Want happiness? Generate economic prosperity in Oregon
By Guest Columnist, Allen Alley
The Oregonian
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 7:00 AM

Was it a "Portlandia" script or a news article? The Oregonian's April 17 front-page story on Gov. John Kitzhaber and Cylvia Hayes, who spent three hours in a class to learn how to construct a happiness index, could have been either one. This happiness index, promoted by a Portland State University professor, purports to give a more accurate picture of economic health than the value of all goods and services produced, also known as gross domestic product (GDP).

The happiness index, or genuine progress indicator (GPI), was promoted at a recent United Nations summit meeting on happiness and originated in that bastion of economic energy Bhutan. The Kingdom of Bhutan is a tiny Himalayan country with a GDP per person of $2,600. Bhutan's GDP ranks 129th in the world with other economic powerhouses such as Bolivia, Sri Lanka and Mongolia. In perspective, the U.S. GDP per person is 18 times higher than Bhutan.

Is the governor really going to model our economy after a Third World country? Are we giving up trying to measure ourselves by the economic measures of successful nations and instead partner with the Bhutanese and the U.N. to just make up our own happiness index? Even the writers from "Portlandia" could not have conceived of this plot twist.

How to Become an Oregon Delegate or Alternate
to the Republican National Convention and nominate
the Republican Presidential Candidate

Help End Oregon's Death Tax
Sign the Petition Today

Oregon Republicans,

We all know that the Oregon estate tax is harmful to the Oregon economy, property owners including: ranchers and farmers, and family owned businesses.

Since 2001, 29 states have repealed their death taxes. Even California no longer has a death tax. Oregon voters will support ending this tax because they recognize it is an unfair double tax. It is especially burdensome because it is imposed right after a family member has died – a time when families are facing tremendous difficulty.

We have the opportunity to repeal the Oregon death tax by citizen initiative. You can download your e-petition at http://endoregondeathtax.com. Just click “download the petition”, print the petition, sign it, and mail it in.

The Death Tax Phase-Out Initiative would phase out the existing Oregon estate tax, reducing the tax in 25% increments over the course of three years. As of January 1, 2016, the tax is zero.

In addition, the initiative forbids any new tax on any property transfer among living family members. It also phases out the capital gains tax on property sales within a family.

We encourage your support with this initiative. Volunteer petition circulation packets are also available. If you would like to circulate petitions, or contribute to the cause, please send an email to info@endoregondeathtax.com.

Thank you for your help with this important initiative!

OFFICIAL ORP NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 – 06:00 PDT

Twisted Interpretation by Kate Brown Wreaks Last-minute Election Havoc

Lake Oswego, OR – “It is shocking and unfortunate that Secretary of State Kate Brown is playing politics with the election process,” said Oregon Republican Party Chair Allen Alley. Brown made an abrupt, late decision to interpret a 2009 statute, which resulted in moving the election for Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries from the May 2012 Primary Election to the November 2012 General Election.

As late as March 19th, the Secretary of State’s own website designated the race as a May Primary Election contest. Candidates who had clearly filed for the primary race weeks and months in advance were blindsided by her sudden, last-minute announcement.

“Brown’s interpretation twists the legislation’s intent and bears the stink of political
corruption. This is just another example of the public union machine controlling politics in Oregon with Chicago-style tactics,” said Chairman Alley.

The 2009 statute clearly intended to change the year this office was elected to the same year as the Governor’s race. It was not intended to change the month in which the election was held. Nothing in the statute does away with the longstanding precedent of holding the non-partisan contest in the May Primary election, which is required to send two nominees on to the General election, if more than two candidates filed.

“What is Brown afraid of – a fair race? Are her union backers so worried about losing this race in May,” asked Alley, “that they are willing to corrupt the entire election process?

“All Oregonians should stand shoulder to shoulder with Republicans against this clear perversion of our state’s election process. Enough is enough with politically motivated stunts aimed at skewing election results. And the Secretary of State, who is tasked with overseeing our elections for fairness and equity, should be especially criticized for this violation of the public’s trust and dereliction of duty.”

A complaint has been formally filed in Marion County Circuit Court to review Brown’s decision.

“Oregonians should demand nothing less than a fair, impartial election process,” concluded Chairman Alley.

For Immediate Release
Thursday March 15th, 2012 - 10:00 AM PDT

ORP CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION 
OF OREGON REPUBLICAN DEBATE

Portland, OR – Oregon Republican Party  Chairman Allen announced today that the Oregon Republican Presidential Debate has been cancelled because commitments were not received by all candidates.

“At this point in the race, there has been a shift in the flow of the campaigns from the debate environment to a strategic state-by-state approach,” said Chairman Alley. “It is clear that the Republican Presidential Campaign has entered a new phase where the candidates do not want to debate each other,” Chairman Alley continued.

Two previously scheduled debates were also cancelled in the last month, one in Atlanta and the other at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.

"We greatly value the partnership between Oregon Public Broadcasting, The Washington Times, along with PBS, NPR and a wide variety of broadcast partners, which would have broadcast this Debate worldwide.  We hope to work together with these superb partners at sometime in the future,” Chairman Alley concluded.