The Oregon Democrats Vision

Oregon Democrats are dedicated to the common good – not just wealthy special interests – and seek to restore the middle class economically. We are the stewards of the American dream, and we support the following:

Strong Schools, Educating our Children ...
Gov. Kulongoski, a Democrat, seeks to make Oregon "the best educated state in the country." Democrats in the state Legislature believe every child should have full opportunity for solid educational success that is not threatened by overcrowded classrooms, shortened school years or administrative waste. Democratic legislators believe access to Head Start should be expanded and that students must have affordable access to our higher education institutions.

Reasonable Immigration and Foreign Affairs Policies ...
Oregon Democrats support immigration reform that secures our borders. We also believe there should be a path to earned citizenship and a guest worker program. We Democrats believe our national government should engage the world through diplomacy and cooperation, that the U.S. government must lead by example and abide by its signed treaties with no exceptions. We should bring our troops home from Iraq in 2007.

Affordable Health Care for Oregonians ...
Democrats seek an affordable, accessible and comprehensive health care system for all Oregonians. The governor is dedicated to seeing that every child in the state has access to health care. And state Democratic legislators seek to expand access to the state’s affordable prescription drug program, and they will move to lower insurance costs by requiring the health insurance industry to submit all rate increases to an oversight board and then justify them before they’re approved.

Good Jobs, Progressive Taxation and Economic Fairness ...
Oregon Democrats support efforts to bolster the state’s healthy environment and its educated and willing work force to attract businesses. They seek balance to bring in enough revenue to preserve Oregon’s assets and help our citizens but not tax so much that it harms competition. Unlike those who would decimate government and lower taxes for the well-heeled, Oregon Democrats believe taxation must be fair to all, thus the tax and revenue system should be progressive. Democrats believe we should repeal the corporate tax kicker. The governor believes that in good times we must invest in our infrastructure and work on ways to better weather the bad times. State Democratic legislators vow that the corporate tax code will be reviewed regularly to eliminate waste and loopholes.

The Beauty of Oregon, Renewable Energy ...
Oregon Democrats believe environmental health and economic prosperity are interdependent, not in conflict. We strongly feel that Oregon’s natural resources are our heritage and our future, that our resources are finite and that management policies must protect them. Democrats believe Oregon has the potential to become a national leader in alternative energy innovation. Democratic members of the Legislature will jumpstart the alternative fuel and biofuels industry in the state.

Our Collective Safety ...
The governor seeks to put 125 more State Highway Patrol troopers on the road and to beef up the agency’s criminal investigation and crime lab functions. Democrats in the Oregon Senate seek an upgrade in state emergency plans and improvement in the state’s communications technology capability. Democratic members of the Legislature will attack internet predators, address identity theft and protect the rights and privacy of victims of sexual assault. Additionally, Oregon Democrats believe all Oregonians have the right to be treated equally with due process. We support privacy rights, including protection from the misuse of private individual information by government or corporations. We support regulating lending practices to prevent predatory loan terms.