Rethinking Our Approach to Complex Problems
Because many issues today are so complex and interrelated, I have come to believe they cannot be resolved without a different political approach. We need the capacity to look beyond the way the world is, to what it could be. We need the courage to imagine new tools that allow us to solve for multiple problems simultaneously in a way that broadens the constituency base for shared goals and, in the process, restores the sense of common purpose and shared identity that is missing from our politics today.
Another Way to Look at Ballot Measure 118
Ballot Measure 118 is a well-intentioned, but naïve and misguided approach, to a very legitimate problem. My main opposition is due to the fact that both proponents and opponents are talking over the real issue here: the fact that far too many Oregonian are simply unable to meet their basic needs—things like food, water, housing, child care and transportation. Giving every Oregonian $1600 a year is not going to fix that. And neither is simply defeating Measure 118 and pretending that this is not a serious problem.
Face the Facts, Seize the Future
Like millions of other Americans, I have been watching the unfolding drama within the Democratic party regarding whether President Biden, or someone from a younger generation of Democratic leaders, should be the one to face Donald Trump in November.
The question we should be asking, however, is how we let the two major political parties get us into this mess in the first place, and how, in a nation of 333 million people, we let the party process arrive at the choices before us.
Here is the link to a speech I gave on this subject almost 20 years ago, to the annual Oregon Democratic Party Summit. It seems just as relevant today as it was in 2005.
Remembering America’s Promise of Opportunity
At times it is easy to get discouraged when we think about how far we still have to go to realize America’s Promise of Opportunity. Yet, perhaps the measure of our contribution lies not in reaching the destination of a Newer World, but in the striving toward it, keeping the dream in sight so that it does not disappear entirely beyond a distant horizon. Yet, as I reflect on Independence Day 2023, I find that I cannot let go of the dream. I still believe that all of us want to rise above our own worst day and give something back to our families and to our community. And I still believe in the power of individuals – acting from courage and conviction – to change the world in which they live for the better.
Wildfire, Forest Health and Housing
I have come to believe that the only way we are going to break through hyper partisanship and an increasingly toxic political environment is by linking a number of issues together in a way that broadens the constituency base for shared goals. By solving for multiple problems at the same time, we may be able to restore a sense of common purpose and shared identity as Oregonians. This presentation to the Oregon Board of Forestry explores this idea as it relates to wildfire, forest health and housing.
Addressing Systemic Racism
From the sky bridge at OHSU, in a neighborhood where the median annual income is $42,000 and poverty is less than 15%—you can see neighborhoods six miles away with incomes half the size and the poverty rate twice as big. Between the sky bridge and those neighborhoods, poverty and its associated health disparities increase by […]
Engaging the Community – Preparing for the Vaccine
The State of Oregon has done a good job conveying the importance of wearing masks and following social distancing measures, but official government communications alone may not be enough. Trust in government is at an all-time low, especially within minority communities, which have been disproportionally impacted by COVID. This problem has been exacerbated by the unfortunate politicization of public health during the recent national election cycle and the resistance in parts of our society to being “told what to do” by government. There are other, perhaps more effective, messengers that have not yet been fully mobilized—the trusted local leaders living in every community across our state, whose voices may carry more weight than directives from the state.
Building Community from Conflict
On this consequential election day, and at a perilous moment for our state and our nation, I want to share some thoughts on where we go from here. Early last Spring, in a letter I sent to several large Oregon foundations, I expressed concern about the health and integrity of our communities—a concern that economic stress, social isolation and prolonged uncertainty could tear apart the fabric of our society, and erode any sense of shared purpose.
Reclaiming the Moral High Ground
The fatal shooting last weekend of a protestor in downtown Portland should give all of us pause, regardless of which side of the “political divide” we find ourselves. What we are witnessing here in Oregon is the ultimate test of the great American experiment, launched almost two and a half centuries ago. The central question is whether it is possible to establish a government “ruled not by accident and force, but by reason and choice.” How we choose to proceed in Oregon will, at least in part, answer that question. And the nation is watching.
Hijacking the Narrative
The Black Lives Matter movement has provided courageous leadership forcing all of us to confront the ugly specter of social injustice. We have an obligation to express our gratitude, to support that leadership, and to act. In that spirit, I offer these heartfelt thoughts, motivated by a concern that the crucial narrative at the heart of the movement is at risk of being hijacked for political gain.
As the protests in Portland continue, as crowds grow larger and violent confrontations more pronounced, some community members are asking whether the current process is advancing or hindering the goals of justice and equality that sparked the protests in the first place.
Consider three converging factors colliding on the streets of Portland: peaceful protests, a divisive president, and the deployment of federal agents in our city.