Peter DeFazio

Yesterday on Rachel Maddow's show, Oregon Democratic Congressman Peter DeFazio discussed the current stimulus package's proposed spending, declaring that the infrastructure spending provisions are inadequate. There are a number of economists who've had this thing wrong, including Larry Summers. DeFazio is on Maddow's show doing what he does best, speak up even when its going to cause some heat. This clip is unnecessarily long so if you're looking to watch DeFazio, start at about the 3:30 mark: More of this, please.

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 270 to 155 against the second half of the $700 billion financial services industry bailout. It was, however, essentially a meaningless vote. From the O's Jeff Mapes: The House on Thursday voted 270-155 to "disapprove" releasing the second half of the money. The thing is, the vote was purely symbolic. Because the Senate earlier refused to block the funds, President Obama has all the authority he needs to go ahead with the bailout of the financial system. Rep. Peter DeFazio and Rep. David Wu voted against the bailout last fall, and voted against...

OPB: Senator Jeff Merkley appears to have secured a seat on the Environmental and Public Works Committee. And Oregon growers are practically dancing in the furrows at the news that Congressman Kurt Schrader is on the House Committee on Agriculture. OPB is also reporting that Congressman Peter DeFazio will chair the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee. Congressman Earl Blumenauer is now the second ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, which reportedly gives Earl juice with Obama on tax law changes for 2009.

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) was the only Oregon congressman to vote against a $14 billion loan package for auto companies on Wednesday.

The measure is designed to help Chrysler and General Motors stave off bankruptcy until the next Congress can decide what other action, if any, should be taken.

U.S. Reps. David Wu (D-Portland), Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland), and Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield) voted for the bill.

Oregon’s highest elected officials will descend on Portland Thursday for the Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit.

The summit, which will take place at the Oregon Convention Center, is an annual gathering of business and political leaders to meet and discuss plans for the state’s economy and improve the quality of jobs available to Oregonians.

Speculation over former Gov. John Kitzhaber being appointed to president-elect Barack Obama's administration barely had enough time to die down on Wednesday before the Associated Press, KATU, and Willamette Week began questioning whether Kitzhaber might be thinking about another run for the state’s chief executive.

The Thanksgiving holiday is over and President-elect Barack Obama returned to compiling his cabinet Monday, starting with the expected announcement that U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) will be his nominee for secretary of state.

While Obama has yet to name any Oregonians to his incoming cabinet, three names have consistently come up in the political buzz regarding who will become the president-elect’s closest advisors.

Eugene Congressman Peter Defazio is in a very good position.  President-Elect Barack Obama may offer him the top job as FAA Administrator.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi may dangle a lucrative chairmanship position in an effort to keep Defazio in Washington, DC.  And his campaign kitty currently holds over $350,000 (which is sure to grow in the coming months), that can be transferred to a state gubernatorial account should Defazio decide to take the plunge and run for Oregon's top elected job in 2010.

The rumors of who will be the future secretary of transportation in an Obama administration have centered on U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland), but some in the transportation world have been floating the name of a second Oregon congressman as well.

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield), a senior Democrat on the House Transportation committee was mentioned in a report by Traffic World Online as a potential Obama appointee.

Oregon is no longer a shade of baby blue.  It is a dominant royal blue or possibly even navy blue depending on how you look at it.  Every single statewide seat is held by a Democrat, the Oregon Senate is controlled by Democrats and now the Oregon House maintains a tax-increase permissive supermajority.  The next big race for either Democrats or Republicans is the race for governor in 2010.  Could this next cycle be the start of Oregon's GOP comeback?  Or will Democrats manage yet another big win?  Here's a list of potential candidates from both sides of the aisle.