Different Floors of the House

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Third district debate, round two—shootout at the Benson High corral

Oregon’s 3rd district hopefuls met again this last Saturday night for a second debate. Delia Lopez, the only Republican running this year, did not participate, but Jeff Lawrence, the Libertarian candidate, put his candidacy in the spotlight with his participation. Lawrence was matched up against Michael Meo (PGP) and John Sweeney (D) in what proved to be a better debate than the first, even if the attendance in this debate was less than that of the first. More on that later.

The banter between Lopez and Michael Meo (PGP) during the prior debate certainly featured its share of amicable sparring, but this debate was a little more heated. The back and forth between Lawrence and Meo was respectful and professional, but the ideas of the Green party and the Libertarian party are so totally divergent that when they started taking on each other’s statements in riposte, one could feel the tension mount in the audience. To add to that stressor, this debate’s topic was health care reform. What’s that you say? A Libertarian and a progressive arguing welfare? Load the rifle, Mabel! We finally got ourselves a good ol’ fashioned political shoot out!


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