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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>From today’s (October 21, 2004) Moscow-Pullman Daily
News with a very special thanks to Lois Blackburn.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>-----------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The Republican Party should not avoid debate<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This election season, the Moscow Civic Association wanted to
improve the level of political discourse in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Latah</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
by sponsoring a series of one-on-one debates between the candidates for each
position. We wanted a candidate forum with substance. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>MCA board member Bruce Livingston called every local
candidate, and all (Republicans included) agreed to participate. He explained
that the entire debate would take place over five hours, on Oct. 25 and 27,
with an hour slated for each race. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>A few days after finalizing this format, <st1:place w:st="on">Livingston</st1:place>
was surprised to learn - from a newspaper reporter - that according to Barrett
Schroeder, chairman of the Latah County Republicans, no Republican candidates
would participate. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In the Daily News (Oct. 7), Schroeder accused the MCA board
of supporting Democratic candidates. He also said the MCA had
"misled" Republicans about the format, and was a liberal Political
Action Committee. Furthermore, Schroeder questioned the invitation <st1:place
w:st="on">Livingston</st1:place> extended to the candidates - encouraging their
supporters to attend the debates, ask questions and create a real dialog. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>We thank the Daily News for allowing us to set the record
straight. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>First, Schroeder says some MCA board members support
Democratic candidates. That is no surprise. Some MCA board members support
Republican candidates, too. The MCA is a citizen action organization with
members representing a variety of political parties and political persuasions,
but all united by a desire to make <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
a better and more livable community. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Second, rather than misleading candidates about the format,
the MCA clearly explained from the beginning that this would be a true debate
format and different than the usual candidate panels. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Third, the MCA is not a Political Action Committee. A PAC is
created to funnel money to partisan candidates. The MCA does not give, and
never has given, money to any candidate, at any time, in any race. The MCA has
endorsed candidates for the nonpartisan elections for City Council, but the MCA
has never given a penny to their campaigns. We are not organized as a PAC,
instead we are a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization. The MCA is
not endorsing candidates in the partisan campaigns represented at the debate. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Finally, Schroeder was concerned that <st1:place w:st="on">Livingston</st1:place>
encouraged the candidates to "have their supporters attend to ask
questions favorable to them." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Livingston</span></font></st1:place><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, like the
MCA, is interested in maximizing citizen involvement in this campaign. What
better way to do that than to encourage the candidates and their supporters to
attend the forum and enter into the dialog on issues of importance to them? <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In sum, it seems that Schroeder is trying to imply that the
MCA is unfit to sponsor a debate due to bias in favor of one political party. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>That accusation is just not true. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>For an example of possible bias in the organization of a
candidate forum, Schroeder need look no farther than a representative of his
own party, Jeff Harkins, Republican candidate for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Latah</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
commissioner. Harkins, as the program chairman for the Moscow Lions Club,
organized the club's candidate forum this year. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The point is not that candidates should boycott the Moscow
Lions Club forum, but that Schroeder's call for a boycott of the MCA forum is
shortsighted and wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Our debates will be Oct. 25 and 27 (at 7 p.m. both days, and
both at the 1912 Center). We invite all <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Latah</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
voters to attend. And we encourage the Republican candidates to declare their
independence from petty party politics and join us for a real debate. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Lois Blackburn is president of the Moscow Civic Association.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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