Last week the governor addressed the House Republicans and requested an additional $275 million in tax increases. He promised that if Republicans joined the Democrats in voting for tax increases the additional revenue would enable the legislature to help K-12 schools, community colleges, universities and youth mental health programs. In other words, “it’s for the [...]
It’s usually in news stories about foreign conflicts that we hear about the use of drones, aircraft that can be automated or remotely controlled by someone located thousands of miles away. It might surprise you, then, that in recent years drones have become much more common right here in Oregon. Many folks — including myself [...]
The freedoms that we enjoy as U.S. citizens are due largely to the sacrifices made by our military veterans. Because of that, it’s important that we honor them and ensure their smooth transition back into civilian life when they have concluded their service. We took a big step toward that with the passage of House [...]
It’s no secret that technology has advanced rapidly in recent years. Because of it, new conveniences like cell phones and Internet technology are making the world a smaller place. But against this backdrop, the global War on Terror that we’ve waged since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has given the federal government unprecedented powers. That, [...]
Summer is here and we are reminded of the catastrophic devastation caused by destructive forest fires and the blights of diseased forests and rotting biomass which has led to Oregon’s crisis in forest health. In addition, we are reminded that our ineffectual forest policy has caused the economic pain, unemployment and financial desperation our rural [...]
When I have the opportunity for a conversation with my neighbors, or to chat with patients in my medical practice, I often ask them about their priorities. A common theme emerges: Getting Southern Oregon back to work. We can do that by supporting small businesses right here in Southern Oregon. With job creation top of [...]
I can still remember the first time I voted. It was 1972, two years after I returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam. Back, then, the voting age was 21. I had recently reached that milestone, and was eager to exercise my rights as a U.S. citizen. The reason I’m sharing this anecdote is [...]
In Washington, D.C., it is the Congressional House Republicans. In Salem, it is the Oregon Senate Republicans. For some reason, both groups believe it is somehow right to operate by taking legislation hostage, threatening the economy and countless jobs, in their demand for austerity and adherence to their own particular ideology. It’s not right, and [...]
Education is often referred to as an equalizer, a way that people can elevate themselves to higher lifetime earnings levels and a more prosperous future. But anymore, graduates of Oregon colleges are mired in student loan debt for years after they complete their studies. Tuition affordability is a critical issue, and it’s one that we’ve [...]
As a doctor, I’m always surprised to hear that Oregon has the highest rate of non-medical exemptions for immunizations in the country. In some Oregon schools — including in Southern Oregon — as many as 70 percent of students have been exempted from vaccinations for non-medical reasons. To put that into perspective, to protect children [...]
