I don't believe in gods, but I think people ought to be free to follow any religion, or none at all. Just as long as everyone is kind to each other, and they leave me alone.

@jeff-merkley.bsky.social, @wyden.senate.gov I know you two will NOT cave for nothing in return. Because they WON'T keep any promises, we all know that.

I've been wondering this for a while now... and what will it take to make the necessary change?

“There is only one thing I will not concede: that it might be meaningless to strive in a good cause.” - Vaclav Havel www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Indeed Trump is not just the President and the Speaker (and the Senate Majority Leader)… given his win rate via shadow docket he is arguably the de facto Chief Justice too.

One of my many, many questions about America in 2025 is how long it will take for people to realize they’re on the wrong side of history

When is the media going to stop the detailed reporting on the Emperor's beautiful new clothes, or the Emperor's purported set of new clothes, or the Emperor's "ostensible" or "claimed" new suit of clothes, and simply report that THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES?

... and Rep. Cliff Bentz said this wouldn't be happening.

Muriel The Poet passes along every penny I send her way. Literacy and heath are high on her list of priorities. Her current project is back-to-school kits for Haitian children in need. It's easy to send a few bucks her way with PayPal. Every penny goes to where it's needed. Please do what you can.

This does not sit well when fires are burning nearby.

🚨 How much more will ~162,000 #OREGON residents have to pay if Republicans let the improved ACA subsidies expire? acasignups.net/ira-subsidy-...

Every day another Trump outrage. Every day another active shooter event.

This is me. I get along with the neighbors.

Cliff Bentz, shame on you! You've stiffed 26.3% of your constituents. The ones you screwed with your vote are the most likely to be diehard MAGAs. Those dual enrolees, whose Medicare premiums are paid by Medicaid, are going to be especially surprised if they get cut off. acasignups.net/piecharts

The real scandal is how long the Epstein gang (of all political persuasions) got away with it. Some are still getting away with it. I'd sure like to know who all used their money and power to victimize the young and powerless.

Chaotic policy is affecting our standing with other countries.

There's usually an excuse for higher energy prices: belligerence, or natural disaster in an energy-producing region, etc. But this is the first administration I've seen that doesn't at least attempt some defensive moves. This is self inflicted. A forced error due to poor vision and management.

It should NOT be "political" to say "everyone is welcome here." www.eastidahonews.com/2025/07/atto...

Your national parks are not OK. www.opb.org/article/2025...

“This is the problem of this kind of autocratic regime — the people who stay there are kind of hostages,” she said. “That is the fear of being there. You don’t know what will happen. You don’t know if they will come for you or they won’t.” - Ksenia Petrova www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/s...

He revels in personal power. All his moves are designed to enhance that one thing. Doesn't matter which way you vote(d), you are the fuel for this fire.

They said "You're a conspiracy theorist, you're worried about something that isn't going to happen."

I guess the cruelty *is* the point. www.pbs.org/newshour/hea...

In my Red district, R voters are absolutely sure they will be protected. They have no idea how vulnerable they are.

In my Red district, R voters are absolutely sure they will be protected. They have no idea how vulnerable they are.

I'm seeing a lot of clickbait articles about impending volcano eruptions. Couple of them (Adams and Seamount) are fairly near me, but hardly likely to erupt or, if one does, not likely to provide any disruption. Can anyone say "distraction?"

Cliff Bentz, you spineless fraud! Only 28.3% of your constituents have insurance provided by their employment (mostly federal employees many of who've already lost their jobs). Almost 40% are on Medicaid. And you have SOLD THEM OUT, you heartless creep! I'm ashamed to have you as my Rep.

"...there is no point in Democrats voting to fund the government only to let Trump and Musk do whatever they see fit with those funds." - Robert Reich (and me, and a hundred million other people). VOTE NO.

Oh, yeah! Me too.

"If Donald Trump can override our elected officials’ control of the purse strings, we are effectively entering a period of taxation without representation." - from the facebook group Living Off Grid, Really!?!?

What's going to happen to the stock market when Social Security checks don't arrive, and those who have investments contact their brokers and ask for some money to live on?

When I was in grade school, everyone said if I somehow acted differently (stronger, sharper-witted, not as vulnerable), those bullies would leave me alone. www.meditationsinanemergency.com/the-she-made...

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, said on social media that the job cuts “are spectacularly short-sighted, and ultimately will deal a major self-inflicted wound to the public safety of Americans and the resiliency of the American economy to weather and climate-related disasters.”

Cliff Bentz: "If Oregonians are kicked off the plan, it's because they don't deserve to be on it." He thinks they only get kicked off if they are participating fraudulently, or for reasons that have nothing to do with the original goals of the program. Nothing at all to do with funding.

I wonder how many in eastern Oregon know that the Oregon Health Plan *is* Medicaid. Full disclosure: I was on it for two years. I'd had no health insurance for the previous 20 years. I worked, but insurance would have taken half my paycheck (not health care, just the insurance).

I guess what MAGAs voted for (whether they knew it or not) is for AI to make decisions about how much they owe in taxes, the quality of education their kids are eligible for, if they can get healthcare, when they can retire, and how much they get in Social Security. I know I'm missing stuff here...

The Poet is right on, as usual.

Buckle up, we are going to see the effects of unintended consequences at work. Don't be too hard on yourself for not being able to foresee everything that's going to affect you. Try to prepare as well as you can manage, and please be kind and helpful to each other.

I live in one of the Red regions that the cuts will hurt the most. Folks here have no idea how dependent they are on the Fed Gov't. They will continue to support this agenda even as it kills them.

I know there are some who didn’t vote for Kamala because they were concerned about the people of Gaza. How’s that going for you now?

This page is still here. Got myself a screenshot, in case this info disappears. www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monit...

I realize the President can do no wrong since the Supreme Court decision, but can his unelected and unapproved minions act with the same legal immunity?

I went visiting in CA, and I brought back an unwelcome companion. A lot of people there had “a bronchial thing” that was going around but on my return I tested positive for Covid. Are they in denial? Don’t they have Covid tests there?

If the secret to happiness is having *enough* that means I have something that those in power today do not, and never will.

Posting this just so I (and everyone else) can remember, later.

Get out the popcorn! We don't have much to enjoy about the incoming administration, but I'll take it where I can get it.

Which kind of MAGA are you? Are you “China is bad” MAGA or “Give me my Chinese spyware” MAGA? Are you “immigrants are bad” MAGA or “we need more immigrants in our tech sector” MAGA? Are you “cut taxes” MAGA or “don’t touch entitlements” MAGA?

This article isn't perfect, but it's a good start. "Managing vegetation can no longer be an afterthought for Southern California. Healthy ecosystems hold water in soils, cool the environment and provide countless benefits ...the actual work takes boots on the ground."

Friend: "I'd be OK if the flags were at half-mast for the next four years."

I had two lattes today (don't judge me. Yesterday was hard, and tomorrow is going to be even harder). Neither was hot enough to be truly satisfying. Is this some kind of a trend?