The pattern is depressingly similar whether it's Oregon or national politics: Republicans are the true obstructionist party when it comes to carrying out the will of the voters.
Yesterday, Republicans in the state House killed an effort to create a rainy day fund with a one-time suspension of the corporate kicker.
Republicans were able to take advantage of a law requiring the approval of a 2/3 majority or 40 members of the 60 member House to pass a bill raising revenue. So even though a majority of the legislature supported the measure it didn't have the votes to pass.
If this sounds a bit like the machinations Republican Senators are using on the national level to kill debate on the war in Iraq that's because the two examples do bare striking similarities. In both cases the Democrats won the election based in part on promises to address issues previously ignored by Republicans. In both cases Democrats immediately moved to address those issues. In both cases Republicans decided that elections suddenly DON'T matter and that the will of the people is, at the very best, only a secondary concern to that of the special interests and wingnuts that increasingly make up the party core.
Republicans were shown the door because they couldn't or wouldn't lead. At this point it would behoove them to get out of the way when someone does.
Yesterday, Republicans in the state House killed an effort to create a rainy day fund with a one-time suspension of the corporate kicker.
In Tuesday's floor debate, Democrats said most of the state's business lobbying groups had backed their plan to protect schools and other services from cuts in future economic downturns.
Hunt said the next step will be to ask voters in a May election to approve a constitutional amendment to permanently divert corporate kicker money to a rainy day fund.
"Based on polling it's clear that the vast majority of Oregonians want a rainy day fund, they want to redirect the corporate kicker," he said.
Republicans were able to take advantage of a law requiring the approval of a 2/3 majority or 40 members of the 60 member House to pass a bill raising revenue. So even though a majority of the legislature supported the measure it didn't have the votes to pass.
If this sounds a bit like the machinations Republican Senators are using on the national level to kill debate on the war in Iraq that's because the two examples do bare striking similarities. In both cases the Democrats won the election based in part on promises to address issues previously ignored by Republicans. In both cases Democrats immediately moved to address those issues. In both cases Republicans decided that elections suddenly DON'T matter and that the will of the people is, at the very best, only a secondary concern to that of the special interests and wingnuts that increasingly make up the party core.
Republicans were shown the door because they couldn't or wouldn't lead. At this point it would behoove them to get out of the way when someone does.
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8 comments:
It is hard to attract corporate investment of good jobs when your social infrastructure sucks and a good number of businesses know it.
Our taxes are something like the 48th highest in the nation. How much less infrastructure can we possibly stand? The activist Republicans need to loosen their ties and breathe a bit more oxygen on this one.
Exactly.
Add to that the fact this one a ONE-TIME revocation and I just have to ask "what the hell are they smoking?"
Ironically the constitutional amendment going to the voters will permanently revoke the corporate kicker. Perhaps they think they can beat it, but I wouldn't bet on that.
Yes, and I love how the timber industry is locking in development rights over hundreds of thousands of acres along the coast.
Let's all file lawsuits because land-use laws prevent me from building a 20 unit condo & restaurant!
BWWAAHHHH!
I'm telling you - elect a cyborg for your governor. All will be well. And orderly.
Will the people never wake up?
Yes, and I love how the timber industry is locking in development rights over hundreds of thousands of acres along the coast.
Yep, M 37 was a DISASTER.
The county mailed me a map of the claims just in our area. Not a whole heckuva a lot of small family deals planned.
Suckers voted for that law.
Dean,
It's about bloody time you featured the King on your blog.
:)
I think I did a King Creole quote last year.
I just watched that concert where his band played over footage of him singing from thirty years ago.
cool but creepy.
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