We benefit from the people who make the roads, the schools, the hospitals, the libraries the truck drivers, the grocery stores, the fire department, the emergency personnel. We benefit from the protection against hostile takeover by a worse administration. We benefit from millions of unseen helpers that want to help and don't even know where to go to provide it. It's not a perfect world, but it's quite a bit that we have that is important and valuable, especially each other. They are scapegoating the administration when they should be volunteering with programs that will actually make our lives better. Habitat for humanity, meals on wheels, educate, heal the violence in the communities. We have to do that. No politician can do it for us

@thinkwithme Cascadia’s sick and tired of this fucked up presidential administration and the lackadaisical nation that’s allowed it. In fact, Oregon’s doing quite well on it’s own. So with their shit together, they’re obviously frustrated the rest of our nation isn’t. This Native Portlander has little time for your griping… One of mine lives in downtown Portland, and has been sleeping quite well ~

@Varn well that's interesting. I didnt know anything about Cascadia. It looks like Washington Oregon and BC. That's very nice. I'm glad the kids are doing ok. You have all the big trees. .. is that fair? And you need the National Guard still I would think..if you cede how will you convince the Californians to go back? I have to ask because when I was there I saw a bunch of bumperstickers that said "Go home Californians."

@thinkwithme Doesn't sound like you’ve been there in quite awhile, our former Republican governor who started that, ‘visit, but don’t stay’ campaign is long dead.. My concern over the Cascadia concept is when ‘The Big One,’ the next Cascadia Subduction Zone quake destroys ..cascadia. If a stand-alone nation, no help from it’s former associated states… That’s why I left.

Bush the first eliminated more of Oregon’s ‘federal forest’ than any president, but then he’s gone, too … along with millions of ‘tall trees,’ Doug Fir. And yes, I’ve one who's been living in downtown Portland for ..six years now, finished college there, and loves it. She and her sister, and their BF’s (future sons in law material) have marched in several protests. One described people cheering them on, offering bottled water and waving signs of support from their front porches.

It’s become more than necessary, but no direct threat to the inhabitants of the city. And yes, it, in my view, is due to a pent up frustration with a nation that most left behind. I suspect, still, more people in Oregon were born outside it than within. A multigenerational O myself, as mentioned, I’m actually gone. But would no doubt feel as safe and comfortable amid ‘the protesting’ as she does if I were still there, if only within a few blocks downtown where, thanks to trump’s shock-troop provocation, the last of it’s taking place.

@Varn It has been a while, over 20 years. Douglas fir is beautiful.

@thinkwithme I miss prettymuch everything about Ore… Here’s a message from one of my sisters from 2 days ago, “Come home!!!!” ...don’t know how to reply, about makes me cry..

@Varn Sounds like love to me. You will go when you can