We are all too familiar with the senseless violence happening on the streets of Portland each night. I commend the local police, Oregon State Police and Federal Agents who have done their best to protect property and people, given the political handcuffs they must wear. It takes men and women of real character to face adversity and chaos night after night, knowing the work of keeping the peace is a dangerous job, being also despised by some.

Currently, there is another kind of violence occurring in Salem, 50 miles south of Portland. It is not the kind of violence with rocks, fire, lasers or graffiti, however this violence is just as destructive to our way of life. In the last two years, the Democrat-led legislature has passed highly controversial bills — bills that Oregonians voted against. While controversial bills are nothing new, the strong-arm process in which these bills move through the State Capitol is alarming.

Our state’s legislative system is designed to be methodical, open and transparent. It is actually hard work to pass a bill into law, as the process should be. A bill is introduced by a legislator, discussed in committee, amended, passed out of committee and then debated and voted on the chamber floor. The process repeats itself all over again in the other chamber. Finally, when a bill is passed by both the House & Senate, it is signed by the Governor. This can often take several weeks or months. At any point along the way a bill may lose the support necessary to get to the next step. The design of this slow and deliberate process has two main purposes. First, it gives the public the ability to understand what is being discussed and to get involved by directly testifying in person during a public hearing, or by contacting their legislators with their support or opposition. Second, this process protects the minority opinion, giving it a real voice — a voice which can often spawn amendments to improve the bill, or conversely may stop the bill outright.

Controversial bills will garner the attention of Oregonians who wish to give their opinion during a public hearing. The practice of limiting testimony to two or three minutes in committee, which has become all too common, is wrong. People from my district, 200-300 miles away, will spend 5-6 hours driving to Salem in order to express their opinion on a bill that will directly impact their business or way of life — and they are only given 180 seconds to speak. This is not a process that rightly hears the people’s concerns. Rather it’s merely going through the motions, checking a box. If a committee chair plans on hearing a controversial bill, that chair should plan the committee’s schedule accordingly to hear everyone's full testimony. Extremely short time limits discourage the public from being involved, and does great damage to the very idea of a “public hearing”.

Furthermore, given the State of Emergency and Executive Orders we are currently under (which I oppose), the special legislative session held this past June was closed to the public — the public was not allowed into the Capitol. The legislature was open for business, but closed to the public. Public testimony was not allowed in person, only through remote kiosks outside on the Capitol steps. This limited testimony was demeaning as people were reduced to a tiny square on a screen. Drastic changes to public testimony has cut off a key component of the legislative process — effective and direct public input with legislators.

August featured a one-day, 15-hour marathon special session. This time no public input was allowed. None. Think about this for a moment. No direct public input was allowed on budgets or bills. The majority party has been abusing the legislative process over the past few years: Dropping complicated 100+ page major bill amendments at the 11th hour, not giving the public, or legislators time to read, analyze and properly understand proposed changes.; moving bills from one committee, which has expertise to discuss a bill, to a committee with no such expertise in order to obfuscate knowledgeable opposition.

Now there is talk of a third special session in September. The trend of limiting, and even blocking, public input is not good government. The silent violence happening to our legislative process, where minority points of view are not given proper time to organize and speak out, tears apart the fabric of our government of, by and for the people. The process matters, as it protects the people from the overbearing power of its government. This assault to our legislative process should be concerning to every Oregonian who deserves to be heard and desires to live free.


--State Representative E. Werner Reschke

Post Date: 2020-08-24 16:02:38

Last Update: 2020-08-24 17:36:02

The American Legislative Exchange Council, a nationwide think-tank focused on state legislative issues released its annual report Rich States, Poor States and it has some ominous data for Oregon.

As part of it's report, it includes an Economic Outlook Ranking, which is a forecast based on a state’s current standing in 15 state policy variables. Each of these factors is influenced directly by state lawmakers through the legislative process. Generally speaking, states that spend less — especially on income transfer programs — and states that tax less — particularly on productive activities such as working or investing — experience higher growth rates than states that tax and spend more. Oregon's current rank is eight (one is the best, 50 is the worst), so Oregonians have a lot to be proud of. Yet high taxes, high government spending and other factors give it an outlook rating of 42, which should be worrisome. The last decade of legislative super majorities for Democrats have created opportunities for policymakers to create an environment that is not hospitable to business growth -- growth that will be necessary to take up some of the revenue shortfall caused by the government response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since the recovery from the recession of 2008, the national economy has been flat, while the Oregon economy saw decent gains. However, for the past several years, while the national economy has lurched upward, Oregon's domestic economy has flattened. This has been driven in part by a spate of regressive tax increases as well as many new regulations on business. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Since 2012, employment growth in Oregon has outpaced federal employment growth, which is good, but it's been steadily sliding under the weight of many anti-business policy moves by the legislature. Individually, they might have been sustainable, but the cumulative weight of regulations, coupled with the cost of government, has stifled economic growth in Oregon.

Numbers and graphs are all well and good, but the real indicator of how attractive Oregon is can be seen in the domestic migration numbers -- the number of people who come to the state minus the number of people who leave. Oregon has had positive growth through the decade -- growth that will almost certainly result in Oregon gaining a sixth congressional district -- but it's tapered off, as of late. These numbers don't factor in the impact of riots in Portland or the heavy-handed government response to COVID-19. Or the impact of upcoming legislative sessions.

This video of State Senator James Manning, Jr. (D-Eugene) illustrates the attitude behind the disregard for Oregon's economic condition.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-24 14:00:13

Last Update: 2020-08-24 19:23:35

Congratulations to Senator Kamala Harris for her selection as Mr. Biden’s running mate. In its way, the selection of a female candidate for the Vice Presidency is as historically significant as landing a man on the moon...the third man on the moon.

The selection of a female or a black American as a national political candidate would have been unimaginable fifty years ago, just as landing a man on the moon would have been unimaginable back in 1919. Sure, Representative Geraldine Ferraro was selected by Walter Mondale in 1984 as his running mate; but that was widely seen as the desperate publicity stunt of a doomed candidate, even at the time. John McCain’s selection of Governor Sarah Palin in 2008 had the same ordure.

Americans dream big, and landing a man on the moon – like electing Barrack Obama as President -- was a development that shocked the world. Adversaries and allies alike shook their heads and had to admit, “Our country couldn’t have done it.” But it’s hard to dream big and sweat the details, and America’s attention span is as short as our dreams are big.

Neil Armstrong was the first man who landed on the moon. You already knew that. Who was the third? Charles “Pete” Conrad. I had to look it up.

Which brings us back to Senator Harris.

There will plenty of time for us to consider her transparent ambition, her insincerity, her -- shall we say -- “ethical flexibility.” Right now, we are told to focus on the “unprecedented” nature of her selection. I suspect that most Americans will respond as I have, with a yawn.

Whether you are the second black American or the third female American, it’s all the same to most of us: You can’t get my attention by changing the packaging on the same old toothpaste.

I said this in 2012, and it bears repeating: America won’t have arrived with the election of our first black President. That was simply the end of the beginning. America will have fully arrived when the first black national candidate isn’t elected, because his (or her) record reveals that they wouldn’t make an effective President.

Everything else is, as Senator Harris explained after calling Joe Biden a racist sex criminal, “Just politics.”

Oregon has its own painful history with race. Not from a Civil War which started when Oregon was a one-year-old; but from catastrophes like Vanport, which happened when my Mom was five.

But atoning for past sins shouldn’t require us to check our common sense at the door.

The fight against racism was a righteous fight, and it succeeded because it was true. By peacefully appealing to the decency of all Americans, our civil rights leaders revealed something about America that had become obscured: When the civil rights of any American are denied, the civil rights of every American are diminished.

But, typical for America, we outperformed even our wildest expectations. We won the only war that could be won: Today, any politician who claimed that any American should be denied opportunity because of race, creed, color, or gender would be unelectable. That was the war.

After winning the war, the surviving victorious generals looked forward to peace. But some at the periphery found that war suited them, and they set about making it a Forever War.

“Race” became “Racialism”: The idea that black Americans couldn’t compete with the rest of us unless they were given “special” status…kind of like the kids who ride the short bus. Racialism is as destructive as the ugliest racism, but the people who benefit look different. That’s “diversity” to them.

There are still scattered and powerless pockets of racist resistance in America -- much like Japanese Private Teruo Nakamura kept fighting World War II until December 1974. But to keep the country on a war footing forever means accepting a bloated and overbearing government and the carnage of a war that will never end...which suits the Racialists just fine.

You’ve probably never heard of Private Nakamura or Pete Conrad because they are historically insignificant, and Americans don’t sweat the small stuff. By 1974, America had already grown bored of sending people to the moon.

Dan Crowe is from Mount Angel. He has defended more than 100 Americans – including many black and female Americans – at court-martial...and hundreds more as Oregon’s Veterans Advocate.


--Dan Crowe

Post Date: 2020-08-23 19:38:44

Representative David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) calls on the Governor and Democrat Supermajority to direct the Oregon Employment Department to apply for the additional federal $300 dollar a week Unemployment Grant Program that is available. After congressional negotiations broke down and failed to extend the additional federal UI benefit to the unemployed in July, President Trump, through executive order, made available an additional $300 dollar a week grant program of $44 billion dollars for unemployed families. Many states have applied and have been accepted, and have begun passing these additional dollars on to their unemployed. Oregon has yet to apply, leaving these benefits out of the pockets of struggling Oregon families.

“Oregon families continue to struggle to pay for basic needs, as Governor Brown’s Executive Orders in response to COVID have crippled Oregon’s economy and have left hundreds of thousands of Oregonians unemployed,” said Rep. Brock Smith. “Although the Legislature has taken steps to increase the UI benefits for Oregonians, the failure of the Governor and Supermajority to direct the Employment Department to apply for the available additional federal grants to assist these same struggling working families is deplorable,” he said. “The Oregonian recently reported, ‘Oregon could also apply for the $300 weekly grant, but opt not to pay the extra $100 boost,’ and I call on the Governor to forgo the additional $100 from the state and immediately act on the additional federal benefits to get them in the hands of Oregonians as soon as possible,” he said.

“Oregon unemployed families cannot wait for congress to resume their political narrative back in D.C. and Oregon leaders should not wait either,” said Rep. Brock Smith. “Oregonians deserve action on these additional federal UI benefits now. Our motto, ‘She flies with her own wings’ is a clear example of how we don’t and shouldn’t wait for the congressional disfunction to resume before taking action for our working families,” he said. “The time has passed for Oregon’s leadership to put people over politics, Oregon’s struggling families over their abhorrence of the President, and apply for the additional federal grant unemployment assistance as other states have and continue to do across the nation.”


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-08-23 13:22:01

Last Update: 2020-08-23 14:43:42

State Representative David Brock Smith and State Senator Dallas Heard; the members of Oregon’s Southwest House and Senate District 01, again condemn the growing hate, violence, arson and brutal assault on the public, police and property in Portland and continue to call on the Governor and their legislative Portland colleagues to join them in condemning these deliberate acts.

“As we pass the 84thday of protests; to which I support the rights to do so, the violence touted by the Governor and Supermajority as caused by Federal Officers defending the Federal Courthouse, continues to grow exponentially in the absence of those Federal Officers”, said Rep. Brock Smith (R-Port Orford). “I support the OSP Superintendents decision to pull his Troopers from Portland; in the face of the Multnomah County DA’s decision to not prosecute the ‘rioters’ crimes, so that our OSP Troopers can resume their duties in other areas of the State where they are respected and their public service is appreciated,” he said.

“As the rampant violence,brutal assaults, destruction of property and lawlessness from rioters continues to spread throughout Portland and into residential areas, we call again on Governor Brown and our colleagues to condemn these horrific lawless acts towards the public. Their lack of this condemnation is viewed as condoning the rioters lawless acts,” said Rep. Brock Smith. “As residents of Portland visit my district or residents of my district visit that of my legislative colleagues in Portland, every Oregonian deserves the right to have their protection of health, life and safety wherever they may be in this Great State,” he said. “That is a main purpose of these protests and it is being lost by the acts of violence that continue to escalate and proliferate throughout Portland in the absence of their representative leaders condemnation of it.”

“It’s unimaginable to me that Democrat leaders across the highest levels of government would continue to stay silent, despite the destruction and hate that has befallen their city and is now spreading from Portland to other parts of our state.” Said Senator Dallas Heard (R-Roseburg). “I have stated it previously, but it needs to be said again and again that I fully support all peoples right to assemble and protest. But this isn’t just protesting. Kate Brown and Portland Legislators have stood idly by and watched as rioters pillage the streets of Portland, all the while actively punishing the smallest of the small business owners and communities of faith across the state for simply trying to stay afloat and provide hope during this pandemic.”

“Small mom and pop working class shops are closing their doors for good under the crushing restrictions and penalties put in place by Kate Brown and her elected House and Senate Democrats. Oregonians of all races and backgrounds who for so long formed the pillars of our communities are disappearing, and instead of standing up for and fighting for those peaceful communities their fates are left up to the will of the mob.”

“Make no mistake, there is no room for hate, bigotry, and violence from the extreme right or left of the political spectrum. We the Republican legislators from Southwest Oregon stand against and condemn any form of violence and hate against ANYONE! The elected Democrats running the entire state of Oregon expose their hypocrisy with every passing day that they don’t push back against this hate and intimidation.” added Senator Heard.

With escalating attacks spreading across Portland, we again call on our colleagues to join us in advocating to end the violence that continues to threaten the health, lives and safety of our Oregon Peace Officers, residents, their business and families across our state.

Below are links to the recent violence that plagues the City of Portland and its’ residents. Warning, as some of the videos have graphic violence.

First video, .attacks on innocent residents walking down the street

Second video: robbed a woman that was skateboarding and then assaulted her. A passerby then stops to help her as she is pleading for her safety.

Third video: The good samaritan and his companion begin to be assaulted, He attempts to drive away, obviously afraid for their lives and in his haste to get around other traffic while being chased by rioters,he crashes.

Fourth Video: The rioters catch up with the good samaritan, he is asking for help as his female companion is still in the truck.The rioters drag him into the street and make him sit in the road.They get the keys to his truck and begin to start getting the passenger out of the truck.

Fifth Video:WARNING-HORRIFIC CONTENT The rioters have beat the good samaritan sitting in the road, then a rioter kicks him in the back of the head knocking him unconscious–leaving him bleeding in the road.

SixthVideo:WARNING -HORRIFIC CONTENT Some come to the good samaritans aid and call 911

Last video: Fire set inside Multnomah Building


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-08-23 13:09:10

Last Update: 2020-08-23 18:53:43

Editor's note: this is the eighth of a multi-part series recounting how the party in power is thwarting the will of the people. There is also a downloadable companion brochure

What each voter represents on their ballot is their identity and what they value – law and order, a strong economy, responsibility, and that our representatives should actually represent all Oregonians regardless of party affiliation. Through the years, urban has dictated state policy that doesn’t make sense for rural voters and they find no reason to vote. But, is that a valid reason not to vote?

Some facts that could change things. Did you know that in the early 90’s, Kate Brown ran for State Representative and won her race by 7 votes? If just 8 more people had voted for her opponent, we would most likely not have Kate Brown as Oregon’s Governor today. And, in the 2018 primary, HD 53 was won by just 2 votes. Many local elections are determined by a hand-full of votes, especially in rural counties.

Rep. E. Werner Reschke, District 56, calculated that based on the 2018 returns, both Republicans and Democrats voted at about 80%. Under strict party line voting, Republicans would need to turn 32% more votes in 2020 to change state policy -- for a total of 112%. But not everyone votes along party lines. There is no indication how Non-Affiliated (NAV) or Independent voters voted.

To change the direction in state policy, it is imperative we find commonality with NAV voters, and encourage them to vote (only 43% voted in 2018). What makes a NAV is they are all individuals and distinct. There isn’t a “common NAV message” other than they don’t like or care about parties.

With majorities in both houses of the Oregon legislature and the Governors’ office, Democrats can pass anything they want, with no cooperation across the aisle and regardless of what voters say, and they are doing so.

We all prioritize personal and family safety, and that’s where we can take advantage of the release of prisoners, increased crimes, and rioting in Portland and around the state. When values take priority over party, the gap is bridged. It can be done, it has been done, we can make the difference but only if you vote and get others to vote.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-23 13:07:47

Last Update: 2020-08-08 14:43:51

--Northwest Observer Meme Team

Post Date: 2020-08-23 13:07:02

Editor's note: this is the seventh of a multi-part series recounting how the party in power is thwarting the will of the people. There is also a downloadable companion brochure

Oregon’s leadership wanted to end all exemptions to vaccinations other than very narrowly defined and nearly impossible-to-get medical exemptions. Religious and Slavic communities saw it as a replay of the controls and persecution they escaped.

Legislative Fiscal Office said that “House Bill 3063 removes the ability of a parent to decline required immunizations against restrictable diseases as a condition of a child attending any Oregon school or children’s facility for reasons other than an indicated medical diagnosis.”

Testimony on Christian reasons to avoid vaccinations undersigned by 189 religious objectors gave details on the moral issue of cell lines taken from aborted babies: “Some of the most common vaccines are only licensed in America in forms that include live attenuated viruses cultured in aborted fetal cell lines. At least eighty abortions, likely more, took place in order to create simply that one vaccine.”

There are inherent dangers for certain children. A child today is to receive many times the doses recommended just two generations ago. Testing of some vaccines has been substandard, some children have been harmed and the pharmaceutical companies are shielded from liability. Parents shoulder the risk and should be able to choose the health care for their children.

A vaccine is in the works for the COVID-19 virus, which is to be optional according to President Trump. In Oregon, Democrats still want to add vaccinations as a mandate -- without exemptions -- for every child to attend school. They want complete medical control including single-payer healthcare. Is one more vaccine added to the 72 already required such a big deal?. The only reassurance to keep vaccinations as an opt-out is a change in the majority party.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-22 13:56:14

Last Update: 2020-08-08 14:45:59

Representative Bill Post (R-Keizer) formally requested that Governor Kate Brown order all flags in Oregon be lowered to half-staff in honor of two Oregon Marines who were among nine servicemen who lost their lives in an accident near San Clemente Island earlier this month. He as released the following statement:

“Private First Class Jack Ryan Ostrovsky from Bend, and Lance Corporal Chase D. Sweetwood of Portland, deserve our honor and gratitude. These two young men gave their lives in service to our country, and Oregon must not forget the sacrifice they made. I have asked the Governor to do the least she can do, and order all flags lowered to half-staff in their memory. My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of these two young men.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-22 10:47:11

As the Oregon Republican Party's recall attempt against Governor Kate Brown nears the end of the signature gathering process, supporters are claiming that the Secretary of State Elections Division is changing the rules on numbering the sheets. For example, this post has been circulating on social media:

The Elections Division has just notified us they are changing the rules of the game at the 11th hour. As one example, they are requiring us to spend many, many hours reorganizing and renumbering the petitions, when such action is neither necessary or required by law...

We believe these last minute changes are meant to burden us with frivolous tasks and avoid accountability if they decide to reject our petition as inadequate.

However, the State Initiative and Referendum Manual requires that “Chief petitioners or authorized agents number each signature sheet sequentially in the space provided.”



The signature validation process used by the Secretary of State uses sampling, which depends on referencing pages by sheet number. That's why it's necessary that the pages be numbered sequentially. The Oregon Republican Party pre-numbered the sheets and now is having to go back and sequentially number them.

This is not a new rule. The current State Initiative and Referendum Manual was adopted by administrative rule in March of 2020 and the section on numbering the sheets sequentially is not new.

The deadline to sign the recall is fast approaching. You can find out more by going to www.KateBrownRecall.org


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-22 08:29:24

Last Update: 2020-08-22 10:47:11

Governor Brown is so busy trying to outwit President Trump, she is ignoring his executive order to made available an additional $300 dollar a week grant program for unemployed families.

Representative David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) calls on the Governor and Democrat super-majority to direct the Oregon Employment Department to apply for the additional federal $300 dollar a week Unemployment Grant Program that is available. “Oregon families continue to struggle to pay for basic needs, as Governor Brown’s Executive Orders in response to COVID have crippled Oregon’s economy and have left hundreds of thousands of Oregonians unemployed,” said Rep. Brock Smith. “Although the Legislature has taken steps to increase the UI benefits for Oregonians, the failure of the Governor and super-majority to direct the Employment Department to apply for the available additional federal grants to assist these same struggling working families is deplorable,” he said. “The Oregonian recently reported, ‘Oregon could also apply for the $300 weekly grant, but opt not to pay the extra $100 boost,’ and I call on the Governor to forgo the additional $100 from the state and immediately act on the additional federal benefits to get them in the hands of Oregonians as soon as possible.”

As the Governor rolls back on further opening up the state by Executive Order 20-30, she extends her powers under a state of emergency, and she rolls back support. The federal CARES Act of $600 weekly bonus to unemployment expired the end of July, putting families in a dire situation. Instead of passing through a $300 extension, she sits on it.

Instead of passing on $300 weekly for all unemployed, The Governor chooses to pay out a $500 one-time payment to lower income people. Speaker Tina Kotek said. “We have to get more money to help people.” What is she waiting for? Playing games with the President’s Executive Order does nothing to boost the economy, because families that had a modest income don’t qualify. Instead it depresses the economy by allowing those refusing to return to work another month. Restaurant owners are begging their employees to come back to work – this will not help them.

Governor Brown extended Executive Order 20-06 and 20-15 on abnormal market disruption regarding price gouging. However, by refusing to pass along the $300 extension to the unemployed, she is found guilty of her own order gouging people in need of relief.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-22 08:03:15

Last Update: 2020-08-22 08:29:24

In Oregon today, our Political Establishment is trapped in an unresolvable dilemma: The status quo which has given them absolute control over Oregon Government can survive only so long as the resentments of those who are the source of that power are inflamed without boiling over.

All persons of good will are appalled by what appears to have been the unlawful use of deadly force against Mr. George Floyd, as well as so many other catastrophic deaths at the hands of our police. I certainly am.

But against whom are our protestors really protesting and our rioters really rioting?

The Oregon Democratic Party has dominated Oregon for decades. In those decades, Oregon Democrats keep promising social justice…yet, according to a November 25, 2019 Oregonian article, a black Oregonian is 830% more likely to be in jail than a white one. Worse than Mississippi. Worse than Alabama. Worse than Louisiana. In fact, worse than anywhere else in America.

No reasonable Oregonian is against peaceful protestors exercising their inalienable right to demand positive change. But centuries of experience have taught us that rage rarely leads there. And, as we see nightly, the rioters are enraged.

The rioters are losers and malcontents, which is why it isn’t easy for me to admit...They’re right.

The rioters grasp a truth that those protesting peacefully shy away from: Those in power -- “Progressive” Democrats who ritually say all of the right things -- never had any intention of delivering on any of their promises.

Ted Wheeler believes in...Ted Wheeler. Those who elevated him are counting on that.

You don’t get the support of the racketeers who wield actual power in Oregon Government by rocking the boat. And, like the Mafia in New York City in the 1980s, our racketeers intend to keep laughing all the way to the bank. Forever.

Oregonians aren’t idiots. We know that the raging torrents threaten to carry us away, but most would rather drown on the floundering horse we’re on than jump -- mid-stream -- onto a piebald nag that’s already drowned.

I hate to burst your bubble, but very few of the people I’ve met in politics on either side are inherently honest or wise. Like children, most politicians need strictly enforced boundaries.

Which brings us to the Oregon Attorney General, the one person who should be keeping the politicians and the rioters honest and on side. (And keeping the police off the peaceful protestors).

Tragically, our incumbent Attorney General wasn’t put into that job by John Kitzhaber because of her willingness to rock the boat. Ellen’s re-election slogan is, “I’ve done nothing, and it’s not working!”

Do I sympathize with the anger and resentment of the scruffy, ill-informed, easily-manipulated adolescents who are undermining our protests?

Sympathize? No. As the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., teaches us, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.” But I do empathize. Because I understand what it feels like to be used by cynical politicians who will promise you anything to preserve their own power.

It hurts.

Dan Crowe is from Mount Angel. He was the 2016 Republican candidate for Attorney General.


--Dan Crowe

Post Date: 2020-08-21 19:30:34

Last Update: 2020-08-17 20:23:39