Let Us Paddle was built on small donations, postage stamps, volunteer labor, and the hard lesson that...
Ben's Viewpoint
I am the writer behind Ben’s Viewpoint — a no-nonsense political commentary hub where Oregon’s bureaucratic haystacks get picked apart strand by strand. A sales and marketing pro by trade and a civic troublemaker by habit, I like to mix data, dry humor, and a healthy dose of skepticism to expose the policies, players, and processes shaping life in Oregon.
Whether digging into housing policy, government spending, ballot-measure battles, or the latest “progressive” misadventure, I hope that I deliver the same approach: cut through the spin, follow the facts, and tell it straight — even when it stings.
Billionaire wealth is not a money bin waiting to be raided. It is ownership in companies, jobs,...
Flag Day is a reminder that the American flag belongs to all citizens, not any political party....
Congresswoman Janelle Bynum says disaster victims should not wait years for relief. She’s right — which makes...
Oregon’s data-center fight is bigger than zoning and power bills. As China races to build AI infrastructure,...
Oregon once powered smelters. Now we’re melting down over servers.
IP 28 may be the clearest example yet of how far the activist class is willing to...
The ballot did not fail you. The calendar did.
You had weeks to check your registration, confirm your...
There is a hard truth about political social media that a lot of people do not want...
Here’s the uncomfortable truth hiding behind the “tax the rich” bumper sticker: billionaires and corporations may write...
“A registered voter who doesn’t vote isn’t participating—they’re spectating.” Oregon doesn’t have a voter suppression problem. It...
It starts with a paycheck. A slice goes to dues. Those dues turn into campaign cash, endorsements,...
Two competing strategies, one shared goal, and a growing problem we’re creating ourselves There are two very...
If credit cards can be hacked and we still trust them, why are we so quick to...
“Wouldn’t it be great if Nick Shirley showed up in Oregon?” That’s the sentiment making the rounds...
“Two candidates showed they understand how government works.
One candidate showed he understands how to shout at it.”
Trump Saw the Pressure Point 40 Years Ago For all the noise in the current war between...
In an age of shrinking attention spans and shrinking newsrooms, Oregon voters often get their political information...
How a Cold War chess move ignited decades of conflict — and why Trump may have triggered...
The Legislature has passed Oregon Senate Bill 1507 forcing taxpayers to add back and pay state income tax on federal...
One Democrat Sneezes… and Suddenly the Supermajority Reaches for Cold Medicine. SB1599 was all dressed up this...
Who Is Defacing Democracy in Oregon? There are moments in politics when the spin falls away and...
So let’s get this straight: tens of thousands of Oregonians sign a certified referendum. Thousands of people...
A certified November vote, pushed into a partisan May election. Oregonians did exactly what the law says...
Fix the books, clear the land, and put Oregonians back on the path to homeownership. Something is...
