What I Like About Campaigning.
This is a shot of downtown Lakeview. A small Oregon town that feels forgotten. Times are tough here but the people just dig in, help each other out, and assume there is no government rescue about to come over the horizon. I visited a town hall at the middle school the other night. I got to talk about my campaign. But the bigger concern in Lakeview was a hospital bond measure that voters will be voting on. Close to fifty people showed up to listen, learn and try to figure out what to do.
Health care is a big deal to all of us. But listening to those in rural Oregon talk about the need to have doctors, a surgeon that is more than part time and a place to put an emergency room that’s not an old closet, really put things in perspective.
Tommie Dodd, a longtime radio newsman, let me talk on his radio show. We had such a great conversation we missed a couple of commercial breaks. You can do that when you’re in Lakeview, time is different there. Deadlines a bit more relaxed. Our conversation started with the campaign but quickly turned to people, ideas and the idea that Oregon’s east side needs more representation in Salem. If you feel voiceless you should live over here.
I meet with a lot of people in Eastern Oregon this trip. Life really is different over here. But there’s something about all Oregonians that doesn’t change no matter which side of the mountain you find yourself on. We are rugged individualists. We do care about what happens in Salem, even though many of us get tired of the partisan politics. We want someone who will go to Salem and simply do the job for people, not simply do what’s best for our party.
So far I’ve visited with 24 of Oregon’s 36 elections clerks. If you want to know what will or will not work, Oregon has 36-plus experts on elections. They are such a huge help to me as we research what will and will not work for Oregon’s Elections System. I was in the office in Burns when some of the ballots started coming in. Yes, voters here get those ballots in early. As I meet people, and told them my name, they would say, “Hey Rick, I just voted for you”. It’s an odd feeling for a guy who used to sit on the other side of the process.
So, here we go. There’s not much time left until election day. I’ll continue to travel the state these next few weeks talking with voters. The good thing is the decision is not mine it’s yours. You get to decide who the next Secretary of State will be. Please, don’t forget to vote.
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Comments ( 2 )
Eugene added these pithy words on Oct 20 08 at 11:50 amI am looking for some idea and stumble upon your posting
decide to wish you Thanks. Eugene
zach added these pithy words on Oct 27 08 at 10:41 pmI was wondering what I had been missing lately and I suddenly remembered I have not posted anything at Rick’s site lately. Anyway I was looking down at a recent newspaper on the floor at home today and I saw your quote saying apathy is the enemy. It occured to me then “that is why Rick gets such a kick out of my political antics…I have not even a molecule of apathy in my body”.Someday I will have to gain a little ,though, to rest. The debate at the city club was very moving for me-listening to you surge past political mumbo jumbo and speak to the people. It drives me almost to tears listening to you talk to them. Tonight I thought to myself “Rick Dancer…breaking the sound byte barrier”. The media love to get lazy but you cause them to think, and write better articles. Perhaps some of them will someday feel they have a hollow profession and strive for some higher calling. I have never seen decent political articles on the front page of the local paper. You are changing that. Also your detailed understanding of the plight of our endangered species-the fisherman at the coast. Pork barrel renewable energy spending is not as important as our quiet heroes who risk their lives in this overlooked profession. Thank you for understanding “sanctuarys” may not be so wonderful as the universities and non-profit industrial complex(and the governor) would have us believe. Usually I read the Register Guard with disgust as they cry chicken little over global whining junk science. Lately you have stirred some of their coverage into what really could happen in politics. I do not know how things will all turn out but I do know your future in Oregon is going to be huge-like that sneaker wave. And when it breaks business as usual types better not have their backs to it or God help them.
Welcome to Rickdancer.com. I’m a guy who loves to write, enjoys communicating with people, gets a kick out of other people’s ideas and encourages everyone to get involved in the conversation. For 23 years I worked as a Television News Journalist in Eugene, Oregon. I recently lost a race for Oregon Secretary of State and am now at a point in my life where I’m waiting on God to see what’s next. I invite you to join me on this journey to freedom. You can simply read the blog, we have created a place for you to 
