Our view: Wyden committed to representing all

Published 5:00 pm Sunday, May 8, 2022

Wyden

Oregon U.S. Sen Ron Wyden isn’t going to collect a huge majority of votes from the Eastern Oregon counties he represents because of his party affiliation, but his continued focus on sponsoring town hall sessions in even the most conservative areas of the state show he is committed to democracy.

Wyden was in La Grande last month for a town hall meeting where he discussed a range of issues, including the lack of affordable housing and homelessness across the state.

Eastern Oregon is a deeply conservative area and the majority of its voters subscribe to Republican values. Wyden, a Democrat, visits this section of the state on a regular basis for town halls and other information-gathering exercises.

Wyden has repeatedly stated he represents all of Oregon, not just the voting block that elected him. That should be good news for voters.

Wyden, like his Senate Democratic colleague, Sen. Jeff Merkley, both spend a lot of time in areas where their brand of politics probably isn’t very popular and they do it because they view their job as one that encompasses all residents, not just the ones that adhere to their own political views.

The nation needs more of that kind of political outlook. At the end of the day, whatever an individual’s political persuasion, the issues in Joseph, Enterprise, or La Grande are the issues faced by all Eastern Oregon residents. Whether a senator is a Republican or a Democrat doesn’t really matter when viewed against issues such as the availability of water or other natural resources challenges. No, what matters is whether are elected representatives — be it at the state or federal level — gets things done.

The nation has become a polarized entity politically where a commitment to blind dogma is pushed across all political spectrums. Our issues — the problems we face at the local, state and federal level — demand more than just a business as usual, narrow political view. Instead, we must face each problem from a holistic point of view and seek solutions that cover a broad spectrum of ideologies.

Wyden’s visits are a testament to a lawmaker that cares about all of the voters in Oregon. You might not agree with his politics, but his commitment to traveling to areas such as Eastern Oregon to gather input is a good sign democracy is vibrant in our corner of the Republic.

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