Closing Remarks from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden

May 27, 2003 -- Leadership Summit Update Meeting

Last December, at the economic summit, I called for a public-private endowment of a state business plan . . . investing Oregon’s business and political leaders in a plan to create a brighter economic future for the people of Oregon.

Today, as a result of the phenomenal response of the business and public sectors, that endowment is taking shape.  But as many of you know, now comes the hard part. 

The legislature is rounding the corner on this legislative session, and that brings with it . . . its own set of institutional pressures. 

• Powerful partisan forces on both sides of the spectrum will demand greater separation and more heated disagreement on a variety of issues.
• Democratic and Republican staff will remind both the House and Senate caucuses that these last few months are where future elections will be won and lost.
• Paid political consultants will push their clients to brandish new wedge issues and greatly sharpen current political differences.

Senator Smith and I know a little something about these political forces. 

Try to imagine how many thousands of people – from elected officials and paid consultants in Washington, D.C., to partisans all across this state -- have tried to disrupt our working relationship over the past seven years . . . all in the name of the next election.

Political differences and debate are important and healthy, but we have hit a point in Oregon where a failure to successfully address the challenges identified in the Oregon Business Plan could sentence Oregon to decades of economic insecurity and a significant erosion of the state’s quality of life.  

There will always be a next election, but we may only get one chance to do this job right.  I challenge my Salem and Washington, D.C. colleagues to reject the gravitational pull of partisan politics and continue implementing the Oregon Business Plan.    

I want to personally thank some of the state’s elected officials for their leadership and effort here today.

Governor Kulongoski, you’re knocking down lots of pins and I haven’t seen a gutter ball yet.  Thank you for bringing outstanding leadership to Salem.

Karen Minnis and Peter Courtney, thank you for your great efforts.  I know you both must feel the burden of your service, but please know we appreciate your many contributions to this state.

Congresswoman Darlene Hooley, you are such a great champion for Oregon on education and transportation issues, and the state is very fortunate to have a consensus builder like you representing us in Congress.

I want to thank all of you who attended this follow up meeting to keep the Oregon Business Plan on track.  Moving forward, we’re going to continue to require your time, energy and ideas if we’re going to succeed.

Finally, I want to thank Duncan Wyse for his continued superb stewardship of this effort.

We will once again convene Oregon’s leaders within the next six months to reassess the progress of our efforts.  I urge you to stay engaged and focused.  As we did last December, let’s recommit today to move forward, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Oregonians.

Thank you.

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