Libertarian seeks tax-raising Republican's Oregon House seat

www.lp.org ^ | 3 28 04 | www.lp.org

[freepatriot32]

Oregon Libertarian Tom Cox is following up on his promise: He said last year -- when he was chairman of the state Libertarian Party -- that Republican legislators in his state who voted to approve a tax hike would be opposed when they came up for re-election. He is now running against one of those Republicans.

And his move has been noted -- and applauded -- by local media and lawmakers alike.

The Salem Statesman Journal, in the capital city, pointed out that both Libertarians and some Republicans said they would do their utmost to kick those lawmakers out of office, but that Republicans had not stepped up to the plate to challenge GOP incumbents.

Only Libertarians are fielding opposition to the 10 tax-increasing Republicans, and Cox stands a good chance of winning his campaign against incumbent Rep. Mary Gallegos for the state House District 29 seat, the Statesman Journal reported.

Cox ran a high-profile gubernatorial race in 2002, then was a spokesman on three state-wide ballot initiatives -- including Measure 30, which would have raised taxes by $1.2 billion over three years -- so he enjoys strong name recognition in the state.

The facts that Measure 30 was defeated in February by 59 percent of the state's voters and that the Libertarians were given much media attention in the tax hike's defeat shed an even more positive light on Cox's race, since he was a primary opponent of the measure.

Cox also has the public support of at least three incumbent legislators: "He's had several Republicans coming to him, saying 'I think you have a real good shot at this,' said Elizabeth "Pith" Lourdes, one of Cox's campaign workers.

"We have an extremely good chance against Gallegos," Lourdes said. "She is not doing an entirely bad job, but she voted to raise taxes a couple of times."

And those tax-raising votes are enough reason to want any incumbent out of office, she said.

"Gallegos is a very nice lady, but nice doesn't get the job done," she added. "She was under pressure, and she took the easy way out."

Two Democrats -- Chuck Riley and Elena Uhing -- have also filed in the District 29 primary. Riley was the party's nominee in 2002, when Gallegos won her first term.

Cox doesn't have to run in the primary, making for a three-way race in November.

[A CA Guy]

Harry Browne also was the guy that suggested illegal drugs for children were nifty!

Libertarian to me = wacko, anarchist, liberal who wants their drugs and reduced government to the point of none (ANARCHY).

[xrp]

Agreed. But, too bad we don't have 218 Libertarians in the US House and 51 Libertarians in the US Senate so that spending could be scaled back and taxes cut even more! I'd sure like to keep more of MY money!

[Dane]

Harry Browne also was the guy that suggested illegal drugs for children were nifty!

Hush your mouth. Didn't you know that it is irrelevent to Libertarians, like abortion is.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

I just thought everyone should see what this republican was supporting and why she and 10 of her fellow republican tax-and-spenders should lose.

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http://www.cse.org/informed/issues_template.php?issue_id=1664

Measure 30 provides Oregonians the chance to say no to the $1.1 billion tax package passed by the Legislature. More than 100,000 Oregonians signed petitions expressing their disapproval of the actions taken by legislators and a governor who has already gone back on his inaugural promise not to raise taxes. When ballots are counted Feb. 3, thousands more will echo this sentiment. Barely one year after the defeat of Measure 28, voters will again attempt to get a message across: Taxes are not the solution to Oregon's economic situation.

Tax advocates say Measure 30 is simply a temporary surcharge on income taxes. Not true. The package is a compilation of seven different taxes, many of them permanent. Measure 30 not only contains income tax increases, it also raises property taxes (sending revenue to state, not county, government), reduces and eliminates seniors' abilities to deduct costly medical expenses and imposes a host of business taxes, ultimately forcing job loss and increasing consumer costs. Legislators did not miss their chance to tax SUV owners and smokers, either.

The tax-and-spend factions of state government would have you believe they need this additional money to provide important state services. What they fail to mention is that between 1989 and 2003 Oregon's general fund budget increased an astonishing 151 percent, faster than any other state. The proposed tax increases would permanently cement wasteful indulgences into Oregon's budget, meaning more expensive government for generations to come.

And now, Gov. Ted Kulongoski is holding state services hostage, trying to force Oregonians to buckle under the pressure and pass these new taxes. He plans to deny legislators the opportunity to go back to Salem and craft a responsible solution to the budget situation. In order to satisfy an insatiable hunger for more tax money, our governor is willing to sacrifice the well-being of Oregon's families and the quality of life that those dependent on state services deserve.

We should be diligent about job creation, economic development and the encouragement of economic activity within the state. Rather than looking at various schemes to take more money from targeted groups of Oregonians, the state should be looking at existing agency fund balances, vacant positions, further PERS reforms and other money already available in the system.

Instead, politicians and special interest groups have asked hard-working men and women to fund the largest tax increase in Oregon's history because they could not make the difficult choices families are faced with every day.

This election is about common sense and fiscal responsibility. It is about government accountability for its actions and use of tax dollars. Most importantly, this election is about government listening to its constituency and representing the citizens who elected them. Oregonians cannot afford new taxes, and they deserve a government willing to protect our economic health.

[xrp]

Libertarian to me = wacko, anarchist, liberal who wants their drugs and reduced government to the point of none (ANARCHY).

Well, that's a rather uninformed view. Libertarians want drugs decriminalized under the view that government does not own a citizen's body.

Keep in mind that many people's uninformed views of Republicans is white, rich men who want to steal from senior citizens and burn black churches. It is amazing what you can discover about each when you decide to actually do a little research and discover more of the truth, isn't it?

[Dane]

Agreed. But, too bad we don't have 218 Libertarians in the US House and 51 Libertarians in the US Senate so that spending could be scaled back and taxes cut even more! I'd sure like to keep more of MY money!

Well why are you silent about the 217 democrats in the US House and the 49 democrats in the Senate who are 100% against you as a Libertarian.

Whoops excuse me, 50% against you, since for the vast majority of the time Libertarians and democrats agree privately(not publicly) on social issues such as abortion and drug legalization.

All one has to do is look at #1 drug legalizer and demo booster, Geroge Soros .

[Sweet Land]

I would expect demos to support their own candidate.

You tell me. It was the LP press release that decided not to disclose the political affiliation of the three "incumbants" the press release mentioned.

Why is the LP afraid of full disclosure?

Beats me. I wish they had given names and party affiliations. That doesn't change my expectation that Rats would support their own candidate.

[Sweet Land]

I think Harry Browne must have run over his dog.

Or stolen his girl.

[Dane]

And now, Gov. Ted Kulongoski is holding state services hostage, trying to force Oregonians to buckle under the pressure and pass these new taxes

What a coincidence Dan. The Libertarians do not mention Governor Kulongski's politcal affilation which is democrat.

Sheesh what is about Libertarians and their fear of mentioning demo tax hikers political affiliation.

[Sweet Land]

all the Libertarians that have boasted of voting democrat in major elections

Name one.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

I have noticed that you haven't uttered a word of critcism against the tax-raising republicans or democrats, only those who oppose raising taxes and are willing to do something to stop them.

If a republican isn't part of the solution, they're part of the problem. Since this woman and 10 of her fellow republicans voted for this $1.1 billion tax increase, they're obviously part of the problem.

The last republican I respected said, "...Big government isn't the solution to our nation's problems; big government IS the problem."

It's clear you disagree with this sentiment because you offer no criticism of their actions.

[xrp]

Whoops excuse me, 50% against you, since for the vast majority of the time Libertarians and democrats agree privately(not publicly) on social issues such as abortion and drug legalization.

2 issues = 50% of the equation? What are the other 2 issues out there?

According to you, since Libertarians and Democrats agree on most issues.

Please provide a mapping of all issues and Libertarian stance compared to Democrat stance.

Thanks!

[N3WBI3]

Not the point, if the republicans fail to do the job they were sent to do they will have to answer to their base..

[A CA Guy]

Libertarians should stick that view where the sun won't shine because the bottom line is they are pushing evil.

I'm not that uninformed about Libertarians at all and I have formed the opinion I have of them from all of their writings here at FR and their home pages.

I actually had a good impression of them "before" I read what they were about and what their members thought.

[Dane]

Beats me. I wish they(Libertarins) had given names and party affiliations.

They didn't.

Excuse me for being skeptical about the Libertarians using Washington Post tactics.

Now which direction do I point to Mecca so that I can join Harry Browne in his prayer to atone about America's evilness.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Sheesh what is about Libertarians and their fear of mentioning demo tax hikers political affiliation.

I suspect it's a lot like the republican 11th commandment where you do not criticise a fellow republican, no matter what they do.

Like I wrote, you have not written a word of criticism about the 11 republicans who supported this tax increase along with the democrats.

Yet, with this tax increase being brought about by both democrats AND republicans, who do you criticize?

The libertarians.

Talk about a one-trick pony.

[xrp]

There is nothing worse than someone who is unreliable...I mean, if a friend of yours says he/she is going to do something then does a polar opposite -- well there are many labels you can slap on that person:

liar
turncoat
deceitful
untrustworthy
sellout

Not the kind of friend I would keep company with for too long...

[Taxman]

I agree, but that particular burr has been under my saddle for quite some time, and this seemed like a good place/time to start removing the burr.

[xrp]

I actually had a good impression of them "before" I read what they were about and what their members thought.

Ya...sure you did.

[A CA Guy]

Go back to the 2000 election and you have numerous examples of Libertarians voting for Democrats because they might further their drug and other agenda.

If this website goes back 4 years, go back and read them all, I was shocked.

If FR doesn't search that far back, you can still go back using the "way back machine" on the net.

I did not care to record their posts since they disgust me.