Early in the now ten year saga to site a liquefied natural gas terminal on the North Spit of Coos Bay elected officials were asked to seek an advisory vote by putting the matter on the ballot. Do the majority of Coos County citizens agree with the development course being undertaken by the Port of Coos Bay or not? Does Coos County really want the Jordan Cove LNG terminal, sitting on a subduction zone, as well as its associated 36″ pipeline cutting a wide swath across public and private timber lands crossing rivers and streams? The board of commissioners refused citing, amongst other things, the belief that there was no point in doing so because even though we live here and must therefore live with the consequences of the project, the choice is not ours to make.
“The federal government has the final say,” said the commission. “It’s up to the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) to decide.”
Once, during one of the myriad public hearings related to land use and local permits regarding the project I listened to an attorney for the applicant, now Veresen, Inc., explaining to the planning commission the limits of its authority. As if he were talking to small children, the lawyer meticulously laid out the parameters the commission must abide by and what the commission could and could not decide. Simply saying NO was not an option.
By now, we all recognize that state and federal regulatory agencies are not in the business of saying “NO” to polluting industries. Their sole purpose is to say “YES” to applicants and then to regulate exactly how much the applicant is legally allowed to pollute our environment. As a consequence of this failure of the state and federal government to protect our individual rights to clean air, water and thriving ecosystems, more and more communities are taking matters into their own hands and asserting the right of local self-governance.
Amidst all the sturm und drang over Democrats losing control of Congress there were many progressive wins that came out of Tuesday’s election above and beyond the legalization of marijuana. The City of Richmond, California rejected efforts by Chevron to try and populate the city council with regressive pro-gas candidates. Washington State gave up on Congress and 60% of voters passed a historic gun control measure. Despite being outspent $8 million to $60K Maui passed a GMO labeling law and Oregon’s is said to still be in play trailing by less than 1%. Several communities, again heavily outspent by the fossil fuel industry successfully banned hydraulic fracturing by margins as high as 78%!
Especially when it comes to fossil-fuels, the environment and climate the differences between Democrats and Republicans has narrowed so much that voters no longer care which party is in control and I would speculate that Democrats lost, in part, because progressives more and more chose to vote green or even Green rather than accept the “lesser of two evils.” Since we cannot rely on state and federal government to protect our health, air, water and the planet communities are choosing to take matters into their own hands by enacting law, ordinances to do what our state and federal legislators will not.
To that end, a group of local citizens known loosely for the moment as the Coos Commons Protection Council have written an ordinance that will make it “…unlawful for any corporation or governmental entity to engage in fossil fuel transportation through or into Coos County except the transportation of fossil fuels intended for residential, commercial, or industrial use for on-site power, heat consumption and vehicle refueling.” The initiative was filed with the county clerk on Tuesday afternoon and asserts our inherent right to local self-government by enacting law affirmed in the Oregon Constitution ―”All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness;”
The ordinance will also restrict the practice of eminent domain by making it “unlawful within Coos County for a corporation or governmental entity to engage in land acquisition necessary for the construction of a non-sustainable energy system.”
(d) Governmental Legitimacy. All governments owe their existence to the people of the community that those governments serve, and governments exist to secure and protect the rights of the people and those communities. Any system of government that becomes destructive of those ends is not legitimate, lawful, or constitutional.
(e) Right to Local, Community Self-Government. The people of Coos County possess both a collective and individual right to self-government in their community, a right to a system of government that embodies that right, and the right to a system of government that protects and secures their human, civil, and collective rights.
(f) Right to Assert the Right to Self-Government. The people of Coos County possess the right to use their local government to make law, and the making and enforcement of law by the people through a municipal corporation or any other institution shall not eliminate, limit, or reduce their sovereign right to local, community self-government.
The people of Coos County, not Washington bureaucrats or profiteering developers, should decide what’s best for Coos County. We are shooting for the May 2015 ballot. Citizens concerned about the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline are working on a similar ordinance for Douglas County. If you would like to be a part of this historic and revolutionary effort please email CoosCommons (at) gmail.com.
Sorry about that, broken bones do strange things sometimes. Anyway, my point being, you can argue about future results, you cannot argue with history. I do not think Gene will mind my re-post here, from what, four, five, six years ago? Does it matter? Once you know what is behind the curtain, you never fall for it again. I think it’s called history.
MarkM October 31, 2011 at 7:03 PM
Gene,
Why wait around for the local Dems to put up a candidate you will hate? Sign up and find one you will like. That’s what primaries are for.
Beats complainin’. Especially if the alternative is voting for Republicans.
Reply
Gene Jennings October 31, 2011 at 7:26 PM
Mark, I’m sorry you see my opinion of the dems as just a complainer, but you fail to understand that I don’t want to be a democrat. Your party is to corrupt for me to have any desire in participating in the charade. My opinion should be taken as a bellwether for your party, as I’m not the only one that feels that way. I have voted for dems in the past. that too has passed. You party groupies have your hands full fixing your image, good luck. When I see that your collective has put up a worthy candidate and changes the way it does business for corporations against the public’s interest, then maybe you can count on my vote. Until then, go fish.
Reply
MarkM October 31, 2011 at 7:54 PM
While I’m fishing, mind sharing your plan for making things better?
I don’t understand how it’s so easy to take over a country, but so hard to take over a party.
Reply
Gene Jennings October 31, 2011 at 8:35 PM
Sure Mark, here’s my plan, first, get corporate influence out of government. That’s probably a deal killer for you, right out the gate.
Next thing, I would fire all the port commissioners for betraying the public trust. With them gone I would appoint forward thinking people like Jody McCaffre to revamp the goals of the port. I would take the train away from port control, and tell the people of Oregon that this train belongs to them and will be the first Maglev train in the USA, and when its done they can buy a ticket to ride, or ship their freight. The new industries that would grow from such a massive public undertaking, would spur the economy outward in all directions , and Coos Bay could be the tip of the spear in this endeavor, because we are a deep water port, we can be the access point for the parts, that will at first have to be imported from countries that are already ahead of us in Maglev Technology.
Is this one idea enough info for you to digest?
When people seated in positions of power, bark down good ideas to protect dying industries, the ideas are made irrelevant, that’s why the old players have to go, they are impeding what could be, by looking where they’re told to look for ideas.
Hey don’t stop there. Here’s my next comment to Gene:
Getting corporate influence (i.e., money) out of government is a great first step. Democrats have a plan to do it — The Fair Elections NOW! Act.
Predictably, Republicans don’t like it. Electing more Democrats is the quickest way to pass it. Because preventing the Supreme Court from becoming even more reactionary on corporate personhood and money as speech issues is another important step in cleansing money from politics, re-electing the president is imperative.
Maybe you have a quicker, easier, simpler way to rid our government of corporate influence. I’m all ears.
I agree that our port and the accompanying rail line is where our economic future lies. A maglev train would be cool. It would cost upwards of $200M/mile for about 100 miles. That’s 20 billion dollars. Where are you planning to get the money?
I completely agree that we need to cast away the old colonial economic model that has robbed Coos County of its wealth. The good old days are never coming back, which is OK with me since they weren’t all that good in the first place. We definitely need new ideas and new directions, but we’ve got to walk first before we start running. Step by step.
It will be much easier if progressives would band together and take over the Democratic Party. It’s going to be a heavy lift.
–Later on Gene walks back his people-train idea. In fairness, I’ve rethought my position on the economic viability of the CB Port for international commerce. Our port is definitely valuable but its utility will never exceed beyond natural resource exporting, fishing, and tourism. We will never see a container shipping economy here.
Otherwise, in the three years since that thread was active the Democrats in Salem have achieved nearly universal health coverage, record-setting Medicaid savings, the beginnings of paradigm-shifting education reform, record levels of renewable energy production, record levels of energy conservation, and proposed initiatives for affordable college education, home mortgages, consumer protections, and immigration reforms (only to be stopped by Republicans.)
Meanwhile, the PAC Greens have yet to elect their first state representative.
You can’t call yourself “progressive” unless you make progress.
Can’t argue with history can you? I don’t think Gene or M will mind my posting this exchange from, what, four, five, six years now? Does it matter?
What do you care Mark? If you are right this ordinance will go down in flames. But right or wrong, the people of Coos County will have the opportunity to discuss what they want their county to look like; they will have a say. Do you really believe there has been any conversation with the people of the County? JCP came in and bought off the Port, SCDC and the Chamber. Why even John Sweet admitted that conversations have been going on in private for the past 10 years! Do you really believe and do you think the folks of Coos County believe that JCP is going to create thousands of jobs? If so, why is North Bend rushing to ok a trailer park under the bridge (in a flood zone; and didn’t they have an ordinance against trailer parks?) None of those jobs will be for local folks and we all know it.
Are you afraid that the average citizen will have the opportunity to weigh in on the merits of this project? God forbid, someone without a dime to make on this project could debate the pros and cons. You try to make us believe the candidates represent us? Maybe you need to listen – how many times have people voted, not for the best candidate but for the lesser of two evils. And then one could make the case that voting doesn’t matter at all. What did our local governments do with the prospect of a windfall of monies from JCP? Why, they rushed to privatize it so that they wouldn’t have to answer to the people.
In case you didn’t know it Mark, communities across the country and here in Oregon are reasserting their rights to determine their destiny. I’m not surprised it doesn’t sit well with you and I’m sure it won’t sit well with our elected representatives dining on Veresan’s fare. But like it or not, the people will get a say in what they want in their community.
I think the people of Coos County HAVE had their say. Many times. And in the last decade or so they have never once ever supported any kind of anti-LNG candidate or rhetoric at the ballot box. In the last six months we’ve had two elections where Coos County voters have supported candidates who favor the CEP and the SCCF by wide margins. Anti-LNG candidates didn’t even run.
Coos County voters have been very clear on this issue, especially in the last two years. To insinuate that they are being manipulated, bought, misconstrued, or unheard is an insult to the Coos County electorate. To imply that our elections and our local government is “illegitimate” in an insult to democracy itself.
Unless you have some evidence to support the claim. If Mary can show some scientific polling that shows 50%+1 of Coos County voters do not favor the JCEP, then she has the standing to make those claims. But she doesn’t have that because the evidence of recent elections clearly show this is not the case.
But you’re right. You are free to waste your time and money pursuing this wild goose. I’m not afraid at all at what you may find. But you might want to prepare yourself for disappointment.
Straight from the lips of The Progressive Democratic Voice Of Coos County.
Doesn’t say much about the party now does it?
THAT is the best they got.
A system is not sustainable when it depends upon a resource which will be depleted faster than it can regenerate. In the last couple centuries industrial civilization has used fossil fuels at a rate millions of times faster than the process by which the planet produced them. At this point approximately half of these fuels are gone and the rate of use is still accelerating. Remaining reserves will grow increasingly expensive to extract over the long run, especially when one factors in the environmental destruction. Either we change the system or the system will collapse.
This has proven to be untrue. Ample supplies of coal exist across the globe. It’s a cheap, fast, and easy way to produce power. That’s why China, India, and the developing world burn so much of it. No matter how much they burn, there are supplies for centuries more. We may not be able to “renew” coal supplies, but we’ll essentially never run out of coal either.
New extraction technologies have rendered natural gas and oil supplies similarly inexhaustible. The US will soon produce more oil than Saudi Arabia. Think about that. That would have been fantasy even five years ago. We (the world) are swimming in oil and gas. That’s why gas is $3/gal now. That’s not likely to change anytime soon.
This wouldn’t be a worry if not for the dire impacts of climate change. So we need to do what we can to consume fewer carbon-based fuels and more renewable ones. A carbon tax is the best way to encourage that transition. This would make fossil fuels more expensive and renewable power more economically viable. The way to keep the coal, gas, and oil in the ground is to provide people with cheaper energy alternatives. Otherwise, people in China, India, and the developing world will continue to burn coal.
If the corporatists in the Democratic Party want a fight…bring it on.
It’s about time we lanced this DNC boil on the ass of the Party.
Couldn’t say it any better my own self.
And how do you propose to do that? I have a suggestion to get you started.
1) Register as a Democrat.
2) Vote for Bernie Sanders in the primary.
And on the state level, get active in your local party. Democrats in Oregon now have supermajorities in both Houses and a Democratic governor. Dems have some real clout in this state.
There are no democrats in Oregon politics Mark. There are two
silly branches of one party. The real repugs. and you and your faux republicans, posing as democrats. The gig is up now, and those of us
who still hold the “ideals” of the party as it once was, will leave you phonies for another real group of human beings who haven’t yet stuck their collective heads up the corporate arse. I want no part of working with others who refuse to stand up and proudly call themselves progressives. For you to continue using that moniker Mark, you have made yourself a laughing stock in Coos County.
You need to get out of the way of people who still care more for the future generations’ welfare, and education and their futures in a world economy. The rest of the world is still educating their young. You and your Education Czar Roblan have exactly what for the young students in Coos County Mark? Except participate in their abuse. My opinion only of course.
You might get away with ordering women around where YOU live Mark, it won’t fly here, in spite of your sartorial splendor, you still have not a stitch of common sense, that is what makes you so damn annoying. You use so many words and yet you say absolutely nothing. Nada. This is for you Mark:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/11/07/democrats-not-knowing-what-they-stand-lose
You and that “Caball” you fight so hard for, but will ever be a part of, dominate the press and all business outlets in Coos County, that is how this county has
remained poor and under-informed, and certainly less educated, hell, half the posters in Coos Co. cannot construct a proper sentence, and YOU a teacher pimping for fracked oil. Go figure. Ignorant folks are easily led to vote against their own best interests. You and your puppet masters know that full well. Shame on you AND that horse you rode in on.
I’ll stay on focus when I damned feel like it. Find your own woman to TRY to dominate little man. You won’t fly here, critical thinkers don’t have time for you. I enjoy you being so proud of your ignorant neighbors that you take some kind of joy keeping Coos Co. in the mudflats just like you and yours put us. YOU and these elected officials run the county, finally glad to see you take credit for it, in public. I know Democrats Mark, YOU are no Democrat.
Tell me again why you believe a majority of Coos County voters would vote to terminate the JCEP?
Tell us why you believe the majority want Jordan Cove?
The only electorate that matters locally to these developers is the business community, that has been busy smelling the cash and ignoring the science. That’s a small elitist group that favors this project because of the income they foresee from the workers. This is a classic example of locals planning to mine the miners at their neighbors expense. Its a short sighted view that will come back to haunt the ones that live long enough to see that what they are imposing on the rest of us for personal gain will destroy their heirs right along side all of ours.. They don’t give a damn, you and I know it. That’s the same type of human being we have serving as our politicians, and they are only heroes to each other and their boot licking supporters. Do you know who I’m talking about? People that can ignore the worlds leading scientists and convince themselves that they can ignore the science of climate change in favor of personal profit and have no consequences for their actions, they are the real danger to our free society. Coos County has been invaded by get rich quick con artists and their day of accountability is long over due.
You say a person can’t get elected around here unless they are willing to support this project, you may be right today because of the money influence that buys elections, but the tide will swing and when it does we should not let your party off the hook for being responsible for the damage and destruction that your promoting. Don’t get me wrong I like that you come here and expose the democrats for what they are. Its helping to usher in a new era, when everyone can see how your party is really all about making personal fortunes and is willing to be as destructive as necessary and sacrifice their neighbors lives to make some money. I think you are the best example of how our local politicians think and we should all pay attention. Only then will things start to change if your kind hasn’t put too many holes in the boat already and sinks us all. You try to pretend that your concerned for the environment, but your words make that a lie and your party is lying to everyone to keep in power as long as it can. How does the group you represent plan to explain how wrong you have all been about climate change, when you were presented with all the evidence necessary to prove your going the wrong direction? Or will you all just go into hiding counting your money while the rest of us have to clean up the mess your making, if its not too late before your stopped by an awakening public. So now that I’ve shown you my nature, show us some more democratic vision for the future, so others can figure you out.
Your point is taken, no one has yet run for office in this area with a anti-LNG platform. Do you still want to claim that they have all been openly pro-LNG for the last ten years? Do you feel like you won something?
Your in politics, you know how much power and influence and money would be used against that person and most of the anti-LNG people are the moms and pops of this county and they aren’t stupid, they know that your party and its money and lobbyists would go to war against them, but at the same time your elected democrats feared the public would rebel against them if they declared they were really owned by the oil/gas industry. So here we are, we’ll just have to see how your party fares when the younger generations find out they have no friend in the democratic party to protect them from the planets main polluters and their henchmen who will lie to steal. So, are you still surprised that there has not been a flood of anti-LNG candidates willing to buck the system, yet.
Its getting harder to explain away the stories about communities around the world going 100%+ renewables, while your party wants to invest in new fossil fuel infrastructure and add to the problem.
Let’s say the premise to your first point is correct — Elected officials ten years ago were silently in favor of the JCEP but didn’t want to say so out of fear of a public rebellion against them. That would indicate that community was undecided about the project. Today, elected officials are openly in favor of the JCEP. In fact, no one would consider running for office unless they supported the JCEP. That’s because public opinion has shifted on the issue. The people now support it by a wide margin so it’s not really an issue among candidates. You see the same thing happening now among national Republican candidates regarding gay marriage. They are much more open to it today than they were just two years ago. None of them today consider running on a platform of banning gay marriage. Why? The electorate has shifted. Just like the Coos County electorate has shifted on the JCEP. Your complaint proves my point.
And none of the candidates representing us 10 years ago professed to be pro LNG, every time they were confronted they would say something to the effect that they had not made up their mind, while all their motions in our government proved to be going one direction and that was jumping into bed with Jordan Cove. It wasn’t until this last year that any of them found the courage to admit they were pro-LNG and you helped them come out of the closet. So you may be right that all of them have been Pro-LNG all along, but they definitely hid their all out support for this until just recently. Now we will wait to see how long your party will get away with selling out your country for a few bucks from the oil/gas industry. One effect this has had on this area is stagnation and it will continue until these carpet bag developers leave town.
Where was the anti-LNG candidate? There has never, ever been one. What does that tell you?
Look, this is not complicated. Do you think there is 50%+1 support for closing down the JCEP? Why?
The answer to that is obvious or why file? You should get out more, Mark
YOU think it will pass, obviously. But why? What’s your evidence? Did you do a poll? Do you have some objective, scientific data?
Where should I get out to? Every anti-LNG protest I’ve seen for two years is composed of the same few dozen folks. Nothing against them, they’re good people, protesting nobly. I’m just saying they do not constitute anything close to a majority. But that’s anecdotal.
The public meetings I have attended have more and more people in favor of the JCEP. But that’s anecdotal too.
What’s not anecdotal is that every single election in Coos County has been favorable for LNG. Furthermore, no candidate has had the gumption to run any kind of campaign against LNG because they know they will lose.
If this initiative finds its way to the ballot in May it will be the first time any anti-LNG choice has been on the ballot. Maybe you’re right — thousands of voters will vote for it. I just have no earthly idea why you would think that.
But best of luck to you anyway!
We all knew that our local democrats are climate change deniers. This area is not the only place in the country that has blue dogs representing that party. This local bunch of democrats should be cheering the success of the republicans winning the senate. They want to silence the EPA and get on with the fracking and reaping the profits. They will also have to live with their legacy, profit before reason will be what these democrats will be remembered for. Mark can preach some sort of climate change rhetoric, but before he’s finished talking about it he will be extolling the virtues of selling coal to china and there goes his credibility right out the window, so take his defensive position of Jordan Cove with a grain of salt. He has to earn his place at their table, being one of their attack dogs is his specialty. Spinning you around in circles defending you wording is one of his favorite tactics. We know you got their attention when their chair goes to battle.
TR, do you think 50%+1 of Coos County voters would support a ballot initiative like this? Based on what evidence?
You haven’t read it yet, Mark. The Coos County Right to Sustainable Energy Future Ordinance is so much more than LNG. Its about rejecting the failed economic policies being forced down our throats by the local cabal Remember, without fracking Veresen will have a hard time exporting anything. The county deserves a less volatile industry to rely on.
I don’t have to read it. If it passes it shuts down the JCP, right? The rest is all noise. It will never pass in Coos County. I seriously don’t know why someone as smart as you would think it would.
Aghast’s warnings about my political prowess aside, I’d keep “local cabal” out of the printed materials.
I think you could ban fracking in Coos County too. I suggested trying to do so about four years ago.
But if your best evidence for passing your anti-LNG initiative in Coos County is that Denton, Texas banned fracking, then I’d say you have no evidence.
Back in 2005 when the JCP was an import project, I would say the electorate was close to 50-50. Passing something like this ballot initiative then would have been a heavy lift, but it might have been possible. Today the voters have demonstrably shifted. Right or wrong, for better or worse, the support for the JCP has grown in Coos County. Voters clearly support pro-LNG candidates by wide margins. In fact, taking an anti-LNG stance has become a third rail of Coos County politics.
Can you name the last candidate for any office in Coos County who took an anti-LNG position?
P. S. I WILL TYPE VERY SLOW.
While we have you here Mr. Voice Of The Progressives In Coos County, what the frick is your mans’ plan here, remember them “winds of freedom” wafting through Egypt? What did your party do further all that freedom your sorry arse was celebrating? Please tell me what your party’s plan is and who are we killing now in Iraq? Thanks.
US to send 1,500 more troops to Iraq
President Obama authorises 1,500 more US troops to be sent to Iraq in non-combat roles in the fight against
Type as fast as you like, but try to stay on point please. The question of the thread is this:
Why do you think a majority of Coos County voters are against the JCP? What evidence supports that view?
Answer that and then we can run off to Egypt.
Shouldn’t have her photo representing your comments.
Perhaps she can show you how to work the computer when she comes home from work.
My personal opinions only, of course. And history.
My views are my own as well. I don’t know why my lovely wife’s picture showed up. I asked Mary to take it down.
Humm……strange for your wife to be representing such an un-democratic position on a local matter. I would think she’d be more professional than to come on here and call her neighbors, “a ploy”. I’m disappointed to see this, I
had always wanted to believe she is a wonderful, caring person. But I digress. What I want to address is The Talking Dummy, what was his name? Charlie something? Anyway, I see he’s been taken out of the case to parrot the same old saw, believing in his own mind he is some kind of professed “progressive” thinking politician, citizen warrior, representing the poor, the down-trodden among us, bringing righteousness upon those preying on those less intelligent, rich, white, male among us………………excuse me, I was describing what formerly went by the name Democrat. No such damn thing in Coos County, quick ! Name the Republicans that brung us to this point in the road, you cannot, every one of them is masquerading as a Democrat, every one of them, including this one are the very ones pushing fracking,oil,gas,pipelines,oil trains, and LNG in Coos County. These are Democrats folks, make no doubt about, you do not, I dare say, have a decent Dimocrat among them. Name one leader of your delegation who is representing their constituents and their neighbors who do not want, need, nor will prosper because of LNG, in voicing the most feeble protestations? How any schools have closed in Coos Co. since Roblan, D. began his little charade to Salem? The Education Czar I think he’s called locally, problem is Mark, we thought he meant to protect, fight for and to be proud of the progress of our students, not what he’s done, been at the helm for the greatest funding threats to our schools since I came here well over ten years ago. So, there is no Democrat party in Coos County, and you wouldn’t know one if you fell over him Mark, one has to look down occasionally and see what he is doing.
Mark, you are hardly one to give winning campaign advice
That may be true, but it’s not an answer to the question either.
Why do YOU think this campaign is a winner? What evidence says to you that a majority of Coos County voters are anti-LNG?
This is an interesting ploy. Couple questions:
How do you define a “non-sustainable energy system”? Economically speaking only fossil fuels are sustainable and lord knows we are swimming in them right now. Renewables are all well and good but without heavy subsidies they are not economically sustainable today. Better be careful with your wording or it could come back to bite you.
For that matter, better clarify “on-site” power use. Wouldn’t gas shipped to Japan be used “on-site”? I think you mean “only for use in Coos County.” (Hmmm, what about cars that refuel and drive to Roseburg?)
Eminent Domain is a great rallying cry, but it is an empty one. Has ED ever been used in Coos County? It certainly wasn’t used in building the gas pipeline we already have. There are no plans to use it for the Pac-Conn. Besides every governmental entity and official ALREADY opposes ED. This is just red meat to your base. It doesn’t address a real problem.
Regarding the concerns about “legitimate self-government” in Coos County, I’d say we already have that. We just had an election. Are you saying it was not legitimate? Why not? Are you saying our local governments are not acting at the direction of the community and for its best interest? Where’s your evidence for this? Frankly, I find this insinuation insulting to the good people working hard every day in Coos County government as well as the voters who put them there.
I suspect if CoosCommons brings this initiative to the ballot it will be rebuffed by the same 3-1 margin that defeated the County Charter. Twice. Before you spend money on marketing, websites, and print, you would do well to hire an polling agency to conduct a scientific poll of how Coos County voters feel about this issue. I think it’s very difficult to make the case that a vast majority of Coos County voters do not support the Jordan Cove project. Not only has every elected CC Commissioner in history supported the JCP, I can’t even think of a single candidate who ever even ran for the office on an anti-LNG platform. Reaction to the CEP from city councils, school boards, and other local electeds has been overwhelmingly if not unanimously positive. Not only that, not a single anti-LNG candidate ran for any local board position this November — and this in an election where the final seat on the CB City Council became a write-in contest. Up the ticket, there was not a single anti-LNG candidate running for Oregon House District 1 or 9. Neither was there an anti-LNG candidate in the Congressional District 4 race. (Maybe Mike Beilstein? Not sure about him. If he was anti-LNG, he sure kept it quiet.)
Where are all these outraged voters?
I completely agree with the principles described in items d, e, and f. I also believe they are in full force in Coos County government. CoosCommons disagrees. This is a not-so-subtle shift in Coos County’s anti-LNG movement. The argument is not longer that LNG is bad for Coos County; it is now that LNG is being foisted on Coos County against its will. Well, all evidence to the contrary.
Unless you have a scientific poll to show otherwise.
But it’s your time and money to waste trying. Something tells me though that it will not go down well with CoosCommons when Coos County voters overwhelmingly reject this measure. After all, how can an illegitimate government render a legitimate decision?
The initiative states
“(d) “Non-sustainable energy systems” means those systems that are controlled by state and federal energy policies, rather than community controlled energy policies; hydroelectric power and industrial scale wind power when it is not locally or municipally owned and operated; energy systems using fossil fuels, including but not limited to coal, natural gas, petroleum products, nuclear and radioactive materials and other fuel sources that are non-renewable, or which produce toxins and substances that cause injury to humans or natural communities and ecosystems, or that are in violation of resident’s right to a sustainable energy future. The phrase shall also include any energy system which violates the rights secured under this Ordinance or under other laws. The term shall not include the combustion of wood or wood products, propane, kerosene, heating oil, coal, or natural gas when those fuels is used solely to generate on-site heat or power and the energy produced is not commercially sold, transmitted, or distributed. ”
Knowing you are pro-gas, Mark, I strongly suggest you wait until you read all four pages of the ordinance before jumping to conclusions. More info will be available over the next few days and once the initiative receives a ballot title and summary from the DA it will be published in full.
This language seems very problematic to me, but that’s not really the point. I don’t think Coos County voters support the principle, regardless of the details. In election after election over the last ten years Coos County voters have voted for pro-LNG candidates every single time. In fact, hardly ever does an anti-LNG candidate even run for any local office. This has nothing to do with my personal opinion. It has to do with an absence of any evidence whatsoever that Coos County voters are anti-LNG. All the evidence clearly shows that a healthy majority of Coos County voters consistently support the JCP.
Why do you think they don’t?
It would be interesting to run a non-binding advisory vote like we had regarding the Bandon Marsh a couple years ago. Do it in February to see what the people really think. Could be too late by May.
Who is Coos Commons? Who are the principals? An unscientific survey of about 600 in 2007 found opposition in Charleston, opposition in Empire, opposition in North Bend Airport Heights and support in North Bend elsewhere, support in Coos Bay, Bunker Hill, Eastside, Glasgow (except near the McCullough Bridge), support elsewhere in Coos County. Generally people within three miles of the planned factory or transiting vessels opposed. No elected or appointed person opposed. Generally in communities where the people are being led as sheep there was support. An overwhelming majority did not care. Local print and electronic media (radio, tv) supported. Few objected to the pipeline. It was about 70% in support – most believing that they had an excellent chance at one of those thousands of $100k / year jobs. Good luck. I urge you to do at least two things. First, develop a mailing list and keep people informed at all times. Don’t make the people come to you for information. Second, educate the people regarding all things LNG, vessel, factory, piping, pipeline an with verifiable fact.
We are feverishly preparing our marketing strategy and campaign tools, website, FB, print materials, town hall meetings.
I’m reminded of the very young parents and their children who lined 101 last year to protest GMO’s in our food. I was shocked to see so many twenty somethings who knew the issues and took action. That is who we have to empower, although I see the Chamber of Consorts is opening a Young Chamber Club at Swock, which means these cons are already a step ahead. These young families are not being represented, in fact, perhaps that Progressive Voice can tell us all on your site who exactly, in Coos County government is representing them. Then found this attached to the Nader article, and so true. The Dimocrats did NOT get the youth vote, for this very reason, they, like some of us, realize there really is no Democrat party left to defend.
“Mike Whitney reports that only 13% of voters aged 18-29 cast ballots.”
I think it’s no coincidence that this is the same demographic that turned up to vote in droves in 2008. All of them, myself included, head over heels in love with the idea of “change you can believe in” after watching Bush the lesser run the country amok. Obama appeared to be this breath of fresh air, this pillar of sanity that was more in tune with what the younger generations wanted for their future. But alas, once in office, he swept the rug out from under our feet, or, dropped his charade of giving a damn about his own childrens’ generation. He immediately picked up where Bush left off. And with this action, I think we can safely assume, left an awfully bitter taste in the mouths of anyone who voted for him. (the exception being the Opologists of course), in the mouths of anyone who genuinely thought voting in the correct candidate would actually make a fucking difference. The young voters learned the hard way that no politician gives a damn about them.
Then this midterm comes around and surprise surprise, none of those previous young voters believe a word of any backstabbing democrat. Rightly so in my opinion.
Then here come all those who say, damn our team didn’t get out there and vote! They blew it!
Yeah right, Democrats didn’t get the vote because Democrats showed us what they really stand for, or rather, what they don’t stand for. The American people.
Voters bitch slapped the Democrat party. as they should. Never vote D or R again, only way to change is to slog through the process, it won’t be easy, nor fast, and ‘posers’ like McKelvey, Roblan and the rest of the Koch Suckers who run Coos County can pat themselves and gloat just like they are doing today, but they will . We all will.
If Coos Bay is as important to the oil/gas industry as the fossilites around here believe it is, then they will spend mega-bucks to stop this kind of rebellious activity and the BS, SCDC, Chamber of commerce and Jordan Coves County commissioners will all be assigned to squash it. Its a good thing you have your own internet ink barrel to combat their paid for local paper. It will surely do its part for the cause (JC) and run what stories they’re told to print to combat this insurrection. This is a declaration of war in their world full of gas.
I tried to post earlier, but it didn’t stick, in the meantime I received an email about the elections from a great site, this was one of the comments regarding the voting in Muraka:
Jcspeaks2 • 4 years ago
All of Jay’s comments are on the mark, but still miss one of the most glaring and, to me, obvious oversights of the Obama administration: Countering the role of the corporate media. Until we acknowledge how much influence conglomerates like Gannett News is wielding in middle-class America, we are going to be continually treading water. I have watched their local representative in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press, continually pose as an exponent of liberal positions, all the while applying a managed news format that continually undermined, and underreported, successes of the Obama administration while ignoring blatant Republican actions on behalf of big business and against the working classes of middle America. It was no surprise that they endorsed the Republican candidate for governor, repeating ad nauseum the mantra of “change” that was the catchword of the right. Obama, and all of us, are going to have to give more attention to the subtle attacks that the corporate media is using day in and day out to confuse, discourage, and subvert real efforts on behalf of the diminishing middle class.
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php