15 Comments
User's avatar
Richard Cheverton's avatar

Terrific reporting--far beyond anything else in the Oregon press.

It has now transcended ODOT (it never really was about fixing the lamentable roads), but rather about discipline and power. It's the mother's milk of politics in this state, since special interest, nonprofit, and union money has nowhere else to go. The Dems will try to rejigger it--another "tweek," but it will be similar enough to the original to keep the party's rep for ruthlessness (a longtime speciality of our guv) alive. Parties don't run any other way; if they do, they're in deep trouble (see, UK, Conservative, party of).

There may be some folks in the Democratic party who understand that looting a state (a la NYC, CA) leads to crappy demographics and out-migration. You can finesse lots of things in politics, but the feet-voting numbers are irrefutable. And they already look bad. Not everyone is entranced with seashores and fir trees; they like making money and have fungible skills. Bye-bye.

What this state needs right now is a brave, moderate, media-savvy, human to embody the opposition to what has become a tawdry, arrogant, petty tyranny. Any nominees?

Expand full comment
Kendall's avatar

Do you honestly think some of the knuckleheads associated with the Oregon Republican party would actually embrace a moderate conservative with a good chance to win am election?

Expand full comment
Randall Murray's avatar

And now Tek is leaving. The original start of silicon forest. Intel laying off thousands more. And the oligarchy democrats want to keep taxing us. My counter is that every single oligarch in Salem that votes for this must at all times either ride a bike or take public transportation every where they go. No matter what. No vehicle ownership. No Uber. Only public transportation every where, walk or bike. Put into practice what you push on us petulant children.

Expand full comment
CharP's avatar

I would be curious to know how much of this money is going back to the legislators that get this bill pushed through? 🤔

Expand full comment
Kevin Starrett's avatar

Anyone witnessing the verbal attack on Davis via video would have concluded that she just got bitch slapped by Richard Simmons.

Expand full comment
PDX_Perplexed's avatar

Wagner must not be part of the No Kings movement…

Expand full comment
Kendall's avatar
3dEdited

If so he's more like the clown prince to She Who Must Be Obeyed

Expand full comment
James Lyon's avatar

"Democracy(?)" in action, we the people are in DEEP trouble.

Expand full comment
Jeff Zekas's avatar

Perfectly stated, watched that bully Democrat, screaming at the Republican, who was being quite reasonable, pretty much summed up how terrible it is when you have Democrats running everything.

Expand full comment
Jack Meyer's avatar

The jungle telegraph has been sending signals to progressives that it’s over. Even the analysis in Abundance written by liberals acknowledges this. But Oregon’s legislators are just slow learners. The time will come . . .

Expand full comment
New Right Directions's avatar

I love Shelly Boshart-Davis's poise. She is truly one of my favorite people in the Capitol! And Chris Gorsek wore a prominent Move Oregon Forward button advertising that nonprofit WHILE chairing the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment on June 11 — just to remind the public who owns him. https://newrightdirections.substack.com/p/socialism-in-disguise-democracy-in

Expand full comment
Kent's avatar

The Democrats I see operating out of Salem, Portland and DC must hate us, or so it appears.

Expand full comment
Brett Hyland's avatar

At this point, it seems perfectly fitting that Democrats’ largest proposed tax increase in state history is regressive. We therefore have no choice but to wholeheartedly accept our omni-benevolent, Democrat leaders generosity in looking out for our best interests as citizen subjects and approve this increase or otherwise face the wrath of fascist Republicans who would act to void democracy or, worse, to void legal abortion or, equally worse, to elect a white, entrepreneurial, heterosexual, anti-feminist male, effectively ushering-in the genocidal advancement of non-civil, non-BIPOC authoritarianism with unnecessarily low egg prices.

Expand full comment
David Gulickson's avatar

Weariness…

Expand full comment
John Q Public's avatar

Tracy ran a bad campaign; she disrespected her opponent.

Expand full comment