. There is so much to talk about, when it comes to this movie. Kathy and I got in the car and couldn’t stop coming up with different idea’s and thoughts. Everything from “How can people treat each other that way?” to “Did people really feel like that?” to, I wonder if we (the collective we) still act that way to some degree?” It’s a must see.
Oregon is so beautiful. It’s interesting when you are running for statewide office you look at it differently. Not the office, but the state. You keep thinking in the back of your mind, if I win I will be representing the people of this state. As you walk by people you can’t help but think about what a huge honor it would be and how much responsibility would rest on your shoulders. I’ve lived in Oregon all my life and it doesn’t matter what part I’m in I believe God has richly blessed this place and it’s people.
This is a shot of Kathy and Rick, winning their first election. Okay,we didn’t really win. No one else filed. But it was a fun evening and I found the picture on my camera and thought I’d share it with you guys.
Barbara wrote me an interesting comment that got me thinking. A lot of times in our lives we get in places where we feel as though we are literally drowning. It’s that place in life where we feel like there is so much over, around and under us that we may not make it through. If you haven’t been there, it will happen or you aren’t living. (my opinion). Years ago Erin Bruce(one of the greatest anchor women on earth) and yours truly got to participate in a water rescue class. We were suited up in this protective gear and thrown into a rushing river so we could learn how to survive. What they told us was when you get in the water, roll over on your back, keep your head up and go with the flow. It’s crazy. Everything inside of you wants to fight to get out of the water. You’re natural instinct is to swim your way to safety. You feel this panic rise up and you just want to get the heck, or hell out of the water. But instead you relax, try to steer yourself away from any dangerous road blocks like logs or rocks and you go with the flow. Sooner or later, you will end up in calmer waters where you can get yourself to the shore and to safety. It’s not easy. It took a whole day or practice. The key is not to panic. It also helps to have friends on the shore to guide you, cheer you on, and love you when you hit your head on a rock.So Barb, consider this your cheer….I’ve got a rope in my hand ready to toss your way if you need it….but I think you’re doing just great…….”Hey, look out for that rock”.
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