One thing we learned from the recent election is Jordan Cove Energy Partners fears direct democracy. The No campaign that opposed Measure 6-162 to establish a community Bill of Rights spent almost $50 per NO vote, […]

Commissioner Bob Main perfectly demonstrates some of the difficulties contained within a representative democracy. Main, as reported in The World report “Ballot tactics target LNG plan” says he will not defend, if […]

Oregon State Representative Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario) has introduced House Bill 2480 to literally take power away from the people of Oregon.

Introduced on behalf of a corporate lobbying firm and despite […]

President-elect Donald Trump and Secretary Hillary Clinton share some common views, not the least of which is their mutual support for the fossil-fuel industry. Emails obtained from the US State Department by The […]

There were some victories November 8, 2016.  Two communities, Highland Township, PA and Waterville, OH each passed a bill of rights by overwhelming margins banning harmful development in their […]

“We are going to defend our property rights like any other property owner would. That means defending our rights under the state and federal constitutions.”

Those following the heroic efforts to stop the […]

“Extending standing to the real party at risk of harm — the environment — would preserve “priceless bits of Americana” before they become “forever lost or are so transformed as to be reduced to the eventual ru […]

There is a touching story about a dying astronaut who plans to spend his remaining time on earth fighting global warming for his only grandchild. Piers Sellers visited the International Space Station three times […]

Friday was a great day. Not only was my daughter accepted into the University of Oregon but FERC denied the certificate of public convenience and necessity to the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. Because I was […]

The more I engage in community rights work the more sense the right of local self-government makes to me. Whether it is banking regulators, energy regulators or environmental regulators the working class […]

The World has a story about the most recent candidate for treasurer, Heather Fox. She sounds like a reasonable candidate and she answers some questions raised previously, such as will she collect two salaries and […]

Ever a glutton for punishment I have been reading a lot about failed economies and fragile states , (formerly known as failed states).  From the mouths of our own commissioners, Coos County is kind of […]

In case you missed it, the race for treasurer has gotten a bit strange. The office has recently been gutted by the commissioners diverting several duties to a new finance director/administrator and the salary […]

Time for a little mea culpa.  Eight years ago,  of the two choices available, I considered Bob Main the most likely candidate to represent the populist view. The county’s assessor at the time, I even felt Main mi […]

Commissioner John Sweet bristles whenever anyone dares to note the similarities between the newly created position of finance director and a county administrator. The latter, as everyone will remember, was brought […]

Coos County’s progressive community has absolutely no representation on the county commission. Discussing the merits of participating in a class action lawsuit proposed by Linn County against the State of O […]

It’s no secret that the Coos County Board of Commissioners is no fan of Matt Rowe. Rowe was, until last Thursday, running unopposed for the county treasurer’s position on a what he calls a transparency platform. […]

“If you’re in trouble, or hurt or need – go to the poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones.” Ma Joad spoke those words in John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath after someone of equally mod […]

So far in 2016 an energy expert insists Jordan Cove will very likely receive its Record of Decision and described FERC as “a rubberstamp agency”. The World reported that from the State’s perspective if the proje […]

Common Cause, a pro-democracy advocacy group, is ringing alarms in a recent report that extreme right-wing political groups are planning to “shred the constitution” and are calling for an Article V Con […]