So much to write about this past week...

Marched with about 6,000 other protesters in downtown Portland last Saturday. It was a much larger gathering than expected, and I believe it is a harbinger of things to come.

The police were well-behaved, as were the protestors. Lots of public support from passers-by, some of whom joined the rally right off the street. It was great to see fellow citizens standing up for what they believe in - with many of them protesting in public for the first time. Unfortunately, I think we can look forward to much larger expressions of dissent in the future - as those in power appear intent on starting a war.

Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed the War Powers Resolution - giving the President unrestricted power to wage war on countries that he deems a threat to the United States. The past few days have seen the rise of fear-based, pseudo-factual war chanting. Those in opposition are fighting the rush to war, but the goals of the Bush administration seem to be pre-ordained.

Democrats are defecting to avoid looking soft on terrorism and the media is making it seem like a done deal.

The House has essentially ignored the will of the American people who have repeatedly expressed uneasiness with the march to war. It's up to the Senate now. My guess is that the Senate will fall in line behind the President, by a slim margin.