Republican Vic Atiyeh, who guided Oregon through economic upheaval, dies at 91

[alp227]

Source: The Oregonian

Vic Atiyeh, the even-tempered, low-key Republican governor who guided Oregon through the deep recession of the early 1980s, died at 8:15 p.m. Sunday of renal failure. He was 91.

Atiyeh was admitted to Portland's Providence St. Vincent Hospital on Saturday due to shortness of breath and possible internal bleeding, according to Denny Miles, a family spokesman who also served as Atiyeh's gubernatorial press secretary.

...

Atiyeh, governor from 1979 to 1987, became an elder statesman for his party after his governorship. He frequently told Republicans that he looked forward to the day that he would no longer be introduced as the last Republican to serve as governor -- but it didn't happen in his lifetime.

He was the first state leader to court Asian business, earning him the nickname "Trader Vic" and laying the groundwork for a modern Oregon economy that relies heavily on international trade.

Atiyeh often reminded his staff: "It's amazing how much you can get done if you don't care who takes credit for it." Nonetheless, his fellow Republicans and Democrats alike credit him as a man who helped change the face of Oregon.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/07/republican_vic_atiyeh_who_guid.html

[Thunderbeast]

1. At one time, Oregon actually had reasonable Republicans

As a lifetime Oregon Democrat, I have come to remember fondly the names of Oregon's rational Republican leaders. Vic Atiyeh, along with Tom McCall, Mark Hatfield, Bob Packwood, Norma Paulus and Gordon Smith represented conservative ideas that were focused on making lives better in this state. They were not ideologues. They were practical leaders; Not mean-spirited hacks. They had different ideas about how to improve peoples' lives, but their motives were not crass and evil.

These folks crossed party lines many times to advance policies addressing poverty, education, land use, the environment,and prosperity. I wish the party in Oregon and the country had leaders today like Mr. Atiyeh.

The current GOP chairman in Oregon, Art Robinson, is a rabid climate change denier that proposed (as a scientist) that nuclear waste could safely be distributed into the atmosphere by airplanes, and would provide health benefits to all of us on the ground.

WOW!

[alp227]

2. Yup. I've heard a bunch about this Art Robinson guy. He's your stereotypical Mad Scientist.

The Robinson farm is home to the Robinson Curriculum, a home-schooling package Art Robinson sells because the “social and religious environment in most schools in America has deteriorated to a level of evil such that it is a threat to the spiritual, moral and mental health of each child who is forced to participate in it.”

The farm is also home to 10,000 Geiger counters, according to Matthew’s brother Josh in a student profile on the OSU website. Art Robinson worked in civil defense in the 1980s, according to Matthew, and he was contacted about the counters after a radiological monitoring program ended during the Clinton administration. Fire departments and police departments around Oregon had monitors that were headed to the dump, but according to Robinson, his father was asked if he wanted them instead and he accepted. They’re now still in storage in one of the farm buildings.

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/article/robinson-younger-congress

[classof56]

6. For the life of me, I can't figure why some reasonable OR Republicans do not loudly denounce Art.

His recent solicitation of urine samples, sent as I take it to all Oregonians with mailing addresses (I got one) is an example of his shall we say off-center mindset. The deal is, send him your urine sample, he'll know what's wrong with you (physical conditions) and will be able to cure you. I hear a few farm animals and pets have contributed to the cause. Not sure what Art's response has been, but one can only imagine given he advocates spreading radioactive material all over the US.

Peter DeFazio 2014.

[davidpdx]

3. The three Oregon Governors who are still living are all in their 70's and all Ds,

plus Kitzhaber himself is 67. He'd be near 72 by the time he finishes his forth term.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
Neil Goldschmidt 1987–1991 June 16, 1940 (age 74)
Barbara Roberts 1991–1995 December 21, 1936 (age 77)
Ted Kulongoski 2003–2011 November 5, 1940 (age 73)

[shenmue]

4. The decent moderate: a vanishing species

Rest in peace.

[classof56]

5. I worked for two state agencies during Governor Atiyeh's administration.

As a "flaming liberal" I didn't always agree with his politics, but found him to be fairminded, willing to discuss and negotiate as he navigated through some tough economic times for our state. I came to admire and respect him, and had a couple of chances to interact with him following his governorship, which I truly enjoyed. He and Republican governors Tom McCall and Mark Hatfield are greatly missed and will not soon be replaced. They cared about Oregon and her future, qualities sadly missing in today's Republican party. I salute Governor Atiyeh and all he accomplished in his lifetime. His legacy will, I pray, continue.