I’ve been following the budget crisis stories as we report them, but recently I saw first hand how hard it is for someone in need to get help.

Last week a man and woman in their late 40s came to my door asking if they could do some yard work for me (my yard is a complete wreck) so they could earn $20 to afford some propane so they wouldn’t be cold overnight in their trailer. His name was Dan and was a really kind and genuine guy, although I could tell he had lived a very hard life. It was getting dark, so I told him to just take $20, get his propane problem solved and if he could come back another day, that would be fine. They were overwhelmed with appreciation and he went on to tell me their entire story.

Both are recovering heroin addicts trying to get their lives back together. They have been accepted into a treatment program, have sponsors, and a job offer waiting after that is completed. Dan can’t read or write. I felt really bad because I could tell he really wanted to turn over a new leaf and save their own lives. I told him it was great to hear that they were taking those steps and that if he could come pull a few weeds in exchange for the money, he could do so whenever. Dan is about 100 pounds and frail with back problems, so I didn’t even want to force him to do the work at that point.

The next day, Dan was back on my doorstep, I thought to do some yard work. But really, he was just looking for more help. He showed me a letter his wife had written explaining that she had terrible cellulitis in her legs and a 104 degree fever. He was so upset and with no where to turn was asking me, a stranger if I knew any way to help.

Whitebird wouldn’t help them. Buckley House wouldn’t help them. They ER wouldn’t help them. They had a person able to give her a ride, but no place to go. They have both been accepted to the Oregon Health Plan in a lottery, which was a miracle that they both got picked, but it hadn’t started yet. I could tell he was worried that she might not even make it. I had no idea what to do other than wondering if Portland had any resources for them.

You can’t place blame on these local services. They are staffed with good hearted people who are just trying to stretch their resources as thin as possible for as many people as possible.

It is hard to say sometimes when someone is giving you a tragic story just to get something out of you. I didn’t want them to, but those thoughts about whether he was just looking for more cash to get drugs crept into my mind. I knew that there wasn’t much I could do about helping his wife. Throwing money at a problem that serious wasn’t going to help. Dan went desperate on his way and I don’t know what happened. I hope that she got some medical attention and I hope that leads them on to their plans to get healthy and on track.

It was hard to see someone with absolutely no recourse in a possible life or death situation. Are they at fault for getting to that stage in life? Yes. Should the community and society be there to help them out of that hole? Yes.

I expect I will see Dan again. Probably no closer to the treatment program in Portland they are seeking, without any money to afford the basic necessities in life. I would happily pay more taxes to know that these types of stories didn’t exist in our community, but unfortunately not everyone feels the same.

Disclaimer: I consider myself a progressive. Through my experience in local politics, I have championed the rights of the underprivileged, used my seat at the table to represent the disenfranchised, and promoted a functional government that works for ALL people.

The one question I have continued to ask myself is: what does it mean to be a progressive? I suppose, even more pertinent to my station in life is: what does it mean to be a progressive in Eugene?

I was excited when I first read The Bus Project’s Mission, encouraged when I saw the effectiveness the organization on the ground, and elated when the Lane County chapter opened. I served on the board of directors until my life became too busy with a family, work, school, and elected and appointed offices. I continue to offer monthly financial support and contribute time when my schedule permits. I state this, not to offer my own credibility, rather to help set the framework for my definition of progressive. You see, it is in the Bus that I find progressivism. I see a well-rounded, forward-thinking, impassioned group of people organizing around a set of values (as opposed to particular issues) that promote a better government and a better community. This particular definition of Progressive led me to long and thoughtful consideration of my support for the North Eugene seat on the Lane County Board of Commissioners.

In the race between Bobby Green and Rob Handy, I find two truly impassioned individuals – each with a wealth of personal and public experiences that make them uniquely qualified to serve this community. I have worked with both Bobby and Rob. A self-declared “meeting junkie,” I serve on too many committees and have working relationships with a number of public officials. Few leaders in this community have made as great an effort to take a balanced approach to their job than Bobby Green has. Sometimes balance makes us nervous, especially as progressives. We rely heavily on scorecards and sound bites to shape our view.

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Calling all people who dig partying for politics!

Mark your calendars, ’cause you’ve got a date with the Bus
–Saturday, May 17th. 10AM @ Monroe Park. Eugene Oregon.

What kind of a date, you ask?
Well, it’s part ballot block party, part pre-primary party in the park, part…..well, you get the idea.

Food, music, progressive candidates (Kitty Piercy & Andrea Ortiz) and…THE BUS!

That’s right, THE big bus from Portland is making the celebratory trip down to lil’ ol’ Eugene that day to kick off the political season of service!

Call the Lane Bus office 541. 344. 9999 or email Event Director, Mindy Linder to sign up early and enter to WIN a mystery prize (ooooooo—ahhhhhh).

…(pretend) FINE PRINT…
To be entered, you must sign up by Friday, May 9 at 5:00 pm (3 more days!) AND you must be present Saturday, May 17 when the winner is announced to collect your mysterious (ooooo—ahhhhhhh) mystery prize……

It is so frustrating having seen months of political news and media shape the way people vote. Pure speculation or fallacy slowly molds itself into truth. It is sad that the races are less about the issues and the personalities of the people running and more about whatever National Inquirer style snippets can be derived from the daily sound bytes.

Seeing the local and national campaign commercials now starting to run like crazy give me so many reasons to laugh, shrug and shake my head. Realizing that this is the basis for how many people will vote, I shake my head even more.

Even though it is three and a half years old, conspiracy theorists and documentary lovers should take 78 minutes out of their day and check out this video about Fox News. (Thanks to Lynn for the link!)

Outfoxed examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, have been running a “race to the bottom” in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public’s right to know.

Mia Nelson is a volunteer for Rob Handy’s campaign, a former Green Tortoise driver, and kick ass mama of two.

The upcoming election for the North Eugene county commissioner is probably the most important race many of us have ever voted in. Why? Because the heart and soul of Lane County is at stake. Commissioners Bill Fleenor and Pete Sorenson, the intellectual heavyweights on the board, are too often left spinning their wheels at the losing end of 3-2 votes on the most critical issues facing Lane County. If Rob Handy is elected on May 20 to the North Eugene seat, it will change the balance of power in a profound way. We’ve never before had this opportunity to have three progressive thinkers at the wheel. While the Eugene mayor and council races do matter, they can’t compare to the Handy-Green showdown. Nearly all the really important local decisions are made at least in part by the county commissioners.

I’ve lived here for twenty years, and this is the first time I’ve ever become involved with a political campaign.

I’ve lived here for twenty years, and this is the first time I’ve ever become involved with a political campaign. I went from near apathy to logging dozens of hours each week on Rob’s campaign. In the process, I’ve gotten to spend time with Rob and learn about his views in detail. He could not be more different from the inaccessible and unresponsive incumbent Bobby Green. Virtually every aspect of Lane County’s operations will be improved if Rob joins Commissioners Fleenor and Sorenson on the board, from land use decisions to budget problems. I encourage everyone who cares about progressive causes to pitch in and help us with this campaign. We already have 200 volunteers but need many more. We also need donations to allow us to match Bobby Green’s advertising campaign. Please stop by the campaign headquarters at 6th and Lawrence, give us a call at 484-9595, or see our website. Every single vote matters. Every single volunteer matters. Your decision to help us, or to sit on the sidelines, could mean the difference between winning and losing this critically important race.