Hello, Oregon Progressive Party members and supporters. Welcome to the latest of our monthly newsletters on what we are up to and other items of interest to the Oregon Progressive community.

Finland will allow NATO to place nuclear weapons on border with Russia.

In a Newsweek story of Oct.26, 2022, it is reported that as a condition for Finland to become a member of NATO that Finland "gave a 'commitment' to NATO in July that they wouldn't seek 'restrictions or national reservations' if Helsinki's application is accepted." This leaves open the option for NATO and/or the US to position nuclear weapons at the Finland/Russia border.

The US Speaker of the House recent trip to Taiwan acted as a major stab in the eye of China, which warned that such a visit would be a provocation. Pelosi went anyway. That visit was followed by additional visits by US Congress members. Each such visit is viewed by China as a step toward recognition of Taiwan as a independent nation, a clear violation of the agreement reached many years ago that Taiwan is a part of China (the One China policy).

And naturally the President got in the act as well, declaring on several recent occasions that, if China were to attack Taiwan, the US would come to its aid. White House staff have said after Biden statements that in fact the status of our Taiwan policy remained unchanged, suggesting the US troops would not be dispatched.

But earlier in October, the State Department approved the sale of a $1.1 billion defense package to Taiwan. Needless to say, China was not pleased by this weapons sale.

Tom Engelhardt and Michael Klare earlier this month wrote about The World's Other Nuclear Flashpoint. Worth while reading on the dangers in the growing tensions between the US and China. It should be noted that China has a No First Strike policy. The US does not.

30 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), including Rep Blumenauer and Rep. DeFazio, signed and sent a letter to the White House, stating that it is in the interest of Ukraine, Russia and the US to avoid a prolonged war in Ukraine and calling for "vigorous diplomatic efforts in support of a negotiated settlement and ceasefire, engage in direct talks with Russia..." This letter was withdrawn 24 hour later. Sen Sanders says that the letter withdrawal was the right action and that sending the letter sent the wrong message. Really, Bernie? The letter mildly suggested that President Biden negotiate an end to the war with Russia in Ukraine. Bernie is quoted as saying "I don't agree with that, and they don't agree with it, apparently."

Join OR Progressive Party in a book event/discussion with

Medea Benjamin

on her new book:

Sponsored by

Co-sponsored by

Event poster here.

I learned today that a dark money independent expenditure campaign is spending $37,000 distributing material supporting my candidacy as the Pacific Green and Progressive candidate for U.S. Congress in the Oregon 4^th District.

Read the rest of the story here.

Chris Henry/U.S. Senator. His website is here. Chris is a union long-haul trucker and is a strong supporter of laws allowing the formation of unions and other protections for workers.

David Delk/U.S. House, CD 3 His website is here. He calls for reducing the US war budget and moving the money to support real human needs, not war. War is not the answer!

Mike Beilstein/U.S. House, CD 4 Link to his page on the Pacific Green Party website. link Mike states that "Growing economic inequality results from policies that enrich US oligarchs at the expense of the environment, the people and peace."

Jeff Golden/Oregon Senate # 3 His website is here. Jeff Golden is a stronger supporter of campaign finance reform as well as a Oregon state public bank.

Christina Stephanie/BOLI /(Bureau of Labor and Industry) Her website is here.

Tom Andersen/Oregon House # 19 His website here.

Logan Laity/Oregon House # 32 His website is here.

Mark Gamba/Oregon House # 41 His website is here.

Walt Trandum/Oregon House # 51. His website here.

Antonio Sunseri/Oregon House # 60

Jo Ann Hardesty/PDX City Council Her website here.

Sharon Meieran/Multnomah County Chair Her webste here.

Note that the three endorsed candidates running for US Representative and US Senator are running on strong peace/no war/cut the funding of the American war complex platforms.

Oregon voters clearly want effective limits on political campaign contributions and spending in Oregon elections.

Oregon Honest Elections and the OR Progressive Party WILL NEED YOUR HELP getting a initiative petition of limits on the November 2024 ballot. Sign up here to help the OR Progressive Party help with the campaign gathering signatures when the time comes.

Oregon Honest Elections has filed three new initiative petitions and will work to get them qualified for the November 2024 ballot. The three initiatives have different language - one constitutional amendment and two statutory measures.

One will have contribution limits and disclosure requirements (IP 9, Honest Elections: Fight Political Corruption and Require Disclosure and Transparency).

A second will be a protective constitutional amendment (IP 8, Honest Elections: Stop Politicians from Impairing Campaign Finance Reform Laws) designed to prevent the OR legislature or other legislative bodies from making changes in limits enacted via the initiative process by requiring that any changes they make to be approved by the voters or be adopted by a 3/4 vote among the legislators and then subject to referendum.

A third initiative will be filed soon and will add to IP 9's contribution limits and disclosure requirements a system of public funding of election campaigns.

All that we have filed are based on our principles: No loopholes. No special interest money in the election process. Transparency as to who is giving what to whom and is paying for political advertising.

We need to now build a base of signature gatherers for this new effort. We also need to know who might help contribute funds for this new effort. So if you can do either, please sign up as a supporter of the initiatives. Due to Oregon's extremely cumbersome ballot title process, it is likely that we cannot begin collecting the bulk of the required signatures before November 2022.

Each initiative has three Chief Petitioners. Two (David Delk and Jason Kafoury) are members of the OR Progressive Party.

As an Oregon registered voter, you can give a tax refundable donation of up to $50 once a year and then get it all back as a credit on your Oregon income taxes. There is no reason to wait to the end of the year. Do it now.

Don't be fooled by the phony "Oregon Progressive Party" site on Facebook. That is not us.