Bridging the Divide
May 15, 2023
It often feels like the Portland-Vancouver metro region has become bogged down in a culture of political stagnation. We have big ideas. We seek to solve big problems like climate change and social justice.
But we have lost our ability to work across our divisions to make big things happen.
The I-5 bridge between Oregon...
Rethinking Free Speech in the Era of Cancel Culture
Nov 16, 2022
The term “cancel culture” is a buzzword these days. Nevertheless, it deserves thoughtful analysis.
Nowhere is cancel culture more apparent than on college and university campuses. According to a 2021 survey, more than 80% of American college students reported censoring themselves at least some of the time.
This...
The Roots of Oregon's Housing Crisis
May 10, 2022
Change is hard.
In 1973, Oregon Governor Tom McCall created a pioneering land use policy focused on preserving farmland, reducing pollution and preventing urban sprawl. At the time, it was a visionary move that took bold political leadership.
But what seemed visionary 50 years ago has played a pivotal role in creating...
Activism Beyond the #Hashtag
Oct 3, 2021
Advocacy and political activism have become part of the social media ecosystem. Pew Research data shows roughly 76% of Americans say that social media makes people think they are making a difference when they really aren’t.
Yet more of us are turning to social media as a primary way to engage with social and...
Is the Polling Industry Broken?
Apr 21, 2021
2020 was a tough year. And a global pandemic, a shuttered economy, and the social justice movement made it a uniquely tough election year for opinion pollsters.
Election night seemed like a repeat of 2016. The polls simply got it wrong. Again.
The predictions of a “blue wave” never materialized. Pollsters had to...