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The Oregon Legislature convened the 81st Legislative Session of the Oregon Assembly and I was sworn in for a third time as the State Representative for House District 2. It continues to be an honor and privilege to serve Southern Oregon!
January 9th, 2021![]()
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I am very distressed by the emerging news regarding the actions of Senator Dallas Heard and his possible connection to the Citizens Against Tyranny. I support the position expressed by Sheriff Hanlin, we have a duty to represent all the citizens in our elected area, and we have a duty to uphold the constitution. I have experienced threats from members of these extreme groups and experienced pressure to sign letters and documents that after investigation proved to be less than forthright. It is bad enough that social media has opened a channel that distorts the facts versus the reality. I am encouraging all legislators to act on facts and restore our public comment process. Democracy requires an open and transparent sharing of information, opinions, and views. As an elected official I cannot please all of the people, all of the time; but I can represent all of the people all of the time and seek meaningful legislative solutions that will make for a brighter future.
“Looking into the Future”![]()
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January 6, 2021 represents a day in which the fears and apprehensions of the American people spilled out in a very unfortunate and public manner. In many ways the tragic events that occurred at the nation’s capital reflect the events which have been happening in cities across America. The actions of that day reflect a fundamental breakdown of our American Democracy.![]()
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I have been asked by so many constituents to explain how this occurred and what we should have done differently in the days, weeks, and months that led up to this tragic event. Clearly, leadership failed, and the highest levels of our democracy lost sight of the importance and fragility of our election and democratic process.![]()
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America is a representative democracy and as such we vote for elected officials and then allow them to create the laws and regulations under which we live, work, and play. Social media has created a situation where fact and fiction are blurred to the point that civil debate has ceased. We must base legislative actions on facts and not rumors.![]()
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Viewing the last year through the lens of January 6, there are many things I would have done differently. But we cannot erase history, only learn and grow. I’m calling on all elected officials to focus on a response to the pandemic, and a restoration of the trust from the American citizens. We can no longer allow the legislative process to be overtaken by extreme social positions, rather we must return to a political process that aspires to legislative action which is in the best interest of our country.![]()
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My elected responsibility is to the citizens of Oregon House District 2, and thus I have limited abilities to address the national crisis. The election is behind us, the courts have ruled, the electoral votes have been counted, I’m asking all elected officials to focus on the real economic challenges that we face now, and to set aside the political differences. That is how it is supposed to work in America.![]()
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The solution is found by returning to a moderate political position in which we uphold the constitution, the electoral process, and the laws of our land. All civil disobedience and rioting must stop, both that happening in Portland and that happening in Washington DC. Now is the time when we must focus on the economic needs of our country and accept the election results. ![]()
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I am disappointed that in Oregon we have disenfranchised so many of our citizens. We must restore an open and transparent government process in which the citizens can express their hopes, dreams, and frustrations, without resorting to violence. We must fix the broken unemployment system, we must expedite the registration issues happening within the Oregon DMV, work on Homelessness, Housing and Mental Illness issues, help with Children Advocacy as we come out of Covid and we must ensure a speedy distribution of the virus vaccines, and finally, we must ensure the economic viability of our small business owners who stand in the shadow of the larger corporations who seem immune to the economic restrictions.![]()
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I cannot change the past, but I pledge to take a moderate position where all elected officials are welcome to join me in developing bi-partisan solutions to the challenges faced by our citizens. Next week we begin the legislative process, please follow me on Facebook as I will be providing daily updates.
Merry Christmas and God bless you! May 2021 be a better year for all of us and be safe in your travels!
My legislative bill for the 2021 session!
Rep. Leif's Human Trafficking And Child Exploitation Prevention Act
youtu.be
A video that explains Representative Leif's Human Trafficking And Child Exploitation Prevention Act. Please support Rep. Leif and his bill that will do more ...