Senator-elect Merkley on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer
Posted by Sarah Lane on November 10, 2008
Oregon's newest Senator-elect Jeff Merkley, appeared on Jim Lehrer's News Hour just hours after he was declared the winner in the race for Oregon Senate. In the interview, Senator-elect Merkley was asked what message Oregonians were sending when they voted to oust a Republican incumbent and elect Jeff Merkley. Senator-elect Merkley said that the people of Oregon recognize that the country is off track and they expect Merkley to address the problems families are facing around the kitchen table. Senator-elect Merkley spoke about the need to end our dependence on foreign oil, creating living wage jobs and providing affordable health care coverage. To watch the interview, go here.
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Jeff Merkley was born in the small town of Myrtle Creek, Oregon, the son of a sawmill worker. He's fought hard for working families in Oregon and he's ready to help lead America.
As Oregon's Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley led one of the most effective, efficient and progressive legislative sessions in Oregon's history - with big achievements for schools, ethics, health care, jobs, alternative energy, and protections for working families.
Discover why Jeff Merkley is ready to lead.
Read the Oregonian profile of Jeff Merkley's life before politics.
© 2008. Jeff Merkley for Oregon. P.O. Box 29136, Portland, OR 97296. 503-274-4439
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12.Nov.2008.
Honorable Senator-elect J. Merkley:
I telephoned your office yesterday expressing my views on the current and proposed “bailouts” of various large corporations, AIG, FannieMae, FreddieMac and now again AIG and the U.S. auto manufacturers.
How is it that these companies, who made poor and/or greedy business choices, almost EXPECT we the tax paying citizens of the U.S.A. to fund their re-financing plan?
As I stated in my telephone message, the average, ordinary citizen is the one who stimulates the economy. I b uy food, fuel, goods, services, my home, transportation, vacations and Christmas gifts.
Isn’t that what the U.S.A. needs?
I the average citizen pay all of the taxes, my personal and all the corporate—passed on in the cost of the good, which support my government! Please, no more funds to the large companies. Funds DO NOT flow down! The corporations receive the “bailouts” and they keep funds. The benefit of those funds rarely make it down to me.
Please, support every citizen with a stimulus package. Supply every citizen, 18 years and older, with $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars) multiplied by 200,000,000 citizens (two hundred million, my guess of our number) equals $10,000,000,000 (ten billion dollars).
We would stimulate the economy, keep the mortgage business sustained, drive manufacturing and make progress happen, more cost effectively than the prior and future “bailouts” of large corporations.
Please work together for the citizens of the U.S.A.
I absolutely am against tax payer money being given to the "Big 3." When their CEO's can fly coach and reduce their incomes to $250,000 yr., then we might consider bailing them out. Even then, I would only be in favor of a bail out if there were a financial plan made between the CEO's and financial advisors such as approved by the government. And after the financial plan were approved I would want watch dogs in each of the CEO offices who would and must be answerable to the citizens. THIS IS A DECISION THAT CONGRESS MUST LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM. NO MORE FREE REIN. THE GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM.