LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Measure 38 hurts small firms As an independent insurance agent who specializes in workers' compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. , I have witnessed first-hand the gross distortion of truth presented by the slick and misleading ad campaigns of Liberty Northwest in its attempt to eliminate competitor SAIF Corp. Liberty has written and fully funded Measure 38, which would abolish SAIF. These ads attack SAIF and have the potential of causing serious harm to the Oregon economy. I expect rates to increase by at least 20 percent within two years if SAIF goes. Many small employers will see increases of up to 50 percent because they will have no alternative if SAIF is abolished. Please understand that, as an agent who represents most of the major workers' compensation carriers in the state, my agency will benefit if SAIF is forced out of business. With increased rates, we will have more premium volume and more income. But this is bad legislation. From experience working with the company, I know that SAIF provides great service at affordable rates and offers coverage to employers no other carrier will insure. Liberty Northwest is spending millions of dollars to fund Measure 38 and it is not doing it for the good of Oregon citizens. Liberty wants to line the pockets of the executives of its East Coast headquarters. JENNIFER KING Springfield Bush hasn't issued one veto For years at the national level, Republicans have controlled the Senate, the House and the presidency. The results have been every bit as abusive and frightening as when the Democrats controlled all three. We now have a policy of guns and butter plus tax cuts, resulting in record pork barrel pork barrel n. Slang A government project or appropriation that yields jobs or other benefits to a specific locale and patronage opportunities to its political representative. spending and national deficits. How did this fiscal mess happen so quickly? First, President Bush has not issued one veto, the first president to hold office more than seven months without using this needed power. Bush could have vetoed several of the pork-filled spending proposals, to cut the deficit or to have more money available for succeeding in Afghanistan or Iraq. Second, our Republican-controlled government refused to cut spending (hard) as it cut taxes (easy), resulting in deficits that devalued de·val·ue also de·val·u·ate v. de·val·ued also de·valu·at·ed, de·val·u·ing also de·val·u·at·ing, de·val·ues also de·val·u·ates v.tr. 1. To lessen or cancel the value of. the dollar and have shaken U.S. stock markets. Stock markets historically perform best with a Democratic president and a Republican Congress, as we had in most of the 1990s. Market performance matters greatly as most Americans invest for much of their retirements. As the Republicans are likely to retain control of Congress, I recommend that fellow independents vote for Sen. John Kerry  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. .
Since absolute power corrupts absolutely, gridlock Gridlock A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business. is good. FRANK COLEMAN INMAN Eugene Alice McElroy made a difference I missed having one last visit with a friend before her death last month. Unfortunately, I even missed her memorial service. But nothing can stop me from missing her. Alice McElroy was 92 years old when she went to her well-deserved reward. Until the last two years of her life, she could outwork almost anyone. She worked as a caretaker and a gardener for many Springfielders in her lifetime. She was also a volunteer in the Springfield Neighborhood Watch program, serving as coordinator for her area. Five years ago she was given the Good Neighbor award through the program. Alice never ran for public office or struck it rich. But she was here, and she made a difference in many lives. And, in the end, that's what really matters. FAYE BRABHAM Springfield Program could pay for itself Hurray for the Oregon State Police enforcement program described in the Oct. 5 Register-Guard article, "Special car targets dangerous drivers." It's about time It's About Time may refer to:
The article states that in Portland and Salem the state police have one special police unit each, ticketing an average of 25 to 30 drivers per day combined. Do the math: At an average of $400 per ticket (that's probably low), they should be able to pay for the police vehicle and special equipment in five to seven weeks. At that rate the state can surely purchase more special vehicles and even hire additional troopers Troopers in the United States civilian police forces usually refer to members of state highway patrols, state patrols, or state police agenciess. ! Washington state has 40 such vehicles and has had great success with the aggressive driver enforcement program. One $400 to $600 ticket should be enough to deter the average aggressive driver. However, we all know that there are idiots on our highways who do not have a fast learning curve. A conviction system that would double and triple the fine for a second and third aggressive driver citation may have a greater effect. A fourth and subsequent violation would call for a driver's license Noun 1. driver's license - a license authorizing the bearer to drive a motor vehicle driver's licence, driving licence, driving license license, permit, licence - a legal document giving official permission to do something suspension, hefty fine, jail time or all three. On a positive note, the cities' and state's coffers will benefit greatly from increased and aggressive enforcement. There will never be a lack of aggressive and dangerous drivers on Oregon's highways. JEFF MILLER
Jefferson B. "Jeff" Miller (born June 27, 1959), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing Cottage Grove Cottage Grove, village (1990 pop. 22,935), Washington co., SE Minn., near the St. Croix River; inc. 1965. There is farming (cattle, sheep, corn, and soybeans) and manufacturing (chemicals and machinery). Out-of-state funds fuel 'no' vote The article on the financial supporters of Measure 36 (Register-Guard, Sept. 29) cast the ever-present shadow of "foreigners" trying to interfere in Oregon's civil laws. Out-of-state contributors that were mentioned included the National Gay and Lesbian Group from Washington, D.C., with $530,000, and Tom Gill from Denver with a $100,000 contribution. This amounts to more than half the published contributions for the "no" group, who are attempting to destroy the traditional marriage of one man and one woman. And further examination of the same article shows $35,000 contributed from Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood A service mark used for an organization that provides family planning services. of Portland for the same "no" group. Excuse me: Isn't this organization tax supported? And if so, why is it allowed to contribute our money for things that many Oregonians do not agree with? Shouldn't Planned Parenthood be forced to contribute the same amount to the "yes" group? NORM SKARDA Junction City Junction City, city (1990 pop. 20,604), seat of Geary co., NE Kans., at the confluence of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers; inc. 1859. The rail, trade, and processing center of an agricultural and dairy area, it grew as the supply point for nearby Fort Riley, Let nature restore Biscuit burn The Biscuit fire The Biscuit Fire was a wildfire that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres (2,000 km²) in the Siskiyou National Forest in the states of Oregon and California. It was named for Biscuit Creek in southern Oregon. over two years ago in the Siskiyou area in Southern Oregon This article is about the southern region of the U.S. state of Oregon. For the University, see Southern Oregon University. Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. covered half a million acres. It left a mosaic of burned and unburned timber. The fire adversely impacted only about one third of the fire area. As clearly demonstrated in Oakridge after the Warner Creek fire with no salvage logging Salvage logging is the practice of felling trees in forest areas that have been damaged by fire. In the United States, salvage logging is a controversial issue for two main reasons. , the best thing to do is to stay out and let nature restore the site. Don't turn the bulldozers, chainsaws, loggers, politicians, economic interests or even forest rangers loose to raise havoc with some modern forest management practices. Just stay out and let nature do the job of restoring the site. The current administration in all of its wisdom came up with a plan for clear-cutting nearly 30 square miles of salvage - some of it burned, but a significant portion of it just happens to be in mature and old-growth timber. The Biscuit plan violates laws that protect roadless areas, wilderness, salmon and old-growth forest reserves. The plan calls for logging far beyond any reasonable level of timber harvest. I am appalled that Sen. Gordon Smith
Gordon Harold Smith (born May 25, 1952) is Oregon's junior United States Senator, currently serving his second term. He is a member of the Republican Party. would be so unconcerned with the health of the forests of Oregon that he would endorse such an extreme timber-taking proposal. R. MARRINER ORUM Eugene Vote with terrorism in mind The presidential election is rapidly approaching, and supporters of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are firmly entrenched en·trench also in·trench v. en·trenched, en·trench·ing, en·trench·es v.tr. 1. To provide with a trench, especially for the purpose of fortifying or defending. 2. in their respective camps. There are many important issues at stake - as there always are - but this time, terrorism is added to the mix. We now face an insidious enemy who wants to destroy us for who we are and the freedom our country stands for. They are relentless, and they threaten the very fabric of our existence. Regardless of politics, we are one America against terrorism. The question is, which presidential candidate can best deal with it? The votes that are up for grabs belong to those who are undecided. So if you are still undecided, ask yourself: "Who do I think al-Qaeda and the other terrorists would prefer to have as president?" DON OLSON Florence Keane best in U.S. Senate race In a field of lesser-of-two-evils candidates, there is one bright exception: Teresa Keane, the Pacific Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate. Keane is a nurse practitioner nurse practitioner n. Abbr. NP A registered nurse with special training for providing primary health care, including many tasks customarily performed by a physician. , union member and single mother. She has refused all corporate donations and remains free to legislate for the good of Oregonians, not campaign contributors. Her main opposition is notoriously beholden be·hold·en adj. Owing something, such as gratitude, to another; indebted. [Middle English biholden, past participle of biholden, to observe; see behold. to lobbyist money and no longer works for the public, it would seem. Have you ever tried to reach him? Do you get a response? Keane is against the Iraq war Iraq War: see under Persian Gulf Wars. Iraq War or Second Persian Gulf War Brief conflict in 2003 between Iraq and a combined force of troops largely from the U.S. and Great Britain; and a subsequent U.S. and the bloated military budget that overflows with expensive pet projects like Star Wars and unneeded bombers. Keane will fight for universal health care coverage, sustainable forestry Sustainable forestry is a forest management practice. The basic tenet of sustainable forestry is that the amount of goods and services yielded from a forest should be at a level the forest is capable of producing without degradation of the soil, watershed features or seed source and energy independence. She is a candidate with great knowledge of the situation and the immense tasks ahead for a more equal society, free of corporate domination. Please vote for Teresa Keane for the U.S. Senate. RICHARD KNABLIN North Bend North Bend is the name of several places in the United States of America:
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