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The state of Oregon is deeply divided, but not by convenient  'red' or 'blue' divisions, but by those who live in the major metropolitan cities and everyone else.  The comments posted here and on other sites illustrate the lack or understanding or respect for anyone who does not live and share the "urban view".  Anyone who doesn't agree with them is labeled 'scary' or an 'idiot' or 'obviously confused'. 

We who choose to live in rural areas are independent (we snowblow our own streets, fight forest fires, get mail 2-3 times a week, volunteer in our communities for schools, foodbanks, domestic violence, and raise money for local arts).  Most choose to live here, are not uneducated (we do have college degrees, master degrees and Phds) and live a healthier lifestyle.  We eat organic food (yes, we hunt and process the meat and know exactly where it comes from), raise chickens and have vegetable gardens without pesticides. 

Our communities have to balance our budgets where more than 50% of our county land is government-owned (state and federal) so no property tax revenue is collected to help our schools or communities. 

We don't tell (or pass legislation) proscribing how the urban dweller must live, but must submit to laws passed by them which directly affect our lives such as the cougar hunting ban with dogs which increased the cougar population which preys on livestock, stalks our kids in rural schools and wander into towns to prey on pets.  I personally don't hunt cougar but the fact that citizens who don't fully understand the issue and don't have to live with the consequences voted for this measure. 

I don't expect everyone to think like me or even agree with me, but I would like to be able to air my views or support a candidate without being disregarded out of hand.  There seems to be no place in Oregon for the voice of the minority to be heard.  Our country was founded on the principle that the majority should not be able to run 'roughshod' over the minority and checks and balances were put in place.  These checks and balances no longer exist when one county can control the entire state.

Until the politicians and citizens of this state begin to listen and care about the entire state and not just the 'majority' we will not have representation for every Oregonian.

posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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Idaho Power is trying to ram a 500kv transmission line through Eastern Oregon which does not serve communities in Oregon and is specifically designed to provide electricity to the Boise area. They have not complied with notification requirements and are now pitting communities and counties against each other using route selection (not in my backyard or county) instead of whether they can come through our state and what rights we have as citizens to stop or alter the process.  They are also pushing the project on private land because it's easier to bypass Federal requirements on private land but they are using the "Public Need" mantra.   If it is a "Public Need" shouldn't it be on "Public land" and not on the backs of private citizens.

 

The bigger question - is need enough?  Who decides the need?  Is the need of an urban area more important than the need of rural communities?  A transmission line of this sort will destroy the economy of the areas it crisscrosses.

 

Also, are we continuing to sustain the model that anything goes to support urban development. Does the 'need' of a city or urban community justify the raping of rural communities?  Have our rural communities been downgraded to 'third world' status with no power over their quality of life just because they do not have the population to defend their rights. 

 

 

posted 4 years, 3 months ago
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I don't see a place to submit ideas for future shows.  You should have an easy to find link posted on your new site.

Idaho Power is trying to ram a 500kv transmission line through Eastern Oregon.  They have not complied with notification requirements and are now pitting communities and counties against each other using route selection (not in my backyard or county) instead of whether they can come through our state and what rights we have as citizens to stop or alter the process. 

I propose a show addressing the rights of the citizen to receive information on projects of this sort and how to fight and appeal the decisions made by state and federal officials.  It would be great to have a show specifically about the Idaho Power transmission line.

posted 4 years, 3 months ago
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