Oregon is a mess, not a good mess or even a mediocre mess. Oregon is totally messed up from the top level of state government to the lowest local levels. Oregon has had a Democrat majority and sometimes a supermajority for decades ever since the Vote by Mail process started. Oregon is the birthplace of Antifa, which we hope means that Pam Bondi and her minions will start showing up in Oregon. Oregon has been publicly thumbing its nose at the federal government proclaiming Oregon is a sanctuary state even while watching the federal dollars dry up like a puddle on a hot Arizona parking lot. In Washington County, one of the largest counties in Oregon, four out of the five county commissioners are being investigated for fraud and financial improprieties. And in Multnomah County, right next door to Washington County, where Portland is located, we just had the authorities there release a murder suspect accidentally, according to them.

The most significant tax increase in Oregon has been consistently delayed in the state Senate and is not even being discussed or debated anymore. We had a weak Republican provide the one-vote margin in the state House of Representatives to pass this tax increase and immediately change parties to become a Democrat.

I know many people wonder why we stay in Oregon, and we often ask God why and if we are doing the right thing. Our biggest concern right now is that there are so many organizations leaving Oregon, so much red ink at every level of the Oregon government, and so much corruption that we think the facade the Democrats have built and hid behind for decades is about to come crashing down. This will hurt schools, small businesses, and strip money from vital programs. In Portland, very few departments in the city government are not having hiring freezes, reduced services, and dealing with significant debt loads.

The state of Oregon is a beautiful geographic location, characterized by great weather, minimal snow, and a moderate climate. Our kids and family are here in Oregon. Just as Joshua and Caleb did when they were sent to spy out the land, we try to look beyond the insane politics to the future. We strive to see the milk and honey, not the giants, even though the giants always seem to win in Oregon. On the West Coast, the three blue states -- California, Washington, and Oregon -- seem to be in a race to see which one can destroy their state first. California seems to have the lead but Washington and Oregon are just behind in this race to the bottom.

John Woods: Father, Husband, Conservative, Activist, Patriot, Veteran, Certified Action Range Shooter, Voting Delegate to the Oregon Republican Party.

Image: Oregon Department of Transportation