But they are not going to take on Big Oil because Big Oil is very generous at campaign time, and this is all about the elections. They want to pretend that they are doing something meaningful.

But this time around the idea is getting a boost of momentum from the popularity of a similar measure in Europe as well as renewed national media focus on Wall Street profiteering as a result of the 99 Percent Movement. In 2000 he voted no on legislation to create a national missile defense network describing the system as a "comic book fantasy. Earlier he reportedly considered and re-considered running against Smith for the 2008 Senate election.

A native of Massachusetts and a veteran of the United States Air Force he previously served as a county commissioner in Lane County Oregon. The district includes Eugene Springfield Roseburg and part of Corvallis. S.