Short Read of the Week for April 14, 2022

In this morning’s meeting, we considered six articles, and from them we chose one that we hope you will read if you don’t read anything else this week:

Oregon’s senators score federal funding for more home-state projects than all but one other senator
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/04/oregons-senators-jeff-merkley-and-ron-wyden-score-federal-funding-for-149-home-state-projects-more-than-all-but-1-other-senator.html
[our copy here]

Tillamook County scored big in this funding windfall: https://www.co.tillamook.or.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/board_of_county_commissioners/page/57485/arpa_funding_press_release_2021-10-29.pdf, proving once again the Democrats work for their communities.

We also chose to recommend this:

How to Disarm the Crazies
https://www.thebulwark.com/how-to-disarm-the-crazies/
[our copy here]

This will soon be a live issue for us, given the news that NAVs in Oregon now outnumber members of all parties combined. Given that partisan primaries appear to be unsustainable, could we live with this as a replacement?

Short Read of the Week for April 7, 2022

In this morning’s meeting we had a unanimous choice for first place — the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

Thank God for Obamacare!
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/thank-god-for-obamacare
[our copy here]

On the 12th anniversary of its passage, famously characterized via hot-mic by Joe Biden as a "BFD", we should take note of this great thing that Democrats have done for the American people.

And we had a nearly unanimous choice for second place:

He was fired by Amazon two years ago. Now he's the force behind the company's first union.
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/02/1090353185/amazon-union-chris-smalls-organizer-staten-island
[our copy here]

A true David and Goliath story. Chris Smalls, a warehouse worker, grassroots organized to win an election. He delivered home cooked meals (from his aunt) to union voters, met workers getting off the bus and talked business while grilling s'mores. Amazon executives labeled him "not smart". Now, New York media labeled him one of the top 40 under 40. His back to basic grassroots organizing won a major effort that Amazon poured millions of dollars into defeating. This is a model for Democrats.

Short Read of the Week for March 31, 2022

In this morning's meeting, we discussed six articles, and chose one that you should read if you don't read anything else this week. This is the work we can do and will do in our Neighborhood Leader program:

How Progressives are Winning Over the Rural Voters Democrats Abandoned
https://therealnews.com/how-progressives-are-winning-over-the-rural-voters-democrats-abandoned
[our copy here]

Short Read of the Week for March 24, 2022

In this morning’s meeting we discussed ten articles, and from them chose one that you should read if you don’t read anything else this week:

Biden's presidency has never been so hectic. Here's why he is at ease.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/13/bidens-presidency-hectic-ease-00016827
[our copy here]

Anyone who actually reads this article will understand that Biden is the real deal, not a propped-up creation of handlers. We also chose to recommend this:

Who’s Unhappy With Schools? People who don't have kids in them.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/19/opinion/parents-schools.html
[our copy here]

From the article: "[A]bout nine in 10 children in the United States attend public school, and the overwhelming majority of parents — about eight in 10 — are happy with their kids’ schools, [which] raises the question of whether some of the people driving the outrage against schools might not have much skin in the game and might not have any recent experience with teachers or curriculum."

Short Read of the Week for March 10, 2022

This morning we discussed five excellent articles, and from them chose one that you should read if you don’t read anything else this week:

Democrats can't be shy about rallying for democracy
https://newrepublic.com/article/165615/democrats-defend-democracy-midterm-elections
[our copy here]

We also chose to recommend this:

Bernie Sanders hammers top GOP Senator for pitching a Republican agenda that would imperil Social Security and Medicare
https://www.businessinsider.com/bernie-sanders-rick-scott-agenda-social-security-medicare-2022-3
[our copy here]

Senator Rick Scott is the chair of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee. What is noteworthy about this is that although Scott says he wrote this agenda on his own, he wrote it with top Republican donors and presented it at the top conservative political action gathering, CPAC. He is also positioning himself to challenge McConnell for leadership. This is the direction the senate will go if Republicans take control in 2022. There are 100's of news articles about this, and they all point to the GOP going in this direction.

Short Read of the Week for March 3, 2022

Our first choice this morning, because it makes so much sense when you think about it and it so clearly refutes an important Republican talking-point on the invasion of Ukraine, was this:

Ukraine, Fossil Fuels, Bill McKibben, & You
https://cleantechnica.com/2022/02/28/ukraine-fossil-fuels-bill-mckibben-you/
[our copy here]

Two articles tied for second place. For the evidence it presents that Republican leaders increasingly condone and encourage threats of violence against local government officials:

The Republican War on Local Government
https://newrepublic.com/article/165425/republican-war-local-government
[our copy here]

And for its argument that an important neutral zone can exist in our deeply divided country, and that it is the public library, we chose this:

The Battle for the Soul of the Library
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/24/opinion/battle-library-neutrality.html
[our copy here]

Short Read of the Week for February 24, 2022

This morning we discussed six articles, and settled on two that we recommend most highly. For its relevance to Tillamook County and the hope it offers that paranoids and extremists can be dealt with effectively when responsible, civic-minded people work together, we recommend this:

The Town That QAnon Nearly Swallowed
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/sequim-qanon/
[our copy here]

And for its insight into the roots of the reversion toward barbarism that we presently witness as well as the astonishing admiration that Republicans have shown for Vladimir Putin, whom they view more favorably than they do our own president, we recommend this:

The Dark Century
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/17/opinion/liberalism-democracy-russia-ukraine.html
[our copy here]

Please join us. Problems like these require us to work together. That starts just by meeting and talking about what’s important.

Short Read of the Week for February 10, 2022

In this week’s discussion we talked about eight articles, all unusually relevant and interesting, but in the end narrowed our first-place recommendation down to one that you should read if you don’t read anything else:

The Exploitation of 'Freedom' in America
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/ugly-freedom-discrimination-racism-sexism.html
[our copy here]

We also recommend this frightening but real report from a county not too far away - close enough, in fact, that some of us have first-hand knowledge of the people and places involved:

California county on track to be run by militia-aligned group
https://news.yahoo.com/northern-california-county-track-run-110051297.html
[our copy here]

None of us can make real progress on solving problems like these if we work in isolation, but just a little effort in a group of like-minded people can make a surprising difference. You could start with us next week in our third-Thursday Deep Read of the Month meeting, in which we will discuss Book banning in Texas: Books are pulled off shelves in record numbers. Will you join us?

Short Read of the Week for February 3, 2022

In this morning’s meeting we discussed five articles, and ultimately chose this as the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

Neil Young and Liz Cheney, Thanks for Sticking Your Necks Out
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/opinion/neil-young-liz-cheney-climate-misinformation.html
[our copy here]

As you are reading it, note in particular this passage: "without a minimum level of truth and trust, everything becomes politics. Normal objects — like masks, vaccines, textbooks in public schools —— suddenly become neon signs identifying who you are for or against. And when everything becomes politics there is no neutral, sacred ground for leaders to gather in and collaborate in the national interest."

We also chose to recommend this:

Instead of Raging Over ‘Maus,’ Support Local People Who Are Fighting the Ban
https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-instead-of-raging-over-maus-ban-mcminn-county-tennessee-schools-support-local-people-who-are-fighting-back/2022/02/01/
[our copy here]

Let’s do remember that we live here. Please join us next week.

Short Read of the Week for January 27, 2022

In this morning’s Short Read of the Week discussion, we considered five articles and chose a 981-word article by Cecile Richards as the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

The One Regret From My Time Leading Planned Parenthood
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/21/opinion/abortion-roe-anniversary.html
[our copy here]

We felt it paired well with this article about the largest ever longitudinal study of 1,000 women who were denied abortions. Although published a little over a year ago, it is just now gaining traction with the public:

What happens to women who are denied abortion? Here are the stats
https://www.glamour.com/story/what-happens-to-women-who-are-denied-abortion-here-are-the-stats
[our copy here]

Will you join us next week?

Short Read of the Week for January 13, 2022

After discussing seven great articles in this morning’s selection meeting, we chose this one as the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

Coronavirus Watch: Oregon Nurse's Union Call for Immediate Action Amid COVID-19 Surge
http://www.kdrv.com/templates/AMP?contentID=576021101
[our copy here]

Oregon's largest nurse's union, The Oregon Nurse's Association, is urging and pleading for people to listen to and give support for nurses and front line health care workers during COVID. Democrats have an opportunity to show them support, especially since COVID hospitalization rate hit an all time high since the pandemic last week.

We also chose to recommend this:

Why Education Is About To Reach A Crisis Of Epic Proportions
https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2022/01/04/why-education-is-about-to-reach-a-crisis-of-epic-proportions/?sh=22c69c3178c7
[our copy here]

This is so much bigger than masks and made-up controversies over Critical Race Theory.

Short Read of the Week for January 6, 2022

Our first choice in this morning’s meeting, and the one article you should read this week if you don’t read anything else, is about a Tillamook County fish advocate, Jeff Hickman, who shares his experiences with declining fish populations. But it’s more than that. Hickman talks about building relationships neighbor-to-neighbor that make a big difference. See why it’s relevant to our work?

It's All Home Waters: Oregon Steelhead
https://www.patagonia.com/stories/home-water-oregon-steelhead/story-79709.html
[our copy here]

We also chose to recommend this:

5 Things Build Back Better Would Do For Country Folks Like Us
https://downhomenc.org/2021/10/08/5-bbb-things-for-country-folks-like-us/
[our copy here]

We still have hope for Build Back Better. You should too.

Short Read of the Week for December 30, 2021

Here’s what we decided in our last Short Read of the Week meeting of 2021. If you don’t read anything else this week, at least read this:

Why We All Need to Have More Fun
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/well/mind/having-fun-suceeding-coronavirus-pandemic.html
[our copy here]

Why? In part because we’ve had so much fun this year discussing articles, sharing our good news, and working together on important issues. In every aspect of our work for the Democratic Party this year, we have found friendship and laughter and a feeling that we contributed to something important.

We also chose to recommend this reminder of an event whose anniversary is coming up next week:

Commemorating January 6th
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/commemorating-january-6th
[our copy here]

Please let us know (via chair@tillcodems.org) if you have thoughts about how we could most effectively commemorate the horror as well as the triumph of democracy on January 6, 2021. We will keep you posted.

Short Read of the Week for December 23, 2021

We discussed six really interesting articles this morning, but ultimately settled on this one as the one thing every Tillamook County Democrat should read this week if you don’t ready anything else:

I Joined A Far-Right Group Of Moms. What I Witnessed Was Frightening
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/far-right-extremist-moms_n_61ba330de4b0456499dcc9bf.
[our copy here]

We also chose to recommend an article which has come up in our discussions at least once before:

What happens when loggers and environmentalists work together?
https://www.opb.org/article/2020/10/26/what-happens-when-loggers-and-environmentalists-work-together/
[our copy here]

We want to make this happen in Tillamook County. Who do you know who can help us?

Short Read of the Week for December 16, 2021

Our first choice from among the seven articles we discussed this morning, and the one thing you should read and share with conservative friends if you don’t read anything else, was this:

Make America Greater
https://www.tillamookcountypioneer.net/ive-been-thinking-make-america-greater/
[our copy here]

Our second choice was:

The Bogus Bashing of Build Back Better
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/13/opinion/build-back-better.html
[our copy here]

It really should lay to rest the argument that Build Back Better will cause inflation.

Short Read of the Week for December 9, 2021

In this morning’s discussion, we considered seven great articles, and chose this as the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

10 things you didn't know are in the Democrats' Build Back Better bill
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/07/politics/biden-build-back-better-spending-bill/index.html
[our copy here]

How many of them did you know about before reading the article?

We also chose to recommend:

A new trend in schools is infuriating parents
https://www.yahoo.com/news/schools-closing-classrooms-fridays-parents-124812995.html
[our copy here]

Why? Because we know there are serious problems in the schools, and to all the angry parents who are showing up at school board meetings, we want to say that even though we may disagree about how to solve them or even exactly what the problems are, there is no question that the schools need help. We want to be a positive participants in providing that help.

Short Read of the Week for December 2, 2021

We discussed four great articles this morning, and ultimately chose to recommend this as the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

What Happens to Democracy When Local Journalism Dries Up?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2021/11/30/margaret-sullivan-the-local-news-crisis/
[our copy here]

Support for local journalism has increasingly been a focus of our Short Read of the Week meetings, but we would appreciate your suggestions about other ways we could begin helping to address this problem.

We also chose to recommend this:

Acting locally, thinking globally: Young farmers updates from COP26
https://www.youngfarmers.org/2021/11/updates-from-cop26/
[our copy here]

We need these young farmers in the Tillamook County Democratic Party! Please help us find them and encourage them to get involved.

Short Read of the Week for November 18, 2021

This morning we talked about four great articles. The one that got the most votes at the end of the discussion has already been widely reprinted, so you may have seen it, but it really is the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

How young is too young to teach white kids about race?
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2021/11/14/leonard-pitts-how-young/
[our copy here]

Will you share this with your friends?

We also chose to recommend a story that shows how close-to-home these issues have become. It’s about the situation in Newberg:

Newberg Teachers Sue District, School Board Members Over 'Political' Image Ban In Schools
https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/04/newberg-teachers-sue-district-school-board-members-over-political-image-ban-in-schools/
[our copy here]

Short Read of the Week for November 11, 2021

From a group of eight very strong articles, and after a great discussion, this morning we made the unanimous decision to recommend two articles. The first — the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else — is this alarming news, which should serve as a clarion call to people of good will in our county:

Newberg school board fires superintendent as tensions heighten over ban on political symbols
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/newberg-school-board-fires-superintendent-as-tensions-heighten-over-ban-on-political-symbols/ar-AAQxJoC
[our copy here]

We also chose to recommend this reminder of the incredible value of our clear-headed military leadership on this Veterans Day. Would our democracy have survived January 6th without the push-back from the Joint Chiefs? This article points to another instance in which our retired and active-duty military leaders show a broad perspective that our country desperately needs:

Eleven retired military leaders push Congress to prioritize the climate crisis in Build Back Better
https://votevets.org/press-releases/eleven-retired-military-leaders-push-congress-to-prioritize-climate-crisis-in-build-back-better
[our copy here]

We need you with us. Will you join us next time?

Short Read of the Week for November 4, 2021

After a great discussion of some very good articles this morning, we settled on this hopeful and informative piece about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as the one thing you should read this week if you don’t read anything else:

They Pulled 63,000 Pounds of Trash From the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, But That's Just the Start
https://apple.news/AX6nPDLhDQtWZxb0wl6VNSA
[our copy here]

Our second choice was powerful in its explanation of why the country is in the state it’s in:

Why the "Reagan Revolution" Scheme to Gut America's Middle Class is Coming to an End
https://hartmannreport.com/p/why-the-reagan-revolution-scheme
[our copy here]