The rich are always the enemy of the rest of us. No matter if they are neo-liberals in philosophy or just the plain old crony capitalists. You know the ones who profess free market enterprise but are the biggest beneficiaries of US socialism. However a particular group of them who may pose the most threat… Read More The Threat Within is Rich & Religious
Join the Southern Oregon Populists Podcasts for a discussion about who controls timber in Southern Oregon The story started with the forest ownership story (2016-2017) and Wall Street forest management (2002-20019), which were long ago. In 2020-2023 we then laid our forest reform through land reform in the Green New Deal proposal and Wealth, Income… Read More Wall Street Forestry on SOPP
On March 17, 2025 the Roseburg City Council met exclusively for an Executive Session to “consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed.” There were two matters discussed in some manner that evening. It does not look like either… Read More City Manager’s Legal Threats: What We Know
This was the question used as a writing prompt today. It is the topic of a long overdue blog post. One answer to that question is this. I would do this kind of thing for free and have much of my life. This is not just writing on this blog, which I have not done… Read More What Job Would You Do For Free?
Paul Boden, Executive & Organizing Director for the Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP) will be the keynote speaker for the upcoming housing and homeless summit. Housing the Homeless: Finding Common Ground is happening on Saturday, September 30th from 1 to 4 pm, at the Roseburg Senior Center. Homelessness is a situation that affects everyone in… Read More Housing & Homeless Summit Comes to Douglas County Oregon
Somebody’s Someone by Daphne Willis
Today starts the 11th year of Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week is intended to help citizens access information about their government by bringing awareness to both the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as well as state laws that protect the people’s right to know what their government is doing. The following link provides information about… Read More Sunshine Week: March 13-19, 2016
On the eve of the 224th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, more cities than ever have laws that violate them for the people in our country who are homeless. Certain “acts of living” laws seem to violate rights that we were all guaranteed on December 15, 1791. Among them the 1st , 4th and 8th Amendments.… Read More Homeless Have No Bill of Rights!
Today is the anniversary of the passage of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights were ratified on December 15, 1791. A good place to find information about the Bill of Rights is The National Constitution Center: Tune in the Bill of Rights Although the information is oriented to teaching… Read More Happy Bill of Rights Day!
The blog Stories from the Streets has the perspective of one Citizens Education & Advocacy volunteer. She explains some of more recent things our volunteers have been doing. Stories explains how easy it is to find people in need even in a small place like Roseburg, Oregon. She and other CEA volunteers try to find… Read More Stories from the Street!
According to the US Department of Labor, our Labor Day started in 1882 in New York City. Although there is some debate about its origins, what seems to be the first Labor Day march and picnic was held on September 5, 1882 and was organized by the machinists union. Below is the account of the… Read More Enjoy Labor Day: Thank Unions!
To Prison for Poverty The above link exposes a very troubling practice of government officials giving up citizens’ due process rights to private contractors for probation services. This link is to part one, but also watch part two. That segment exposes one of these private companies that is actually operating in Oregon, Sentinel*. This story… Read More Private Probation Abuses!
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which… Read More The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription
Economists Richard Wolff Discuss American Capitalism For some time now, I have been promoting, the works of economist Richard Wolff. Richard Wolff is a Harvard educated economist, who has been teaching for the post forty years. A few years ago, others, besides college students, wanted to hear his message. When I came across his… Read More Economists Richard Wolff Discuss American Capitalism
Another Type of Food Fascists! The folks that are shown here, expect Jon Stewart of course, are a special kind of fascists: Food Fascists! Part of the problem with these folks is that they will claim too much government control of the rich, but want to do everything in their power to control the poor. … Read More Another Type of Food Fascists!
The following was posted on the Roseburg Craigslist in response to a thread going on there about JLW properties that owns and operates rental housing in our community. CEA is interested in getting rid of bad landlords who prey upon the vulnerable. They do not benefit our community and are largely responsible for the slum… Read More Bad Landlord in Douglas County
Banks of Marble
It seems that recent efforts by a Warming Center volunteer to get information published in a local paper asserting that our local Mercy Medical Center is responsible for “patient dumping” has been thwarted. Patient dumping is a term used to describe a hospital’s practice of discharging homeless patients without appropriate provisions for their follow-up care:… Read More Local News Rejects Letter to Editor Re Patient Dumping
Housing certain populations of homeless will require providing a new approach. This includes implementing the “housing first” model, as well as providing extensive support services to those with significant mental health issues. A recent report from Oregon State University, found on the Lund Report website (http://www.thelundreport.org/resource/california%E2%80%99s_new_mental_health_system_helps_people_live_independently), showed how providing services based on individual need can… Read More Housing the Homeless Means Providing Extensive Support Services for Some
Oregon House Representative Tim Freeman is all about “corporations are people”, as his behavior regarding the recent passage of HJM 6, which he opposed, shows. During a hearing about House Joint Measure (HJM) 6, which has Oregon joining the efforts to overturn Citizens United, our local Representative Tim Freeman sprang to defend the honor of… Read More Rep Tim Freeman Supports Corporate Personhood!
From Oregon Patients Rights Assocation (OPRA) blog and facebook page: According to The Lund Report, Mercy Medical Center CEO, Kelly Morgan was paid $696,946* in compensation for 2011 broken down as follows: Base pay: $424,199; Bonuses: $179,533, Deferred Compensation: $58,064; Nontaxable Benefits: $14,218; & Other Compensation: $20,932. During the same year, the percentage of charity… Read More Mercy’s CEO Compensation over 2/3 Million $ a Year!
If you have ever been cajoled or threatened because you did not want to be part of DCIPA or other health care entities electronic medical records system, this may be why. Below is a notice sent by the state of Oregon to all Medicaid medical providers regarding the financial incentives offered for medical practices and… Read More Electronic Medical Records & Patients Rights
Today my father would be 100 years old if he was still alive and it just seemed appropriate to post this info about Walter Ruther because it exemplifies what I learned from my dad. Luther (Duke) Cunningham was a union organizer and CIO member during the height of the American union movement. Although… Read More Heritage of Activism!
Tomorrow, Tuesday December 11, 2012, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., people in Douglas County can attend, via the internet, the Oregon Heatlh Policy Board meeting in room 310 of the Douglas County courthouse. The OHPB will take public comment starting at 3:45 p.m., that you can also participate during the live web broadcast. Although the… Read More Public Meeting Regarding Health Care Reform
A few weeks ago, Citizens Education & Advocacy meet with a small group of people with disabilities to discuss a growing problem in our community regarding the quality of health care and what we believe are some pretty outrageous violations of patients’ rights. Since then, we have helped the folks develop into an more organized… Read More New Patients Rights Group in Douglas County
The American Dream by George Carlin
The late great George Carlin explains what the problem is. Thanks to Comedy County for reminding us of what a great thinking comic he was by posting this on that blog.
Some fun and free (or really cheap) things for kids in Douglas County: Free Bowling: Youth 15 and under can get two free bowling games a day during the summer at Roseburg’s Ten Down Bowling alley. The two games each day are free, but you will have to pay for the cost of bowling shoe… Read More Fun Free Stuff in Our Community
I got the following information from our local health department. If you have the time, it looks like a good opportunity for everyone to find out how we can help improve our community. “Designing Healthy Communities (Jun 20): Don’t miss this opportunity to attend a presentation by Dr. Richard Jackson, host of the PBS television… Read More Building Healthy Communities-Free Presentation Wed June 20th
For the past few weeks, the Roseburg Police Department and the homeless residents of that community have been in conflict. Reports in the local media claim that the police have been contacted by residents claiming that their homeless neighbors are causing all kinds of problems, even driving away business in the dowtown area. Reports by… Read More Occupy Roseburg Steps Up to Defend the Rights of Roseburg’s Homeless
Albuquerque Housing Authority fired Dolly Newman yesterday! The former Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Douglas County (HADCO) was caught misusing taxpayer money by giving her staff and herself perks in New Mexico after having the job only a little over a year. Her behavior there was much like it was here during her… Read More Dolly Dumped! Alburquerque Housing Authority Board Does Right Thing!
Who represents us at the local level can be as critical as who represents us on a state and national level. If you have not already, come join folks at the Grange to learn more about those who are running in contested countywide races. What: Candidates Forum (Fair Oaks Community Grange) When: Wednesday, April… Read More Douglas County Candidates Forum @ Fair Oaks Community Grange this Wednesday!
Today is the 220th anniversay of the U.S. Bill of Rights. The first ten amendments are intended to enumerate, as illustrations, of those unalienable rights set out in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. They are examples of these rights, not an exclusive list, yet they are important. This may be particularly true in this time of… Read More Happy Bill of Rights Day!
Come celebrate the 220th anniversary to the Bill of Rights on Thursday, December 15 at 6:30 p.m., Douglas County Courthouse room 216 (County Commission chambers), Roseburg. A showing of the DVD Know Your Rights – Occupy training conducted by Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC) founder and attorney, Lauren Regan. A discussion about the status of… Read More Celebrate the 220th Anniversary of the Bill of Rights this Thursday, Dec 15th!
Happy 4th of July Today marks the 235th birthday of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the delegates the Continental Congress decided it was no longer possible to consider remaining English citizens and the goal of the Revolutionary War was going to be total independence. If you are interested, there are… Read More Happy Independence Day 2011!
It seems as though everyone has an opinion when comes to what many deem the health care debate. This terminology seems to be a bit of a misnomer because what we are really discussing is access to health care. We are talking about is how to pay for health care and how we ensure that… Read More Healthcare Access Debate
While doing some research regarding internet resources about the Constitution, I came accross this Democracy Now broadcast from 2008 regarding how our rights are under threat from those in power. http://www.livevideo.com/video/walkinturtle2u/920E328187934BFEAAC1E697DAD66BBC/rand-corporation-penned-the-ho.aspx
Thursday September 17 is Consitution Day and Citizenship Day. We are celebrating the 222nd anniversay of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution by the Contential Congress in 1987. It took adoption by 9 states for the Constitution to become law, which happened by June of 1988. Check out our website for some fun videos about the… Read More Constitution Day
On this Labor Day take some time to remember that the reason we have as high a standard of living as we do is because of those who joined together, fought for and won workers’ rights to better wages and working conditions through collective bargaining. Dispelling the long touted myth that each of us has… Read More Happy Labor Day!
Open, transparent government should be something that we the people and them, meaning our elected or appointed officials, work towards. Although we often see issues polarized to the left or the right, ensuring our government works for us knows no political or ideological side. One of the ways our county commissioners have done this in… Read More Video Recordings of County Commissioner Meetings
Citizens News is a creation of a group of residents (Citizens Education & Advocacy or CEA) of Douglas County, Oregon. CEA’s Citizens News blog hopes to bring issues about local civic life including issues that deal with defense of civil liberties and open accountable government. CEA believes that government must provide for the common good of all… Read More Welcome to Citizens News
Citizens News 