PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Sen.-elect Jeff Merkley says he plans to offer a bill to ensure federal timber revenue to cash-strapped Oregon counties when he takes office.

The Oregon Democrat says the first goal is a sustainable timber harvest, to preserve logging jobs and the environment.

To the extent that's not possible, he says, the federal government must support counties that depend on federal payments.

"I think they're part of a bargain struck with the federal government over federal timberlands, and a bargain that should be sustained," Merkley said.

Oregon has gotten the largest share of the timber payment program that helps pay for schools, roads and public safety in 700 rural counties across 39 states.

In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Merkley said a compromise is needed on setting aside old growth forest while maintaining production levels high enough to keep sawmills in business.

One way to do it, he said, would be to increase thinning across millions of acres of second-growth forest to boost logging while reducing the risk of fire and the spread of plant disease or insect pests.

"It makes some areas more effective in terms of ecosystems and some areas more effective in terms of timber stands," Merkley said.

On other topics, Merkley said he would probably support a bailout for the auto industry and changes in free trade policy, and he called for a clear strategy in the war in Afghanistan and for closing the Guantanamo Bay prison.

He also said he supports the efforts of American Indian tribes in Oregon to create jobs but was undecided about a controversial proposal for a new tribal casino in the Columbia River Gorge.

He said he has concerns about the possible impact of a casino, ranging from an increased dependence on gambling to traffic in the scenic area.

Merkley said the loss of the Big Three automakers in Detroit could tip the U.S. economy from a recession into a depression.

"We cannot let these industries fail," he said.

But Merkley said the automakers need to come up with a successful long-term strategy to transform their companies to meet changing consumer demand and energy needs.

"It doesn't help to just help them limp through 12 months and then collapse," he said. "We need a plan that brings them into the modern world in a way that they've been reluctant to come."

Merkley also said the U.S. economy has suffered from an imbalance in the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

He said NAFTA has "vacuumed jobs" out of Oregon and had a "devastating impact" on the rural economy of Mexico. He said he supports a renegotiation of terms, as President-elect Barack Obama recommended during the presidential campaign.

Merkley called for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorism suspects because it has "become a symbol to the world of American torture and American failure to abide by the rule of law."

He said the significance of the evidence should be determined so that prisoners can be released or trials can be held, either civilian or military, as determined by the president-elect.

Give U.S. Sen.-elect Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., credit for making La Grande one of his four stops around the state on his victory tour last week. He has, in the past few months, made as many public appearances in Union County as two-term incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith did in the past four years — two.

Of course, if it were up to voters in Northeast Oregon who would be our senator, Smith would have won re-election handily. A solid majority of voters in our region are concerned — and rightly so — about the policies Democrats in Washington, D.C., might invoke, especially concerning timber policy. A majority of voters in the state, however, saw things differently on Nov. 4. Merkley eked out a narrow victory.

He told a standing-room-only crowd of about 125 people at the Union County Senior Center last week that he will represent all of Oregon. That he will keep in touch with all of Oregon by following Sen. Ron Wyden’s example of holding town halls in every Oregon county every year. He said he comes from a timber family from Myrtle Creek, and he knows what it means to have timber-related jobs displaced. His father’s was.

When John McColgan of Wallowa County stressed that timber receipts are essential to the economic health of our region, Merkley responded, “Message received.’’ He went on to say that county timber payments are important, but that “the best way forward is a compromise for a steady supply of logs. We’re not managing the forests well. Producing receipts through jobs would be the number one priority.’’

Sen.-elect Merkley, we’re going to hold you to that statement.

As we’ve stressed numerous times in this space, there’s a middle ground when it comes to forest management, one that accommodates forest protection, sustainability and jobs. Extreme positions on either side of the debate have created the stalemate that we have.

Our senator-elect is going to need to demonstrate to the people of rural Oregon that he means what he says and that he will work to balance the special interests, especially as they pertain to our forests.

And if he wants to earn voters’ support all across the state, he’ll need to learn from Sen. Smith’s mistakes. Although Smith is more aligned philosophically with the majority of people in our region, this year he got caught in a Democratic tidal wave. But that wasn’t the sole reason for his loss. Somewhere along the line he simply lost touch with his constituents — even those of us in Eastern Oregon. He rarely held events to solicit citizens’ views. Even on his statewide bus tour the week before the election, his office announced he would be in La Grande at a certain time, but that the announcement was not intended for print or broadcast. Simply put, Smith lost touch with Oregon.

Merkley is off to a good start. He says he will keep in touch. And he says he understands our region’s needs. We hope he lives up to his word and becomes a senator for all of Oregon. We sincerely wish him well.

WASHINGTON - Six weeks before taking office, Oregon's senator-elect Jeff Merkley gained some notice on Capitol Hill Tuesday by forcefully expressing disappointment bordering on anger with Sen. Joe Lieberman's vocal support for John McCain during the presidential campaign.

Merkley made the comments during a closed-door meeting of all incumbent Democrats and those elected on Nov. 4 to determine what action to take against Lieberman. The Connecticut senator who is an independent who votes with Democrats abandoned his traditional allies during the campaign and strongly questioned Barack Obama's fitness to be president.

``Sen. Lieberman's choices for this last election cycle were very difficult for me personally. I felt a lot of personal pain,'' Merkley said.

Lieberman angered colleagues by aggressively supporting McCain. He toured extensively with the GOP nominee and spoke on his behalf at the party's convention in September. Democrats were particularly upset that he had attacked Obama rather than simply saying positive things about McCain.

Lieberman acknowledged during the meeting and afterward to reporters that he might have gone too far.

``There are some (statements) that I made that I wish I had not,'' Lieberman said. ``In the heat of campaigns, that happens to all of us, but I regret that. And now it's time to move on.''

In the end, Democrats decided not to punish the Connecticut lawmaker, who built his career as a reliable Democrat only to leave the party in 2006 after 20 years. Even so, Lieberman continued to vote with Democrats, providing the crucial 50th vote the party needed to claim a majority -- and controlling -- position. His roots with the party are deep; he was selected as Al Gore's running mate in the 2000 presidental election against George W. Bush.

Party activists and even some senators wanted to remove Lieberman as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. That suggestion was discarded though Lieberman was forced to give up his seat on the Environment and Public Works Committee and as chairman of a subcommittee.

Democrats voted 42-13 to lightly punish Lieberman and to accept his muted apology.

Merkley declined to say how he voted, but in comments after the meeting it was clear he was conflicted.

``I will say that now that the outcome is clear we'll move forward together. We have a lot of work to do to tackle the issues ahead of us,'' he said, echoing comments of Majority Leader Harry Reid who said, ``This was not a time for retribution.''

At the same time, Merkley said he told his colleagues of how hard he worked in 2000 for the Gore/Lieberman ticket and how Lieberman's behavior this year left some rank and file Demcrats feeling betrayed.

``I expressed these sentiments because I felt that citizens who work in a grass-roots capacity should share their voice and my voice on this,'' he said.

Merkley stopped just short of saying Lieberman should be stripped of his committee chairmanship. But he suggested that chairmen are party of a party's leadership and should be held to higher standards.

``Folks who are priviledged to serve as a chair are part of the leadership of this team and much is expected of them,'' he said.

During last week's election, Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Pendleton carried Union County with a convincing 67 percent of the vote.

But the race's winner, Democratic Sen.-elect Jeff Merkley, received a warm and enthusiastic greeting Tuesday during a Veterans Day visit to the Union County Senior Center in La Grande.

Merkley addressed about 100 attendees - his largest crowd during his recent post-election events, he said - giving special emphasis to veterans' issues and health care. He pointed to his own past experience working in the Pentagon as one reason for his gratitude toward members of the armed forces.

"It gave me a lifelong appreciation of the men and women in uniform who protect our country," Merkley said.

He said veterans need more care for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and he called for an end to the war in Iraq.

"We need to be slow to go to war and fast to take care of those who have served," Merkley said, adding the country hasn't excelled at either of those recently.

The event was one of Merkley's last before he heads to Washington, D.C., next week for an orientation for newly-elected senators. Following the trip he said he plans to spend some "long-deferred" time with his family before he immerses himself in the transition process in December. Inauguration comes Jan. 6, 2009.

Once there, Merkley said he hopes to add to Democrats' "working majority" among 56 others in the Senate. He also pledged to be an effective partner of Oregon's senior senator, fellow Democrat Ron Wyden, on several of Wyden's recent projects - among them helping the state's ailing timber industry and restoring an Amtrak train route through Oregon between Portland and Boise.

Though Merkley said he hasn't spoken directly with Wyden about the Amtrak proposal, he offered support to the idea.

"I think there is a growing recognition that rails are far more energy efficient than many alternatives," he said. "Maybe this is a window of opportunity."

La Grande resident and Army veteran Ray Addlaman said he was impressed with Merkley's visit, adding he hopes the newly-elected senator makes the nation's economic troubles his top priority. Addlaman added he appreciated the recognition as a veteran, and he looks forward to Merkley stepping into Smith's seat.

"I think he's the breath of fresh air that we needed. I really do," Addlaman said.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation also were represented at the gathering. CTUIR Board of Trustees Chairman Antone Minthorn noted the tribes' successful partnerships with other government jurisdictions. He invited Merkley to visit the Umatilla Indian Reservation to meet with leaders there. Merkley accepted.

Rick George, CTUIR's natural resources program manager, told Merkley how important he felt it is for an Oregon senator to gain a seat on the Senate's appropriations committee, largely responsible for allocating federal spending.

Merkley agreed and said Oregon needs a voice on the committee, though it's not likely for a freshman senator to land a seat on the committee. Merkley said having a say there could ensure Oregon gets its share of resources on both sides of the state.

1. Jeff Merkley was born in the small town of Myrtle Creek, Ore., in 1956. While his mother stayed home with Jeff and his sister, his father, Darrell, worked repairing equipment in the local lumber mill. He later worked in construction and as a logger and mechanic.

2. The Merkley family moved to a blue-collar neighborhood in Roseburg, Ore., and later to Portland. There, he attended David Douglas High School, where he was elected student body president.

3. As a high school student, Merkley spent a summer living abroad, choosing Ghana because he "wanted to go someplace completely different."

4. Merkley applied to top colleges and was accepted at Yale and Stanford. He picked Stanford because it offered a more generous scholarship. He graduated with a degree in international relations in 1979.

5. Merkley's interest in politics and policy were piqued while he was in college—he took a year off from his studies to live in Washington, D.C., where he had an internship in Oregon Sen. Mark Hatfield's office. After graduation, Merkley traveled through Central America, where he saw violence firsthand.

6. Following his travels and an internship at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C., Merkley studied at Princeton, where he earned a master's degree in public policy in 1982. He then returned to Washington, where he worked as an analyst for the Pentagon and the Congressional Budget Office.

7. Merkley returned to Oregon in 1991 when he was hired to run the Portland office of Habitat for Humanity.

8. Merkley was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1998.

9. Merkley was selected as speaker of the Oregon House in 2006 and announced the following year that he planned to run for the U.S. Senate. The choice was a surprise to many election watchers—he agreed to run after several better-known Oregon Democrats declined.

10. Merkley is married to Mary Sorteberg, a nurse. They have two children: a son, Jonathan, and a daughter, Brynne. The family lives in East Portland.

Days after he narrowly defeated Republican Gordon Smith in a bid for the U.S. Senate, Democrat Jeff Merkley emphasized environmental responsibility and progressive social policies in a speech in the University of Oregon’s Erb Memorial Union.

About 60 audience members, including Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, sat on the carpeted steps of the Ben Linder Room to listen to the senator-elect, who began his speech by calling for an end to the war in Iraq. Merkley also called for “affordable, accessible health care” and voiced his support for Barack Obama’s tax plan.

“It’s time to make this nation of ours work for working Americans,” Merkley said, adding that many of his political ideals come from his father, who held jobs as a millworker, a carpenter and a mechanic.

Merkley spoke of his commitment to keeping living-wage jobs inside the United States, as well as creating new jobs by investing in infrastructure and green energy. Such an investment also can help ease global climate change, Merkley said.

“The United States must become a leader in the world in tackling global warming,” he said to applause from audience members.

Merkley also promised to “restore integrity” to the country by ending warrantless wiretapping, honoring habeas corpus, and upholding the Geneva Conventions on humanitarian standards.

In his speech, Merkley thanked his local supporters. “It was Eugene votes that put us over the top,” he said.

Out of Oregon’s 36 counties, just eight — including Lane and population-heavy Multnomah — went for Merkley. And that was enough for him to win, tallying 826,118 votes to Smith’s 773,956 statewide. In Lane, Merkley drew 96,562 votes (58.2 percent) to Smith’s 62,226 (37.5 percent).

Only in Multnomah County was Merkley’s victory more decisive: There, he won 68.8 percent of the vote.

Merkley also scored wins in Lincoln (56 percent to 43 percent for Smith), Benton (53 percent to 38 percent), Hood River (52 percent to 42 percent), Clatsop (49 percent to 44 percent), Washington (46 percent to 42 percent) and Columbia (46 percent to 44 percent). Add those to his successes in Lane and Multnomah, and Merkley had enough votes to overcome Smith’s victories in the remaining 28 counties, most of them rural and less densely populated.

In his address on Monday, Merkley thanked U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, the Springfield Democrat, for his support, and expressed hope for collaboration between the Democrat-­controlled House and Senate. Next term, Merkley said, DeFazio “will not be thinking of the Senate as the place where good House bills go to die.”

Merkley joins Sen. Ron Wyden, and his win means that both of Oregon’s Senate seats will belong to Democrats. “We’ll have two senators working together,” Merkley said.

The senator-elect addressed a Lane County concern by discussing controversial federal timber payments. The best solution, he said, is to “restore a steady supply of jobs and timber” by thinning second growth forests while protecting old growth areas. At the same time, he said, he believes there is a “long-term commitment from the federal government to compensate for lost revenue.”

After Merkley’s speech, director of the UO’s Solar Radiation Monitoring Lab, Frank Vignola, said he is pleased by the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, and by Barack Obama’s successful campaign.

“I’m amazed but proud,” he said, adding that he agrees with Merkley’s economic plan. “We’ve been practicing Reagan Economics,” he said. “That doesn’t work.”

Carl Johannessen, professor emeritus in the geography department, also came to hear Merkley, and praised his environmental record. “He traveled around the state in a Prius,” he said. “He printed on both sides of a page.”

Senator-elect Jeff Merkley is making a road trip across rural parts of Oregon. As April Baer reports, Merkley wants to deliver several messages during the trip.

Merkley says his mission is to tell Oregonians about the new partnership in Washington, between himself and Senator Ron Wyden. And he'll hear their concerns about issues like civil liberties.

Merkley: "Certainly issues related to the integrity of the United States, and restoring respect for the Constitution, be it habeas corpus, protecting Americans against warrantless wiretapping, and inappropriate intrusion of the federal government."

Jeff Merkley's moving across territory that's not necessarily friendly.

Though he beat Republican Senator Gordon Smith, it was a close race, with most rural counties voting for Smith, not Merkley.

Most stops on the Senator-Elect's trip this week target places he lost. The itinerary includes Eugene, Medford, Bend and LaGrande.

Merkley says he wants to let his constituents know he's committed to a Hatfield tradition of public service, a reference to one of Oregon's most famous Republican Senators.

"As we honor our service members this Veterans Day, we must remember that today is only the beginning of the recognition these brave individuals deserve for all they have given to our nation.

"There is no way we can fully repay the debt we owe to those who have served the United States in the Armed Forces, but we can begin by ensuring that we keep the promises we have made to them.

"Among the things we can do are:

• Immediately enact concurrent receipt benefits allowing disabled veterans to collect their full retirement pay when they leave service.

• Increase funding for mental health services to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Provide proper screening and treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury for returning veterans.

• Fully fund the VA health care system.

• Continue the expansion of educational opportunities for veterans who have fulfilled their service commitment to our country.

"Our country faces many challenges at this moment, but we cannot allow America's veterans to be lost in the shuffle. As Oregon's next U.S. Senator, I will fight to expand educational opportunities and improve medical treatment and mental health services for our men and women in uniform. It is our duty as a nation to honor the commitments we made those who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe."

Merkley will discuss his plans to carry on the Hatfield tradition of public service and work with Senator Ron Wyden and President-elect Barack Obama to address the challenges Oregonians and Americans face. Merkley will call on all citizens to come together, shed old rivalries, and address the needs of working families.

Monday, November 10

Merkley Addresses Oregonians in Eugene
11:00 a.m.
University of Oregon - Erb Memorial Union
Ben Linder Room
1501 Kincaid St.
Eugene

Merkley Addresses Oregonians in Medford
3:30 p.m.
Rogue Community - Higher Education Center
Presentation Hall #132
101 South Bartlett St.
Medford

Tuesday, November 11

Merkley Addresses Oregonians in Bend
9:30 a.m.
Riverhouse Conference Center
Cascade Room D
3075 N. Business 97
Bend

Merkley Addresses Oregonians in La Grande
4:00 p.m.
Union County Senior Center
1504 Albany St.
La Grande

NBC Political Director Chuck Todd renounces Oregon's 2000 swing state status this year in his latest state-by-state analysis and predicts victories for Democrats Barack Obama, Jeff Merkley and Kurt Schrader. Interesting how he see's Republican Mike Erickson as a potential "bright spot" for the Oregon GOP given a recent 24 point lead in the polls for Schrader and virtually a dead heat in all the US Senate polls. Here's what he had to say:

"Remember when Oregon was a swing state in '00? No longer. Obama is simply dominating the state and because of his strength, he may drag a Democratic senate candidate across the finish line. Republican Sen. Gordon Smith has done everything he could to stop the Democratic momentum but looks like he may come up just short. If there is a potential bright spot for the GOP, it could be that they come close to picking off the open 5th District. They probably won't, but it's a district they should be competitive in if they ever want to be a majority party again."

 
Jeff Merkley is ready to change this country. 

He will work with a President Barack Obama to fix the economy, reduce the cost of health care, and fight for the middle class.

 
America faces so many challenges: a $10 trillion debt; mired in war; millions of jobs lost; and now a massive Wall Street meltdown.

 
America needs a clean break from the failed economic policies of George Bush. 

 
And Oregon can deliver that change by electing Jeff Merkley, a senator who's ready to change this country.

 
More about Merkley's plans to change this country can be found at his web site, www.jeffmerkley.com.

Script:  "Ready":

Voice Over:

With all that's happened to our country over the last eight years,

The greatest rick is for things to stay... the same.

The people of Oregon deserve a senator who's ready to change this country.

Fixing our economy.

Reducing the cost of health care.

Fighting for the middle class.

Jeff Merkley. Senate.

Jeff Merkley:

I'm Jeff Merkley and I approve this message.

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To view our final ad - "Ready" - click below:

WASHINGTON -- Polls are fickle things and they usually come with the usual caveat of being nothing more than a ``snap shot'' in time.

Which makes the predictions from Public Policy Polling's latest look at the Oregon Senate race all the more notable.

"At this point Jeff Merkley seems almost certain to be a winner, and Obama's popularity is having a similar effect in Minnesota and North Carolina,'' PPP said Friday. The outfit's latest poll has Democrat Jeff Merkley leading incumbent Republican Gordon Smith by eight points, 51 percent to 43 percent.

The details can be found here.

Public Policy's pollsters conclude that much of Merkley's burst can be attributed to Barack Obama's popularity.

``Barack Obama has a commanding lead for President in Oregon, and it looks like he'll be bringing Jeff Merkley along with him,'' the pollster's concluded.

``Obama leads John McCain 57-42 in Oregon. He's racked up a 64-35 lead with those who have already filled out their ballots and is winning across every demographic subset of the population that PPP tracks,'' the outfit's news release said.

The poll of 1,424 likely voters was conducted from Oct. 28-30. It dovetailed with several other recent polls that gave Merkley a lead ranging from five to seven point. One other poll, however, had the race tied and still another poll of 400 registered votes gave Smith a four point lead.

Those two were the outliers, however, among polls that have consistently found Merkley leading.

With just five days to go Jeff Merkley's campaign is issuing another Gordon Smith Flip Flop Alert to warn Oregonians that Gordon Smith has flip flopped on Barack Obama. 

In his closing argument to voters this week, Smith is telling Oregonians that he will block Barack Obama's agenda by using the filibuster in the U.S. Senate. 

The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes has the story.

After desperately trying to link himself to the Democratic nominee, Gordon Smith wants his Republican base to forgive him because he is the candidate who will stop Barack Obama from making change. 

On right-wing talk shows and in front of partisan Republican crowds, Smith is using Karl Rove-style scare tactics, suggesting that a President Obama will raise taxes, weaken the military, and eliminate affordable, renewable power.

According to The Oregonian:

Smith said that when it comes to such issues as taxes, "keeping our military strong," and protecting hydropower, "those are the issues that will ultimately go by the board if a President Obama has no brakes, if there is no checks and balances. And I just hope people understand that."

Remember Gordon Smith grabbed national headlines for clinging to Obama in his television ads and desperately trying to pretend he wasn't a Republican at all.  Nevermind the fact that Smith's ties to Obama relied on cosponsoring a single bill that Smith previously voted against three times.

GOP Senator Banks on Obama in Oregon Race, read the headline in The Washington Post.

An Oregon Republican Reaches for Coattails -- Obama's, read The New York Times.

But in the final week of the campaign Gordon Smith is promising that he will block Obama's agenda and ensure gridlock in Washington.

That's not what America needs and that is not want Oregon voters are demanding.

 
Today in Talent, Oregon, Jeff Merkley completes the 100 Towns for Change tour.  Beginning in Myrtle Creek, the timber town where he was born, Jeff Merkley has traveled the state, listening to Oregonians about the challenges our nation faces, and unveiling new plan to change the direction of the country.

In 100 towns, large and small, Jeff Merkley listened to Oregon citizens ready to change the direction of America by changing the priorities in Washington D.C.  In Talent today, Merkley was joined by Senator Jon Tester of Montana, a national leader on rural economic development, to talk about Merkley's Grow Oregon plan to create jobs in rural communities. 

Like Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley has pledged to hold a town hall meeting in every county, every year, making Oregon the first state in the country where citizens have the opportunity to question their leaders without having to make a campaign contribution or fly to Washington D.C.

"Everywhere I go in this state I meet Oregonians who are ready for change," said Jeff Merkley.  "Our country is off track and we need to change direction.  It is time to restore fairness by putting working families before the CEOs."

Yesterday Merkley called on the lame duck session of Congress to deliver tax cuts for working people by moving forward on the first phase of Barack Obama's tax plan, cutting taxes for every working family by $1,000.  Merkley proposes making these tax cuts retroactive for the current tax year, so that families start getting relief after they file their taxes next year.  This will stimulate the economy, but more importantly, it will start to restore fairness and give working families some much needed relief now.

In more than 100 towns Merkley has talked about his plans to put Oregonians before the powerful special interests to create jobs, make health care more affordable, and end our dependence on foreign oil.  Along the way Merkley announced a dozen new policy proposals to create jobs in rural Oregon, fix unfair trade deals and tax policies that ship jobs overseas, invest in renewable energy, put 50,000 more police on the street, and so much more.

From Lincoln City to Baker City, from Milwaukie to Medford, Merkley traveled across Oregon visiting schools, health clinics, factories, and businesses.  Across rural and urban Oregon, Merkley met with doctors, nurses, teachers, students, law enforcement officers, and other community leaders who are ready to change the direction of America by changing the priorities of Washington D.C.

People across Oregon and across the country joined Merkley on his tour at the campaign's web site.  There people could travel with Jeff through the campaign blog and see pictures and video from the 100 Towns for Change tour.

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