Aug 20, 2010

OR: Michael Meo, Pacific Green and Pirate Party Candidate for Congress in OR-3

From Michael Meo for Congress:

As a voter of the 3rd District of Oregon of the United States Congress, you have the chance to vote for your real views in this election.  You have the chance to vote for peace, for health care for all, and for humane educational standards.

This is the place and time to move beyond voting for a corporate Democrat, on account of the fear, that if you don't, an ignorant and dangerous Republican will get in.  No Republican has been elected from this district since 1950.  And the present holder of the seat needs to see the result of his many sell-outs to corporate interests.



I support House Resolution 676, sponsored by dozens of House members (but not my opponent) establishing equal access to health care for all residents. The demeaning and ineffective system of parceling out health care on the basis of ability to pay cripples our society.  The incumbent agrees that single-payer health care is "best," but he's a reliable vote for the Insurance Protection Act that President Obama has helped to shape in the US Senate.

I will not vote for war.  I stand for an end to the American Empire, a withdrawal from the seven hundred foreign military bases our country has established around the world, and a stop to the practice of crushing powerless foreign nations that are no threat to our safety.  When you vote for me, there is no question what you're going to get: an iron-clad guarantee of use of weapons solely to defend from foreign invasion.  The last time that happened was in 1941 -- the last time the Constitutional requirement, that Congress must declare war, was actually enforced.

Under both Republican and Democratic governments ever since, the United States has embarked on a fruitless mission to enforce its will throughout the world, to force everyone else to do what we tell them, or we'll obliterate their whole country, country after country.  The population at home is starved, repressed, and impoverished by this endless war.  I oppose it with every fiber of my being.

From several decades of work as and educator, I know from experience that more mandated tests aren't going to do a thing to improve education, and support for children at risk will. Free, quality childcare -- as well as health care -- is a minimal beginning; we will improve our educational system so long as we focus on the needs of our kids, not some implied punishment of their teachers.

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