climate in oregon (political and meteorological) (Portland, Eugene: to live in, restaurant, stores)

[Maruca4]

what a great resource,
We are looking to move to Oregon from a drier coastal climate.
We wondering about the weather in Oregon. Specifically the difference between Salem area and Ash land area. We hear Ashland gets hot in the summmer. Is rainfall in Salem similar to waht you would find in Washington, how about grey gloomy days?
Also poltical- we know Ashland is on the liberal side, how about Salem. I read that county supported bush in the last election.

any insight is greatly appreciated.

[karlsch]

Ashland:
Bush 56%, Kerry 44%.

Not as liberal as many think.

[zachmull]

Salem has a reputation for being more conservative than the rest of the Willamette Valley. I've never lived there, so I don't have a great feel for the city's political climate, but I think that reputation comes partially from how many big box stores and giant SUVs you see on the commercial streets (that I can confirm from visiting). My friends who have lived and worked in Salem do say that it's more conservative than Portland or Eugene, but not oppressively so.

Most of Oregon has an interesting political mix - I know Ashland is no exception. Multnomah and Benton counties (central Portland and Corvallis) are reliably liberal. Everywhere else is more complicated. Oregon has a nice combination of aging hippies and timber barons, sometimes unified by a libertarian streak (read: assisted suicide). The only thing that's odd in places like Ashland or Eugene is that liberals those towns don't seem to realize that conservatives exist right next door. I'm pretty far left, and I used to live in Eugene, and I had a hard time convincing my equally liberal friends that at least half of our county was reliably conservative.

Southern Oregon, including Ashland, seems to me to have more of that libertarian streak than Salem. Ever heard of the State of Jefferson? Some people there still take that concept seriously.

[freedom]

State of Jefferson Rules.......

Southern Oregon has the best mix of 4 seasons in the whole state. It is close to Northern CA. which is part of the State of Jefferson proper.....

One day (unless the USA is taken over), it will be THEE STATE OF JEFFERSON....

God speed in your search.

freedom....

[jjpop]

zachmull--excellent overview. I've always been intrigued by the perception that many people have that Corvallis is much more conservative than Eugene. Having lived in both cities, I think you could reliably state that the OSU campus is more conservative than UO, but beyond the campus it is just the reverse.

I think Corvallis has a liberal core draped in a conservative appearance and Eugene has a conservative core draped in a liberal appearance.

[Kingsnkali]

Medford is in a rain shadow and actually gets slightly less rain than Sacramento. I don't know the specifics for Ashland, but they seem similarly shielded by the coastal ranges. You would still get the winter clouds in both places and some big time fog during the quiet (winter) times between storms.

Ashland seems like a nice town. It's very dark there at night for some reason. Can hardly read the signs. They don't seem to use their street lights. The Mcdonalds restaurant was so dark inside that I couldn't even read the menu board. Just bizarre. I was going to ask them (only half jokingly) for a candle at my table.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by freedom

State of Jefferson Rules.......

Southern Oregon has the best mix of 4 seasons in the whole state. It is close to Northern CA. which is part of the State of Jefferson proper.....

One day (unless the USA is taken over), it will be THEE STATE OF JEFFERSON....

God speed in your search.

freedom....

The head of the Music Department at UCC, Jason Heald, wrote a musical about the State of Jefferson. He was careful to follow the historic record. Two things stopped the statehood movement: the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the leader of the movement had a heart attack and died suddenly.

People in Southern Oregon and Northern California still don't think they are politically represented in their state capitols. I also see that Jefferson Public Radio has started producing programs in Northern California in addition to Southern Oregon.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

The head of the Music Department at UCC, Jason Heald, wrote a musical about the State of Jefferson. He was careful to follow the historic record. Two things stopped the statehood movement: the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the leader of the movement had a heart attack and died suddenly.

People in Southern Oregon and Northern California still don't think they are politically represented in their state capitols. I also see that Jefferson Public Radio has started producing programs in Northern California in addition to Southern Oregon.

Larry,

I Did not know that.
I can see how Pearl Harbor could have been a bit disruptive to a movement like the State of Jefferson.
Isn't it strange that the leaders of certain ideas and movements always die suddenly.

freedom.