Gretchen Bates, Melodi Molt and all members of the Harney County Republican Central Committee put on an educational and informative program last Saturday, dealing with our current political mess.

Speakers Kevin Mannix (Mannix Law), Richard Burke (Western Liberty Network), Aoibheann Cline (NRA), Rep. Mark Owens (House District 60) and myself (Harney County for the State of Jefferson) focused on the current issues facing Oregon and especially Rural Oregon.

It was unfortunate that more Eastern Oregon people did not take advantage of this opportunity to become more informed and active.

I think the strongest theme on tap was the need and importance of developing and sustaining a local government and strong local conservative leaders to carry forward issues such as protecting our Second Amendment rights, fending off the radical attacks on our energy and businesses through the proposed cap and trade bills and allowing free enterprise to thrive in Oregon.

It was made clear that neither the state nor the federal government, as they are currently constituted, will protect the constitutional rights of the people of Oregon.

We have to build and sustain local government to its maximum legal sovereignty in all matters not given to the state or federal government.

In order to stand up to the abuses being cast upon us by the one-party rule in Oregon and in Washington, D.C., it is up to us locally to establish our lives and future!!

A few action items were emphasized:

1) Get and support good conservative people to run for every public office at the city and county level. State and federal government largesse is not going to make your life sustainably better!

2) Pay attention to and get active on the issues that affect your and your family’s everyday life. One question, as always, was how do we inform and educate the general population about the truth and facts about the changes that are oppressing us in rural Oregon. One answer is to find those groups that are trying to educate and inform on those issues that are important to you, and either join them or follow and share their work and information. This is especially important in communities like Harney County where we are media challenged and have to count on the unreliable social media outlets to get and distribute our information.

3) Consistently remind our local and state elected officials that they are hired by us to work for the people and not for the established government body. A strong and thriving community will always be able to support its government, but a dominating government body will always make it difficult for its people to survive. A government of, by and for the people will not perish, but a society of, by and for the government will surely fail!

4) Start or continue to do the things that are right for you and your business. At some point the current constitutional and judicial abuses in our faces will be brought to justice as long as we stand strong and continue to push back for a free and just constitutional republic!

5) We have a new sheriff, district attorney and circuit court judge, which gives us the potential to have these officers work for the interests of the people of Harney in a way not seen for some time. Make your needs and interests known to these public servants!

6) Contact all three members of the county court and let them know you support a strong and enduring Second Amendment sanctuary ordinance for Harney County!