Oregon Discussion

Oregon D.O.G.E.
  • 4.4 (21)
  • Arts

Oregon Discussion is a no-nonsense podcast that pulls back the curtain on Oregon’s government, policies, and spending. With a rotating cast of legislators and policy experts, this podcast exposes wasteful spending, bureaucratic overreach, and hidden inefficiencies that impact Oregonians every day.  From the state budget crisis to agencies creating rules without oversight, Oregon Discussion takes a deep dive into the policies shaping Oregon’s future. Whether it’s out-of-control taxes, reckless regulations, or the growing power of unelected bureaucrats, we ask the tough questions and hold government accountable.

  1. Sep 24

    Inside Oregon School Boards: Who Really Controls Education?

    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.

  2. Sep 21

    Inside ODOT: Layoffs, Funding & Oregon’s Transportation Fight

    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.

  3. Sep 11

    Oregon’s Forestry Plan: Who Pays the Cost?

    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.

  4. Sep 2

    Oregon’s Mental Health Crisis: Spending More, Ranking Last

    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.

  5. Aug 12

    Oregon Wildfires: What Went Wrong and What Comes Next

    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 need to prepare as if this is the new normal.

  6. Jul 15

    Oregon’s Housing Crisis: Spending More, Getting Worse

    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 Is Making the Crisis Worse 04:31 – Meet Jacob Vandever 07:04 – Watching Housing Policy Fail Over Time 08:46 – Kotek’s Long Record on Housing Policy 10:30 – Kotek’s 36,000 Homes Goal 14:23 – Tenant Screening and Portland City Council Pushback 15:21 – $911 Million in Housing Bonds Nearly Gone 16:48 – High Taxes, Low Results 17:31 – COVID-Era Eviction Policy 23:33 – HB 3115 and Public Camping Rules 25:21 – Why HB 3115 Still Has Not Been Repealed 27:18 – Oregon’s Homelessness Spending Problem 30:21 – Manufactured Homes and Naturally Affordable Housing 31:25 – Nonprofits Following the Money 32:53 – Oregon Homelessness Up While Nation Improves 33:36 – Unsheltered Child Homelessness in Oregon 43:55 – Housing Supply and the Cost of Living 47:00 – Oregon Falling Short of Housing Targets 47:45 – Housing as an Economic Issue 51:57 – How Housing Costs Hurt Young Families 52:48 – What Is the Solution? 54:23 – Oregon’s Land Use System 55:26 – One-Size-Fits-All Land Use Policy 57:39 – EFU Land, Rural Housing, and Common Sense 1:07:08 – Final Thoughts

  7. Jul 9

    Oregon’s Audit Problem: Where Is the Accountability?

    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 money.

  8. Jun 19

    Oregon Schools Are Failing Students. Can This Be Fixed?

    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: Christine Drazan — Oregon State Senator | Candidate for Governor Website https://oregondoge.com Follow Oregon Discussion: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@OregonDiscussion X https://x.com/ORDiscussion Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oregondiscussion/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/Oregon-DOGE-61574156636517/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@oregondiscussion

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4.4
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Oregon Discussion is a no-nonsense podcast that pulls back the curtain on Oregon’s government, policies, and spending. With a rotating cast of legislators and policy experts, this podcast exposes wasteful spending, bureaucratic overreach, and hidden inefficiencies that impact Oregonians every day.  From the state budget crisis to agencies creating rules without oversight, Oregon Discussion takes a deep dive into the policies shaping Oregon’s future. Whether it’s out-of-control taxes, reckless regulations, or the growing power of unelected bureaucrats, we ask the tough questions and hold government accountable.

Information

  • Creator
    Oregon D.O.G.E.
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Oregon Discussion
  • Show Website
    Oregon Discussion

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