Greetings Daily Kos! This past weekend I had a chance to meet with many of you in Austin, Texas at Netroots Nation. It was my first time at the convention and I’m sure glad I went. I believe that the netroots is a crucial component in electing progressive Democrats and changing Washington.

Greetings Daily Kos,

Last Friday, the House of Representatives passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. It was the wrong move and I urge Congress and the President to reverse course.

For months now, our country has been mired in a financial crisis. Millions of Americans are stuck in massive debt, unable to make ends meet. Increased defaults on this higher level of debt are contributing to a huge strain on our economy.

One of the most effective ways we can ease this economic crisis is a crackown on payday loan sharks across the country.  This would include a national cap on interest rates and tough new restrictions on loans that are sold on the internet.

As Speaker of the Oregon House, I fought the lobbyists for the predatory lending industry by passing a 36% interest rate cap on consumer loans regulated in Oregon. We also passed a new law placing strict limits on check cashing fees. The coalition we built brought together legislators from all over Oregon who pushed back against these special interests and demand better for our state.

My name is Jeff Merkley and I’m running for the U.S. Senate for Oregon.

I’m very happy to have this opportunity to get to know the community here at Daily Kos.  I’m a reader of blogs, especially those that focus on Oregon...  I’ve read other’s diaries here but like many I don’t comment.  My netroots outreach coordinator, Carla Axtman, has also been around Kos for awhile. She was one of the many bloggers at Yearly Kos last year, learning about how to become a more effective activist.  

This is my first Kos diary and I’m looking forward to finding out more about how we can work together.  This diary today is the first of what I hope will be many visits to this site.  I plan to keep stopping by to let you know what’s going on with our U.S. Senate campaign here in Oregon.

But for today, I’d like to introduce myself to you.