I’ve long maintained that government agencies should manage taxpayer dollars the same way individuals and households manage their finances. As chair of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, I take this fiduciary duty very seriously. I have to live within...
27 April 2022
The Perils of Progressive Policies
As of right now, so-called progressives have been in charge of Portland for decades, the Oregon Legislature for years, the U.S. Senate and Congress and the White House. So what, exactly, do we have to show for it? We are...
13 April 2022
Upholding the Social Contract
There are certain expectations that come from living in a free society. The most important is that, as long as you work hard, obey the law and don’t hurt anyone else, you’re generally free to go about your business peacefully....
23 March 2022
All Eyes on Clackamas
Even though much of Clackamas County is rural in nature, it’s considered part of the Portland metropolitan area. The “tri-county area” consists of Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties. Those three jurisdictions are also part of Metro. Due to the close...
9 March 2022
The Myth of Induced Demand
Did you know that, at one point, there were multiple other freeways planned for the Portland metropolitan area? It’s true. If the transportation systems envisioned in past decades had materialized, the freeway system would operate in more of a loop...
16 February 2022
Of Results and Intentions
If it’s true that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, then it must not have very many potholes. Time and time again, we find in the public policy arena that decisions are often based on stated intentions....
2 February 2022
Fleeing from a Free-for-All
Over the past year, I’ve written about the decriminalization of two of the biggest problems facing the residents of the Portland metropolitan area and Oregon—drug use and homelessness. Now, some people are hoping to add prostitution to the list of...
19 January 2022
The Freedom of Mobility
The thought of having to have a vaccine passport to conduct commerce and engage in voluntary transactions with other free individuals is understandably offensive to myself and countless people throughout this country and the world. This is largely because many...
5 January 2022
Are We Being Ruled or Governed?
One of the main debates of our time is one that is nothing new. Society has always seemed to be split between people subscribing to two competing political philosophies—some want to be governed and some want others to rule over...
29 December 2021
The Tide is Turning
At the beginning of the year, things were admittedly looking bleak. The coronavirus pandemic raged on with no end in sight, prompting many in authority to impose open-ended restrictions and mandates on the rest of us. There was violence and...
