By Jeb Bladine • President / Publisher • 

Jeb Bladine: Campaigns citing political ideologies

Street signs are going up; candidate forums are underway; and voters are beginning to recognize that their 2020 city and county elections are different from any in memory.

Consider this salvo posted online by James Goings, a key figure in politics surrounding some 2020 local election campaigns:

Whatchamacolumn

Jeb Bladine is president and publisher of the News-Register.

> See his column

“When you have left-leaning ideologies, you’re brainless, your thinking is tilted … Left-leaning people believe (in) taxing our citizens into poverty. They believe burning down Portland is OK … My goal is to smash every left leaning liberal that’s running in the city or county positions. I have the backing of the farmers and most all businesses. We are sick and tired of brainless liberals running in non-partisan races and saying they’re moderate conservatives, and truly they’re just Socialist Democrats.”

Goings moderated that message somewhat with a recent video statement, while acknowledging his antipathy for Yamhill County Commissioner Casey Kulla:

“When I helped Lindsay Berschauer on her campaign, we carpet-bombed this county like it’s never been seen before, receiving over 52 percent of the vote with three candidates. I did not want Casey Kulla to turn Yamhill County into five county commissioners in a home rule, and then have him bring a Portland Metro policy to Yamhill County.”

Speaking more generally about progressives and liberals, Goings said: “You divide our country with hatred. You back Black Lives Matter and Antifa. You state that you like the message, but when you’re confronted about the massive chaos in Portland, the destruction of federal property and the bleeding of police officers, you say we don’t take that part, but we take the other part. It doesn’t work that way.”

Goings represents the most public face of a well-coordinated campaign effort with roots in historic Yamhill County politics, combined with new regional and state coalitions seeking more local government power for “the conservative party.”

That effort helped elect Berschauer to the Yamhill County Commission; supports Paulette Alexandria for county treasurer; and is promoting the election of Heidi Parker as McMinnville mayor and of council candidates Chris Chenoweth and Brittany Ruiz.

“Yamhill County,” said Goings, “let’s come together … and elect these conservative candidates that want to protect our county from this progressive movement that has infiltrated us.”

It’s a message that resonates countywide, though perhaps less so in McMinnville. From my perspective, while I might disagree with some City Council actions in recent years, I’ve never really believed that current council members “infiltrated us.”

Jeb Bladine can be reached at jbladine@newsregister.com or 503-687-1223.

Comments

Kellie

The phrasing and terms that Mr. Goings uses are really quite disturbing. "smash", "carpet bomb" these are violent and destructive terms.

"Carpet Bomb" from Merriam Webster: to drop large numbers of bombs so as to cause uniform devastation over (a given area).

I find those signs a horrible intrusion to our town. Why would a candidate for a local volunteer office find it necessary to spend thousands on gigantic signs? They remind me of overly flashy cars and overcompensation.

Many of those signs also seem to be well over the maximum size allowed by Yamhill County Zoning Ordinance, but I haven't gone out to measure. But looking at a full grown man standing next to one in the many photos shared on Facebook I have to imagine they are well beyond the 24 square feet permitted.

Raven

People have measured the signs. They are 32 square feet. The maximum allowed by Oregon State or Yamhill County is only 12 square feet. Read either or both of the statutes. What type of elected official would intentionally violate statutes? What does that say about their integrity?https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action;JSESSIONID_OARD=qDeOSLRXYtIG_uymsffICHZTHSzA7fnLsJ9wNnCV7ev-JlS0tYkj!-406728407?ruleVrsnRsn=183867

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORDOT/bulletins/1e86632

Jeb Bladine

Raven,

looks like the state has a variance process to get approval for a sign up to 32 sq. ft., but it requires separate applications/approvals for each sign. We'll have to get more information about variations in sign laws in the cities, county and state.

Raven

Jeb, McMinnville https://www.mcminnvilleoregon.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/planning/page/1143/updated_temporary_political_signs.pdf
County: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jILT0nWCnpHrFC4nLlhxFGkVwkeP9yHdbfUlz0XCeO8/edit?fbclid=IwAR0rYYwKUeL0HzjeUNWHF10fGawCOhxnv1t-quoG34h3tjy4-rNoWTtLqcM
Newberg: https://www.newbergoregon.gov/planning/page/newberg-sign-ordinances-and-election-signs

Bill B

Should we really be focusing on the size of signs?

Raven

Bill, it is not really about the size. It is about integrity. Do you really want an elected official who intentionally violates the rules? The current signs are 32 square Geer. Signs are only allowed to be 12 square feet. It is visual pollution, a safety hazard and an election offense.

Hibb

Apparently Mr. Goings has a high opinion of himself and his political leanings and proteges. The rhetoric he employs indicates a complete breakdown in the process of local politics, in that he strongly advocates for those that he believes will do his bidding alone and not necessarily for the good of the rest of us. While it might seem that his views are merely conservative in nature, the fact is that he is more akin to a facist than a Republican and wants to ram that type of dogma down our throats.

If Mr. Goings was personally running for a position within our local government (city, county) he would be trounced at the ballot as citizens of Yamhill County would see right through his charade and discern that he is not good for Yamhill County. He champions himself as a "king-maker" but with Heidi Parker in his stable (yes - she has already sold out by aligning herself with him) it appears that all he could afford (persuade) were court jesters.

Mr. Goings is rife with rhetoric but offers no proven solutions and if anyone thinks that Heidi Parker, Chris Chenoweth and Brittany Ruiz are somehow going to save Yamhill County, they will be sadly disappointed along with the rest of us. The voting citizens of Yamhill County and McMinnville must wake-up and see that the "rose colored glasses" Goings and his small army of plebes are wearing are actually dark red due to the hate and take-no-prisoners attitude hidden behind them. These are not patriots as they would try to portray themselves as, but are a continuation of the problem of divisive politics that has gotten our nation into the malaise that it currently finds itself in.

madmacs

Mr Goings is posting others criminal records on YC3. In the interest of transparency, Why not post his own? It is far more troubling that any others he has called others out for. If anyone would care to see it it is available on the Save McMinnville facebook page.

Web Design and Web Development by Buildable