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Planned parenthood, unlike the Crisis Pregnancy Centers run by anti-abortion folks, provides affordable or free health care, without ideological, racial or moral judgement.

If Bill was concerned about preventing abortion, and not about controlling women by threatening babies as punishment for sex, then he would support planned parenthood.

When my wife needed care in the past, planned parenthood was the only place she could turn.  If her UTI's had gone untreated, we wouldn't have been able to have the son we have today.

The anti-planned parenthood people, mislead about what planned parenthood does, and is it so wrong to have at least some accessible health care for women in the lower income community (N, NE Portland has more than just African-Americans.)

posted 3 years, 11 months ago
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Your guest economist just made the trickle-down claim that cutting taxes makes revenue greater because the economy grows.  While it is good theory, we have never seen that happen.  This is the claim that was made about the 2001 Bush tax cuts.  Often we are told that capital gains cuts have shown this, but that is merely rent-seeking that occurs as people cash-out their capital gains in a low tax year, but then rates have returned to normal trends shortly thereafter.

The marginal tax rate would have to be much higher than it is in order for the revenues from taxes to increase in response to a tax-cut.

Also, that theory requires that private investment be more productive than public investment, and I'm pretty sure we haven't seen that recently.  Instead investing in education or renewables, we've been investing in overpriced real-estate, and the companies servicing that bubble.

posted 4 years, 4 months ago
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Can we please get away from this idea that only construction projects are stimulating for the economy.  Pell grants mean that students can go to college, and colleges can hire staff.  Smoking cessation programs hire counselors.  World Bank research shows that Education and health projects provide a short-term stimulus, and long-term benefits in more productive workers, and less economic drag caused by expensive health care costs.

Tax-cuts don't put money in the pockets of people who need it, and don't build bridges, schools, windfarms or any of the things we need for a better future.  It puts more money in the pockets of the same people who brought us to this point with money chasing unproductive investments at a time we need to get ready for the future.

Peter Noordijk

posted 4 years, 4 months ago
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My wife also has a former soldier who is a little crazy and perseverating on her and writing about she should be his partenr. We don't know if he carries a weapon or not, but I think potential stalking victims should be able to know if their stalkers are armed.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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I have a neighbor who walks down the street muttering to himself and seems a bit loony. He also appears to wear a holster under his jacket. I should be able to know who may be armed in my neighborhood, especially this guy. As a parent I want to know who has weapons in their home, and who to tell my son to stay away from.
If you have a weapons to serve as a deterrent, then wouldn't it serve you to have that information available?

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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Johns having sex with underage prostitutes should be prosecuted for statutory rape. Pimps trafficking underaged prostitutes should be prosecuted for rape for each instance of sex. These are rapes, even worse when money chages hands with a third party-- then it is commercial rape.

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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Kennedy and Eisenhower got us into Vietnam (both vets). G. H.W. Bush launched Iraq1 and the invasion of Panama. McKinley started the Spanish American war (a veteran of the civil war), and that's just what comes to mind for now... And if G.W. Bush is to be believed he's a vet, and he started this Iraq war.

posted 5 years, 1 month ago
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I'd be interested to know if Mr. Neuman voted for Senator Kerry?

With respect due Mr. Neuman for his service, but I wish he had more thinking and less out loud. The U.S. got into Vietnam initially to help the French retain a colony, not for Vietnamese freedom. John McCain has consistently voted against taking care of Veterans, eg. he currently opposes modernizing the GI Bill to actually cover tuition, because he fears it will lure soldiers out of the military.

posted 5 years, 1 month ago
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