On this day, April 29, 2019, a federal judge in Oregon blocked a Trump administration attempt to prevent federally funded health care providers from referring pregnant women to abortion clinics.
1-5:30, $25 adm. Speakers include Phil Izon from Alaska Ranked-Choice voting Education Association, Mark Cook from Colorado IT witness on Tim Sipple case, and Dr. Frank on how to use data to approach clerks. Washington County will give a report on finding dead voters. And others to give information on how to approach counties for in-person voting.
Celebrated on the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when in the wake of the American Civil War, Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas.
Governor Brown has called a Special Session starting June 24. The first thing you need to know is everything in a special session is considered and emergency. If it isn’t, then the Governor isn’t being accountable to taxpayers. They have scheduled 23 bills, so far, for a two-day session and three do not have any emergency clause. The other 20, the public has no recourse once passed. But, the fact that there is an emergency clause doesn’t necessarily make it an emergency.
The emergency clause has been misused as an overreach of government authority since the day it was passed, but by 2016 parties were conjuring up fake reasons to use the emergency clause to prevent voters from challenging controversial bills. Because the Republicans walked out of the regular session this year, only a handful of bills were passed. Had the emergency clause not been misused to prevent voters from challenging cap and trade bills causing the walkout, we would actually be in worse financial condition. I’m guessing there were 400-600 bills left on the table, and most of them had a cost to them. Stopping bills with emergency clauses by walking out isn’t the best way to conduct the people’s business. Early petitions for 2022 include an initiative on No Fake Emergencies, which will begin gathering signatures in July. We can stop this abuse.
In looking over the bills for the special session I am hard pressed to find a bill with a true emergency. The exceptions might be school funding distribution and reevaluating finances, but the other 20 are all knee-jerk emotional responses that should be carefully thought out. Even strategies to protect Oregonians from the effects of COVID-19 is past its prime and the news is reporting the virus is mutating and getting weaker in countries that never locked down.
What is immediately apparent is the use of the special session to make quick work to strip local control and build the Democrat central empire. For example, HB 4201 and HB 4207, two of the six bills on police reform, centralize police conduct. HB 4207 establishes a centralized data base of police discipline records including the number of founded and unfounded complaints against an officer. HB 4201 transfers police violations of law enforcement to the Attorney General. This bill transfers planning authority on issues of use of deadly physical force, resolving issues of potential criminal responsibility, develop training, and the conduct of investigation into physical force cases. This transfer of power and centralization removes local enforcement authority and exposes every complaint making it more difficult for officers to do their jobs. It also raises the question whether it is constitutional to usurp county enforcement in this way.
What I don’t see on the list is how to kick-start the economy. If anything is an emergency, it should be our right to make a living. After all, we have to make money before we can pay taxes unless you’re subject to the gross receipts tax – this tax doesn’t care if you’re losing money, pay anyway. I guess the rest of us didn’t destroy enough property or march enough to make our point with the Governor. Elections are in four months.
During Friday’s riots in Portland, Antifa-types wrapped the George Washington statue with an American flag and set it on fire, pulling down the statute and defacing it. Was this a justified action or a declaration of war against America?
They argument that George Washington was a slave owner and therefore had to be bad and therefore he couldn’t have written a credible constitution. They vent their anger without logic or reason to justify destroying the statue and flag.
The flag they so carelessly disrespect symbolizes what so many have died to protect, and Americans have deep emotional attachments to it. Thus, flag burning is not political speech but instead an attack upon Americans feelings. Burning the American Flag was illegal to burn or desecrate until June 11, 1990, when the Supreme Court ruled that the burning of the flag is protected by the First Amendment. Acts of desecrating the flag is a deliberate act to denounce America and all it stands for. Can the flag be desecrated and not declare a hatred towards America and the American people?
Destroying George Washington, the commander in chief in a war to free America that would lead to freeing slaves is short sighted. It is true that George Washington personally owned 123 slaves, inheriting 10 from his father at age 11. His ownership was about one-third of the 317 slaves at Mount Vernon. By the 1780s, Washington’s feelings about using slaves to work the land had changed, and he expressed his uneasiness with close friends, including his Revolutionary War comrade Marquis de Lafayette. His distaste for selling slaves at public venue was based on his desire that slave families not be split up.
There was still the matter of maintaining his Virginia plantation and Virginia laws. But, upon his death in 1799, Washington's will freed his slaves upon his wife's death. Up until 1782. Virginia’s legislature made it illegal to release slaves and the new legislation permitted release by will or deed at the death of the slaveholder. Both Washington and Jefferson took advantage of freeing slaves.
Neither George nor Martha Washington could free all the slaves at Mount Vernon because they did not own all the slaves. Some were owned by Martha Washington's first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, and they were inherited by their children. One such slave is written about in Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge. She actually ran away when Martha was going to give her to her granddaughter, and agreed to return if freed upon Martha’s death, but Martha didn’t have authority over that decision. Martha Washington chose to free her late husband’s slaves early. So, in December 1800, she signed a deed of manumission to free George’s slaves.
Toppling the statue of George Washington on the eve of when all slaves were freed seems like hypocrisy. The defacing included graffiti on the surface that read “genocide colonist.†If the rioters knew their history, George Washington was the least likely person to kill Black people or even mistreat them. Writings on Washington recently has grabbed generalities of slave owners and imposed them on his history. Wikipedia says Washington thought of his workers as part of an extended family with him the father figure at its head.
The paternalist in him saw his relationship with his slaves as one of mutual obligations; he provided for them and they in return served him, a relationship in which slaves were able to approach Washington with their concerns and grievances. He allowed his slaves to supplemented their diet by hunting, trapping, and growing vegetables in their free time, and to buy extra rations, clothing and housewares with income from the sale of game and produce. As commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775, Washington initially refused to accept African-Americans into the ranks, seeing they were needed to support the economy. But, it became necessary to reverse this position due to the demands of war.
According to historian Joseph Ellis, Washington saw slavery as the culprit, preventing the development of diligence and responsibility that would emerge gradually and naturally after emancipation. E.P. Thompson wrote, “Washington went beyond the legal requirement to support and maintain younger slaves until adulthood, stipulating that those children whose education could not be undertaken by parents were to be taught reading, writing, and a useful trade by their masters and then be freed at the age of 25.â€
What cruel slave owner whose sole interest was in his own financial status would make sure his slaves were educated for success once freed? What would those slaves say about burning the flag and destroying George Washington’s statue?
We sat down with State Representative Mike Nearman and had a conversation about what he thinks young people should do who want a career in politics, either as an elected official, or just to support others in the process.
Northwest Observer: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. How did you get your start in politics?
State Representative Mike Nearman: I've always been interested in politics, but only later in life, in my 40s did I start to get involved in a deeper way. I first became a Republican PCP in 2011 and in 2012 I became a county party chair. From there, I was first elected to the Legislature in 2014.
NWO: That seems like a pretty fast rise. Is that normal?
Nearman: No, not really. I was asked to run for party chair and for the legislature, so I had a lot of really good people supporting me, and in the case of the legislature, some money and a political operation behind me. I think people saw me as a hard-working, principled person who was willing to be a public person, and that made me attractive as both a candidate and a leader.
NWO: How do you like the part about being such a public person?
Nearman: It's not as bad as you might think. Then again, I'm only a State Representative and I'm not really a household name. You can't be completely shy and be in this business. I joke all the time that I'm a Software Engineer and I don't have enough social skills to actually do this job, but you have to have a little bit of ham in you -- some might call it ego -- to be able to stand the public scrutiny and do some of the public speaking that the job requires.
NWO: What kind of education would you recommend for someone who wants to make a career of public office?
Nearman: Well, I have a degrees in Philosophy and Computer Science. No one field of study is going to prepare you to serve in public office. At least in the legislature -- and I assume the same is true for city and county government -- you have to be an expert in so many things that it's more important to be mentally nimble and have good judgment than to be highly educated. Some legislators don't even have degrees, which I think is fine. If you didn't know who they were, you'd have a hard time picking them out.
NWO: What do you think of Political Science as a field of study?
Nearman: That's OK, but honestly, it might be better to take that on as a minor field of study and major in something a little more useful, like maybe marketing, graphic design, or -- if I can be a little self-serving -- Computer Science. Then you have something that can put food on your plate, as well as develop some skills that can help the cause along the way. As a guy with one useful degree and one that's not-so-useful, I'm a big fan of useful degrees. The other ones are good for minors. Whenever I meet someone who is studying, say Petroleum Engineering with a minor in Music, I think, "There's a person with really good judgment."
NWO: What other things can an up-and-coming politician do?
Nearman: I think the most important thing is to get involved in government, even at the most basic levels. Almost every level of government has a budget committee that is appointed by the governing body, and they often have vacant seats. These are great positions to take for several reasons. First, you'll get some real hands-on experience in government, and while your presence may not be the pinnacle of power, you may be able to have an impact on policy. Second, you'll learn a lot. You'll learn about parliamentary procedure, ethics laws, and how decisions get made. You see in real time, how the bureaucracy interacts with the elected officials. Third, you'll build your resume, which is important. Remember, when you see the voters' pamphlet, there are only two required fields: Education and Prior Government Experience. Don't leave this one blank.
NWO: What about party politics?
Nearman: Party politics, like your local county Republican party, is a great way to develop relationships and to keep an ear to the ground as far as what is going on. It's great to work as a volunteer on the campaign of some elected official. You'll learn a lot and the official will be very grateful for your support, which could pay off later. Campaign work is fun and a great place to meet people.
NWO: Do you have any other advice?
Nearman: Yeah. It's kind of obvious, but keep your nose clean and try to keep the felonies to a minimum. That's one thing. The other is that political operations are always looking for high-quality people to run for office. Do what it takes to make yourself a high-quality person and hang out in the right places, and they will find you. If you're young -- and I mean under 40, you have a huge advantage.
One other thing. Politics is sometimes hard on families, so make sure you take care of the loved ones around you. You might think this is fun, but they may not have picked this life, so if they need some space, give it to them.
Like I kind of said before it's hard to set goals in politics. So much of what you can do is based on opportunity. Rather than set goals about what office you want to hold by what age, I'd focus more on being ready, willing and prepared to consider opportunities as they arise. I think you need to listen to God and ask him what his will is and take direction from that. Keep praying.
NWO: Thanks for your time, Representative Nearman.
Budget and Covid 19 Relief Bills Will Not Be Focus
It is an unprecedented time for all of us, as we all figure out how to navigate this ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, with health concerns at hand, as well as additional negative fallout from the extensive and often unguided efforts of government bodies around the globe. Some of these being perhaps much more helpful than others. Here in Oregon, observers have witnessed Oregon stay rather healthy. Yet a recent spike in cases has prompted a reaction from officials such as Governor Kate Brown to issue mandates such as wearing masks in public, despite the questionable effectiveness of the process.
Governor Kate Brown had so far been hesitant to call the legislature to meet to attend to relief for Oregonians during the COVID-19 outbreak and address the state budget. Now, amidst nationwide protests for the taking of the life of one George Floyd by the police in Minnesota, the Oregon legislature has been called into a special legislative session to address policy bills such as police reform. Critics have offered that this gathering of legislators and staff in Salem for the session would clearly violate the government mandate by Kate Brown herself that there be no gatherings of more than 25 people. The minority party in the state, the Republicans, are among those voicing their concern.
Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod (R-Stayton) issued the following statement: “I fail to understand why the Governor is calling the legislature in for a special session, an expensive undertaking for taxpayers, in the middle of a pandemic, when it is not intended to address the state budget deficit. The intent of this special session should be to balance the state budget, which is the fundamental job of the legislature, and provide relief to Oregonians suffering from the ongoing COVID-19 economic disaster. Instead, the Governor is prioritizing policy bills.â€
He continued, “Marion County is still in Phase 1, and by Governor Brown’s own rules, gatherings of more than 25
people are not permitted. The legislature alone, without support staff, is comprised of 90 people. Why not address the budget, the legislature’s first priority, instead of opening the door to costly follow-up sessions? “The Oregon Supreme Court recently upheld the Governor’s executive orders during the pandemic, giving her unrestricted power and the ability to make almost any of the policy bills slated for the special session into law without the legislature. The legislature is needed to balance the budget, and failing to make that the priority is disastrous for the state and Oregonians.â€
Some critics have noted that as we do eventually manage to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak whether it be sooner or later, that many government entities will be hesitant to concede their recently acquired dominion.
Last week Governor Brown issued a statewide pause on all county applications to move into Phase 1 or Phase 2. This meant holding off on reviewing the reopening applications from Hood River, Marion, Multnomah, and Polk Counties.
“I instituted the statewide pause because of the rising number of cases in both rural and urban communities. I did this to give public health experts time to assess what factors are driving the spread of the virus and make adjustments to our reopening strategy†said Governor Brown. As it turns out, a one-day spike was not an indicator of increases.
Cases have leveled and declining, but still the Governor is requiring wearing face coverings while in indoor public spaces, such as grocery stores and other businesses, for Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Polk, and Lincoln counties. This mandate will be effective beginning Wednesday, June 24.
“Second, I am moving Marion, Polk, and Hood River Counties to Phase 2 beginning Friday, June 19. Marion and Polk Counties are seeing a decline in hospitalizations, and Hood River has had only one new hospital admission in the past two weeks,†Brown says.
What is significant in this action is that the special session is schedule for June 24 in Marion County. She is being criticized for limiting groups to 25 over faulty information while calling legislators to the capitol. She was caught in her own trap so was forced to move Marion County to Phase 2. She still faces criticism for lack of transparency in pushing complex cultural issues when the public is blocked from the capitol.
Multnomah County will move to Phase 1 on June 19 and will be grouped with Washington and Clackamas Counties for future reopening decisions. This means Washington and Clackamas will be held in Phase 1 until Multnomah catches up, which suppresses the economy longer than necessary. The tri-county group will be eligible for Phase 2 after 21 days. The Governor says, “I know this impacts communities and businesses in Clackamas and Washington counties but, as we reopen our state, we must recognize how interconnected the metro area is.â€
Considering the state deficit is in billions, what is the real purpose of pushing back on re-opening the economy?
Recent legislative sessions have seen the introduction of controversial bills, that may need to be re-evaluated in the light of COVID-19 and how we think about public health.
Plastic Bag ban
In 2019, the Legislature passed a statewide ban on non-reusable plastic bags, HB 2509. At the time, proponents of the ban touted it as good for the environment, though the actual impact of the ban is in doubt. Opponents of the bill pointed out that among other things, reusable cloth bags can be carriers for germs, viruses and other disease carrying organisms.
The heart of the bill, says simply:
A retail establishment may not provide:
(a) Single-use checkout bags to customers.
(b) Recycled paper checkout bags, reusable fabric checkout bags or reusable plastic checkout bags to customers unless the retail establishment charges not less than five cents for each recycled paper checkout bag, reusable fabric checkout bag or reusable plastic checkout bag
In light of COVID-19, single-use bags have begun to re-appear in grocery stores, and it may be time to re-consider the wisdom of the bag ban.
Cashless stores
During the 2019 Session the Legislature considered SB 716 which prohibits cashless stores, though it did not pass. Some retail establishments have found it safer, more secure, cleaner and more efficient not to take cash as a form of payment. Having employees handle cash has several drawbacks, and in a world where increasingly more and more people have the ability to make payments using a payment card, these retaillers see this as a way to operate more efficiently. Some see this as a basic freedom issue where a retail establishment should be able to do business as they wish.
Supporters of this bill see cashless stores as discriminating against those who do not have a payment card for whatever reason. Some opponents saw it as a way of protecting lawless persons -- illegal aliens, persons getting paid under the table, persons under garnishment orders, etc. -- from having to participate in normal banking acitivites, thereby making themselves more accessible to the law.
In a post COVID-19, there may need to be some rethinking of this. Currency may be considered a vector for the transmission of viruses and vulnerable people working in a retail establishment may not want to handle cash. It may also make for a safer eating establishment.
Mass transit
As a part of a massive transportation package, the 2017 legislature enacted a one tenth of one percent payroll tax dedicated to public transit. This might sound like a small amount, but it adds up to about a quarter of a billion dollars per biennium. As seen in heavily-public-transit dependent municipalities like New York City, viruses spread more quickly in denser, more urban areas, and that has to be at least in part due to mass transit.
Mass transit expansion has long been controversial, and perhaps the COVID-19 outbreak is a wakeup call that personal, physical density is not a good thing for public health. Maybe it's time to put that kind of money to work where it can be more effective -- or just return it to the taxpayers.
Legislative sessions are required to be open to the public
State Representative E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls) believes that the Governor’s call for a special legislative session, to start on June 24th, is riddled with contradiction.
Yesterday the Governor declared the Oregon State Legislature is to hold a special session starting next Wednesday, for an undetermined amount of time, to pass policy updates surrounding COVID-19 relief and Police reform.
“The fact is that Marion County remains in Phase I of Reopening. Even if the Governor were to grant Marion County Phase II status, it does not meet legislative criteria for a fair and open process to the public. The Governor says the Capitol building is to be open for legislative business, but closed to the public. Holding a legislative session while significantly limiting public access is the antithesis of the legislative process. Direct public input, transparency of process and public safety are all criteria that must be met in order for the legislature to meet and properly conduct the people’s business.â€
Article IV, Section 14. of the Oregon Constitution requires legislative sessions to be open to the public. “The deliberations of each house, of committees of each house or joint committees and of committees of the whole, shall be open. Each house shall adopt rules to implement the requirement of this section and the houses jointly shall adopt rules to implement the requirements of this section in any joint activity that the two houses may undertake.â€
Campaign finance complaint may have uncovered criminal activity
An election law complaint, filed against one of the most dark-money heavy political spending organizations in Oregon, may have exposed crimintal activity by the organization. The Secretary of State's office, which received the complaint on May 13 has turned the complaint over to the Justice Department, citing possible criminal activity in the complaint.
Our Oregon, an organization which has a 501(c)(4) status as a non-profit, is not registered as an Oregon Poltical Action Committee by the Secretary of State.
The complaint, filed on May 13 by the Freedom Foundation, alleges that, “During calendar year 2020 and for many years prior, Our Oregon has operated as a political committee without filing a statement of organization with the Secretary of State as required by ORS 260.035.â€
The claims in question are whether or not Our Oregon made campaign contributions in a false name, which is a class C felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $125,000 fine.
The organization's website makes the claim that it “led the unprecedented coalition that helped pass Measures 66 & 67â€, two tax increase ballot measures passed by the voters in 2010. This kind of advocacy would seem to clearly be explicit political activity.
This is not the first time Our Oregon has run afoul of the law. In November 2018, Defend Oregon, a political committee operated by Our Oregon, was cited for failing to turn in 96 valid ballots by election day. The Secretary of State's office even referred to this violation as “more severe than any other violation of election law.†Defend Oregon is still under the terms of a penalty agreement with the Elections Division.
The Justice Department investigation will be handled by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum (D-Portland) who is up for re-election in November.
Editor’s note: Yesterday, we published a report on how members of the public employee union AFSCME were unhappy with their union leadership’s support of the recent Black Lives Matter violence. Today, a member of that union -- a 20 year employee with Corrections -- contacted the Northwest Observer and said “I feel that we have a voice that needs to be heard. AFSCME did not apologize or back off.†What follows is her response to her union leadership. It needs no further explanation, nor introduction.
From: [Name redacted]
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2020 3:43 PM
To: Chamberlain Stacy ; Woolery Tim - AFSCME
I can’t find the names of all our Council 75 board members, please do forward this to anyone involved in generating the email titled, “Oregon AFSCME Board Statementâ€, as this is a message to them.
I have a few questions – I would like to request a copy of the minutes where this top was discussed. I would like copies of emails where your dues paying members requested you to make such a statement.
The Oregon Department of Corrections is considered a Law Enforcement agency. Police arrest people, courts sentence them and we confine them for that sentence. I find it hard to believe that you would want to hurt any of our members but that is what has happened. I’m not sure who of you, or beyond you, around you, etc. is responsible for this email but as our leadership members at different levels I can tell you it is our responsibility to fix what has been done. Did no one stop to think that we are one with our brothers and sisters in law enforcement?? You are supporting a movement that directly opposes them, which is US too!!
I pulled my dues when I found out that AFSCME was one of the largest contributors to Kate Browns election, because I felt like you guys didn’t care about us or even know us if you were giving OUR money to a politician that turned around and attacked our PERS. You paid her with our money and then had to spend our money defending all the things she has done.
Norway came along and I started to be concerned that my fellow staff members were being asked to drink coffee and paint with the people we are no longer allowed to call inmates, I was not at ease with my tax dollars going toward the payment of staff to play games with Adults in Custody; we are paid to supervise not socialize with them. How many people do you know that the tax payers pay $75 an hour to play corn hole with inmates, keep in mind inmates are criminals and teachers who have curriculum and a job description that includes games get paid far less??? So, I gave you back my money in hopes of making a difference. So far, I felt that plan had been going well. I have started communication with members, sending out information, trying to pull us together, recruiting on my own, telling people the good things the union will do for us if we stick together and let our voice be heard.
Fast forward – to the Board Statement. I am going to be radically honest with you folks . . . what were you thinking???? Did you forget BLM wants to defund law enforcement? Did you fail to realize that the BLM movement and civil rights movements of today are criminal in their actions right now against law enforcement? HOW MANY MEMBERS EXPRESSED THAT YOU WERE NOT DOING YOUR PART??? HOW MANY MEMBERS EXPRESSED THAT THIS EMAIL NEEDED TO BE SENT OUT? We work to prevent racism EVERYDAY IN PRISON!!! We are more aware of racism and do more through our work to minimize it in our setting than you can imagine!! So why would you send out such a poorly constructed email, using terms you had no business using in a letter to your members. Did we ask you to do this?? Did we tell you that you were acting racist? Did you ask your members if we had an issue that warranted an email like this?
I’m disgusted that money pays for anything that would tell our members that “We are a family, and our union will fight against acts of white supremacy whether they exist in our workplaces, in our union, or in our community. We will do more than merely add our union’s name to a list or to the statements of others - we will act and we will fight to dismantle white supremacy.†That isn’t even true!! You aren’t going to do anything about anything about white supremacy. That phrase alone is so offensive to the group of people that you sent that email to that just the nature of it made them all feel like you were talking about them. Do you not realize the pressure, scrutiny and judgment we are under as members of the law enforcement community?? That is who this movement is against, law enforcement is at the top of their list?? What are you going to do to fight systemic racism in our country??? And when did you start representing them and not us??? What are you going to do - Send out emails? No one wants to hear you preach to us about white supremacy or BLM. We want you to be preaching right now that LAW ENFORCEMENT should not be defunded, that not all members of law enforcement are bad, that we will strive to be professional members of law enforcement because ALL LIVE MATTER. Inmate Lives Matter. Correctional Officers Lives Matter. Correctional Employees and Managers Lives Matter.
Our security local has lost 33 members since June 2nd or 3rd I believe. Security plus has lost 1. We are all outraged by Mr. Floyds death. We are equally displeased by your overly zealous email. I would like to know what the follow up will be and if you all still believe this email was the right thing to do.
The issue is racism right??? What exactly do you call this . . . “We know our black members and staff are hurting and the Oregon AFSCME Black Caucus will be hosting a virtual meeting for black members and staff to come together.†First off, all that is racist!! We should not have a Black Caucus, nor a white one. We should have an Oregon AFSCME caucus that is color blind, not partial and now doing more for people based on race. WE ARE ALL HURTING RIGHT NOW. Seriously did you all think this through at all??? Reverse discrimination does not fix, cure or help racism or discrimination. I can’t tell you how many people feel betrayed by our union – at whatever level or whatever people were behind this email. I can tell you we need it fixed. If it is not fixed, we will lose more members. Like I said, I have built a great communication base. We will not tolerate our union supporting a group or movement that is anti-law enforcement right now. Did it ever occur to any of you to just do your job??? To just represent what we bring you, we all know that more than fills up your time. This was an error and I don’t want our members to continue to point it out to you through loss of membership.
I need to know now – who did this and how and when will it be fixed. If you do not reply or let me know when it will be fixed then I will assume you do not care about our concerns, feelings, safety or supporting law enforcement. I’m sorry but you guys were on the wrong side on this one and now we are paying for it.
I see you brought up George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor . . . victims of police . . . . why to a group of Correctional Professionals did you not bring up the names of the people that have been killed in the riots, the law enforcement officers beaten, ran over and murdered in the streets?? ALL LIVES MATTER.
The people YOU REPRESENT, people you work with needed a much different message than the one you sent. Let’s start with the fact that we deserve credit for being ahead of the racism movement!!!!!!! I can’t stress this enough. Why didn’t you praise us for that?? We have worked tirelessly for our entire careers to remain impartial towards the most violent and criminal group of people in the state of Oregon, to ignore race, religion, gender preference, violent tendencies, sexually predatory behavior and a list so long I can’t type it here. Did you look at our report card in that area?? We are exceeding the expectations of the entire nation. We did employ the Norway programs remember???? Did you praise anyone for how well we treat people since we do and we didn’t have to have the inmates’ riot to be treated so well??? I’m sick that this point is missed on people I work with. Our department and staff are so proactive it hurts sometimes and you want to preach to us about white supremacy??? It’s like a gut check in the worst possible way. I want you all to think about that tonight when you go to bed. In a prison that doesn’t have the systemic issues that the world is rioting about, instead of praising us for that, you told us you didn’t want to put your name on a list of something I can’t even remember. Disappointed. Disgusted. Hurt. Confused. Emotionally Triggered. You name it and you guys just stepped in it. So, let’s start by praising us for being ahead of the game!!
Secondly – we have a really low rate of excessive force. I bet we have a low rate of force in general compared to the nation. Most of us know what it’s like to be eye to eye with the most evil person you’ve ever had stare you down, he calls you ever name he can think of, threatens three generations of your family and tells you he’s going to kill you, beat you, have his way with you . . . and yet you remained calm. I bet that other officers not doing that across the nation, and doing worse, really disgust you like it does us. That was common group to build off of for our membership.
Let me end with this . . . You could have said, “We know that seeing fellow law enforcement officers murder a man in the street is probably hurting you and that the aftermath has brought negative attention to all law enforcement that has probably impacted you and your families.†On this one I struggle to refrain from using words and temperament that is unkind. Our children watch our staff leave the house every day with a badge on. Then they see on the news that those people with badges are being hated, beaten, ran over, called bad people, again a list to sad and too long. Did any of you consider what wearing a badge does to our families right now??? Or did you just want to jump on a bandwagon because it felt warm and fuzzy.
You want to represent your members and make our money worthwhile then work for us, not against us. This isn’t acceptable. OUR LIVES MATTER. Right now, some of us are afraid of wearing a badge or being associated with a career we are proud of – but hey nice job on the black lives matters email. Thanks for really looking out for what affects US and what worries and threatens us.
AFSCME Executive Director, Stacy Chamberlain sent this reply. It needs no introduction.
Dear [Name redacted],
It is evident that the wording or interpretation of the recent brief statement from the Council 75 Executive Board has troubled some of our members. While there are some within our membership that feel the letter was offensive, others feel it was not strong enough. Regardless, the purpose of the letter was to denounce racism and white supremacy when and where it exists. Furthermore, the Board statement was meant to condemn the systemic failures that have contributed to Black Americans being three times more likely to be killed by police than White or Latino Americans.
The Council 75 Executive Board decided to send that statement in order to take a righteous stand against racism and to publicly express our union’s values which are to fight for a society in which all are treated equal.
And we are not alone. Law enforcement agencies and police unions across the country have put out similar statements denouncing the murder of George Floyd.
While it may be easier to think of the killing of George Floyd as a heinous act committed by a bad cop, it is not. Mr. Floyd’s killing was only one in a long pattern of police brutality and indifference against Black people that is being seen across the country with a lack of accountability or reform in the system which is why this latest act has boiled over now. Everyone knows this is not all law enforcement, but when officers feel safe to act inhumanely, to intentionally or directly cause the death of another human while restrained, and even while knowingly on camera as happened with Mr. Floyd, there are obviously inherent and heinous problems in the system that need to be exposed and reformed. Actions like this that go unchecked, unchallenged or when perpetrators are not held accountable for their actions or worse when peers come to the defense of their illegal actions all of those things end up hurting the reputation and trust of all public safety professionals in the community.
Conversation on police reforms have already begun and as a union that represents law enforcement and corrections we know that we (our public safety members and Council 75 staff) need to be part of these conversations. It’s important we help protect legitimate due process rights and maintain safe working environments while pursuing meaningful and judicious improvements in the systems internal to policing and society to ensure all are treated with dignity and equality. Reforms are necessary not only to ensure accountability for law enforcement officers who are guilty of any form of police brutality, but to also ensure that our members, all people in the community and inmates are safe.
Some members have expressed some concerns about the Black Caucus meeting for Black members and staff only, that this is a time that we should be coming together. These meetings are much like a women’s caucus or veterans group - there is a safety in sharing one’s hopes, fears and pain with someone who has had a similar life experience, where you do not have to explain how you feel or justify it because the other person knows what it feels like. These spaces are intended for this purpose.
We want to thank you for the jobs you do every day to serve the community. We appreciate your dedicated service. I know as members who take your role as public safety officers seriously, seeing a video of a police officer disregard humanity and protocols by murdering a black man who was restrained and non-combative was horrendous. Thank you for being a part of these conversations. We need your voice.
There wasn’t much room to the left of Greenlick, but they found it.
Oregon House District 33 Oregonians have appointed a physician specializing in pulmonology, Dr. Maxine Dexter, to replace the late Mitch Greenlick, who passed away in May. Greenlick served with the Oregon legislature for nearly 18 years.
Dr. Dexter has already seen support from Ceasefire Oregon, as she has served on the Oregon Medical Association’s Firearm Injury Prevention Task Force. She has received endorsements from John Kitzhaber, the Oregon Single Payer Advocates, and NARAL, a pro-choice Oregon PAC, as well as local unions.
Oregon House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner (D-Portland) congratulated and welcomed Dexter to the Oregon House of Representatives and the House Democratic Caucus. “We are excited to welcome Maxine,†Majority Leader Smith Warner said. “During this time especially, her professional experience as a physician on the frontlines of the COVID-19crisisis a critical addition to the legislature. I know she will bring her passionate advocacy for health care, as well as the environment, working families and education to this new role. We all look forward to working with her in the coming months and years to build a better Oregon for all.â€
In a historic first, Dexter’s addition to the Oregon House of Representatives means that female legislators will now represent 50 percent of House districts throughout Oregon. Due to COVID-19safety precautions, a private swearing-in ceremony will be held on Sunday. Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson will administer the oath of office.
Senator Manning wants to pay for your kids’ college
On his way to stumbling toward a yes vote on PERS reform -- you remember SB 1049 -- State Senator James Manning, Jr. couldn't help but remind everyone that he favors fully free pre-K through college education for every Oregon Student. Never mind that he had to take a tough yes vote to pay for the over-bloated public employee pension plan. It was a good opportunity for him to remind everyone that he favors new massive spending.
While most people support free K-12 education, somebody needs to explain to Senator Manning that free college is one of the most regressive uses of public money. The idea that everyone -- including those who do not go to college -- should subsidize the education and the enhanced ability to earn money, of those who do go to college, should offend everyone.
If Manning really wants free college, he might want to look into a pay-it-forward program -- already passed in Oregon as a way for students to get a free college education.
People who claim to be using "science" need to use science more
Everyday science isn't hard. You just observe what is around you in the universe, cook up theories about it, and then test those theories. Maybe if you are dealing with sub-atomic particles, it gets a little bit harder to observe, but the basics are still the same. Observe this graph, produced by the Oregon Health Authority, under the direction of Pat Allen.
In an open letter to Oregonians written back in mid-March, Director Allen said “We need to flatten the curve of new COVID-19 infections.†One look at the chart above would seem to indicate that we have flattened the curve. With the exception of some outlying activity recently -- due to lack of hygiene at riots, maybe? -- an honest person might conclude that the curve has been flattened.
Indeed, the chart is a little bit difficult to read, mostly because the amount of data on it is so small. One can see a small, but perceptivle divergence between cases and hospitalizations, i.e. cases are stable, but hospitalizations are dwindling. This is probably due to an increase in testing. One stat that's not on the chart is deaths, which have been decreasing consistently.
Critics of Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s COVID-19 policies have noted that the cries for flattening the curve in March, only to have the goalposts moved into June and beyond, might have the effect of undermining confidence in her ability to manage the matter.
The Oregon Health Authority has been called out for being less than transparent with data about COVID-19. Additionally, many legacy media organizations have reduced their coverage to click bites. For instance, the chart above tells a great deal of the story, without emotion, yet it’s not commonly seen in coverage.
For a Governor who is facing two recall attempts, one by the Oregon Republican Party and one by a grassrooots group, it might be wise for the her to execute a little more precisely on the science.
As a part of a massive transportation package, the 2017 legislature enacted a one tenth of one percent payroll tax dedicated to public transit. This might sound like a small amount, but it adds up to about a quarter of a billion dollars per biennium. As seen in heavily-public-transit dependent municipalities like New York City, viruses spread more quickly in denser, more urban areas, and that has to be at least in part due to mass transit.
This is not the first time Our Oregon has run afoul of the law. In November 2018, Defend Oregon, a political committee operated by Our Oregon, was cited for failing to turn in 96 valid ballots by election day. The Secretary of State's office even referred to this violation as “more severe than any other violation of election law.†Defend Oregon is still under the terms of a penalty agreement with the Elections Division.
