Op Ed: Deafening Silence
Denotes Well-Departed,
Still-Defeated Legislature

70-Year “$10 Minimum Corporate Tax” Overshadows All Else, Enables Continuing Corporate Piracy to Negate Needed Developments.

Oregon State Capitol Photo by: Tim King

(BEND, Ore.) - Despite diffident denials now seen in-print and heard on-air, detailing distinct if stuttering forward-steps, this departed Legislature muffed, mishandled and manipulated the most promising prosperity-building opportunity to rebuild and rejuvenate our Oregon way of life in at least thirty years.

Oregon print-and-tv media at first made it seem like those small “make-it-better” moves the legislators did manage will heal and nurture-again Oregon programs-and-plans we know are desperately deprived and deficient.

Even those media-gurus enthusiastic before-and-during the past deplorable session are now wiser with exploration of actual results.

Recent review of “expected-action” made clear by “the media” itself --done for this Op Ed-- show clearly that “our” Legislature surely had a heavy-negative public-opinion image to overcome” from the get-go.

That image came from juvenile “party-built plans for opposition and confrontation”, demonstrated in “repeated ‘dirty-work’” over decades, clearly driven from the ongoing D.C. warplace.

Those sessions proved so debilitating the whole state knew inescapable truth: “Corporate campaign contributions ruled this roost for sure”, devastating undeniable public responsibilities.

That brought on broad, sharp, repeated demands for rapid return to political decency --with democratic accountabilities-- IF it was still "our” Legislature.

Public demand was mirrored in widely-published promises --finally, if reluctantly, elicited under some duress-- for “cooperation and NOT more confrontation this time around”, from ostensibly-responsible party “leaders”.

But the real truth must be seen, heard, and understood as it happened in rough reactions during this session; IF we are to stand any chance at all to return Oregon to great and equal opportunities for all citizens, restoring essential services pledged in our Constitution.

We’ve irresponsibly allowed most State programs to reach that peculiar state of decrepitude where “even small-blessings are loudly welcomed” with praise and prompt declarations of “good job” when we really know better.

Nobody can deny, with decency, that “they” do NOT really KNOW, too -in BOTH “the media” AND the Legislature.

To accept that as an excuse is to deny obvious truths over which both institutions have been stumbling for decades now.

Each has its own peculiar predominant reasons not to openly, publicly acknowledge ongoing, unavoidable, inevitable rapidly mounting necessities of both scale and subject.

BUT the Oregon public, in continuing wit, wisdom and will, now understands now, more precisely than ever, what is being done TO them, BY whom, FOR what reasons --and what must be done to prevent still further ongoing abuse of democratic commonweal principles.

What was done this time for education K-12; for com/college and university support and strengthened facilities; for fulsome promises and some slight forward-looking changes in agency and institutional ethics; and a short list of other longtime dollar-denied areas; is mostly simple essential survival-provisions demanded for transition from “get-by somehow” to “must-DO NOW” -irrevocably recognized.

The “big ones” --issues prepared-in-depth by dedicated citizen groups working over the years-- were desperately denied hearings or public consideration in effective depth; substituting “behind-closed-doors manipulation” by many to others whose “political-cliched closed-minds” simply precluded any progress.

That was true, insiders will tell you, even in deeply-demanded discussions leading to that desperately-achieved “rainy day fund”, contrived from the become-disreputable tax-“kicker”.

That “kicker”-presence, along with that chimera of open corporate piracy --the 70-year-old $10 minimum corporate tax-- prevented any concentration on corporate-tax reform by rational means.

Which may be one main reason for that obvious final-stage rush to begin next campaign moves as early as possible, with vengeance well in mind.

Even healthcare was “Commissioned” vs concentrated attention-now on the Kitzhaber ARCHIMEDES approach, broadly recognized as well worth patterning for the nation.

Instead another peculiarly-parallel program-plan was rapidly and ruthlessly substituted; in what may be “a telling political-action repayable over the longer haul.”

We now must go another year (or two, or three, or more) before reasonable/rational rearrangement of the dying Oregon health-programs can be brought into practical being.

“Big Tobacco” prevented practical action for further rational, reasonable reduction of devastating lack of healthcare for kids, “their future hook-ees”; by making those death-sticks cost more, thus less easily-accessed by their “current hook-ees” already addicted and ill, many already at public cost.

It is truly wondrous what “corporate personhood -- allowing ‘political speech’ as corporate campaign contributions”-- is still permitted to purchase in our entertainment-prone society, where most are now so “turned off” they don’t even vote any more !!

But “the big one”, Depression-generated SEVENTY YEARS AGO, !s that “$10 minimum corporate tax”-joke drawing cynical reactions across this nation.

Its continued existence inevitably forces serious reconsideration of Oregon as a State really under control of a responsible and realistic citizenry:

“How can that be, if this is permitted to go on and on and on for decades on end ?” is the usual question-now when one seeks comment.

Even the most cynical scene-observer, for any serious corporate consideration of conscience-driven community responsibilities, will now agree that --in this the 21st Century !-- the realities of modern business life require “something far beyond that single oversimplified search for only and always the pursuit of profit” --however defined.

“Corporate Social Responsibility” and “the triple bottom-line” management approach is sweeping the world; as continuing developments in every major business-training situation worldwide now demonstrate.

Economically-rational and politically-reasonable return to real sharing with the State and its citizens of those dollars decently derived from Oregon-headquartered lawful-activity business activities has become the goal --and the goad, too-- for the good of the Oregon commonweal.

Most Oregon corporations know that fact-of-life; they remain ready and willing to accede to any fair, rational and reasonable return-of-sharing.

Somehow, some way, that point and perspective need to be hammered home for all to understand; as this Legislature returns for what may well be the first --and the most essentially important-- of its now-demanded annual confluence, inevitably demanding action; NOT “further Commissions” --no matter what cost now-- as simple political and social commonsense.

The right place to start with that action is corporate tax reform. It will demand diligence, determination and decent decision, rationally and reasonably determined right out in public full-vision, by “our” responsible and accountable “elected representative assembly”.

What must be prevented is “more silent avoidance and return to-the-closet” on this essential issue, surely further demonstrating concealed and overweening contempt for every citizen-voter in our beloved State if it is allowed to recur.

Much more now hangs on this “next-step” for the Legislature than simply a trial run for annual sessions. Reputation and credibilities of our truly representative State government are “on display and in the balance” here and now.

Full documentation for all statements available on request; the number precludes listing here for space reasons.