Backwards Budgeting
By Suzanne Gallagher
Chair, Oregon Republican Party

Imagine your family received a 10 percent increase in income this year. Like most Oregonians, you'd be pretty happy. Knowing your new income level, you might retool your family budget a little; pay down some debt or save for a rainy day.

Oregon government has 10 percent more to spend this year. That means $1.7 billion more for the next two years. However, Democrats who control both legislative chambers are doing things backwards compared to Oregon families.

Successful budgeting - whether for a nation, a state, a business or a family - means following basic rules of logic and common sense. We start with an estimate of our expected income and develop a list of priority areas on which to spend that income in a reasoned and equitable manner. As time goes on, we may adjust our budget as income fluctuates. None of this is rocket science.. It is good old-fashion common sense and every responsible family does it.

What conscientious business or family would start their budget process with an imaginary or ideal income number plucked out of thin air? No, we start with a reasonable estimate of our net income - these days usually from a two-income family - and go from there.

And yet, the Democratic leadership of the Oregon Legislature is basing its budget on a fictional, made-up number! It's like family budgeting based on what they want to make, not on what they actually bring home. Sure, it's nice to occasionally fantasize about what to buy after hitting the Powerball(r) jackpot, but that is not the same as responsible budgeting.

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The Elephant in the Room
By Suzanne Gallagher
Chair, Oregon Republican Party

The "Elephant in the room" is an English metaphorical idiom for an obvious truth that is either being ignored or going unaddressed, applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss. The “Elephant in the Room” is not a Republican. It is a Democrat.

Oregon has a system of one party rule which now cannot effectively address the PERS crisis which threatens to financially hamstring Oregon Government at every level, from Governor John Kitzhaber’s State Agencies right down to your kid’s classroom.

Years of Democrat control has created an unfunded Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) that goes beyond taxpayers’ ability to support. Fundamental reforms are necessary and obvious, except to the Democrats who created the problem and are unwilling to make the necessary reforms.

Meaningful PERS Reform is possible, IF there were political will.

Senate Bill 754, would create and retain the most jobs right away -- with real savings equivalent to 5,000-10,000 teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants. The Democrat leaders will not allow it a hearing.  This bill, supported by numerous non-partisan groups including Oregon School Boards Association representing schools statewide, Stand for Children, the Oregon Business Association, and the Oregon Business Plan, will not see the light of day. Meanwhile, all local government jurisdictions including schools, cities and counties will continue plan cuts to core services replaced by PERS – Oregon’s out of control utopian retirement plan.

Democrat legislators in both Houses who receive PERS themselves, are conflicted beyond their ability to solve the most pressing public problem facing our state. We sent them to Salem to solve problems, not provide themselves and their political allies’ overgenerous retirements at the expense of virtually everyone else.

Every other public priority is now a hostage to this political one-party stand-off. In their frantic efforts to ‘feed the beast’ Democratic leaders choose to do what they have always done: introduce regressive tax and fee proposals to raise revenue, including cigarette taxes, bird seed taxes, and sugar-sweetened beverage taxes. They think they know better than you how to live your lives, and they need your cash.

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How Republicans Can Win
RNC Passes Resolution Calling for Cooperation
with the Conservative Grassroots Movement

“You can’t govern if you don’t win, and we can’t win if we can’t grow,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus told committee members Friday morning, before describing a $10-million field operation and planned investments in technology and data.

Though different factions of the party may occasionally disagree, he said, he urged them to unite. “We need everyone on our team. Conservatives, libertarians, the tea party, the liberty movement and those who don’t wear any label but are firmly to the right of center,” he said.

Priebus focused on party positions on education, the budget, the Constitution, the private sector and healthcare. “While we have to do things differently, there’s one thing that can’t and won’t change: our principles,” he said.

“We all agree the grassroots are the center of this party and are vital to winning elections, said Priebus. In a keeping with the sentiment to work with conservatives who share these conservative principles, at the RNC meeting this past week, the members of the Committee unanimous approved the resolution sponsored by Oregon Republican Party Chair Suzanne Gallagher to cooperate with the Conservative Grassroots Movement.

The Oregon Republican Party is pleased to share the text of the Republican National Committee Resolution Calling for Cooperation with the Conservative Grassroots Movement:

RNC Resolution Calling for Cooperation
with the Conservative Grassroots Movement

Whereas, Republicans and members of the Conservative Grassroots Movement have significantly more in common with each other than differences (remembering Reagan’s principle that 80% agreement equals friendship); and

Whereas, The Conservative Grassroots Movement’s focus on strict adherence to the Constitution and tax reform, has become the fourth pillar of the conservative movement along with fiscal, defense and social conservatives; and

Whereas, electing well qualified Republicans is essential to transforming any conservative principles into public policy; and

Whereas, improving communication between the Republican Party and the Conservative Grassroots Movement would result in Republican candidates being better qualified to move the conservative agenda forward; and

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OREGON REPUBLICAN PARTY

 OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE

Statement of the Oregon Republican Party in
Opposition to Oregon Senate Bills 347, 699, 700 and 796

Wilsonville, OR – On April 4th, 2013, the six Executive Officers of the Oregon Republican Party voted unanimously to oppose Oregon Senate Bills 347, 699, 700 and 796 for the following reasons:

•    The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees each law-abiding American citizen the right to keep and bear arms of his choice

•    The Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States clearly says “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

•    Firearms known as “Assault Weapons” are also protected by the Second Amendment as part of a “well-regulated militia”

•    Firearms are used for the defense of person, family, and property more than one million times each year

•    More than 99.8 percent of all lawfully-owned firearms in America will not be used in crime in any given year

•    The criminal misuse of firearms by those in the criminal element is not a reason to deny the constitutional right to keep and bear arms by law-abiding citizens

•    Several local, state, and federal lawmakers continue to propose measures aimed at restricting all firearms and ammunition, including bans, taxation, waiting periods, registration, licensing, and even confiscation

•    Such laws assume the guilt of all firearms owners without addressing those who have mental issues, misuse and criminally abuse firearms, contrary to our legal justice system which assumes innocence until proven guilty

•    National Institute of Justice studies have shown that restrictive "gun control"
laws are ineffective against violent criminals, who show contempt for all laws

•    The effect of restrictive gun laws has been the exact opposite of that which was promised, as evidenced by high violent crime rates

Therefore, the Oregon Republican Party recommends the rejection of further restrictive firearms or ammunition regulation laws that only serve to limit law-abiding citizens in the exercise of their Constitutionally guaranteed rights while having no effect on the activities of the criminal element in our society.

Further, the Oregon Republican Party recommends that the scarce resources of the law enforcement and criminal justice systems be focused upon uniform, consistent, and just sentencing, speedy trials, and increased punishment and incarceration for those who commit violent crime.

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