From The Conversation: How Washington turned adversity into triumph

This past Presidents’ Day, I was thinking about George Washington — not with respect to his finest hour, though, but possibly his worst.

Leland Thoburn: A word about social justice and why it matters to us

Today is the World Day of Social Justice. I’m sure many of you have been poised with your social justice party hats, dancing in anticipation of Feb. 20 rolling around again.

Jonah Goldberg: Voter ID shouldn't be so controversial

President Trump says Republicans should “nationalize the election,” or at least assume control of the process in up to 15 places he says voting is corrupt. His evidence of fraudulent voting is that he lost in such places in 2020, and since it’s axiomatic that he won everywhere, the reported results serve as proof of the fraud.

Jeb Bladine: Focus on spending, not just on taxes and fees

Oregonians have focused too much attention on government taxes and not enough on government spending. That applies as well to McMinnville, where changes in city leadership do not yet seem destined to quell ...

Investigating the Bible: Assumptions and attitudes

Before he was a journalist, Tim Russert worked as an intern for New York Senator Patrick Moynihan. He recalled an incident that occurred when Moynihan was first running for office. Moynihan had previously ...

Quirk of the Week: This sign no longer belongs here

An inexplicable five-year relic is the focus of this edition. It’s a 2020-installed roadside sign next to one you might have seen reading “You Belong Here.” The smaller, obsolete sign ...

Investigating the Bible: Strength in weakness

Franklin Graham is the son of Billy Graham and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian organization providing aid to those in crisis around the world. One of the ministries of the Samaritan’s ...

Christine Bader: Flag football push proves inequity persists in sports

About the writer: Christine Bader coaches the local Valley Panthers Girls Rugby Club — and, in her spare time, teaches in Linfield’s Master of Science in Business program and serves on the ...

Jonah Goldberg: Why do the Trumps always get a pass?

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recently joined ABC’s “This Week” to defend or explain a lot of controversies for the Trump administration — the Epstein files, the events in Minneapolis and so forth.

George Cassidy Payne: Don Lemon, the DOJ, and the chilling of press freedom

When federal agents arrested journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort in connection with a protest inside a Minneapolis-area church, many commentators framed the incident as a straightforward defense of sacred space.

Quirk of the Week: Fence adornments provide both humor, nostalgia

Good fences make good neighbors, or so goes the oft-misused Robert Frost quotation. Sometimes neighbors make good fences. We celebrate three in this edition, ones that blend car culture, popular humor ...

Eric Schuck: Don’t let discordant notes mar symphony of the Fed

Unfortunately, “Schoolhouse Rock!” never covered the Federal Reserve.

Then again, if it had, it might not have made for terribly compelling TV. After all, the ideal song for monetary policy should be a lullaby — soft, calming and familiar, guaranteed to soothe and stabilize.

Jonah Goldberg: Trump’s brand of globalism stands to impoverish us all

I’m not sure what to call the new era we seem to be entering. But I am sure it will make people poorer.

Let’s start with some basics.

Jeb Bladine: Challenges in a new chapter of city government

McMinnville, now embarked on a new chapter in city government, has challenges galore in areas of finance, operations, special projects and community trust. It begins with planning for a new budget year, ...

Investigating the Bible: Thinking bravely

Sociologists call “groupthink” the tendency of cohesive social groups to never question group decisions. In 1980, financially struggling Bill Gates offered to sell his computer operating system ...