Those cheering over Measures 66 and 67 passage are helping me understand a mindset. It is the outlook you might expect from folks in a lifeboat out on the open sea who too quickly come to the conclusion that someone must be cannibalized for the survival of the rest, even though things aren't really that bad yet and the deprivation could be equally shared for some time -- enough time perhaps for all to survive.

This is Oregon's present situation in a nutshell. A well-connected and relatively well-paid part of our citizenry simply will not tolerate a diminished ration -- even during dire conditions. The problem is that the one they are cannibalizing is the fellow rowing the boat. The public employee lobby has overstepped this time. Harming businesses large and small will only make prospects on the lifeboat worse. Much worse.

BOB EKSTROM
Scappoose

Tired of being snookered into voting for the “lesser of two evils” every election? Tired of the same old fake wrestling match between the two major parties, in which bigger government always wins, and the taxpayer always loses?

Do you really think that you will effect any change for your same-old party by staying in it? The only effective statement you can make for change is to change your vote, and to change your voter registration. Click on the image on the top-right of the website to download a voter registration form, where you can indicate a change of party registration.

The Constitution Party of Oregon now has 4444 registered members, and is growing fast (while the major parties are floundering). Be a part of the solution by joining us.

Pro-life Hypocrisy

Churches all across America observed Sanctity of Human Life Sunday on January 24. Literature was passed out on the evils of abortion. Sermons were preached on the sin of abortion. The 1973 Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe v. Wade was denounced. The immorality of being a doctor who performs abortions was proclaimed. The horrors of partial-birth abortion were explained. Testimonies were read of women who regretted having abortions and doctors who felt guilty in having performed them. Prayers were made on behalf of women contemplating having an abortion. Gruesome pictures of abortions gone awry were shown. Calls were made for a constitutional amendment banning abortion. Planned Parenthood was singled out for special condemnation. Yet, nary a word was said about the ongoing slaughter of innocents that is funded by the U.S. government.

Fellow Americans,

Let us join the Founding Fathers in their desire to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.

It is fitting that we all pledge the following on a regular basis: "I do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of citizenship. So help me God."

If the Constitution ceases to be enforced, the Republic for which our flag stands ceases to exist. If the Republic ceases to exist, we can all kiss Liberty and Justice good-bye. We will also find ourselves obligated, as Thomas Jefferson so aptly put it, to "institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." I, for one, am more inclined to support and defend what we have now than to start over.

Let us remember that to accomplish what they did, our Founding Fathers pledged (and spent) their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, while firmly relying on the protection of Divine Providence. As we approach the new year we should resolve to use every day to honor our God, defend our families, and restore our Republic. Each day we fail to do that makes our losses one day closer. As one wise man said, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

Regards, Jack Brown, Chairman, Constitution Party of Oregon

Friday, March 13, 2009
BILL GRAVES
The Oregonian Staff

SALEM -- Fourteen people showed up on the Capitol steps Thursday morning to protest not only state-funded abortion but also the silence of Oregon Right to Life.

They displayed two large signs -- one saying "Cut abortion funding! (Not Babies)" --and five of them gave short speeches. They urged legislators to cut more than $3 million from the 2009-11 Oregon Health Plan budget that will pay for about 8,000 abortions.

"We are exercising our conscience today," said Bob Ekstrom, 62, of Scappoose, field director for Life Support, a small and informal group of abortion opponents.

People who oppose abortion should not have to pay taxes to support it, he said.

"A great part of the citizenry is feeling oppressed and tyrannized by having to pay for something they feel is a moral evil," he said.

The protesters, who included members of the Constitution Party of Oregon, face dim prospects of ending state-funded abortion in a Legislature heavily dominated by Democrats.

Profits for the International Banks

The CONSTITUTION PARTY OF OREGON calls on the U.S. Congress to cease meddling in Middle Eastern affairs, and return their attention to the constitutionally authorized business of providing for the common defense of the sovereign states, while securing the blessings of liberty to us and our posterity. The American taxpayers have poured billions of dollars in advanced weaponry into the Middle East, arming both Arabs and Jews alike. As usual, the only clear winner in this latest conflict will be the Federal Reserve and the other global banks.

Chairman Jack Brown of the CONSTITUTION PARTY OF OREGON says, "My heart goes out to the many innocent people of the Middle East who are suffering in this time of conflict. Much of the blame for that suffering can be laid at the front door of the U.S. Congress. Wars always result in the destruction of human dignity and the exercise of God-given rights is always curtailed. Wars also result in poverty for some and riches for others, while the world's net wealth is decreased by the destruction of resources. Only the bankers profit from war.“

Vice Chairman Dave Brownlow said, “The Constitution is clear – NO foreign interventions. Why is obeying the law this such a hard concept for our representatives to understand? Only a completely insane person would want to intervene in this centuries-old conflict. If money, guns and congressional meddling were a solution, this would have been over a long time ago.”

Bob Ekstrom, former state chairman said, “Americans need to ask themselves, ‘If the Israeli-Palestinian situation is inevitably pointed toward armed conflict, why then should the U.S. increase the level of destruction by arming both sides?’ That question must be answered. If life in this world is guaranteed to be messy, isn't it wisdom to not add to it? There are many better ways to discourage war than to arm the combatants.”

Suzanne Brownlow, Communications Director said, “Having armed both sides to the teeth, Congress has displayed the height of arrogance with its recent declaration that Israel has the right to defend its existence. No one questions the right of one nation to defend itself from assaults by other nations. However, this is a natural right given from our Creator, not something Congress has produced by decree.”

The CONSTITUTION PARTY OF OREGON recommends that it is time to mind our own business by allowing Israel and Palestine resolve their differences without outside interference.

We continue the third Thursday meeting with the movie "Why We Fight". Discussion of economic disaster preparedness group. Free RestoreTheRepublic magazine on economic crisis.

Thursday, 1/15 7:00-9:00 PM

Christ Community Church
22100 SW Grahams Ferry Rd
Tualatin, OR 97026

Bob Pletka was a devoted disciple of liberty and Constitutional scholar in Oregon.



Click on the Read More link to watch video testimony from the memorial service.

Our erstwhile economic gurus are not stupid men. While they led the U.S. down a certain path that most citizens thought must be financially prudent, our leaders knew that they were rolling the dice. There has been more juggling going on, and for a longer time, than the public has been aware of. In fact, maintaining public ignorance is a high priority with our leaders. Haven't you wondered why polls of the "public confidence" seem to be more important than the measurement of hard underlying economic realities? Consider the way the shearer relates to the sheep and you will have a fairly accurate understanding of how John Q. Public is viewed by those who call the economic shots in America.

At any rate, the Constitution Party does not propose an Economic Bail-Out Plan, an Economic Rescue Plan, or an Economic Stimulus Plan paid for by our grandchildren. The above approaches, currently well underway, come to us under the auspices of both big political parties. While Mr. Obama pledges a no holds barred spend-fest, he will have trouble surpassing the Bush bankruptcy bandwagon. The American economy has hit the wall at 100 mph and broken up into a pile of smoldering parts. These guys are racing to put the same car back together again only with more throttle capacity.

To the desperate, that might look like a fix, but what we really have in the making is physician assisted suicide. Suffice it to say that for many years now presidents and congresses, regardless of party, have steadily followed a set of policies whose end has been our financial ruin. Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama, party affiliation, skin color, and ideological nomenclature aside, are clearly in agreement when it comes to deficit spending, bailouts, and printing press money. In fact, it must be acknowledged that the political gate-keepers in America do not permit anyone to advance politically unless they swear allegiance to those destructive policies and commit to perpetuate them. Witness the knee-capping of Presidential aspirant Ron Paul of Texas and the non-coverage of our Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin of Florida. These two men questioned the premises of the financial status-quo and, while showing themselves prescient, were nonetheless successfully diminished by the talking heads of radio, TV, and print- whose job it is to maintain order on behalf of the political powers that be.

All this is really to say that while economic ruin has come upon us, it has not come upon us accidentally! There are those who do quite well in the present system and if things go awry there is always "bailout" and "rescue" waiting in the wings. It is the great body of average Americans who need something different. To them we offer the Constitution Party Solution for the crash of 2008 AD.

In this election year the Constitution Party of Oregon did it again. We have doubled our vote in every election since we formed in 2000 AD. That is 5 consecutive elections of 100% growth - over 400,000 votes for our candidates this year.

Mahatma Gandhi, whose political movement in India overcame the mighty British Empire without violence, said it perfectly:

"First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win."

We are somewhere in the middle of that process but the point is this ... We are going to WIN. We are going to win because our cause is just and because we will not quit.

From the beginning we have had too many people step forward with the right abilities at the right time for us to start talking about any one person's contribution. Obviously more voters than ever have seen the value of our effort. We have had a great harvest. It is necessary now to plow nutrients back into the soil as we prepare for further gains.

We need your financial involvement. To receive your Oregon Political Tax Credit, please send your most generous contribution before December 31 to -

Constitution Party of Oregon
Treasurer Ken Cunningham
495 SE 73rd Ave
Hillsboro, OR 97123