2015 is behind us. 2016 looms ahead.
Cuban cigars are available, and oil is cheap.
And then are emerging trade issues, deceptive refugees,
European Union unrest... and the promise of turmoil.

Happy New Year!? Well, maybe. At least elections are coming.

We learn from history, and first-hand history is a powerful tool.
Our January speaker is an old friend, and a travelled one.

Jason Williams
Founder of the Taxpayer Association of Oregon
World Traveler into troubled regions

Last time we heard travel stories from Jason, he had visited Turkey and Israel.

In 2015, he visited Cuba and Iraq on charity mission trips,
and that gives him a unique picture of what's in the hearts and minds of people
who live day to day under the distinctly different governments of those two countries.

Join us Wednesday and learn what the media is not reporting
about burning headline issues over neighboring Cuba's embargo,
about Cuba's terrorism status removal,
... and from the other side of the world ...
what is not being reported about Syrian refugees, about Kurdish allies,
and about the war on ISIS.

Jason met with refugees in northern Iraq of Kurdistan and has many stories to share.
He will also be giving a short history of ISIS to educate us on the key points,
both high and low, on this critical topic.

The politics of these two nations have played heavily in the U.S. Presidential debates.
Yup. That means timely, topical and important for us to hear.

So, y'all comin?

Executive Club passes on meeting followup information as a courtesy to our speakers and members. Any member or speaker may submit, by email, a simple update text presentation to be sent to the club mailing list, to give the membership to have more details, or just a recap of your platform presentation. To be considered for publication, please be sure to submit your update within 24 hours of the close of the meeting. Please don't include any pictures in your text, but links to web pages, or links to things stored elsewhere on the web -- .pdf files, Word documents, or even pictures -- are OK now. Formatting and inserted pictures will not be copied, just the text content, so please don't use 4 fonts and 6 colors to convey your thoughts: you will be disappointed. Look at a previous followup email, or the bottom of most of the invitation emails, to see how they are presented. The simpler and cleaner your text, the more likely it will appear exactly the same in the email we send out. Each update must also indicate the author's name and contact information -- either a phone number, email address, or website with contact information. We reserve the right to edit for brevity, or reject, any submission.

Tired of the legislature's abuse of the emergency clause to prevent Oregon voters from reining in their abuse?
Click here to sign the petition to stop the abuse of the emergency clause!

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Think the death tax harms families in Oregon?
Click here to sign the petition to eliminate that dinosaur of wealth-punishing taxes.

Mark your calendar for TriMet's next light rail opening ceremony - September 12, 2025. They say they're not sure of the route, terminus or mode, but they know what day it will open. You decide. Click here to read more.

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Cascade Policy Institute has begun researching the union-backed Gross Receipts Tax initiative (IP28) that may be on the 2016 General Election ballot. Far from only hitting "large out-of-state corporations" it's really a hidden sales tax on consumers and a drag on employment, possibly causing some to lose their jobs and others to not get hired in the first place.

Cascade’s first publication on the initiative -- Assaulting 'Corporate Profits' Will Hit Average Oregonians, by Steve Buckstein -- is here on CascadePolicy.org and here on Oregon Catalyst.

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Details of all Cascade events and publications are available at http://cascadepolicy.org/ and you can sign up for Cascade's free weekly Courier email list here.

Oregonians for Fair Elections is still collecting signatures for our initial signature submission! If you are having an event that we could attend and gather signatures in the next couple of weeks, please let us know. Also, Please like our Facebook page, Oregonians for Fair Elections. You will find it informative. If you have a story to tell you can post it there. Please share our articles with your sphere of influence. Every like, click and share helps others learn about the issues.

We will be needing signature gathers to circulate petitions. If you would help with a few signatures we would be very appreciative. Another great way to help is to send out the single-signer page to your network. Let me know how you would like to participate. Please send your contact information to me so that when we do get to start circulating in earnest we will be ready. It probably won't be until after the new year. Call Janice at 503-757-0670 with questions.

Thanks so much for all your help. At least 70% of Americans agree with voter ID, in some areas it goes up to 87%. We seldom agree on anything that much!

It's time for Oregonians to change the stale brand that is Ron Wyden to someone who has real-world skills and the requisite experience to do the job. It's time for Oregonians to ask themselves, "Am I better off than I was six years ago? Or 12 years ago?" It's time to ask whether it's sane to keep voting the same way and expecting different results after 35 years. Dan Laschober is ready, willing and able take this challenge all the way to next November.

Please visit www.Laschober2016.com to learn more.

I followed SB 941 closely during the last legislative session. We have a gun store in La Grande, Oregon. The frightening thing that I learned from that experience is how easily a handful of arrogant politicians with the power of a couple of Political Action Groups was able to avoid the democratic process and the wishes of the people of Oregon. With a few simple maneuvers and the power of the "emergency" clause they attacked our Constitution and changed the political process from one "of the people and for the people" to one "of the politicians and for the PAC's".

Click here to read my "letter to the editor", which covers my experience regarding how this occurred. It should motivate you to become actively involved in the petition to limit the use of the emergency clause so the people can demand a say in bad bills such as SB 941.

Irene Gilbert / 2310 Adams Ave. / La Grande / Oregon / 97850
e-mail: ott.irene@frontier.com

Continuous use of the words "discussion" and "conversation" do not infer the importance of what METRO is planning for our region. We are merely guinea pigs in an unaffordable failing experiment. Take a few minutes to review these recent letters:

Pamplin Media Group - Bring reality back into growth

MY VIEW: Homeownership not in Metro plan - Portland

Letter: Destroying our neighborhoods isn't progress

The time has come for citizens appear at the 2:00 PM Thursday meetings. METRO's headquarters is on Grand Avenue 2 blocks from the Convention Center. Citizen comments are always early in the agenda. Our first request will be that at least 1 meeting a month be held in the evening. Our liveability is on the line!

Dear Friends & Supporters,

It is with excitement that I am running for Clackamas County Commission Position No. 3 against Commissioner Martha Schrader.

That's the hard part. Yours is the easy part: we are asking for contributions.
Please go to our website at www.electstevebates.com and donate by credit card.

Thanks so much,

Steve

PLEASE DIRECT INQUIRES TO: STEVE BATES @ 503-663-6271