Yesterday felt like a gut punch.

First, hearing the empty promises and baseless rhetoric of our unelected leader. Second, the failure of Oregon to support Measure 28.

As native Oregonian and United States citizen, I am appalled at the ignorance and irresponsible actions that are taking place in our presence. We live in the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, and yet we cannot scrape together the money to effectively and equitably educate our children. The Bush administration has billions of dollars to finance a wartime foreign policy, but yet our homeless population is growing to epic proportions. Our pResident is lobbying for billions in tax cuts for the rich, while millions of Americans go unemployed and are often without basic health care.

Where are our priorities?

I don't like taxes, but if people will go homeless or hungry based on how I vote....there is no choice. Some say that Oregon needs to tighten it's belt, but what it really needs is a more effective method of taxation that helps out the lower and middle class....the groups that spend most of their money supporting the system. Measure 28 would have helped people within those two groups, but now it only serves as a reminder of the great weight they will bear as a result of its defeat....the chains of poverty, fear, hunger and homelessness.

On the national level, we are being led by an administration seeking an agenda that caters to the powerful and wealthy. Most of them want war/war profits - and ignore the voices of the people who oppose their views. They and their corporate compatriots rob and steal from honest taxpayers - and often leave state governments holding the bag. It's no wonder we are reeling.

So how do we beat this? How do we fight back?

Get in the streets whenever you can and let your voice be heard.
Call, write or email your state senators, congressmen and locally elected officials.
Spend your money locally - and avoid supporting corporate chains.

And finally....vote your conscience - not your wallet.