What is the NRA thinking?

The last thing this country needs is the NRA fomenting a racist, white supremacist rebellion. What are they thinking? Oh, yeah, "Sell guns!"
Sent August 31, 2017

How much is enough?

"Americans for Prosperity" is an interesting name for a PAC representing two billionaires. Whose prosperity do you think they are working for? As of 2016, their net worth was $82 billion. That is enough to pay a $50,000 income to 1,640,000 families for one year. I guess they think it is not enough.
Sent August 30, 2017

Another alternative fact...

When I was told the Civil War wasn't about slavery, but about states rights, I was stunned. It contradicted what I had been taught and it shook me so I didn't know what was true. It turns out it was just another alternative fact.
Sent August 29, 2017

Please, protect our lands....

Our Oregon Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is a very special place. It is rich with a diverse collection of species living together. By shrinking the boundary and opening the adjacent lands to industrial exploitation, the smaller protected area will not be able to sustain the variety of species. It will be a loss to Oregon and to the rest of the world as well. Please help us protect our lands and the plants and animals which live on them.
Sent August 28, 2017

Interesting thought....

Could it be that if you take good kids, from good backgrounds, and good upbringing, and subject them to a racist, white supremacist environment, they will turn into terrorists? Interesting...
Sent August 28, 2017

It is time...

It is time. Back in 1865, at the end of the Civil War, General Robert E. Lee was no heroic figure. In the early 1900's, his fight to continue slavery and his treatment of those slaves gave the KKK and the white supremacist movement a rallying icon. It is time to show our black citizens that we stand with them and for them. Let's take those statues down.
Sent August 26, 2107

A legacy to be proud of...

Here in Oregon and probably across the United States, there is strong support for a single-payer health insurance system. Having no profit in the insurance system would level the playing field for all Americans and would lower the cost of our healthcare. This is something we could be proud to say we accomplished.
Sent August 25, 2017

An environmental turning point!

I heard today from the Construction Site Supervisor for the local Habitat for Humanity that the cost for renewable energy sources has dropped below what it costs for installation and usage of non-renewable energy. This is wonderful news. If it is cost effective for low income families to install solar, it is time to stop the extraction and generation of polluting sources of energy for all of us. This is a turning point!
Sent August 24, 2017

We are just specks...

We are really just specks of dust in a gigantic universe. Yet we think of ourselves as a grand species, chosen as rulers of our planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe. Yet, we are so small. Be humble, judge not lest ye be judged, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember, we will only survive if we stand together.
Sent August 23, 2017

Diversity is our strength...

In spite of Trump's disdain for science, we all know that diversity is what will save our species. Single species or in-bred species will fail. Our strength is enhanced by our diversity.
Sent August 22, 2017

Take this job seriously, ...or move on

Diplomacy is serious business. Joking with a Head of State who has been accused of influencing our elections and has his finger on the nuclear button is not a good idea. Being a mother and a teacher taught me a valuable lesson. You do not joke with a misbehaving child. Take this job seriously or move on.
Sent August 21, 2017

A constitutional argument for hate?

This weekend there was another "Free Speech Rally", activists protesting for the right to advocate for white nationalism, racism, and white superiority. How did we come to a place where people will use our constitution to argue for the right to hate?
August 20, 2017

Trump quote #3

One more quote.... Our environment cannot be cared for in this kind of rambling position statement. We must stand up for our climate and for our children's futures. We will be remembered for how we stand on this crucial issue.
Sent August 19, 2017

Trump quotes #2

How can you "believe" in clean air and not devote every ounce of your energy into making it be so? Every species is dedicated to keeping their nest clean. Why do we think we are any different?
Sent August 18, 2017

Trump quotes #1

The next couple of postcards are climate change quotes from President Trump. If you haven't seen Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Sequel" go see it. And, then do something to make a difference!
Sent August 17, 2017

Please join me.

We cannot make a mistake about this. We have over populated, over harvested, over mined, and over plowed whatever we can get our hands on. There is coming a time when there will not be enough land, enough food, enough water, or enough clean air and the human era will be over. It may be too late, but I am doing what I can. Please join me.
Sent August 16, 2017

Statement came three days too late...

Trump's statement condemning the KKK and other racist groups came three days too late. If you have to take time to think about it and script a politically correct statement, you are part of the problem.
Sent August 15, 2017

Dangerous ground...

Think about it. 210,000 lives lost, and that does not include those who were injured. Calmer minds know this is a dangerous track if he is serious. If he is posturing, we will have lost our credibility as a nation. Either outcome is disastrous.
Sent August 15, 2017

Corporations are not citizens!

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is a landmark U.S. constitutional law and corporate law case dealing with regulation of campaign spending by corporations. The United States Supreme Court held (5–4) on January 21, 2010 that freedom of speech prohibits government from restricting independent political expenditures by nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations, labor unions and other associations. This essentially allows corporations to compete on equal footing with citizens during elections. It means when I donate $100 to my candidate, a corporation (IE: the Koch brothers or People for Prosperity) can donate $1,000,000. But we are considered equal, one to one. This dilutes my voice as a citizen.
Sent August 14, 2017

It's my money!

It seems so simple. Give people a choice. We can choose a privately owned, for profit health insurance coverage or we can choose Medicare and pay a higher tax rate for public, non-profit coverage. My experience with medicare has been very satisfactory. It's my money and I should be able to choose how to spend it.
Sent August 12, 2017

Freedom of the press, guaranteed!

This is the first postcard I have repeated. I think it is timely in light of the effort by our president to discredit our mainstream news in favor of Fox News. He even suggested legislation that would remove some protections guaranteed by our Constitution. Scary times.
Sent February 23 and August 11, 2017

What memory do we want to leave?

All of us will be remembered by one thing and one thing only. We will be remembered by how we treated the people in our lives. Were we kind, thoughtful, helpful, generous, accepting? Or, were we rude, defensive, blaming, untruthful, and selfish? We get to decide how we will be depicted by those who remember us.
Sent August 10, 2017

Science is what will save us...

If we do not learn basic science and are unable to tell the difference between scientific fact and scientific manipulation, we are lost.
Sent August 8, 2017

Free speech and free press...

Freedom of speech is a hallmark of our country and freedom of the press is a standard that gives us faith in the news we hear. That faith has been compromised by by the likes of FOX News and the "fake news" that abounds on the internet. Mistrust of what we read is creating a deep divide between our citizens. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press must be defended to bring healing to our country.
Sent August 7, 2017

The taming of Trump...

I wish John Kelly well on his task of taming the Trump administration. From the top down, our government needs to exercise respect and restraint. Good luck Mr. Kelly.
Sent August 7, 2017

Thanks to those who serve...

I agree. Get educated and do what is right. People who enlist, are trained, and do their jobs should not be discriminated against. We need to thank them, not throw them out.
Sent August 7, 2017

It seems so easy...

It seems so easy. If we all make a few simple choices, we can change the world in spite of those who just want to make money for themselves.
Sent August 4, 2017

Where is our leadership?

Cheers to these progressive countries that have their sights on doing what is best for our planet. America, that has been so proud of being a leader of the world, will lag behind in protecting our planet. I cannot believe this will be our future.
Sent August 3, 2017

With liberty and justice for all... or not?

We need to ask ourselves what "...with liberty and justice for all" really means. Does it mean that we follow the laws of the United States of American and the Geneva Convention? Or, does it mean that we can pretend to follow those standards while we ignore them in places like Guantanamo Bay? How can I trust that liberty and justice applies to me if it does not apply to everyone?
Sent August 2, 2017

Discretion....

Discretion, being the better part of valor, should always be used before one opens one's mouth. That is especially true if one is the President or someone on the President's communication staff. It is excruciating to have to watch this low drama playing out in our government. I used to tell my children, "Don't do it if you don't want "it" to show up on the front page of the newspaper." Not a bad rule to follow.
Sent August 1, 2017