Oregon Rapid Response: Debt hits the ceiling

This following media action alert courtesy of the Oregon branch of the Rapid Response Network. Please join us!

Oregon Report — Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Dear Oregon Rapid Responders: It has been a long time since the last alert—I’ve been immersed in the fight for school funding and busy building a new website: www.neighborhoodschoolsalliance.org

In a nutshell, the idea of Rapid Response is to have regular alerts focusing our group of progressive letter-to-the-editor writers on specific topics or stories. You write in your own words—this is real grassroots, not “astroturf”—but together we generate a mass of letters around a few key topics. Most important is not to worry about perfection—just dash off a quick letter so we get a large volume for our side. Tips and local resources at: http://rapidresponsenetwork.org/us/or/

Due to time constraints, most alerts are keyed to stories in the Oregonian, but alert material for any media source anywhere in Oregon is most welcome. Thank you!
-Ruth Adkins, Oregon RR coordinator
or@rapidresponsenetwork.org

Here are a couple of the latest outrages worth writing about:

• “Bush takes steps to avoid hitting debt limit” This is on p. 2 of the Oregonian; here is a link to a similar version of this AP story. Bush’s borrowing and spending is so out of control that we are now raiding the federal workers’ pension fund to avoid defaulting on our obligations. We have got to get these irresponsible, incompetent people out of office!

• “Governor signs rigid abortion bill” This extremist bill goes against mainstream American values. As Salon.com (subscription req’d) points out, “The next time somebody on the right accuses somebody on the left of inflaming the nation's culture wars, remember the date: March 6, 2006. That's when South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, a Republican, mounted a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade by signing into law a bill that outlaws abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother. There is no exception for rape. There is no exception for incest….. In a CBS News poll taken in January, Americans rejected, by 75 percent to 23 percent, the notion that abortion should be outlawed entirely or remain legal only when necessary to protect the life of the mother.”
• Kicker: Today’s Oregonian letters section has a mix of opinions, including two rabid letters in favor of the kicker. We need lots more letters expressing the voice of reason and common sense.

Please speak out on any or all of these issues:

letters@news.oregonian.com
letters@nytimes.com
letters@washpost.com

Contact your local paper
Contact your elected representatives
FAIR's national media contact list

Never give up.

_____________________________________
Oregon RR is a group of volunteers dedicated to advancing the principles of balance and truthfulness in the media.
Join us:
http://www.rapidresponsenetwork.org/us/or/signup