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I agree this is an important question. I think that the train system needs more support so we can get more long-haul trucks off the road. We have friends who drive juice from California to the East coast, all of the time, and I really don't understand why that juice isn't on a train with a lot of other goods going cross-country.

posted 4 years, 5 months ago
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The auto industry guy is just spouting spin. The auto industry made big vehicles that are just wasteful. I am tired of hearing how much they need money when they made huge mistakes. I think all of the executives should be fired if they are going to get public money, and that only vehicles that get made that get 30+ mpg, are flex-fuel, hybrid or electric vehicles. I don't think we should lose all of the union jobs in Detroit, but I do think that all of the upper management (maybe everyone who earns over $300K) should be fired and replaced.

posted 4 years, 5 months ago
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Have you thought about bartering at all? I don't know if it would work for your business, but it seems that more and more that is where our other friends who run small businesses are heading.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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Our family rotates gift giving every year, so we only have one family we are giving gifts to. Several of my siblings asked for donations to their favorite charities. Others are so tight that most of the things on their lists are socks, clothes for the kids, etc. It is always understood in our families that used items are better than new.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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Things are very tight for us this year. We buy some food stuffs, but have also had to go to a food distribution several times, and ask for help from our church. After all our bills are paid (and we are grateful that we can pay them) and we make a small payment on our medical bills, we will not have money left for presents for the kids for Christmas.

So, we have gotten creative. We have been bartering for presents. We have been able to barter my fudge and truffles, and my husband's woodworking (bookshelves, cutting boards, carry-alls, blocks, etc.) with other small businesses, so that we have something to give our children for Christmas. I think that the barter part of the economy is growing, as people simply don't have the money to spend, but can barter things they make.

I definitely think that this change in spending habits will stick with us, although I do hope at some point to be able to pay all our bills, and feed our family without having to ask for outside help. I am not sure we will add back in the things we cut out, like cable premium channels, my husband driving to work instead of taking the bus, and horse riding lessons for the kids. Those things are gone for good.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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I live in the 5th District and have already voted. I found the constant attack ads by the Republicans and Mike Erickson such a turn off that there is no way I would ever vote for him. I received more attack mail from this campaign than any other than the Kennemer campaign. I have received numerous calls on my cell phone form the Kennemer and Erickson campaigns, even after asking to be taken off of their phone list. The last person who called from the "Erickson Campaign" admitted that he was calling from out of state and that he had no idea how to take a name or number off the list, or even whether it was Erickson's campaign or the Republican party that had provided the list to him and the other volunteers he was with.

I am so tired of attack ads, and I refuse to be scared into voting for someone. I have noticed that this year almost all of the mailings that included attack ads have come from republicans. By the time I was done voting, I realized that for the first time ever, I voted entirely for the Dems.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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Why would you let Gordon Smith dictate the programming schedule for TOL? He hasn't had any public forums where ordinary citizens can answer questions, and this is just one more place where he shows that he isn't interested in thoughtful conversation and debate.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I agree, enough on the ads!!!!!!

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Is there anyone Smith doesn't want to attack?

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I think that a half hour of sound bites from each candidate is completely useless. Why let Smith avoid taking responsibility for his choices as a candidate? I want very different questions answered from each candidate.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I think that it says a lot that Senator Smith doesn't think it is important to appear on Think Out Loud. I think that the total disconnection I feel from and towards Senator Smith is a large part of why I feel disconnected with him. I share many things with Senator Smith, including our faith, and yet I will not be voting for him this time.

I think that the Smith campaign has done a good job of ignoring the fact that Merkeley grew up outside of the Metro area, and I hope that we get to hear from Merkeley about how his formative years help shape his way of looking at Oregon.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Given the funding crisis in the state, I am worried that we are once again trying to use fear to get the population to pay more for prisons, instead of treatment and education, which have been proven to reduce crime rates. I will vote for 57 because it has a provision for drug treatment, which I see as much more effective than locking drug addicts up, it is also much less expensive.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I guess I see this as a very personal issue for those who struggle with feelings of gender-dislocation. I haven't struggled with it myself, but had a close friend from high school who transitioned into living as a man for about a year, then transitioned back into being a woman. She now lives as a woman with her husband and has two daughters. I have tried to be loving and supportive through these transitions in her life, even as it was confusing. She seems much happier for having "tried out" being a man, but is honestly much happier in her life now than I have ever known her to be.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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The more I hear of Rick Dancer's comments, the more I lose respect for him. He may be a smart man, but he doesn't seem to understand the difference between asking questions and creating policy. As someone who would like to see more balance in our statewide elected officials, I continue to be disappointed in the choices Republicans make for candidates for statewide elected officials. Do they just not have anyone who is qualified to run?

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I would like a show that focuses on how the different ballot measures would effect those who make less than $60K a year. It seems that there is a lot of focus on businesses and high income earners, but I would like to know what effect these measures would have on the people I see in my community.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Of course our tax laws should be rewritten. I have thought the double majority rule a problem since it was implemented, and would be happy to see it go.

I am much less impressed with Measure 59. It seems that those who make more money and pay more taxes would benefit from it, but those of us who don't make much, won't see much benefit from it. I would rather see the kicker eliminated and this measure to fail, so that we could have an actual rainy day fund to keep education and public safety funding constant, even during economic downturns.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I think my 8 year-old would do at least as well as Merkeley or Smith. He has been taught to tell the truth and to be nice to others. He also loves to look for a good deal. :-)

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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I am not thrilled with either candidate, but it was very obvious to me last night that my family and I don't make enough money for John McCain to care about us.

Joe the plumber has enough money to buy a business, while I am worrying about whether I will be able to pay for medicine and food. My health insurance premiums are going up 40% next year and I don't need my health insurance taxed with no evidence that McCain's plan will do anything to get my premiums any lower. Since my husband and I both have "pre-existing conditions" we would never qualify for individual coverage.

Anyway, it seemed more obvious than it ever had before that McCain isn't interested in families that are struggling to get by. I don't agree with all of Obama's ideas, but I at least feel like I and my family are on his radar.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Obviously the guy from Eugene is nto trying to sell a house in this market. We have had to drop our house price almost 30% to try to get it sold. This guys seems like a nut to me.

posted 5 years ago
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I have been involved as a volunteer erradicating ivy from various parks around the Portland Metro area. Everytime I hear of a friend planting ivy in their yard, I cringe. It is hard work to keep ivy under control.

On the other hand, I have more affinity to blackberries. While I don't think I would purposely plant it, I love picking them in the fields around my home.

posted 5 years, 1 month ago
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