Sen. Boquist: Gender politics, Special Session debate, more

By Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist,
Highlights, excerpts from Sen. Boquist newsletter

— OPB.  12/14/2024.  “Oregon officials, experts grappled behind the scenes with youth gender-affirming care guideline: Records show how state medical advisors decided questions around youth transgender care were outweighed by a state law ensuring access” meaning politics decided not medical health.  Surprised?  Remember the walkouts on this topic?

— Oregon Capitol Insider.  12/13/2024.  “Capital Chatter: A fiery day in Salem as special session opens and ends: This year’s wildland fire season was so bad that Gov. Tina Kotek ordered the Oregon Legislature into special session Thursday to belatedly pay the bills.”  Agencies asked for roughly $105 million while the legislature gave them $218 million as the State Treasurer allegedly would not pay the bills?  Nobody seems to know why?

— Sunday Edition.  12/15/2024.  “Portland seeks budget, staff cuts after new forecast shows $27M shortfall: Portland leaders are staring down “difficult decisions” after a new budget forecast shows a higher budget shortfall than previously projected, the city announced Tuesday.”   The news theme in this edition is transitions: presidential, congressional, legislative, and even local like Portlandia.  Here we see the incoming elected city officials who defeated establishment candidates suddenly find huge problems that were kept from the voters by losing candidates.

— Oregon Capitol Chronicle.  12/13/2024.  “Fatal drug overdoses in Oregon reached record levels in 2023 Oregon Health Authority releases finalized drug overdose figures for last year, which show a trend of rising fatalities every year since 2019:  More than 1,800 Oregonians died of drug overdoses in 2023, a rising trend that state leaders want to reverse with new programs to combat addiction.”  Yet the new OHA directors spending priorities are below … not this!

— Oregon Capitol Chronicle.  12/13/2024.  “After statewide tour, ‘Oregon’ health authority director plans to improve Oregon’s health care system, a new report identifies goals in 16 areas, including in rural regions, Medicaid, public health and street medicine: Oregon Health Authority Director Sejal Hathi wants to improve Oregon’s health care system, including keeping rural hospitals open and supporting homeless people and testing children for lead poisoning.”  The most bloated incompetent agency in Oregon wants to get bigger with your money … what do you think?  OHA wants to you the taxpayer to give them $39 billion in 2025.  Lund Report link.  You happy with your health insurance?  Delay, deny, defend?  How about your doctor who takes every Friday off then charges you hundreds for a visit?  Oh, then the ‘Doc’ wants you do get a thousand-dollar blood test as well?  Why does America have the most expensive health care system yet has the worst health care in the western world?  Sound like education as well?

— Portland Tribune.  12/7/2024.  “Portland city employees balk at Mayor-elect Wilson’s return-to-office proposal: At a virtual town hall meeting with around 1,400 city employees on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 5, Mayor-elect Keith Wilson shared plans to require them to work at least four days a week at the office – up from the current mandate that they’ll work in person for half of their work week.”  Anyone surprised public employees do not want to work?  Given the world situation they may well get their wish to stay home … unemployed … without pay … without electricity … without worry … without a future?

— The Lund Report.  12/5/2024.  “Oregon nurses union says largest health care worker strike in state history is on the table:  Nearly 5,000 Providence nurses and other health care workers could strike as the union raises the stakes in negotiations with the hospital system.”  The United States has the most expensive health care in the world: $12,555 per person.   43% of Americans are obese with 73% being overweight.  USG NIH link.  America is one of the least healthy nations.  Experts claim life expediency is dropping while mortality rates are accelerating.  The CDC, FDA and NIH are not experts but corporate funded pimps.  Will Biden pardon them all as well?  Where does all the money go?  Pain News Network.

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