This means something. This is important.

Wormer's Oregon election scorecard-

WINNER: Measure 49 Supporters - A convincing win like yesterday is great but we need to remain vigilant. The pro-sprawl, anti-Oregon land use knuckleheads Oregonians in Action have already promised they'll be back. They won't rest until the entire state consists of Ikeas so let's not forget that.

LOSER: Kids Without Health Insurance - the constitutional amendment issue raised by Measure 50 proved troubling even to progressives. I'm sympathetic but as far as I'm concerned that ship has sailed. The constitution's already a mess and we aren't going to fix it without rewriting the whole damn thing.

WINNER: Smokers - although I still get offended when they refer to themselves as a minority. Smoking, like religion, is a choice.

WINNER: $$$ in Politics

LOSER (S): People Who Watch Television in October/ November - We had our own little version of the Harry and Louise ads sponsored by the tobacco industry and I don't think I'm alone in saying they were supremely annoying. I don't know about you but any couple that spends every waking moment sitting at a laptop worrying about baloot initiatives needs to face 30 lashes with a wet noodle. In order for a commercial to be effective it would have to invoke empathy and I HATED that couple too much to identify with their tobacco-industry message.

You're a rich man, Burdette... big ranch, pay a lot of people to do what you want 'em to do.

This post by Peter Bray over at Land Use Watch is an excellent first hand account of the inanity that is Measure 37.

One of the things Measure 37 doesn't require, but should, is some sort of proof that the landowner had planned on developing their property in such a way that was later prohibited PRIOR to land use/ zoning laws going into effect. What we're left with is a situation where landowners get to pull a Pee Wee Herman claiming "I meant to do that." Long term property owners who had previously no plans of development suddenly saw dollar signs after the passage of Measure 37.

I've been hoping the legislature addresses some of the biggest issues in Measure 37 but now I'd just like to see the thing repealed.