We posted a poll on the effort to recall county commissioners Jeff Hazen and Ann Samuelson last week. The results so far are no surprise. Those against recalling Hazen make a strong showing voting against recall by a large margin. The straw poll is much closer for Samuelson.
Again not surprising.
She took a political black-eye with the Jewell recall combined with the fact that a former Cannon Beach city councilor is the chief petitioner in the Samuelson recall effort.
Last year the local Democratic party unseated Samuelson as a delegate in an internal battle. The party is largely controlled these days by many of the same people who have been behind efforts to stop LNG projects. Removing Samuelson from her party responsibilities is touted by the democrats as a necessary move to stop what they saw as a potential take-over by pro-LNG forces.
As a result of those factors Samuelson ends up getting hit from all sides of her expansive district.
The diversity of Samuelson's district makes it possible for the anti-LNG group to attack her on multiple fronts, something they have been preparing to do for some time. For Hazen the task of retaining his seat is far easier. His district is more compact. There is less diverse opinion, certainly in the business community. He is well known and, by his actions, a proven leader. People recognize that quality and value it.
Based on the outcome of the KAST.com poll if a recall election were to happen today Hazen would retain his seat and the Samuelson recall would be too close to call.
Baloney!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that people who are willing to run and serve in the office are put through the difficulties of a recall process solely because of one issue. Recall should be used for fraud or other similar offenses, but that's not the case being made here against either commissioner. I'm a conservative politically and Ann Samuelson is much less so, but I support her right to remain in office through her full term. If office holders are subject to this kind of sideshow as routine here in Clatsop county, then it will greatly retard the willingness of reasonable people to run for office, leaving only the extreme leftist/enviromental types too many of whom seem to have little standards of objectivity and decency toward citizen/representatives.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when it comes to highly paid ($14,500/month) representatives such as 1st Congressional District David Wu for example, I'm more willing to suggest stronger responses (but not a recall) because they have both a huge staff and other financial means at their disposal. Not so the Samuelsons and Hazens of politics. They are our citizen-representatives that were contemplated in our Constitution and deserve our respect for their mostly volunteering efforts. And if you don't like them, then an election process allows your inclinations ample opportunity to make a change.
Lets see, which anti LNG person would we like to see on the commission?
ReplyDeleteAnn Samuelson IS doing a good job. We need to keep her where she is.
We need to beat these LOONIES now. If we don't we might as well lock the county up, and pay OUR share of the taxes.
The Recall
ReplyDeleteRecall elections in the United States
Along with the initiative, the referendum, and the direct primary, the recall election was one of the major electoral reforms advocated by leaders of the Progressive movement in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, although it was initially proposed in William S. U'Ren's Oregon newspaper. Recall elections do not take place at the federal level. The majority of states allow recall elections in local jurisdictions, but only eighteen states permit recall elections to remove state officials.
As somebody opined and paraphrasing, "Recall is a tool designed to stop the onslaught of an out control or inept boob we made the mistake of petting into public office before he can do more damage than necessary"
Tom, Thanks for reading my comments on air; to be accurate, I have to admit that it represents a result of having been influenced by listening to your friendly, objective commentary over the years, which philosophy has always seemed to me to be more effective here locally than simply ranting to one extreme or another. I have noticed that you have gradually become more and more willing to take principled stands about difficult issues on air. Your smooth, friendly and reasoned voice has the effect of teaching all those listening how to react to and comment on local and national news and information while convincing any listener that you're open to listening to alternative, reasonable arguments.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note, regarding the salary of David Wu, which was just an aside in my comment above, is indeed fourteen thousand per month, not 1400 as you accidently read on air, a minor mistake in reading but a rather large difference in reality. $174,000 divided by 12 adds up and is indeed a pretty hefty monthly sum, so frankly our U.S. congressmen should be able to accept a certain amount of passionate discourse in public meetings, for they're getting paid very well for it. Would that they were paid more in line with our commissioners.
Art H
When I first heard about LNG I had no opinion because I didn't know anything about it. However, after watching the anti-LNG people using lies, disinformation and harrassment at county commission meetings in an effort to defeat LNG, I decided that I did not want to support anything those people were for. Fortunately, there were legitimate sources of information available to me, and I do support LNG.
ReplyDeleteWell, even revising my poll at Grassroots People to coincide with KAST-AM's, Samuelson is still getting trounced with Hazen's district being a little less severe in their judgement and this is with absolutely no tampering of this Straw Poll at all, at least on the part of Grassroots People.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmm!
Such curious disparity.
This all goes to show that Americans get the government they deserve.
ReplyDeleteAnn S and her husband are obviously NOT free speech advocates. That says it all - recall her! Her record stinks!
ReplyDelete