Free At Last!

Time for a bit of closure around my experience on LeftyBlogs Oregon. Coming from a place of caring about the civil and human rights of people with developmental disabilities, I thought that joining in with a blog that deals with those issues would be welcomed. It's not something generally written about. There are probably more blogs on stamp collecting.

I was wrong about that and a few other things. Believing that people who call themselves "progressive" share those beliefs is one thing I was wrong about. I found that although many times I would have 30 or 40 clicks on a post about disability related issues, there was rarely a comment from these "lefties". They just didn't see fit to weigh in. I don't know why. Maybe they believe that "leaving the whole disability thing to the experts" is good enough.

Occasionally, I'd write about this silence phenomena, thinking it might wake someone up, but it didn't. I simply said to myself, "Fuck it. At least they're reading stuff that might educate them". So I kept putting posts out there anyway.

On March 21st that all changed. As I scrolled along LeftyBlogs Oregon, I came upon a post titled "Retards Are Mad", and clicked on it out of curiosity. The langugage used to describe this writers view of people with developmental disabilities was cruel hate speech. Rather than dignifying the post with a comment on their blog, I posted about it on mine. Between the 2 posts there were at least 60 clicks from readers of LeftyBlogs without a single comment. At that point I figured these folks don't give a damn about folks with developmental disabilities, and on March 25th began my struggle for release.

Since then I've been in email contact with Kari Chisolm, the guy who set up the LeftyBlogs system. Today he wrote me with an excuse about how no one is responsible for what gets posted, and that I shouldn't be angry with the people who read and write LeftyBlogs. Though he agrees the "Retards" post was "offensive"and my "reaction to Vorpal's obnoxious post is quite reasonable.", has he done anything beyond reassuring me? What about HIS reaction? What about the clicks? Somebody was reading these posts.

Now, I'm off LeftyBlogs Oregon. There's still plenty of folks who read what I write, including a handfull who actually care.

So Much More Than A Comment

When I was struggling to have my blog removed from Leftyblogs.com, I decided to go after Kari Chisolm, one of the administrators of the site. I began referring to him as “Porky Pig”, leader of the cult of Leftyblogs.

This morning a comment came to me from none other than Hart Williams, the tough guy who refused to meet me for an ass whooping. He’s also the guy who wrote all the hate speech directed at people with developmental disabilities on his blog “His Vorpal Sword”. I’ve pasted and bolded what he wrote, following that with my own thoughts.

Hart Williams has left a new comment on your post "Leftyblogs Is A Cult... I'm Serious!":

Let me see if I get this straight:

You're willing to ream anyone who doesn't use politically correct terms for the disabled, but it's OK for YOU to call Kari Chisholm "Porky"?

Politically correct?

Writing about people with Down’s Syndrome...”Because, as we all know, Down’s Syndrome children and other retards are very sensitive about being retarded, and don’t like people pointing out that they’ve stuck three fingers up their nose, or that they’re eating their own poop.”

Writing about other people with developmental disabilities...“Spastics and retards (or, as is preferred, Spazzo-Americans)” “fake-offended smear merchants ever-ready to take up the cause of the spastic, the drooler, the imbecile and yes, the retard.” “virtually no spastics or retards have actually been offended, only people taking offense ON THEIR BEHALF.” “I mean, there is nothing graceless, herky-jerky, or just plain fucking pathetic about the way that some retards try to do the simplest things, like putting on their shirts, or trying to put on and tie their shoes.”

These ^words vs. “Porky.”

Specifically to slur and disparage him?

Horrible, aint I? Oh yeah...I haven’t heard 1 word from Kari saying he was offended. Could Hart be one of those folks “taking offense ON THEIR BEHALF.” I think Kari’s a big boy, able to defend himself with his word processer. Unlike most people with developmental disabilities.

What's the word for that? Hold on, it'll come to me.

Oh yeah: hypocrite.

If trying to distance myself from this kind of wing nut at any cost is hypocritical, I guess he’s right.

I'm beginning to think that your whole "advocacy for the disabled" is just an excuse for you to act like an asshole.

First of all people with disabilities don’t like to be referred as “the disabled”. And if I’m an asshole for trying to cause change in the world by protecting their civil and human rights, so be it.

From the evidence, you don't care about anybody's feelings but your own.

Boo Hoo.

I do want to thank Hart for once again reminding me that it was critical to not have my blog linked to Leftyblogs or their Capitalist partners.

Unless Kari's Lying...

Another interesting weekend in the blogosphere. After still having my posts show up on Leftyblogs (following my March 25th post about not wanting to be associated with them), I finally contacted Kari Chisolm personally on Saturday, telling him to cut me loose. As you'll see below, this post should not show up on Leftyblogs unless Kari's lying. I also heard from Hart Williams, author of the hate speech directed at people with developmental disabilities. I'll blog about that later.

dawgoregon@aol.com wrote:
> > first: David
> > last: McDonald
> > comments: I really don't want to fight (but will) with you.
> Remove me from Leftyblogs.
> > David


In a message dated 4/5/2009 12:07:17 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> kari writes:
>
>
> David --
>
> I'm not sure what you think we have to fight about. Just visited
> your site and found a whole lot of angry comments about LeftyBlogs. I
> wasn't able to figure out what originally made you upset - but this
> email, which was sent yesterday morning, is the first I've heard of
> any concerns. (Sorry, I've been offline for about 48 hours.)
>
> On the one hand, you say you want to be removed from LeftyBlogs. On
> the other, it looks like you want your posts up. (For the record, I
> don't personally review every post before it goes up. LeftyBlogs
> aggregates some 3000-4000 posts a day. I certainly don't have time
> for that much reading.)
>
> So, if you'd like to be removed from the LeftyBlogs.com feed, I will
> do that. Please note that LeftyBlogs runs the "Oregon BlogWire" which
> is how your posts get linked automatically on BlueOregon's sidebar (as
> well as several other blogs.)
>
> Let me know. Thanks.
>
> -kari.


> Kari Chisholm
> President
> Mandate Media
> Portland, Oregon
>
>
> DAWGOregon@aol.com wrote:
> please remove me


Subject: Re: Cease and Desist
Date: 4/6/2009 1:34:57 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: karic
Reply To:
To: DAWGOregon@aol.com


OK, I've removed your feed. It should disappear during the next
update - over the next few hours.

-kari.

Told You Leftyblogs Is A Cult

Ahah! Now Leftyblogs is trying to conceal the fact that they are a cult! They still haven't posted my post from 12:40 yesterday afternoon where I pointed this out. Funny how they were able to post "Leftyblogs Still Sucks" less than 1/2 hour after I posted it on my blog earlier in the day. Porky really has egg (among other unidentifiable foods)on his face now.

Maybe it's because I also posted about 2 kids with disabilities who were mistreated in foster care in Oregon yesterday afternoon at 4:00 (less than an hour after the Oregonian printed it); probably scooping Blue Oregon's post about the same topic later in the day. Talk about CONTROLING the internet. So whatcha gonna do Porky, set me free or allow me to continue humiliating you in front of your followers?

Leftyblogs Doesn't Care About This Either

The good people at Leftyblogs Oregon could care less about situations like this. They are too busy reading what their cult leader is saying on Blue Oregon. At least these kids got out of our state to somewhere they'll get the love and support they need.

Gresham foster kids abused despite DHS checks
by Aimee Green, The Oregonian
Saturday April 04, 2009, 3:20 PM

The Oregon Department of Human Services has agreed to pay $2 million into a fund for the future care of twins who were allegedly abused by their foster parents -- the largest such settlement in the agency's history.

According to the civil rights suit filed in December 2007 in U.S. District Court, Kaylie and Jordan Collins were kept in makeshift cages -- cribs covered with chicken wire secured by duct tape -- in a darkened bedroom known as "the dungeon."

The brother and sister often went without food, water or human touch, according to the suit. The boy, who had a shunt put into his head at birth to drain fluid, didn't receive medical attention and resorted to hitting his head against his crib to relieve the pressure. When police and child welfare workers rescued the twins from the Gresham foster home, he was nearly comatose.

Portland attorney David Paul said although the twins were born underweight and had medical problems, the neglect they endured under foster care was so severe they will need care for the rest of their lives.

Jordan, now 6 1/2, has brain damage. He still wears a diaper and can't talk. Kaylie can say 25 to 50 words. Both suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and are in the bottom 1 percent developmentally of children their age.

The twins are among the approximately 100 Oregon foster children who are abused or neglected each year while under the supervision of the state, according to DHS.

But few suits are filed against DHS because the obvious plaintiffs -- the injured or dead children's parents -- are often out of the picture.

"I don't think many of these kids have a champion," said Greg Kafoury, a prominent civil attorney in Portland. "There's no one to bring a case. There's no one who's sophisticated on their side."

Kafoury said that without the threat of legal action, the state agency has little incentive to change.

Oregon law limited the state's liability to $200,000 until 2007, when the Oregon Supreme Court threw out the cap for defendants who've been injured.

Paul filed suit in federal court on behalf of the twins' adoptive mother, seeking $12.8 million. Paul said the twins, who were born prematurely in August 2002, arrived at the foster home of Gail and Marvin Thompson after spending weeks in the hospital. They stayed about three years.

The Thompsons, both in their 60s, had successfully fostered scores of children, the state says. Since March 2004, state policy has required caseworkers to have face-to-face contact with children at least once a month, but Paul said they often skipped visits, sometimes phoning instead.

Paul said that, according to police reports, the floor of the children's room was covered in garbage and their sheets were saturated in dried excrement and urine. The windows of the room were blacked out.

One caseworker noted that while visiting the home, the children were brought into a common room, where they squinted at the daylight. State workers also didn't check to make sure the Thompsons were regularly taking Jordan to the neurologist, according to Paul.

Meanwhile, the Thompsons were taking in as much as $90,000 a year tax-free for caring for up to six children at a time, Paul said.

Foster care

• Authorities investigated more than 100 reports of abuse of children in state-sponsored foster care in 2008. That was down slightly from 2007. Nearly 14,000 children went through the system last year.

• In 2004, Gov. Ted Kulongoski ordered DHS to issue a public report explaining what went wrong whenever a child dies or is seriously injured either under state supervision or after abuse was reported. DHS has issued 16 such reports, but not one for Kaylie and Jordan Collins.

• Oregon had 4,893 foster homes in 2007, down from 5,309 in 2006. The state struggles to find new foster parents.

• The child welfare division of DHS is understaffed by 19 percent and faces more cuts. The state would need to add 407 employees to adequately take care of the current caseload, according to a state analysis.
"They just started warehousing children in a dungeon of sorts, and the state just didn't follow up to see how the children were doing because these parents had been a very good resource for years," Paul said.

The neglect came to light after a Thanksgiving dinner in 2005 at the Thompsons' house. Three guests -- including at least two relatives -- were concerned enough to report the Thompsons to authorities.

Police investigated, but the Multnomah County district attorney's office decided not to prosecute. Prosecutors said child-privacy laws prevent them from explaining why.

Marvin Thompson, reached by phone, said the allegations laid out in the lawsuit are almost entirely false. He said he and his wife brought the children to all their doctor's appointments and fed them.

He said he and his wife didn't keep the children in a darkened room, but it's true they'd covered the cribs in a mesh -- not chicken wire. He said the mesh was for the children's safety, to keep them from crawling out and getting into trouble.

"We're not bad people," Thompson said. "We didn't mistreat these kids."

But DHS said the Thompsons deceived child welfare workers.

"The family went to elaborate lengths to hide the abuse, including having a fake nursery on display to deceive visitors and DHS caseworkers," said Patty Wentz, a department spokeswoman.

The state is not admitting any wrongdoing. The caseworkers for the twins, Elisa Deserano and Tammy Stanfill, still work for the agency. Wentz said she could not comment on any disciplinary action. Lynn Jenkins, who monitored living conditions, no longer works for DHS.

Wentz said caseworkers saw the children 39 times during their three-year stay, but it is not clear how many of those visits were in the home and not at a state office. The state lacks documentation showing how many times a worker in charge of monitoring living conditions visited the house.

But Wentz said in light of what happened to the Collins twins and other cases of children who were abused and neglected under the state's watch, her department has created new policies and clarified existing ones. For example, caseworkers are required to visit homes every two months and see children face to face at least once a month. Workers in charge of monitoring living conditions are required to walk through "each and every" room in a foster home twice a year.

If the settlement is approved by a judge, as is expected, Paul's law firm will collect 33 percent of the $2 million for its two years of work on the case. Of the remaining money, $500,000 will be immediately available for Kaylie and Jordan's benefit -- and that could include more speech therapy, swimming lessons and time spent with horses. Paul said the twins are responding well to interactions with the animals.

The rest of the money will go into a fund that is expected to grow to $4 million over the children's lifetimes. Paul said that will be enough to care for them if they outlive their adoptive parents.

Paul said the twins are thriving in their new lives, on a farmhouse and land in Michigan.

"They have this wonderful adoptive family," he said. "They go to school. They go to church. They are loved."

Leftyblogs Is A Cult... I'm Serious!

Leftyblogs Oregon has all the telltale signs that they are a bonifide cult! I kid you not. This morning I got an Anonymous comment from yesterday's "Leftyblogs Sucks" post. The person claimed to be a woman who wrote "Good. I'm tired of being insulted whenever I happen to click on one of your posts on a link from BlueOregon. I'm not a contributor, not a big commenter, just a regular person who likes to read news/commentary and generally keeps her opinions to herself."

It's like "You call out one of us (Porky and Torrid Joe in this case), you call out all of us." Defending the cult to the end. And like many victims of cults, she also must like to be insulted if she keeps clicking on the link to DAWG Oregon. L. Ron Porky has obviously succeeded in controling this woman's mind. You'd think she'd contact the leader himself, to tell him to get rid of me.

Speaking of contacting the leader... I wrote to Porky this morning telling him I don't want to fight with him, but I will until he removes me from his Capitalist cult. I see he hasn't. But like all cults, once you get in, they never want to let you out.

Leftyblogs Continues to Suck

I’m wondering if Porky Pig’s other blog was financed by Karl Rove and the Republican Party. They seem to have a lot in common, and may have actually been separated at birth. I mean, think about it... Karl Rove is an operative for the Republicans, while Porky spends his time schilling for the Democrats. They are both Capitalists, and Leftyblogs continues to suck.

Leftyblogs Sucks

Ok, so I told the administrators of Leftyblogs to stop including posts from my blog on their own Capitalist blog, and they didn’t listen. I know they read posts because Torrid Joe commented on my blog on 3/22/09 regarding my post titled “Lefty Blogs Strikes Again” from the previous day. What is their problem?

Do they plan to keep putting my posts up? Even if I type “Kari Chisolm is a reincarnation of Porky Pig”? Even if I say “Torrid Joe doesn’t know the difference between a basketball blog and a political blog”? What about if I write “The people who read posts from Leftyblogs are as progressive as the republicans they complain about”. I don’t know.

I guess until they cut me loose, I’ll just write about how stupid they are.

News That Matters

When I found this story from the Oregonian, it was accompanied by several comments about clowns. After reading it, I'm sure you'll understand why...

Legislature's silliest bills up for debate
by Michelle Cole, The Oregonian
SALEM --First, there is an idea. Lawyers draft it into a bill, and that comes before the Oregon House or Senate.
And then, the reaction:
Huh? They want to do what?
Sometimes, even a bill's sponsor will admit it's silly. This year's example: A proposed sales tax on personal submarines.
And sometimes what sounds wacky at first may make sense.
So let's review some silly and maybe-not-so-silly bills introduced in the 2009 Legislature:

Taxes that tickle

An informal survey of Republicans and Democrats in Salem finds agreement on at least one thing: The proposed bird seed tax may be the dumbest-sounding idea floated this year.
House Bill 3303 would levy a 10 percent excise tax on wholesalers of wild bird seed, including millet, milo, sunflower and thistle seeds.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Chris Garrett, D-Lake Oswego, says his critics shouldn't get their feathers in a ruffle.
"I knew when I introduced it that it was going to get some giggles," Garrett said. "If people would get over their hang-ups, it's good policy."
The estimated $4.8 million raised by the tax would pay for habitat protection, Garrett says.
What's more, Oregon could secure another $4.8 million in matching grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Then there's the submarine tax, which Rep. Chip Shields, D-Portland, isn't even trying to defend.
To be fair, House Bill 3146 slaps a "luxury tax" not only on personal submarines, but also on airplanes, cosmetic surgery, fur coats and other items.
"It's a stupid bill," Shields admits, adding that he signed onto the idea in 2005.
Still, Shields says he brought it back to make a point: People want the wealthy to pay their share.

Gotta-go bill

Senate Bill 277 passed the Senate unanimously last week without even a snicker -- or potty joke.
You've seen the signs: "No public restrooms." Well, this bill would require places such as stores and businesses to allow customers with certain medical conditions to use employee toilets "without further delay."
Don't worry about cheaters. A doctor's letter or identification card would be required.

Stating the obvious

Every session, a few bills raise the question: Why does Oregon need to legislate this?
This year, at least two bills fit the description.
Senate Bill 200 establishes a state policy regarding homelessness. It passed the Senate on Monday on a unanimous vote.
The state is broke, so there's no money attached to the bill.
But there is strong language: "Homelessness is a detriment to individuals, families and communities." And the bill directs state and local agencies to work together on homeless issues.
Anna Richter Taylor, communications director for Gov. Ted Kulongoski, said the bill is really a commitment to tackle the problem.
"It brings together local, state and nonprofit organizations to have one coordinated effort," she says.
Senate Bill 193 directs the state Water Resources Department "to develop state water strategy."
Really? Isn't that what the department already does?
Nope. The department's Web site says Oregon is one of only two Western states without a water supply strategy.

Bye bye Fryers
House Bill 2630 would abolish the Oregon Fryer Commission. But don't worry, there will still be an Oregon Tall Fescue Commission, an Oregon Fine Fescue Commission and a list of others.
What's up with the fryers?
It's a sign of a changing Oregon, says Mike Dewey, Fryer Commission lobbyist.
The commission was written into law 50 years ago so growers could tax themselves to promote consumption of chicken, he says.
But now most Oregon growers raise chickens for one of two processors: Draper Valley Farms and Foster Farms. There's no need for marketing money when you have Foster Farms airing national -- and cute -- ad campaigns.
Plus, Dewey says, "chicken to a certain degree sells itself."
Dewey and his partners are serious about the bill but not lacking humor. As part of a food bank fundraiser, they've promised to testify before a Senate committee wearing chicken suits.
Just call it cluck for a buck.

Speaking of cluck

Some bills just sound silly. The title of Senate Bill 622, which passed the Senate on Thursday, describes the legislation as "relating to geese."
Actually, it relates to getting rid of them. It would create a nine-member task force charged with figuring out how to get rid of what Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, described as an "explosive rise in the goose population."
A few senators said Oregon doesn't need a task force.
"We already know what we need to do," said Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg. "We need to kill a few of the critters."

The crab lobby

A bill to name the marionberry Oregon's official state berry was squashed by another berry lobby. So who would be brave enough to ask lawmakers to designate the Dungeness crab as the official state crustacean?
That would be Stephanie Buzbee's fourth-grade class at Sunset Primary School in West Linn.
The kids have heard about the berry brouhaha, Buzbee says. But they're pushing ahead with their class project: House Joint Resolution 37.
While studying the states, Buzbee says students learned other states have official crustaceans. Louisiana has the crawfish, Maryland the blue crab.
The class decided nothing says Oregon more than the Dungeness crab, and they persuaded Rep. Scott Bruun, R-West Linn, to introduce a bill.
Four students are coming to Salem next week to testify. Others are working on posters and supporting materials.
Bruun says he has the crabbers lined up and he is hopeful the bill will pass.
"Despite the fact that it's a fun bill and a school project, there is some economic value," he says.
The students are also preparing what they'll say if a competing crustacean surfaces.
"They're going into it with the knowledge that it's not a done deal," Buzbee says.

Coming this Saturday April 4th

Here's a great opportunity to be visible and powerful in the face of continued war.

Out of Iraq, Out of Afghanistan

We want CHANGE, not WAR!



On April 4, 1967, one year to the day before his death, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech at Riverside Church in New York City, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence." "...I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today--my own government. For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent."

On Saturday, April 4th, 2009, the PDX Peace Coalition will present Change ≠ War, a public reading of Dr. King's speech in downtown Portland. We will gather to demand an immediate end to the war in Iraq, and join with brothers and sisters worldwide to call for the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan. And we will give voice to the civilians of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine as well as the US soldiers that are speaking out in resistance; the voices that have been crushed and silenced by our country's violence and occupation.

President Obama's new plan for Afghanistan is expected this Friday, it is up to the peace movement to demand change, real change, not more war and occupation. Join us at any of the following activities on April 4th to help us "speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy."


Change ≠ War
Saturday, April 4th

11:00 am Teach-in: Ending Occupation from Iraq to Afghanistan to Palestine
Cramer Hall, Portland State University

2:00 pm March: Out of Iraq, Out of Afghanistan
Money for People, Not for War
South Park Blocks, SW Park & SW Salmon

3:00 pm Public Reading: Dr. Martin Luther King's “Beyond Vietnam” ... 42 years later, an inspiration for today's peace movement.
Skidmore Fountain, SW 1st & SW Ankeny


Volunteer to help with the planning or to help on April 4th, email our Volunteer Coordinator.

Spread the word: Facebook the event, get posters, flyers and stickers to spread all over town.

Donate to make this event possible. You can contribute securely via paypal on our website.

The recent election and inauguration positively inspired huge numbers of people. Unfortunately, though, President Obama plans to send more troops to Afghanistan, and increase the military budget even further: more money, more troops, more death and destruction. Grassroots activists are called to offer an alternative vision that will alter this bloody course of action and create a climate for real change. Let’s show the world that Portland is up to the task.

Here's a Little Good News

See...it's not all doom and gloom in Oregon. We're getting some new blood into the old system...


State Leaders and Long Term Care Advocates
Will Announce 300 New Health Care Jobs
Through Use of Federal Stimulus Dollars

Legislative leaders and long-term care providers for elderly and disabled Oregonians will hold a news conference Friday at 1 p.m. in the Capitol Press Room to announce positive news among the doldrums of the economic downturn: how federal stimulus dollars and state dollars will help fund nearly 300 new certified nursing assistants positions across Oregon, improving resident care and safety at the state’s nursing facilities.

Funding for increased staffing at long term care facilities was first approved by the Oregon legislature in 2007 from recommendations from Governor Kulongoski’s 2006 Nursing Facility Staffing Commission, which found that patient safety was at risk due to low staffing levels. However, severe budget pressure from the current revenue shortfalls jeopardized the second phase, scheduled to kick in Wednesday (4/1/2009).

Through the use of increased federal dollars into the Oregon Medicaid program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act these critical new positions are now affordable – and will add 300 positions at a time when the state unemployment rate is increasing rapidly. The positions are funded through increased payments through Medicaid to the nursing facilities based on the number of patients. That increased match made it possible for Ways and Means Co-Chairs Peter Buckley and Margaret Carter to protect the new positions in the 07-09 rebalance.

Expected to attend the Friday news conference are Senate President Peter Courtney, House Speaker Dave Hunt, Dr. Bruce Goldberg (director of the Department of Human Services), representatives of AARP, SEIU and the Oregon Health Care Association.

Information will also be provided on how Oregonians can apply for the certified nursing assistant jobs created under the program.

Goodbye Leftyblogs

There was a time in the not-so-distant past where the term “lefty” stood for left wing politics. The values associated with being a left winged person included justice, equality for all, and caring about/for “the People”. I must have not been paying attention when that changed.

Now the term “lefty” seems to be more about I “left” those values behind, in favor of getting along, not making waves, and abandoning “the people”. It’s capitalism in its purest form. Looking out for number 1.

Last week a post showed up on Leftyblogs titled “The Retards are Mad”. I found the title to be upsetting, but was blown away when I read the content. Bigotry at its worst. There were at least 26 clicks from readers of Leftyblogs on this post, and an additional 25 clicks on my response to it. These are clicks not comments. It’s as if the readers/writers of Leftyblogs see nothing to comment on about hate speech. Those who did comment are not associated with Leftyblogs.

So... I can’t pretend the lack of caring about bigotry and hate doesn’t bother me. Nor can I pretend that I feel anything close to kindred with the people involved with Leftyblogs. Therefor, I’m asking that the administration of Leftyblogs not post anymore from my blog. I am removing the link I have to Leftyblogs from my blog, and wish to sever any connection I have with Leftyblogs from here on.

Something We ALL Should Do

There's an effort under way to eradicate the "R" word from the American vocabulary. Some would see this as a free speech issue, while supporting the idea of removing the "N" word in the same way. That's not only hypocritical, but also discriminatory. Here's the announcement from Jeff at Big Dawg Tales...

Spread the Word to End the Word!

It is time to “Spread the Word to End the Word” and on 31 March 2009 Special Olympics is calling for a national day of awareness for America to stop and think about their use of the R-word. That R-word is not “recession,” but something more hurtful and painful – “retard.”

Wear the Spread the Word T-shirt and show your support! Click on the logo above to order yours today.

Most people don’t think of this word as hate speech, but that’s exactly what it feels like to millions of people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends. This word is just as cruel and offensive as any other slur.

Spread the Word to End the Word will raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the R-word and encourage people to pledge to stop using it. America will be asked to declare their support for more respectful and inclusive language, specifically that referring to those with intellectual disabilities.

Created by young people with and without intellectual disabilities, Spread the Word to End the Word is one element of Special Olympics’ vision of a world where everyone matters, where everyone is accepted and, most importantly, where everyone is valued. Leading the way in promoting acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics opposes prejudice and discrimination, continuously working to dispel the negative stereotypes associated with this population — the use of the R-word being one such stereotype. In a world that has worked to eliminate pejorative racial and ethnic language such as the “N word,” among others, the R-word is gaining popularity.

On 31 March, young people across the country will lead local efforts to raise awareness and collect pledges on www.r-word.org from peers and the community to vow not to use the R-word. Actor and activist John C. McGinley, of the hit show “Scrubs,” is helping with this effort by making national media appearances on behalf of the campaign. On 2 March 2009, he appeared on "The Bonnie Hunt Show."

Send us your plans to Spread the Word at r-word@specialolympics.org. After 31 March, let us know how your Spread the Word event went. Send a report, photos and videos to r-word@specialolympics.org.

W T F Seaside?

Right in our own back yard... Seaside, Oregon to be exact; people are attacked for being different. Of course, it all starts with language. From KPTV...

SEASIDE, Ore. -- Police said two men were beaten unconscious Sunday morning because they are gay, and the people who assaulted them haven't been found yet.

Investigators said the victims, who are from Washington state, were on the beach near downtown Seaside at about 3 a.m. when three or four men attacked them. Investigators said the beatings are hate crimes.

The Seaside police chief said he has put two full-time detectives on the case and they are trying to find any witnesses who were on the beach Sunday morning and may have seen who was responsible for severely beating the two men.

"It's a small town. Only time it gets crazy is when there's a lot of tourists and people in town," said Evan White, who works in Seaside.

Investigators said around 3 a.m. the victims were sitting next to a beach fire with three or four other people, and when the two men got up to walk to the ocean, they were attacked and beaten unconscious because they are gay. Investigators said when the victims woke up they helped each other to a nearby hotel where they called for help and were taken to a local hospital.

Mica Macdonald works at a Seaside hotel and said Seaside is not a dangerous place, but he said it's a bad idea to stay on beach after dark unless you're in a big group.

"It's a great place to hang out, but not a great place to hang out at night I don't think," Macdonald said.

There were several people who were sitting next to the fire in front of the Best Western Hotel at the time of the attack and police would like to talk to them.

Anyone with information in the case should contact Seaside police.

More Harm Than Help?

Update 3/24/09: I just learned that the state of Virginia pulled off this kidnapping without our DHS knowing until after the fact.

Sometimes I wonder if the state causes disability. I'm talking about it's part in the following story from the KATU website...

BEAVERTON, Ore. - A Beaverton family calls it a "DHS horror story.”

A brother and sister, under order of the Department of Human Services, were taken by force away from their older sister's home and a school and sent back to the parents who had abused them for years. Now, there's a growing local effort to bring them back.

Web sites related to the case accuse DHS officials in Virginia of wrongfully taking the children away from Stephanie Johnston, 24, who was acting as the children’s sole parent in Oregon. Johnston isn't just the parent to 9-year-old Tavvi and 12-year-old Conner, she's also their big sister. Johnston has cared for the children after they moved from Virginia to Oregon to escape abuse at the hands of their parents, who reportedly had drug habits.

Letter after letter posted on one Web site, from parents and local teachers, pleads for the kids’ return to Beaverton.
"We're angry, we're angry, we're enraged,” Johnston said, “but we're also terrified, we’re scared, and we're also sick to our stomachs." She remembers Tavvi coming to live with her two years ago. She says she was terrified and traumatized. “When she came [to Oregon], she didn't communicate, she didn’t make eye contact, maybe two weeks without talking," Johnston recalls.

Parents KATU News talked to at Peninsula Park in North Portland say they saw Tavvi and Conner recover and thrive under Johnston's care. “She knew how to help them heal from all of their trauma,” one woman said. “She lived her life for her family for her brothers and sisters,” another added.

It all ended last week when DHS workers and armed police officers entered Tavvi's fourth grade classroom at the Cooper Mountain school and grabbed her without warning. “It will take her years to get over that abuse,” one woman said. “That was pure abuse, an adult abused her once again. Johnston described the scene at the school: “It was with extreme force and resistance with her kicking and screaming.” Tavvi had to leave everything behind, including what she treasured most, her pet rats.

DHS also took Conner, Johnston claims, without letting him take a single belonging, not even his shoes.

Johnston said she would have worked with DHS if they had wanted to make a gradual transition by helping the kids adjust to a new home in Virginia.

Now, she worries, especially about the little girl who was once too afraid to talk.
“I cannot imagine what my little girl is going through, trying to fall asleep at night, and trying to get up and have breakfast, just those simple things, without her family," Johnston said. Johnston tells us she has called and emailed DHS in Virginia and received no response.

Messages KATU News left with DHS offices in both Oregon and Virginia were not returned.

Toxic Hate

As I suspected, my challenge of the hate monger will go unanswered. Generally, people filled with hate are unable to back up their words with action until the hate causes them to lose their mind altogether. At that point they will usually explode in a violent act toward those they hate.

What makes Hart Williams such a hateful person? He obviously hates Republicans, or anyone who sees things differently. He obviously hates people with developmental disabilities, as demonstrated by yesterday’s post. What have these groups of people done to him personally, that would cause him to spew such ugliness. Does he believe they are somehow responsible for his failed political career? Or his failed writing career? In the way he describes both of these groups, you’d think they were also responsible for the obvious pain he’s experiencing.

I guess when you are as full of yourself as he is, and you feel the sting of your own impotence in the world, lashing out at a group of people can be expected. I do think he’d better leave people with developmental disabilities out of his hateful sights from now on. Otherwise, I might have to take a trip to Eugene.

Leftyblogs Strikes Again

I see. A hate monger can get his posts on Leftyblogs within 4 hours of writing them, but someone defending those being hated can't get their posts on within 7 (almost 8)hours within posting them on his blog. Must be another technology glitch. Good job Leftyblogs. Keep sticking up for the less fortunate.

Gonna Need More Than a Vorpal Sword

There's a dude on Oregon leftyblogs who is a prime example of what I would call a misplaced piece of geneology. He posted today about people with developmental disabilities, calling them names like "retard", "drooler", and "spases". I'm certain he wouldn't use derogatory terms about black folks or hispanics or probably gay people, but he's bad enough to call these folks (who he suspects don't blog)such names.

Now, he has a right to be a jerk, as long as he's willing to pay the price. Here is my challenge to the punk who's post is titled "Retards Are Mad". You sure do shoot off your mouth pretty well for such a jerk. How 'bout you and me getting together tomorrow to see whatcha got?

Ire On Fire

By the time 1981 rolled around, I’d already lived in London for a year. I had seen what was going on in Northern Ireland through the lens of the British Press. Though I was only 25 years old, and not at all political, I was disturbed by what I’d read and saw on TV, compared to what I’d heard from people on the ground.

Back in New York, I heard that another hunger strike was about to begin in the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland. I also heard that a man 2 years my elder was leading the hunger strike. His name was Bobby Sands.

I felt like Bobby Sands was my brother. Maybe it was because we shared a favorite verse from the Bible (No greater love has a man, than he would lay down his life for his friends). Maybe it was his shear devotion to a cause. I don’t know. But I felt like we were related, if not genetically, then spiritually. In fact when I heard about the fast unto death, I thought about joining, but was too afraid of dying.

Bobby finally died after not eating for 66 days. I cried when I heard about it.

This morning I saw the movie “Hunger”, which relived the months and weeks before the hunger strike as well as the strike itself. It was hard to watch, as it brought back some painful memories that have dissipated over the 28 years since it all went down. I decided after watching the film that I NEED to write this post for me and anyone who cares about what happened in Northern Ireland back then.

Shortly after Bobby died I wrote a song called Ire On Fire, which I’ve dedicated to his memory. These are the lyrics...

I sing this song about Ireland
And about what’s going on
The country there’s on fire man
And I’m wishin’ I was wrong

It don’t take xray vision
To see the dark despair
And the only answer missin’
Is how to get England out of there

So, toora loora loora
Toora loora lay
The children cry while their fathers die
And it can’t go on this way

The winds blow cool in Ireland
Along the mossy banks
But the quiet breeze has been drowned out now
By the sound of bombs and tanks

The Irish have their troubles
And they’re still by far not resolved
But the bloody mess could be dealt with best
If the English weren’t involved

So, toora loora loora
Toora loora lay
The children cry while their fathers die
And it can’t go on this way

My bloodline flows from Ireland
Like that of Bobby Sands
And I feel that he was a brother to me
Though we’ve come from different lands

So I’ll sing this song about Ireland
And about what’s going on
From North to South by the word of mouth
I’ll sing what’s going wrong

So, toora loora loora
Toora loora lay
The children cry while their fathers die
And it can’t go on this way
Toora loora loora
Toora loora lay
The children cry while their fathers die
And it can’t go on this way
It can’t go on this way
They won’t let it go on this way

Wrong Apology Mr. President

So... our President demonstrates a "mind set" of superiority over people with developmental disabilities on Jay Leno's show last night. Fairly typical in today's intolerant society, where it's fine to say things about these folks with little or no repercussion.

I'd like to tell the Pres. that I know a man with a developmental disability who could mop up the bowling alley with him and his hurtful language. Unfortunately, this man's teeth are rotting, so he might have to take a short break during the process. But hey; the discussion's been started, so let's keep it going.

When he says "It was like the Special Olympics or something." regarding his 129 bowling score, is he disparaging Special Olympics? Of course not. He's saying that folks who participate in Special Olympics are less than the non-disabled population, and it's ok to use them as an example of such.

Is the President aware that people with developmental disabilities have some of the worst healthcare in the world? Including in the USA? Special Olympics Report. Perhaps the President should be apologizing to this community for the continued medical neglect they face.

The Report That Never Was

Yesterday morning as my wife and I prepared for our walk, we tuned into KPTV to find out what kind of weather we were facing. We were both in the bathroom brushing our teeth, but could hear the tv in the bedroom. We both heard something about a Foster mother who was advertising somewhere about her 21 year old Foster son who has Down's Syndrome being in search of a girlfriend to have sex with.

I turned quickly to the bedroom to find out more, but the chick with the chipmunk cheeks was done reporting. On our walk I decided I would do some research to find out what the story was about. I just couldn't figure out why this was news. Is the thought that developmentally disabled folks shouldn't have sex?

Later in the day I wrote a question about the story on the KPTV website. I asked where I could find the whole story, as it wasn't on their website. I never got an answer from them. Kinda like they never reported it in the first place. Hmmm....

Anonymous Comments

I'm done with publishing anonymous comments on my blog. If you don't have the courage to publish your name when commenting on a post, you're probably afraid to say what you say anyway.

Love,
David

Ruby's Bequest

Yesterday I received an interesting email from Patrick Tutwiler, one of the leaders of the National United Cerebral Palsy organization. Seems he’s been reading my blog for some time, and likes what I write about. He’s involved, along with the AARP and the Institute For The Future in the creation of a website called rubysbequest.org.

These organizations have collaboratively put together a place where stories about disability can be shared and commented on. It’s pretty cool. I shared the story of my friend’s neglect and eventual death here in Oregon. There are many other interesting stories on the website as well. Check it out.

What If...?

I’m wondering what I would do if I was making around $85,000 a year in a cushy government job, and I won the lottery for $4,000,000. I know, the question is why, if I’m already making a lot of money would I be playing the lottery in the first place? The answer is...um...I don’t know, I just do it.

First thing I’d do is split the money into 4 separate donation pots. I’d then donate 1 million to the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee for the Portland Police Department. This group means a lot to me, and my donation would go a long way in furthering their work.

Next, I’d donate a million to the Office of Investigations and Training. These people are the ones who investigate allegations of abuse and neglect toward some seriously vulnerable Oregonians. They could use the money to grow their program by hiring another staff member or expanding services.

One million would go to setting up an ombudsman program for adults with developmental disabilities. I’d want to do everything I could to eradicate all forms of medical neglect in Oregon, including denying people life saving treatment. This program would operate in concert with OIT, but would be independent of it.

Lastly, I’d donate the 4th million to the agency I’d work for. With the budget being what it is, there’s not a department in any governmental agency that couldn’t use an extra million dollars. I know I wouldn’t solve all the problems we have, but maybe if other people saw my generosity they’d want to do more themselves.

"A Huge Pain In The A**"

An anonymous human being saw fit to call me "a huge pain in the a**" in a comment on my blog this past weekend. It was in relationship to my complaint about elected officials ignoring constituents when contacted. At first, I found myself angry that a stranger, who doesn't know me, would take a pot shot at me in such a way. I responded with my own comment about their obvious lack of courage.

Then I got to thinking. I AM A PAIN IN THE ASS. As a non-neutral reporter of what I see around me, I'd be as cowardly as the anonymous commenter if I wasn't. The way I see it, the huge pains in the a** in this world have brought about more positive change than all the "nice" people who are willing to let the truth go unstated.

So, thank you, anonymous commenter! You accidentally complimented me on my blog, and in my desire to see truth and justice served. May I be a pain in the a** all the days of my life.

On Legislative Town Halls

I had been considering going to Tina Kotek and Margaret Carter's Town Hall this morning to tell them how disappointed I am that they don't reply to emails from their constituents. Then I got to thinking... they'll use an excuse around failed technology, or accidental deleting, or spam, so why bother.

Truth is I've sent Margaret Carter at least 13 emails over the course of the last 5 years, and she's NEVER replied to 1. This is my state senator! I gave up on her some time back. Tina Kotek used to get back to me, but has since given up on doing so. Why? Because she can. This is my state representative!

They'll say anything to get your vote, but when the rubber hits the road after they've gotten elected, their computers have problems.

Here's Your Arts Oregon

Ok... I think I get it now. You replace the Oregon Channel,which allows people who don't have a computer to watch what's going on in state government with the Ats Channel. The idea would be this would satisfy people who are angry that the legislature absconded with 1.8 million dollars from the Oregon Cultural Trust. Do you suppose this could possibly be the case, or is this switch purely coincidental?

Whatever the case may be, I think it sucks that the Oregon Channel is no more.

Fair Is As Fair Does

Here's an excellent view from a Socialist perspective on what's happening in Oregon RIGHT NOW. It was written by Adam Sanchez for the socialistworker.org website...


March 11, 2009


POLITICIANS ACROSS the country have begun using the argument for "shared sacrifice" to justify massive cuts in social spending. We all have been living beyond our means, the argument goes, and the only way out of the economic crisis is for everyone to tighten their belts.

Using this argument in Oregon, after the state legislature announced it would cut an additional $106 million from Oregon's education budget, on top of $61 million already cut in December, Gov. Ted Kulongoski emphasized that "everyone is going to have to share in" taking cuts.

As the Oregonian reported, these cuts "would have the effect of reducing per-student spending in Oregon, now about $10,000, by about $300. No other state has cut schools even half that much." Oregon schools are considering closing a week or two early or moving to a four-day week to meet the budget reductions.

As Patrick Emerson a professor at Oregon State University wrote, "a loss of eight school days--as was being contemplated in Portland--could be expected to lead to an almost 5 percent increase in failure rates. That means an additional one out of every 20 children would fail."

Students, parents and teachers aren't the only people being asked to sacrifice to balance Oregon's budget. Kulongoski is asking state workers to take 26 unpaid days off from work in the next two years. Other proposed cutbacks include slashing $1 million in payments to foster parents, removing nearly 50,000 low-income adults from state health care coverage, taking away $4.8 million from child care programs, and cutting $9.9 million from the budget set aside to hire lawyers for low-income defendants.

In Portland, the TriMet transit agency has announced it plans to cut a dozen of its 93 bus routes and will reduce service on others during off-peak hours. These reductions will disproportionately affect low-income workers who have no other way to get around the city. The biggest route that is on the chopping block services over 1,800 people in the largely low-income and high minority population in the northeastern quadrant.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

YET DESPITE all the talk of "shared sacrifice," there are some people in Oregon who seem to still be doing quite well. According to the Wall Street Journal:

Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Portland Trailblazers basketball team, might save hundreds of millions in taxes over the next few years, thanks to a provision in the economic stimulus legislation signed by President Obama Tuesday. The provision is aimed at helping companies who are trying to restructure their debt, by delaying taxes that would otherwise be due when debt-holders agree to forgive a portion of the debt.

Or take Merritt Paulson, son of Henry Paulson, the now infamous ex-Goldman Sachs CEO who is reportedly worth $700 million. Merritt is 80 percent owner of the Portland Timbers and the Portland Beavers, and seems poised to receive $85 million in public funds from the Portland city council to renovate PGE Park as a major league soccer stadium for the Timbers and build a new minor league baseball stadium for the Beavers.

This "public-private partnership," like the bailout father Paulson helped craft in November, simply means the public will pay as the private sector (in this case the Paulsons') profits.

In fact, ultra-rich CEOs and business owners haven't had to sacrifice much at all in Oregon, according to recent studies published by the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP). A study released on February 23, found that over 5,000 profitable corporations operating in Oregon, with over $1 million in taxable income paid no income taxes in 2006 beyond the $10 minimum! Most Oregonians would be outraged to learn that they've been paying more in income taxes than gigantic corporations.

A second study released by the OCPP on March 3 found that Oregon has the second-lowest state and local business taxes among all states in the country. According to OCPP executive director Charles Sheketoff, Oregon "could raise business taxes by $1.6 billion annually and still be in line with state and local business taxes nationwide."

What is simply mind-boggling about the budget crisis in Oregon is that we could fill the $855 million hole in the budget and have millions more to spare by simply raising state business taxes to the same level as other states. Yet beneath the veneer of "shared sacrifice," politicians across the country have made it clear that they plan to make workers and students pay for this crisis.

As Joel Geier points out in the International Socialist Review, "In 1973, GDP per person, in constant non-inflationary dollars, was $20,000 a year. By 2006, it was $38,000 a year--a more than 90 percent rise. Wages, however, in that same 33-year period, declined."

In other words, workers didn't see any benefit from the last boom, and now they are asking us to pay for the bust. The bankers, the CEOs and the politicians are the ones who have been living beyond their means. They should be the ones sacrificing to pay for the crisis they created, but that won't happen unless pressured from below. It's time workers and students organize that struggle, and fight for change we can believe in.

Don't Be Afraid Of The Rich People

I was watching the Reverand Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping show this morning, when they were gathering to save the commons around where the World Trade Centers used to be in New York. The city wants to turn the area into a gigantic mall. The Capitalist Party is behind the move.

I decided that if we were going to have french toast for breakfast (as my wife suggested) I should get some sausage to go with. I took off down North Denver Street on route to New Seasons. At the corner of N.Denver and N. Portland/Rosa Parks (still can't figure that one out) I rounde the corner without fully coming to a stop. I had a complete view of the traffic which was none, so I didn't come to a full stop.

A guy who was at the recycling place in his 2009 Volkswagon Prious beeped his horn at me, which I thought was pretty dumb. I pulled into the New Seasons parking lot, and sure enough he also pulled in. As we got out of our cars, I asked him; "You beeped at me, why?" He answered; "You didn't stop at the corner". I then asked him; "and that impeded you, how"? He replied; "It's a law". I said;"So we should all follow every law, and work to get rich,right"? He said; "Sounds good to me". To which I replied; "You're a fucking asshole, and you need to wake up". He said nothing else.

We need to focus on the impoverished people in Oregon, before focussing on "being green".

Rep. Kotek's Answer

Why and when did the Oregon Channel become the Opera Channel?? For the last 3 days there has been no showing of the 2009 Oregon Legislative Session on my television. Rather, it's been showing the Arts Channel; opera and all. Is this the sort of transparency we are to expect from our legislature??

On February 5th I asked Tina Kotek to look into showing reruns of each day's capitol events in the evening, so low income (can't afford a computer) Oregonians could watch the proceedings. She never wrote me back. I guess this is her answer. There was no real reason for her to respond after all. That's why I voted for her...efficiency.

$1.8 Mil. From the Oregon Cultural Trust Fund

Want to see how angry people are with Margaret Carter (over her mock tears) following the pilage of 1.8 million dollars from the Oregon Cultural Trust Fund? All you need to do is sign up for email alerts from Google to find out. Type in "Margaret Carter" and before you know it, you'll be getting several emails about bloggers who are sincerely upset. I'm glad I'm not in her shoes right now. That's for sure...

What's NOT Being Reported

In attempting to piece together the circumstances leading to the death of 16 year old Nathan Vredevelt, I’ve come to some vague conclusions that deserve further scrutiny. This is the young man who had Down syndrome, and was struck by 2 cars on I-5 near the Rose Garden Arena on Sunday night. He died yesterday from his injuries.

According to the accounts I’ve read, he was watching the Blazers play the Spurs from a suite. His sister and his caregiver were attending the game with him. My guess is that because he had an identified history of “bolting”, he required his own caregiver. Obviously he was someone who also required line of sight supervision whenever out in the community.

The story is that at halftime he asked his caregiver if he could use the restroom located within the suite they were watching the game in. The caregiver ok’d the request and Nathan went over to the restroom door. There was someone in there already, so the door was locked.

If the caregiver was doing their job correctly, they would have been watching all this play out. They would have made sure that Nathan came back to them and waited until the other person came out. Then they would have escorted him to the restroom, and waited outside the door for him. That way he couldn’t have bolted from the suite, left the Rose Garden, made it to the freeway, and got hit by 2 cars.

I believe there is an investigation going on around all the details. If not, there should be.

Calling All Legislators

Here's some news you can use when trying to figure out how NOT to cut services in Oregon. It's quite simple... tax the corporations in our state. This comes from the Oregon Center on Public Policy...


A new study funded by big corporations found that Oregon has the second lowest state
and local business taxes among all states and the District of Columbia and that
businesses get a better deal for the taxes they pay in Oregon than just about anywhere else in the country.

The study's data suggest that Oregon's state and local business taxes are so low
that the state could raise business taxes by $1.6 billion annually and still be
in line with state and local business taxes nationwide, according to OCPP executive
director Charles Sheketoff.

Yeah... Right...

I just received Tina Kotek’s newsletter in my email. After writing her back on 2/5 about making the Oregon Channel more accessible to low income workers,.she still hasn’t gotten back to me. I found the following words from my State Representative to be more humorous than instructive. This is the first paragraph in her newsletter...

Dear Friends,
Thank you for the many emails, phone calls and letters about the issues that matter to you this legislative session. Please keep them coming! Your communication with me helps me to serve you here in Salem.
Best wishes,
Tina (written in fancy lettering my computer couldn’t pick up)

Let the Music Play!

What do Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, and Sheryl Crow all have in common other than music? Give up? They all played music last weekend for huge parties thrown by Northern Trust, a Chicago-based bank that recently took in 1.6 billion dollars in bail out money from the US Government.

What mainly caught my imagination, is why would these 3 (previously thought of) class acts contribute to bilking the tax payers of money we can't afford? Some of the lyrics these folks have come up with over the years about altruism, compassion, and love, seem to have taken a back seat to greed. They HAD to know who they were performing for. Just shows to go ya...

What do Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, and Sheryl Crow all have in common other than music? Give up? They all played music last weekend

Low Hanging Fruit

Ok...enough's enough already. When are our elected officials going to start working on the issues Oregonians care about.

Bill banning toy-like lighters passes swiftly off Senate floor

HB 2365 will ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of dangerous toy-like lighters

SALEM – The Senate voted today to ban toy-like lighters, a victory for children’s safety and fire prevention. These novelty lighters, often modeled after popular cartoon characters, can be easily mistaken by children for actual toys – a problem that contributes to unintentional fires and injuries.

“There have been fires in Oregon that have been traced back to children playing with toy-like lighters,” said Suzanne Bonamici (D-NE Washington and NW Multnomah Counties), chair of the Senate Consumer Protection and Public Affairs Committee. “By removing these products from the shelves, we’re helping to prevent fires and protect our children.”

Several Oregon cities have already banned the sale of novelty lighters within their jurisdiction. Once signed by the governor, Oregon will join Maine and Tennessee as states that have enacted legislation to ban the sale of toy-like lighters statewide.

“I can think of no legitimate reason for these products to exist in the marketplace,” said Senate Majority Leader Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin). “Even to an adult, the nature of these products is deceiving. This is common-sense legislation and I was not surprised to see overwhelming support for this legislation on the floor today.”

HB 2365 will now move to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

When The "Right To Die" Becomes The "Duty To Die""

Oregon has the 4th highest incidence of suicide among senior citizens in the US. That doesn’t surprise me when I consider our Death With Dignity law. If someone is feeling like a drain on their family, why not take advantage of assisted suicide? It makes perfect sense to me. And if you can’t find a Dr. to help you, simply resort to DIY. It’s in the culture we’ve created.

When The "Right To Die" Becomes The "Duty To Die""

Oregon has the 4th highest incidence of suicide among senior citizens in the US. That doesn’t surprise me when I consider our Death With Dignity law. If someone is feeling like a drain on their family, why not take advantage of assisted suicide? It makes perfect sense to me. And if you can’t find a Dr. to help you, simply resort to DIY. It’s in the culture we’ve created.

Somebody Else's State Rep.

Some of the readers of this blog should recall a post from February 5th where I asked my State Rep., Tina Kotek, to respond to my request for the Oregon Channel to show replays of each day's legislative session after 5:00 PM. That way, low income Oregonians could also watch what is going on in their state government after a day of work. Well, guess what? She never has gotten back to me.

The very next day, I sent an email to Rep. Ron Maurer regarding the misrepresenting of HIPPA rules in our state. He got back to me on the 10th. Why is it that a state rep. from an all together different district than my own can respond to me, but my own rep. can't?

Sure, she got back to me regarding my friend's death, but then I realized that I first contacted her about this back in April.

Food for thought...

Hotter Off The Legislative Press!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2009
Contact: Michael Cox (503) 986-1904

Republican Leadership Refuses to Make Good Faith Effort to Balance Budget

SALEM - Oregonians deserve more than business as usual from the House Republican Leadership, said House Majority Leader Mary Nolan, in response to a news release from the House minority calling on the legislature to protect programs for seniors at the expense of all others for both the remainder of 2007-2009 and the 2009-2011 biennium.

“Instead of coming to the table in a good faith effort to help us craft responsible solutions to the challenges we face, the House Republican Leadership has been content to sit on the sidelines,” said Nolan. “The Republicans’ so-called plan means kids get shut out of schools, troopers are not patrolling our highways and Oregon slips further. We’re not going to let that happen.”

“Democrats have laid out a specific plan to deal with the very severe budget cuts we have to make this biennium,” said Ways and Means Co-Chair Peter Buckley. “The plan included public hearings the last three nights as we work on prioritizing those cuts.”

“Instead of coming to any of the three hearings and offering balanced proposals, the House Republican Leadership seems more interested in dividing Oregonians and pitting seniors against school children,” said Nolan.

Nolan said the House Republican Leadership has not offered a list of cuts or sources of new revenue to balance the budget, nor have they said how they plan to fund education, healthcare or public safety. So far this session House Republicans spoke against the state’s economic stimulus plan and against measures to protect the state’s budget.

“THE BUDGET SHORTFALL WE FACE IS REAL, AND SO ARE THE CUTS WE MUST MAKE,” SAID NOLAN. “THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE READY TO PROVIDE SERIOUS LEADERSHIP. WE’D LIKE A SERIOUS PARTNER.”

15 Years of the Oregon Health Plan

Although there is no mention of the dental cuts or vision cuts in the Oregon Health Plan, Bruce Goldberg seems to have a pretty good idea about healthcare and the right for EVERYONE to have it. This is his weekly message to DHS employees...

February 13, 2009 DHS Director's messages on the web

To: All DHS employees
From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director
Celebrating Two Oregon Milestones

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. "
~Winston Churchill

February brings two important milestones to Oregon this year. One is Oregon's sesquicentennial, and I'll be celebrating the 150th birthday of our state this weekend with thousands of other Oregonians. The other milestone this month is that it's now been 15 years since the Oregon Health Plan was launched and I find myself searching for the appropriate way to commemorate the Oregon Health Plan milestone.
There have been a number of achievements worthy of recognition.

More than 1.875 million Oregonians have received health care as a result of the Oregon Health Plan and many are healthier and indeed alive today as a result.
We have a system to explicitly and publicly allocate health care resources and establish their utility and effectiveness.
With our OHP managed care plans, we have established a system of effective regional partnerships that we can build upon to assure local collaboration, needed change in our health care delivery system, and accountability for results.

Thousands of children -- and adults -- have received care under OHP in the past 15 years.
Those are things to celebrate... and at the same time there are causes for concern that affect us all. More than 600,000 people in Oregon are without health insurance, and more than 100,000 of them live in severe poverty. Many people with health insurance do not feel secure with their coverage. And tragically we are far from our original objectives of a healthy Oregon where everyone has access to a basic level of health care in a system that provides the most effective, highest quality care.

That so many go without needed health care blemishes our collective community, our humanity, and our state.

At a time when personal and national finances dominate our conversations, the fact that most personal bankruptcy is a result of health care debt only adds to our collective liability and fiscal insecurity. Adding insult to injury is that we continue to leave billions of federal dollars in Washington, D.C., that could be going to Oregon's health care system. Every Oregon dollar put into the Oregon Health Plan brings more than $1.66 from the feds and we are far from taking full advantage of that.

Our medical advances have widened - not narrowed - the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Until we reform our health care system, we must do all we can to continue to help our neighbors get the health care they need. That includes making investments in OHP, assuring we provide health care to all Oregonians in poverty by restoring OHP standard, and covering all children.

The Oregon Health Fund Board has designed a path that moves us rapidly toward being a state in which affordable and effective health care is available and accessible to all http://healthfundboard.oregon.gov/.

Whether the Oregon Health Plan is part of a reformed health care system for our state is beside the point. If we can create a system that focuses on the health of all Oregonians, one in which health care is delivered effectively and efficiently, and one in which all Oregonians can afford the health care they truly need, we can really celebrate.

Racists Plot To Kill Obama

There are plenty of racists who are so steamed that Barak Obama won the election, that now, they just want to kill him. They must be thinking they can start a race war by doing it. I don't think that would happen. From the Southern Poverty Law Center...

Marine’s Arrest Again Raises Issue of Extremists in the Military

It’s no surprise that a person who allegedly hoped to kill President Barack Obama has white supremacist leanings. But the fact that the threat allegedly came from a U.S. Marine has again raised the issue of extremists in the military.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kody Brittingham, stationed at Camp Lejuene, N.C., was arrested in mid-December on an unrelated armed robbery charge and, as a result, separated from the service on Jan. 3. But a search of Brittingham’s barracks also turned up a journal containing white supremacist material and a plan to kill Obama, according to a newspaper account. That reportedly prompted a Secret Service investigation of his alleged threats against the president that is ongoing.

The incident is the latest disturbing account that suggests extremists are infiltrating the military — even as officials deny there’s a problem. Yesterday, Southern Poverty Law Center President Richard Cohen wrote to the Pentagon expressing his disappointment that military officials have taken no action on evidence of white supremacist activity in the military provided as early as 2006 by the SPLC.

“To be frank, it appears that we’re not getting anywhere,” Cohen wrote to Under Secretary of Defense David Chu in his Feb. 11 letter. “We provide evidence from multiple sources about the problem of extremists in the military, and you continue to claim that the military already has a zero-tolerance policy. You tell us that we should bring any information we have about extremist activity by specific Service members to the attention of appropriate Service authorities. But, as we have explained in our reports and in previous letters to you and the Secretary, we have done so, and the authorities have not taken action.”

The SPLC first brought the problem of extremists in the military to the attention of Pentagon officials in 1995, when three neo-Nazi soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg murdered two black North Carolinians. Then-Defense Secretary William Perry responded forcefully, saying there was “no room for racist and extremist activities within military.” A major investigation and crackdown followed in 1996.

But a decade later, military recruiters, under intense pressure to meet quotas for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, began to unofficially lower entrance standards. As a result, in 2006, the SPLC issued a major report, “A Few Bad Men,” that revealed that large numbers of neo-Nazi skinheads and other white supremacists were joining the armed forces to acquire combat training and access to weapons and explosives.

The SPLC report was sent to then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld along with a letter from Cohen urging the military to adopt a zero tolerance policy with regard to extremists in the ranks. Forty members of Congress wrote a similar letter, as did Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). But in his letters of reply, Chu dismissed all their concerns as exaggerated. The military took no remedial action.

Two years later, in 2008, the SPLC reported on new evidence — including an unclassified FBI report — that supported its initial findings. After that report, Cohen wrote Chu, again asking that the military adopt a zero tolerance policy. Chu replied on Dec. 28, saying the military already had such a policy in place and needed nothing more. “We are committed to sustaining a culture in which all personnel from diverse backgrounds serve together in defense of our great nation,” Chu wrote.

But numerous cases suggest otherwise.

One example of the military’s failure to act was cited in SPLC’s original 2006 report — the case of Matt Buschbacher, a Navy SEAL who attended the 2002 leadership conference of the neo-Nazi National Alliance while on active duty. This group’s leader has espoused murdering America’s Jews in abandoned coal mines and was the author of The Turner Diaries, the race war novel Timothy McVeigh used as a blueprint for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. The SPLC alerted military officials to the fact that Buschbacher was producing neo-Nazi recruitment fliers via his Racialpride.com website while on active duty. But Buschbacher was allowed to complete his tour of duty in Iraq and given an honorable discharge.

Also mentioned in the 2006 report was the case of Robert Lee West, then an active duty member of the Air Force. When the SPLC informed officials of West’s activities, which included posing in front of a swastika flag with two assault rifles and ranting about the “Zionist Occupied Government,” they said no action would be taken unless he recruited fellow extremists or committed a crime.

Extremist infiltration of the military was also detailed in a much more recent report from the FBI, “White Supremacist Recruitment of Military Personnel Since 9/11,” which was released last summer to law enforcement officials. “The military training veterans bring to the [white supremacist] movement and their potential to pass this training on to others can increase the ability of lone offenders to carry out violence from the movement’s fringes,” the FBI report said.

Also in 2008, a new report by the SPLC revealed that 46 members of the white supremacist social networking website Newsaxon.com then identified themselves as active-duty military personnel. Six of these individuals were members of the “White Military Men” subgroup on the site. The report also quoted a racist skinhead who last year posted a comment to a neo-Nazi online forum, excitedly saying that he’d joined the Army and specifically requested an assignment where he would learn how to make an explosive device. “I have my own reasons for wanting this training but in fear of the government tracing me and me loosing [sic] my clearance I can’t share them here,” the poster, “Sobibor’s SS,” wrote. Sobibor’s SS provided enough biographical information that military officials should have been able to identify him. The SPLC reported this information to the military, but no action seems to have been taken.

In this week’s letter, the SPLC’s Cohen asked Chu not to again ignore the warning signs. “In our view, the continued presence of racial extremists in the military is a recipe for disaster,” Cohen wrote. “The recent case of Marine Lance Cpl. Kody Brittingham illustrates the point. … We urge you to take action.”

A Victory For People With Disabilities!

Unlike the citizens in the state of Oregon, the people in Washington D.C. are neither freaked out by, or afraid of people with disabilities. Our newly elected Administration recognizes the civil rights issues and discrimination faced by this class of people in our country daily. Maybe there will be some real change coming. I found this article on the Media Dis&Dat blog...

Friday, February 13, 2009
At Winter Special Olympics, VP Biden says Adminstration commited to improving the lives of Americans with disabilities
From The AP:

BOISE, Idaho -- Vice President Joe Biden says that President Barack Obama is committed to programs designed to improve the livelihood of Americans with disabilities and special needs.

To demonstrate his point, Biden announced that Kareem Dale, a former member of Obama's campaign in charge of coordinating the vote of disabled Americans, has been named the special assistant to the president for disabilities policy.

Biden made the announcement to a small group of Special Olympics athletes, volunteers and coordinators Thursday afternoon. The vice president was in Boise to attend a portion of the Special Olympics World Winter Games with a presidential delegation including U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Olympic figure-skating medalists Scott Hamilton and Michelle Kwan.

"This is a civil rights movement," Biden said. "There's a need to have changes in policy."

The nation needs policy changes that will ensure Americans with disabilities can get and keep fulfilling jobs without worrying about losing government-funded health insurance or other assistance, Biden said. Advocates have long complained that programs like Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and Medicare essentially force disabled workers to leave their jobs or prevent them from working so that they can qualify for the medical care they need.

Tim Shriver, board chairman of the Special Olympics and son of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, told Biden that he believed the games "represent the largest movement for tolerance in the world."

Mockery, bullying and the institutionalization of people with disabilities still exist in America and around the globe, Shriver said, making it important for the Obama administration to set an example of support.

"When this campaign hit the world stage, we felt that finally someone was speaking our language," Shriver said.

"I've been involved with the Special Olympics as a U.S. senator since 1973 when a woman named Eunice Shriver grabbed me and said, 'You're involved,'" Biden said. "I didn't know then how extensive the movement is worldwide."

Biden arrived in Boise in time to watch the final five contenders in the freestyle pairs skating competition, and then, with the help of Kwan, he awarded medals to the athletes before a crowd of about 2,500.

"I was telling our host as we walked out, this fulfills a dream of mine: To walk out on the ice with Michelle Kwan, and a dream to see such fine athletes," Biden joked.

Biden said he was honored to be at the event with 2,000 athletes from 100 countries.

"What lives in the heart of every one of these young athletes - as my mother would say, lives in every heart - is the bravery, the tenacity, the grit, and determination," Biden said. "I want to tell you how proud I am to be here."

Biden later visited the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program, which provides vision and medical care to the participants as well as training sessions on how to stay fit and limber.

Hot Off the Legislative Press!

Senate Republican Office
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court Street NE, S-323
Salem, Oregon 97301

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Michael Gay
February 12, 2009 503.986.1950
503.781.8559

$96 million tax increase passes Senate floor

While 180,000 look for work, Democrats raise taxes on small businesses
Salem, OR – A bill that will make Oregon families and small businesses pay $96 million more in taxes passed the Senate floor Thursday, 17 to 13. The bill is being heralded as a ‘job killer.’

“The end result of this bill is that Oregon businesses and families will pay $96 million more in taxes,” said Senator Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day), the Senate Republican Leader. “While Oregon hemorrhages jobs and families wonder where they will get the next paycheck, Democrats are putting a rush order on tax increases for employers and families. This isn’t just a disconnect from the federal tax code,
this is a disconnect from Oregonians who are hurting and looking for work.”

House Bill 2157 disconnects the state from the federal tax code, a technical maneuver that mutes the effect of federal tax relief for businesses and families in Oregon. The bill would eliminate several job creating provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act, the federal stimulus
package currently in Congress, such as:

• Extending bonus depreciation for businesses to 50% write-off of capital expenditures made in 2009

• Write-off for small businesses for up to $250,000 of capital expenditures made in 2009 The bill also allows the state to tax unemployment compensation.

Senator Frank Morse (R-Albany) read from his Chamber of Commerce list for five minutes on the Senate floor, highlighting the local, small businesses that will be hurt by the tax increase.

“We should be focusing on creating jobs, not killing them,” said Senator Chris Telfer (R-Bend), a Certified Public Accountant. “Oregon small business say this is going to cost them jobs. If a business in Oregon was thinking of using these tools to expand, invest in new equipment and hire new workers, they are going to have to think again. With over 180,000 Oregonians looking for work, this bill is
disconnected from reality.”

House Bill 2157 passed on a party line vote in the House of Representatives last week. The bill, House Bill 2157, was fast-tracked to the Senate Floor in order to avoid constitutional voting requirements required for raising taxes.
###

HB 2051

I tuned in a bit late this morning to catch the hearing on HB 2051 in its entirety. However; I did hear some excellent testimony regarding the bill, which would restore General Assistance dollars to those most in need in our state. “The poorest of the poor”.

A man named Steven Powell who lived in the hills of Forrest Park for a long time spoke of the help he received from JOIN, which is an agency that “supports the efforts of individuals and families to transition out of homelessness and into permanent housing”. His debilitating arthritis in both his hands caused him to become homeless in the first place. He believes that restoring this money is critical to him and others.

Bud was up next. He’s 61 years old, and worked as a long haul trucker for 35 years until his back blew out. He receives $670 a month through SSI, but he had a long wait before he was eligible for it. He said; “$315 would have meant a lot to me” during this waiting period. He also gets $10 a month in food stamps. A total joke (not funny though).

A woman named Melanie from Central City Concern spoke of their Benefits, Entitlement, Team who can expedite SSI claims for homeless people. Whereas it usually takes 2+ years of waiting for SSI in Oregon, they can get it within 42 days. Impressive! They should be passing this info. on to every social service agency in the state, if they’re not already.

A grandmother of a man who was in a horrible accident in his senior year in high school spoke of the 3 months of joy he had before they eliminated the program in 2005. She and her husband are his caregivers. He once told her that without them he would have committed suicide. I sensed a lot of frustration from this woman.

Marilyn Patton said the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services is in support of restoration. Patty Whitney-Wise spoke of “leaving federal dollars on the table” which is a federal match that would help STMULATE OUR ECONOMY. She also said she didn’t understand why Bud is only getting $10 in food stamps. Ellen Lowe tells us that ½ of people receiving SSI have mental illness.

Representative Tomei said she never forgot when Ellen first used the phrase “Poorest of the poor”. In fact there was concern from Reps. Maurer, Cowan and Boone that this benefit be restored.

Ruth McEwan who is a woman with a disability spoke of the need to “maximize the use of federal dollars” as a means for actually bringing in more money to our economy. She also mentioned her own 28 month long wait for being eligible to receive SSDI, which comes from her own work history.

Lastly, a man named Devon from the Cascade AIDS Project testified regarding the problems people with AIDS have without the General Assistance money. While they wait for SSI they have a choice to make. Either stay in a homeless shelter without the expensive meds. they need for their sickness, or stay on the streets with those expensive meds. Either way they get worse than better.

Did You See the MOON This Morning??

Out walking this morning, I couldn't believe how huge the moon looked. My wife said she thought it was some kind of lunar eclipse, but I couldn't see it. She sent me this email which I found pretty amazing.

This first lunar eclipse of 2009 is one of four lunar eclipses during the year. The first three eclipses are penumbral while the last (on Dec. 31) is partial. The next total lunar eclipse occurs on December 21, 2010. A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle.

Eclipses occur approximately once every three months and always come in pairs. In this case it is the Solar Eclipse leading the way, occurring on January 26 at Aquarius 7 degrees. The Lunar Eclipse follows on February 9 at Leo 21 degrees.

The Feb 9 event is the deepest penumbral eclipse of the year with a penumbral magnitude of 0.899. It will be easily visible to the naked eye as a dusky shading in the northern half of the Moon. The beginning and end of a penumbral eclipse are not visible to the eye. In fact, no shading can be detected until about 2/3 of the Moon's disk is immersed in the penumbra. This would put the period of eclipse visibility from approximately 14:00 to 15:20 UT. Observers in western Canada and the USA will have the best views with moonset occurring sometime after mid-eclipse. To catch the entire event, one must be in Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, or East Asia.

Current Transits - Astrological Month of Aquarius, 2009.

- January 19 - Sun enters Aquarius -

- January 21 - Mercury retrograde enters Capricorn -

- January 26 - New Moon Solar Eclipse at Aquarius 7 degrees -

- February 1 - Mercury turns direct at Capricorn 22 degrees -

- February 2 - Venus enters Aries -

- February 4 - Mars enters Aquarius -

- February 9 - Full Moon Lunar Eclipse at Leo 21 degrees -

- February 14 - Mercury enters Aquarius -

- February 18 - Sun enters Pisces -

Jupiter entered Aquarius January 5, 2009. Jupiter stays in Aquarius, the sign of humanitarian endeavors, community activity and social organizations until January 18, 2010. Jupiter expands whatever sign it moves through. Aquarius is the sign of the visionary and emphasizes the needs of the collective. We can expect an emphasis on teamwork and creating a new vision for the collective during 2009.

Eclipses represent the end of a way of being and the beginning of a new. They operate on a collective level, although those with planets near the degree of the eclipse point are particularly affected. From a collective perspective, something is dying and something else is being born.

The Lunar Eclipse takes place on February 9 at Leo 21 degrees. In the Egyptian pantheon Leo is associated with the jackal-headed god Anubis. Anubis is the new king, closely associated with Chiron. He is the wounded shaman, rising out of abandonment to become a prince among his peers. The new king, the new age, is being born.

On February 5, Saturn and Uranus move into the second of four exact oppositions, the first of which occurred on November 4, 2008. The third and fourth exact oppositions will occur on September 15, 2009 and April 27, 2010.

Whenever these two powerful planetary forces come into either opposition or conjunction, major societal change happens on planet earth. This opposition of Saturn and Uranus describes a period when the old order is threatened. It is to be expected that the old forces will resist and will try to maintain the status quo. Uranus is associated with Wadjet, the cobra-headed goddess who uses intense, fiery energy to clear a pathway through blockages and obstructions. She is associated with Kali in the Hindu pantheon and is also related to the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet. Uranian energy is sudden, unpredictable and describes the shattering necessary for the birth of a new reality. During the astrological months of Aquarius and Pisces we will have the opportunity to give serious thought to how we wish to implement our new reality.

HB2054

I've been watching a hearing on House Bill 2054 which deals with a registry for the police identifying folks with mental health issues. Bob Joondeph was giving expert testimony about his take on the bill. He talked about confidentiality regarding employment and insurance. He's very concerned that people could be harmed if their personal information was breached.

He also spoke of the need for Administative Rules being in place to ensure the effectivness of such a registry. However; Mr. J. really must believe Administrative Rules are made to be broken. This was the case when he did NOTHING as Multnomah County broke 2 of them a few years back.

As his pal Bill Toomey attempted to have me removed from my friend's ISP Team while medical decisions were being made he did nothing. There's an Administative Rule that says that should not happen. When the county refused to follow the Administative Rule which says a grievance committee should be in place to hear complaints about their employees, he did nothing.

He says he did a good job representing my friend. Go figure...

Legislature Gets Mad As Heck!

In a bold and courageous move, the Oregon Legislature is outlawing dangerous novelty cigarette lighters that resemble toys. And you thought no tough decisions would be forthcoming. We no longer have to be concerned with poverty, homelessness, or civil rights violations. Those pesky lighters shall be no more in our state.

“As a former police officer and current firefighter, I’m happy to see we’re taking an active role in protecting our children and families from burn injury, death, and property loss,” explained Representative Greg Matthews (D-Gresham). “We cannot and should not wait any longer to get these dangerous products off the shelves.”

“The hard work done by the State Fire Marshal’s office and the Fire Safety Community has been thorough and extraordinary,” said Representative Paul Holvey (D-Eugene). “Their leadership on this critical issue has proven vital to the success of the bill.”

“If it’s predictable, it’s preventable,” said Randy Simpson, Oregon’s State Fire Marshal. “This bill gives us the ability to prevent the fire danger these lighters pose to children, families, and communities.”

Banning the sale of dangerous toys, including toy-like novelty lighters, is part of the Oregon House Democrats’ 2009 Roadmap for Oregon’s Future.

They Can't Stop Me (I Mean You)

The people in charge of Lefty Blogs must be very frustrated when they see my posts with more clicks than their own, despite mine rarely getting any lead-ins. Blue Oregon and Loaded Oregon almost ALWAYS have 1/2 of their posts printed as introductions, and sometimes get no clicks. I find it all really quite humorous. And... thanks for reading my blog even if you don't admit it.

Low Income Workers and the Oregon Channel

I wrote the following email to my state representative this morning. We must not forget about people who can afford a tv, but can't afford a computer. There are a lot of such folks missing out on what's going on. Am I the only one who cares about this??

Dear Rep. Kotek,

In the interest of allowing access to the Legislative Session by ALL Oregonians, I want to suggest that the Oregon Channel replay each day's recorded hearings after 5:00 PM each evening.

There is no logical reason why people who don't own computers (low income Oregonians) and work during the day should have to miss what's going on in State Government.

As it is right now, the Oregon Channel shows mainly a bulletin board which directs people to where they can access more local councils and city govenment, which seems to be complete overkill. The citizens of Oregon deserve to have a first hand look at what's going on in Salem during their state's legislative session.

Please let me know your thoughts and/or actions regarding this issue. Thanks.

Sincerely,
David McDonald
North Portland

Gelser, Guns, and Good God!

I have to wonder why, exactly, a foster care provider would have a gun in their home. It's not only extremely dangerous, but speaks of a very unatractive mind set. I also have to wonder why this bill doesn't also include adult foster care providers. Adults living in foster care are just as bullet proof as children. From the Oregonian...

Bill addressing guns in foster homes upsets some
Posted by Michelle Cole, The Oregonian February 05, 2009 07:00AM
SALEM --A proposal to allow the Oregon Department of Human Services to adopt rules regarding the storage and transportation of guns when foster children are present, doesn't even have a hearing date but it does have people talking.

House Bill 2530, sponsored by Rep. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, would allow the state child welfare agency to regulate "the storage, transportation and use of firearms and ammunition in the presence of children placed in foster homes."

The proposal was introduced in the House Wednesday and follows a firestorm that erupted in 2007 after the agency attempted to adopt rules telling foster parents who also hold concealed weapons permits what they could or could not do with their guns. The agency backed off after an attorney general's opinion found only the Legislature has legal authority to regulate firearms.

Gelser said she introduced the bill to allow the agency to adopt certain gun storage and transportation requirements. She points out that the proposal also specifically states that the agency "may not deny or revoke certification of a foster home on the basis that a person possesses firearms or ammunition" or is licensed to carry a concealed handgun.

If anything, Gelser says, the bill would write a foster parent's right to own a gun clearly into Oregon law. But she admits that didn't soothe conservative radio host Lars Larson or some of his callers on Wednesday. --Michelle Cole;

Legislative Trickery At Its Best

Ultimately, the legislature is responsible for their “Oregon Channel”, and how it shows us the goings on in their sessions. I was just watching the testimony of “invited” people and “general comments” from commoners regarding the taking down of dams in our rivers.

Of course, the “invited” participants were viewed as the experts, and given all the time they wanted or needed for giving their reasons why this is a good thing for Oregon. Then it came time for the citizens to testify. This began at 4:55 PM. As these folks went on with their reasons for NOT wanting these dams removed, at exactly 5:00 the channel flipped to their usual airing of who our local representatives are. I guess they think that telling us for HOURS upon HOURS who the city councils are in Fairview, Gresham, and Portland is good enough.

These folks should take their heads out of their a**es and realize there are people watching THEIR channel who are fed up with their attempts to dupe the public. If we only get ½ the story, how are we to know what we want???

Oregon, Washington Jr.

I thought that reporting on the current legislative session would be a fun thing to do. So far that hasn’t been the case. Our Legislators are playing it safe by watching what’s going on in Washington D.C. and simply duplicating “what they’re doing”.

You have the same complaints from the Republicans about the proposed stimulus package that they’re having back East. You have the Democrats talking about “non-partisan” politics; the same way the federal Congress (a Democratic majority like Oregon) is talking. In fact, if you watch CNN or any other national news source, you can almost skip watching the Oregon legislature.

Oh, I know the issues are somewhat different, but the language for “doing nothing” is the same. “Bad economy”, “shovel ready”, “tough decisions”, etc. From my prospective, it’s all going to hell in a hand basket, and no amount of pretending it’s not is going to change that. Who knows...maybe I’ll get in on the rapture, and be outahere shortly.

Is Sam Smart Enough To Be Mayor?

Forget for a minute about the flap of Mayor Adams and age and lying. You really do have to question the intelligence of our current mayor. I think that Sam was unwise to become involved with someone named Beau Breedlove in the first place. Sounds like a porn star’s name to me. And... I don’t believe for a minute that it’s his real name. It’s probably something along the lines of Percival Axelrod if truth be told.

It’s the same thing as me hooking up with an 18 year old girl named Honey Dew. It just couldn’t happen.