Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Kate Brown, Racial Profiling, Women’s Rights

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Friday, March 27, 2015

GoLocalPDX News Team

Every Friday, GoLocalPDX breaks down who's rising and who's falling in the world of Oregon politics. Check out who made the lists this week.

HOT:

Women’s Reproductive Rights

Legislator’s are pushing for first in the nation legislation to ensure coverage for full-spectrum reproductive health care for every woman and transgender man in Oregon, regardless of income. Melanie Sevcenko of GoLocalPDX unveiled how this legislation, if adopted, is a game changer for women and transgender men. The big question is, can new Governor Kate Brown help drive the momentum. 

Governor Kate Brown

She makes the hot list yet again for hitting the ground running. Just over a month into office she is pushing a very progressive legislative agenda hard and fast. Wins are starting to pile up including the GOP’s worse nightmare a Motor Voter statute that is the most progressive in the country. Kate Brown 1, GOP 0.

Democratic Party – lets get this right, the longstanding Governor resigned in one of the most embarrassing political corruption sagas in Oregon history and the minority party seems unable to capitalize. 

The Oregon GOP should be pounding the flaws in Oregon laws and ethics statutes. They should be announcing sweeping legislative initiatives and they should be calling for deeper and broader investigations. Listen carefully and you can here the Oregon GOP do their cricket imitation.

Effort to Stop Racial Profiling

One of the areas where it is hard to believe that you need legislation, but you do. A sweeping coalition is pushing legislation to prohibit profiling by race and sexual orientation. Kudos to Family Forward Oregon, Oregon Action, United Church of Christ, the Rural Organizing Project, Basic Rights Oregon, CAUSA, Asian Pacific Network of Oregon (APANO), and the Center for Intercultural Organizing for their leadership.

NOT:

Data Breaches

Oregonians’ most personal data is being stolen all the time. Hackers are attacking big healthcare and retailers all the time. Most recently, LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon and its parent company Premera Blue Cross is the most recently hit. An investigation followed LifeWise's announcement last week that a cyber attack exposed the personal identification of 250,000 Oregonians to unauthorized access.  The list of data being breached is getting longer and longer.

Being Poor and a Minority

The cost of being poor is getting more expensive. A GoLocalPDX investigation into the impact of gentrification in Portland shows that poor and minorities are being pushed further and further away from their jobs. The impact of these changes in the culture and neighborhoods of Portland is significant – longer drives, more expensive commutes, and more traffic.

Trail Blazers

The Blazers are so not hot right now. Yes, Wes Matthews is out and guess what he is not coming back. Get over it.  The Thunder seemed to do okay despite losing last year’s NBA MVP. Time for the Trail Blazers to turn it on.  

Strategy for Managing Growth

Portland is hot, but its strategy for being one of the hottest cities in the United States in not.  Gentrification, exploding population, and increasing rent costs are all realities. As GoLocalPDX recently reported, “Come spring, the City of Portland will be working on its Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year blueprint for development. Its biggest topic: how to accommodate growth,” but will that be too reactive.me spring, the City of Portland will be working on its Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year blueprint for development. Its biggest topic: how to accommodate growth.
 

Related Articles

• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Charlie Hales, Amanda Fritz, Kate Brown
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Denis Therauilt, John Kitzhaber, The Oregonian
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Jeanne Atkins, Tobias Read, Oregon Right to Life
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Kate Brown, Lars Larson, Clean Fuels
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Oregon Right to Life, Michael Jordan, Oracle
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Steve Novick, Reservoir Dogs, Working Class Oregonians
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Teressa Raiford, Nick Fish, GMOs
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: The All Kitzhaber Edition
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: The Race for Mayor, Education, Ducks
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Val Hoyle, Margi Hoffmann, Gas Tax

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