Fellow Portlanders can escape the war zone on October 19 at my Tualatin Valley Symphony orchestra concert. Romantic classics and an incredible performance by the best violist in Oregon (according to our principal violist)! Full info here: www.tvsymphony.org

FactCheck.org

Check out www.factcheck.org/2025/09/vira.... Even the quotes that are inaccurate turn out to closely reflect his actual stated views.

Welcome to the war against democracy We must peacefully, resolutely resist.

The militarization of America is un-american. It's counter-productive. And it is taking us away from democracy and toward authoritarianism. Don't let it be normalized.

open.substack.com/pub/betterso...

Washington Post Columnist Says She Was Fired for Posts After Charlie Kirk Shooting

It's time to tell the Washington Post that they have abandoned their independent duty under Trump's attacks. Cancelling my subscription, and upgrading my NY Times to paid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/b...

GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON: · John Lewis Actions Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lie...

I invite all of you who can to join Patti and me at the rally in Tigard at 4PM on July 17, the anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s passing, to defend our democracy and carry forward his legacy of Good Trouble.

www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-a...

goodtroubleliveson.org#about

Bring water!

They think differently in France Reflections on a month in Europe

Reflections on a month in France and Spain
Patti and I just got back from our Euro vacation, celebrating her retirement from teaching. I've posted a couple of reflections on our trip that I think you will find stimulating.
bettersocietyforall.substack.com/p/they-think...

Is Federal Government Waste a Myth? I have been studying this question for some time, in light of DOGE’s attempt, now largely failed, to eliminate waste in the Federal Government.

I have been thinking for a while about the notion of government waste. Here is the question I've come to: how do we decide when there is waste that is actually worth fixing?

bettersocietyforall.substack.com/p/is-federal...

Federal employees and grantees: Don't Panic...yet! Round 2 of the fight to stop the destruction of government begins this month.

In March I stumbled on a legal mechanism which can stop the President from gutting Federal agencies. This is something which the popular media has completely missed!

You can read the story on my Substack feed: bettersocietyforall.substack.com/p/federal-em...

The Bulwark published a terrific article today by Bull Lueders on the illegal detention of Rumeyesa Ozturk. Here's my synopsis: bettersocietyforall.substack.com/p/first-they...

Albrego Garcia update: There actually was one alleged gang member sent to El Salvador. To send him, we abandoned his prosecution for terrorism.

My most important Substack post today:

There actually was one alleged MS-13 gang member sent to El Salvador.
To send him, we abandoned his prosecution for terrorism. Probably because he would have embarrassed Bukele. bettersocietyforall.substack.com/p/albrego-ga...

There's so much political chaos now that I need to take it off my Facebook feed. So I'm shifting my main social feed to Bluesky, and political posts to my new Substack blog. I'll post links here to most of my Substack posts. See you there!
bettersocietyforall.substack.com/publish/posts

Note that the main cause of the asylum backlog is underfunded immigration courts. The 2024 immigration bill would have streamlined the process (while largely preserving rights and due process), and increased funding. But Trump killed it - clearly he WANTS following the law to be too much work!

Welcoming myself to Bluesky! Hope to shift my Facebook activity here, where I have more control over my content, and lees chance of nefarious use...