Oregon Discussion

What does a healthy health care system need to deliver for patients—and for the people caring for them? Shelly Boshart Davis welcomes Senator Christine Drazan and registered nurse Tamara Dahl to discuss safe staffing, rural access, hospital finances, and insurance affordability. Dahl shares lessons from labor and delivery and the pressures that contribute to nursing burnout. Drazan revisits her re...

Mike McLane sits down with longtime Southern Oregon chamber leader Brad Hicks to explain what a Chamber of Commerce actually does and why local business advocacy matters. Hicks discusses his nearly three decades representing Southern Oregon employers, regulatory and permitting burdens, education, transportation, business recruitment, and how Oregon’s business environment changed over the course of...

Mike McLane is joined by Redmond School Board Vice Chair Michael Summers for a detailed look inside Oregon’s public-school system. They discuss local control, curriculum, budgets, teacher negotiations, classroom discipline, special education, cell phones, parent involvement, and what a school board can realistically change when many education policies are set at the state level.

Mike McLane sits down with longtime ODOT employee Mary Dirksen to discuss what Oregon’s transportation funding fight looked like from inside the agency. They cover layoff notices, workforce uncertainty, turnover, government bureaucracy, Measure 120, and what Oregon still needs to resolve before the next transportation package.

Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis are joined by Courtney Bangs to discuss Oregon’s new state forest management plan and Habitat Conservation Plan. The episode examines timber revenue, county budgets, endangered species policy, carbon credits, forestry jobs, and whether Oregon taxpayers may be asked to fund a system that used to pay for itself.

Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis are joined by Dr. Angela Plowhead to discuss Oregon’s mental health crisis, including provider shortages, youth mental health, veteran suicide, parental notification, nonprofit accountability, and the state’s last-place ranking in mental illness and substance use prevalence. The episode asks why Oregon is spending so much while outcomes remain so poor.

In this episode of Oregon Discussion, Mike McLane sits down with his son Ben McLane, a veteran wildland firefighter, to discuss Oregon’s devastating fire season and what it reveals about forest health, firefighting capacity, fuel loads, and community preparedness. The conversation covers incident management, pyrocumulus fire behavior, rural fire response, homeowner mitigation, and why Oregon may n...

Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis are joined by Jacob Vandever to discuss Oregon’s housing and homelessness crisis. The episode examines housing supply, land use restrictions, Portland’s affordable housing struggles, homelessness spending, HB 3115, and why Oregon’s current approach is not producing the results taxpayers were promised. 02:03 – Welcome to Oregon Discussion 03:16 – Housing Policy...

In this episode of Oregon Discussion, Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis are joined by Justin Brecht to examine Oregon’s statewide audit and what it reveals about agency accounting, federal compliance, and government accountability. The conversation highlights hundreds of millions of dollars in accounting errors, weaknesses in financial controls, and the need for stronger oversight of taxpayer m...

In this episode of Oregon Discussion, Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis are joined by Christine Drazan for a detailed conversation on Oregon’s education crisis. They discuss low reading and math scores, chronic absenteeism, weakened graduation standards, classroom disruption, screen time, and why Oregon’s next governor will also play a direct role as superintendent of public instruction. Guest:...

Could Oregon’s IP 28 fundamentally change hunting, fishing, ranching, and animal agriculture in the state?  In this episode of Oregon Discussion, Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis sit down with Lauren Kuenzi from the Oregon Farm Bureau to break down Initiative Petition 28, also known as the “PEACE Act.” The conversation covers what the measure would actually do, how it changes Oregon’s animal c...

Recorded live at the Dorchester Conference in Welches, Oregon, this special long-form episode of Oregon Discussion features conversations with leaders, candidates, grassroots advocates, staff, authors, business voices, and young conservatives from across the state. This is not a normal episode. It is a full Dorchester special — a 6+ hour collection of conversations about Oregon’s future, the polic...

This episode of Oregon Discussion examines Oregon’s Corporate Activity Tax and the Student Success Act. Lawmakers discuss education funding, business impacts, and whether increased spending has led to better results for students and communities. Website ⁠https://oregondoge.com⁠ X ⁠https://x.com/TheOregonDOGE⁠ Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theoregondoge/⁠ Facebook ⁠https://www.facebook.com/p...

Mike McLane and Shelly Boshart-Davis are joined by Angela Wilhelms of Oregon Business & Industry to discuss Oregon’s declining business climate, rising regulatory burden, and the policy choices shaping the state’s economy. This episode looks at jobs, taxes, spending, competitiveness, and what it would take to get Oregon back on track. Website https://oregondoge.com Follow Oregon D.O.G.E. X htt...

This episode of Oregon D.O.G.E. focuses on public safety challenges across the state, including declining state police staffing, homelessness policy, and controversial legislation in Salem. Lawmakers discuss how these issues are impacting communities, businesses, and the future direction of Oregon policy. Website https://oregondoge.com Follow Oregon D.O.G.E. X https://x.com/TheOregonDOGE Instagram...

Oregon ranks top-10 in education spending — but near the bottom in outcomes. In this episode, Senator Mike McLane, Representative Shelly Boshart Davis, and former State Representative Tracy Kramer examine why Oregon’s education system continues to fail students, sideline parents, and grow bureaucracy instead of improving results. From suspended graduation standards to rising absenteeism and admini...

Oregon’s Interstate Bridge replacement has surged to $13.6 billion — without expanding vehicle capacity. In this episode, lawmakers and industry experts examine the cost escalation, political gridlock, and economic risks of continued delay. Is leadership the missing ingredient? Website → ⁠https://oregondoge.com⁠ X → ⁠https://x.com/TheOregonDOGE⁠ Facebook → ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=...

Investigative journalist Jeff Eager joins Senator Mike McLane and Representative Shelly Boshart Davis to expose disturbing Medicaid allegations involving Oregon Health Plan reimbursements, criminal gang ties, and a lack of transparency from state agencies. This episode examines how millions of taxpayer dollars can move through Oregon’s Medicaid system with little oversight — and why accountability...

Senator Mike McLane, Representative Shelly Boshart Davis, and Alex Lopez walk through Oregon’s fourth-quarter revenue forecast and the shocking budget-cut proposals coming from state agencies. From manufacturing job losses to population decline, FFA cuts, prison closure plans, and DEI programs protected while cybersecurity is slashed — this episode exposes the state’s real priorities and why Orego...

Representative Shelly Boshart Davis hosts Senator Christine Drazan and Representative Lucetta Elmer for a deep dive into Oregon’s affordability crisis. They break down the state’s collapsing housing production, burdensome regulations, tax hikes, business flight, and the “disconnect” proposal that could raise taxes on tips and overtime. The discussion ends with a call for leadership change and vote...

Senator Mike McLane and Representative Shelly Boshart Davis talk with Greg Addington, Executive Director of the Oregon Farm Bureau, about Oregon’s war on agriculture — from the ag overtime crisis to the radical IP 28 animal-rights initiative and the Lane County “Watershed Bill of Rights.” Learn how Oregonians can defend their farms, food supply, and freedom. Website → https://oregondoge.com Social...

Oregon’s $4.3 billion “transportation package” raises gas taxes, DMV fees, and payroll taxes, but leaves roads crumbling. Senators Mike McLane and Bruce Starr, along with Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, expose how Governor Tina Kotek has abandoned bipartisanship and how Oregonians can fight back through a statewide referendum. https://notaxor.com/ https://stopthegastax.com/ Website → ⁠https://oregondog...

Senator Mike McLane sits down with three members of Gen Z to talk about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the culture war on Oregon campuses, and why faith, family, and freedom still matter. They explore cancel culture, housing costs, taxes, and how Oregon’s government is driving young people out of the state they love. Website → https://oregondoge.com Socials → @TheOregonDOGE on X | Facebook | I...

In this episode of Oregon D.O.G.E. , Senators Mike McLane and Daniel Bonham expose the ugly truth of Oregon’s 2025 session: gerrymandered maps, DEI waste at ODOT, $15M for illegal immigrant legal aid, climate change indoctrination in schools, and book ban hypocrisy. With unions cashing in and rural Oregon left behind, taxpayers are paying more for less. This episode is a must-listen for anyone con...

In this episode of Oregon D.O.G.E. , Senators Mike McLane and Daniel Bonham reveal the ugly side of Oregon’s 2025 legislative session. From bloated DEI programs and fake “cuts budgets” to giveaways for striking unions and $15M for illegal immigrant legal aid, they expose how taxpayers are being squeezed while essential services crumble. Add in Oregon’s declining business climate and mass job losse...