Op Ed: Oregon Descent to Perverted Party Role Is Only 'Cult-Preservation'

(SALEM) - Even the Founding Fathers fought to prevent feared descent into political-party confrontation, authoritative study by Yale`s famed historian Bruce Ackerman now shows in new detail. Their ongoing efforts mitigating confrontation, yet leading irretrievably to Constitutional confusion, were finally resolved `the hard way": only by principled return to positive progressive communication. It was the then-Federalist/packed Supreme Court, laying aside new political-cult allegiance politically-pledged, that forced final action saving the struggling young Republic. The Court acted reluctantly, it must be observed; which leaves us in doubt about the probabilities here and now, for us, today: facing similar debacles, forcing descending levels in every phase of State activity, driven by those same still- erroneous political claims. Weirdly and ironically, that very same picture of threatening circumstance, possibly again to be saved only by return to common sense and political principle, is in sharp focus nationally today --with the sharpest picture right here in our own State of Oregon. (See E.J. Dionne/Washington Post column, STATESMAN JOURNAL Edit Page 6/22) The authoritative researcher for this very-relevant and highly documented study-in-retrospect, Bruce Ackerman, is well-known for probing explorations of American history. What he writes is reflected in reality today, at national level --including Supreme Court involvement. The latest in this ongoing political-propagandistic performance is the Op Ed by Karen Minnis, Speaker of Oregon`s longtime GOP-dominated House. (OREGONIAN 6/20/06) Minnis ostensibly warns all Oregonian voters that Gov. Ted Kulongoski is `trying to undo the voter`s decisions" as laid down in a Constitutional amendment six years ago `because they (the voters) don`t trust government." She`s right about that: They surely do NOT --but wrong on why that UN-trust is now crucial to consideration of what must be done to right the long list of wrongs thus resulting; AND the reasons they even exist, in this day surely demanding decent democratic decision by representatives chosen and trusted by voters, in the first place. That is a first principle `at the heart of the matter" now, as it has been ever since 1801`s struggle starting the transition to political-party/based democracy in our nation. What has happened is a tragic reversal of role for political parties whose ongoing public-interest/based discussion shaped democratic decision. The original American pattern was responsibly offered by the wise Founders. But it has now has been parlayed and cult-perverted into simply democracy for sale to corporate interests via distortion of that democratic bed-rock: the `free speech principle", so prominent our Founders made it the First Amendment. What makes this (Minnix ?) wagon go is simply and only the realistic fact of corporate campaign contributions, lavished in overwhelming impact on our Legislators, with the obvious intent to control, contrive and concentrate action to build tax-saving loopholes, tax-evading changes in regulations, and every other kind and level of cut-off for corporate funds otherwise headed for the tax-agency account. Lavish layouts of cash or any other measure-of-exchange count for little when weighed against the large money-mountains thus achieved as `savings". The sole purpose of all-such malign endeavors is to slice, slash, simply erase-if-possible the conscientious share of tax burden which should surely be reasonably and rationally carried by all legitimate business activities involving State of Oregon location, services, and solid community support. (OREGONIAN report: `Feeling taxed ? Not big business", 5/16/06) What can we do about it now, in Oregon, facing the fact of a Governor`s-chair candidate openly pledged to prevent or postpone any possible tax reform proposal leading to a rise in what our partners in public interest -- the Oregon corporations-- must carry as a fair share of the unavoidable tax burden ? First and foremost: Whomever we select for that leadership role represented by the Governor`s chair in Salem, that leader must guarantee and then produce solid and sensible and rational reversal of this ravaging role now being played-to-the-hilt by corpulent corporations. Even `Minimal" Minnis mentions `hard work" by Oregonians as a major contributor to possible fiscal turn-around; without any direct reference whatsoever to the corporate part of that piratical pattern; and surely not, by hard effort no doubt, to their partisan parade of particular tax-action maneuvers, machinations and managements with, to and over the Legislators WE first select and then elect. �Nuff said ? `Not hardly", even yet...there is more/to/come re this reversal of role from responsible political party to damaging partial-cult party-management...and we will explore it in coming weeks. (Please note this time we began short-simple insertion of sources involved-here. Every professionally-written `Opinion" should share with its readers the multiple sources from which all opinioneers manufacture their measured summaries. We stand ready to share many others not cited for space reasons; for this one, the count is over 40. The Ackerman book is ISBN 0-674-01866-4)