He’s Not The Worst Democrat-- Guest Post By Albert Lee

He’s not the worst Democrat. Why are you running against Earl? I get that question a lot. Yes, he is not the worst, but why settle for mediocrity? Also, I am not running against Earl, I am running to represent the People of the Third District of Oregon to the United States Congress.

Let me break it down for you. First of all, I am running for very selfish reasons. I know that not everyone is on board with the seriousness of our climate emergency, but I fervently believe that we have 8 to 12 years to do something about it before it’s too late. I am young enough to have a five year old daughter and I have read news articles like the End of Civilization by 2050 and I have watched and read too many post-apocalyptic movies and books like the Road. I have listened to podcasts like It Can Happen Here. We are at a point where science fiction and science fact are converging. In 2050, my daughter will be 37 and I will be 75, a few years older than Earl is now, if I am so lucky or unlucky. I have a stake in the future. It’s not about Earl; it’s about our future.

I want to ensure that my daughter has: a. A planet to live on, b. A country to thrive in, and c. A life worth living. I do not see how we are going to take the bold and, yes, uncomfortable actions necessary to combat this crisis with the measured incremental half-steps of folks who have divided interests. This climate emergency has been one for my entire lifetime. I’m 44 years old. This has been an emergency for the entire 23 year tenure of our sitting Congressman. It didn’t just happen last week when he came out with his symbolic resolution calling it an emergency. We’ve known it’s been an emergency. We watched Captain Planet and the Planeteers in the 1990s. And those mere words do absolutely nothing to effect change. You see, our Congressman is really good at protesting, resisting, and talking, but that’s not his job; that’s our job! He is in the position with the power to take bold action, not just spout inspirational words. So this leads to the question, why doesn’t he?

Well, let’s start off with taking a look at the thing that has caused the Climate Emergency, Homelessness, the lack of Affordable Housing, the lack of Living Wages, Endless War, Income Inequality, and Crumbling Infrastructure. How are all of those things linked? Simply... Money in Politics. Too many of our career politicians take money from corporations and the super wealthy. The money comes with strings attached and then we get perverse results that benefit the few over the many; things like subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, when we should be doing everything we can to curtail their use. We get endless war so a select few may profit instead of investing in our infrastructure here at home or maybe even our education system to combat the deterioration of our collective analytical skills that has led us to somehow end up with the current occupant of the White House.

This disease affects both sides of the aisle. In the case of our Climate Change Champ, he has a huge holding in fossil fuel stocks and takes money from a wide range of industries including health, construction, railroads, insurance, real estate, beer and wine, big Pharma, Fossil Fuels, and the little shoe company in Oregon and refuses to sign any pledge to not take more.

You see, he wants to have his cake and eat it too. This same situation happened two years ago, but on another topic, Universal Healthcare. I went to his town hall on healthcare at the Unitarian Church downtown. Back then, I too drank the KoolAid. I believed that he was the people’s champ! But he let us down. I watched as everyday folk shared their woes and asked him to support Medicare for All. He stuck to talking points on shoring up the Affordable Care Act and sticking it to Republicans. I left confused. I couldn’t understand why… until I went home and looked up Open Secrets and Follow the Money. Now today, he sings a different tune. He’s signed up to co-sponsor Medicare for All.

But you see good ole Earl has always been Johnny-Come-Lately. He is an LGBTQIA champ… who voted for DOMA. He is now all about Medicare for All, or so he says, while he continues to accept Health Industry cash. He comes kicking and screaming. We have to beg him, cajole him, and eventually threaten to primary him in order for him to align himself with the will of the people. Another good example is the fact that the Third District voted overwhelmingly for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary (57-43 in Multnomah County), yet he used his super-delegate vote to countermand the will of the people and voted for Hillary. I guess he knows where his bread is buttered, the Establishment. But these days, you will find him trying to get pics with Bernie, with the Squad… anyone who he thinks will help make him look better, more progressive. He was taking pics with Beto for a minute, until that star lost its shine. Here in Oregon, we love our Pinots, but I hope we have a critical eye to distinguish a PINO from the real progressive.

Our Federal delegation consists of 2 Senators and 5 representatives. That’s 6 Democrats and 1 Republican; 6 Men and 1 Woman. 100% are over the age of 62; white; multi-millionaires; and property owners. The state of Oregon has about 64,000 millionaires (about 1.5% of the population) and has a median income of about $60,212. About 62% are homeowners. In its current composition our Federal delegation is not representative of the people. Here in the Third District, we have had rapid demographic changes and are the most diverse district in the State. Yet, we’ve had 13 representatives, all have been white, 11 have been male.

I am running to represent the people of the Third District of Oregon because democracy requires choice, a choice we haven't had in at least a generation. I am running because we face a series of crises here in the Third, across the country, and around the world that require bold action now, not incremental steps. I am running because I believe in the basic tenets of the Democratic Party when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is beyond time that uplift new voices, from different perspectives, and other lived experiences to represent us. I am standing up as one of us to represent all of us and to take the bold action necessary in times of crisis.

I will leave you with one of my favorite poems by Emily Dickinson.

Much Madness is divinest Sense—
To a discerning Eye—
Much Sense—the starkest Madness—
'Tis the Majority
In this, as all, prevail—
Assent—and you are sane—
Demur—you're straightway dangerous—
And handled with a Chain—

Sincerely,

Albert Lee
Father, Husband, Veteran, and
Challenger for the Right to Represent
The People of the Third District of Oregon