A daily question returns to this writer’s mind: What would it take to unite the American people as we approach the third decade of the 21st century? Most Americans were united in a common effort to defeat the Japan and Nazi Germany after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7,[Read More…]

There seem to be two schools of thought on the role of schools in the lives of our children: some think that schools should do most of the raising of our kids; others think that education in school should be coupled with life education in the home. Contemporary education movements[Read More…]

To the Editor: Fentanyl is the strongest opiate on the streets right now and it’s estimated to be 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Not only is fentanyl sold on the streets “as is,” but it’s also mixed into other drugs by dealers who[Read More…]

The burning of Notre Dame Cathedral, a monument to human creativity and divine inspiration, invites first a mournful silence and then a search for meaning. This often involves efforts to understand the inexplicable by reference to metaphor. That this ancient place of worship burned during Holy Week invites, perhaps paradoxically,[Read More…]

The lengthy life for this writer is attributable, in part, to birth in the United States. In fact, there have been only two periods during my life when serious wonder arose by “the end” appearing imminent. The two periods were characterized by protracted migraine-like headaches, resulting from intense feelings of helplessness[Read More…]

One of the many bills under consideration in the Oregon Legislature this year would erect a giant barrier to seeking help when a drug overdose occurs, and more dishearteningly, it is a backslide into anti-drug policy proven not to work. Oregon House Bill 2797 would establish a mandatory minimum prison[Read More…]

President Donald Trump called on House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff to resign from Congress. That, of course, is not going to happen. Even after special counsel Robert Mueller found no conspiracy or coordination between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russian actors, Schiff told The Washington Post, “Undoubtedly, there is collusion.”[Read More…]

History shows that when revolutions occurred in human civilizations—recent and ancient—a huge number of people involved believed the outcomes would advantage them. However, the specifics in many examples reveal that, after peace returned, one man, sometimes a woman, established a stranglehold that resulted, save for a few confidants, in widespread loss[Read More…]

To the victor go the spoils, but sometimes the victors grab too much. The proposed paid family and medical leave bills is a dagger to the heart of business. House Bill 3140 mandates employers pay up to 32 weeks of family and medical leave each year; employees would be eligible after only[Read More…]

As you may be aware, working in the Capitol can be draining, to say the least. The days are full of contentious legislation in committees, followed by meetings with constituents and lobbyists to hear each side of an issue, topped with floor sessions and committee hearings. So, when I can[Read More…]