Screwball Right Perennial Figures Are Back Again

Two of the most absurd and annoying figures of the wackyl right are back again in Oregon politics. Kevin Mannix, perennial candidate for public office, and his wacky wealthy Nevada financer, Loren Parks, are writing a new slew of initiatice petitions to once again flood the Oregon ballot in 2008.

Once again, most all of the initiative petitions deal with some variation on mandatory minimum sentences, or a sort or the son of the son of the son of his "Measure 11". Another petition deals with the fourth time that Mannix has had some involvement in attempting to weaken the free speech rights of the Oregon Constitution to allow either zoning or outlawing of adult businesses such as strip clubs. 3 times in the last few years voters have said no. But apparently Mannix isn't the brightest light, and feels that voters can't possiby be right, and believes the same issue should be voted on over and over and over again.

Mannix's "tough on crime" measures are almost highly suspect. Each one deals with weakening the role of the judge in a criminal case to have sentencing leeway, and also extorts poor defendants who cannot afford a decent private attorney for a criminal case, usually costing about $80,000, to plead guilty to a lesser charge in a "plea deal" with a prosecutor, whether or not they actually committed the crime that they were charged with. In addition, any minimum sentences for crimes raise the issue of whether a defendant's right to a trial haven't been unconstitutionally limited. A judge is not allowed to weigh the evidence in the case, and instead a one sentence fits all sentence is handed down upon a guilty verdict.

Big moneyman for Mannix, Loren Parks, doesn't even live in Oregon. He lives in Nevada, yet seems to want to control how the people of that state live. Loren Parks is a wealthy right wing electronic instrument owner who builds equipment like the plethysmograph which measure male sexual arrousal, and in a local Portland, Oregon newspaper, THE WILLAMETTE WEEK, Park was referred to as the "Dirty Old (Money)Man". Parks was sued for sexual harrassment by a female employee on the grounds of attempting to pressure her sexually, and sending graphic photos, memos and jokes via email as well. Why someone who lives in Nevada with legal prostitution, strip clubs and topless reviews at the major casinos wants to bankroll Kevin Mannix to restrict adult entertainment such as strip clubs here seems like major hypocrisy.

Mannix seems to follow the same classic form. He writes absurd ballot measure initatives, often only slight variations on the same old tired themes as before, and then mounts yet another pathetic losing effort for a major state office. Even Republican primary voters are growing weary of the tiresome antics of perennial candidate for public office, Mannix, and refused to give him the nod to run for Governor last year.

Voters have unfortunately supported Mannix's crime proposals, but have turned down all three of his previous efforts to amend the Oregon Constitution and strip away freedom of speech protections for controversial free speech such as adult entertainment by similiar 53% no-47% yes margins. Yet Mannix never seems to get the clue that the public just doesn't support censorship, even if they don't particularly like some of what is done in the name of free speech. Attacking basic American values such as freedom of expression just isn't popular with most Oregon voters. But Mannix just seems to lack the mental capacity to comprehend this concept for some reason.

Mannix seems to lack enough education in basic civics to realize that the public holds values such as freedom of speech and religion as precious. Yet he believes that stripping away parts of the constitution that he doesn't like is the right course, even if the publicly strongly disagrees.

Mannix just doesn't understand how tiresome his perennial political efforts often are, and that he's not a positive or forward looking candidate acceptable to most voters in Blue state Oregon. Yet, like a bad penny, he's back, year after year.