Upper Left Coast

Thoughts on politics, faith, sports and other random topics from a red state sympathizer in indigo-blue Portland, Oregon.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Can the O's editors say this with a straight face?

Today's Oregonian editorial on the upcoming legislative session (the first time it's met annually) nearly caused me to spew my coffee across my keyboard. Here, in summary, is their argument:

The Democrats, who controlled the legislative and executive branches, decided to force annual sessions on the state by calling it an emergency -- the emergency being that it didn't pass enough bills and spend enough money in the last session (despite a 20 percent increase over the previous budget). After all, previous legislatures met in "emergency" sessions, and they didn't have real emergencies, so why can't we?

And really, this is important so the people of Oregon can realize the Really Important People With Really Important Responsibilities in Salem. Yes, we'll have to flaunt the constitution to do it, but once voters realize we're a group of Really Important People With Really Important Responsibilities, they'll change the state constitution so we can continue to spend their money without breaking the law.

And if Sen. Gary Larry George succeeds in his lawsuit against the sessions? Well, he's a petty little man (who, by the way, opposed the mighty Oregonian on property rights law, and we won!), so we'll ignore him. The governor is on our side, so he'll pretend there's an emergency, and we'll violate the constitution anyway.

To paraphrase the pirate Capt. Hector Barbossa, the constitution is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules.

3 Comments:

  • At 1/04/2008 6:14 PM, Blogger OregonGuy said…

    Incrementalism has been the bain of my life. A little here. A little there.

    Pretty soon you're talking about openly corrupt government.

    Governor corrupt? Check. Secretary of State corrupt? Check. Attorney General corrupt? Check.

    Trifecta, Baby! Then add to the mix the "citizen" legislators who are told that they are the "deciders" and it's New Jersey!

    Hooray!

    Don't forget your lottery tickets!

     
  • At 1/05/2008 3:11 PM, Blogger T. D. said…

    Ken,

    I had a similar response. The Oregonian's editors have had more and more trouble coming up with reasoned argument for their opinions. Their view of "emergency" seems to be "anything that happens or doesn't happen that we don't like". Certainly there isn't a fiscal emergency with tax revenues so far exceeding expectations that it resulted in record kicker refunds.

    And they have a low view of the constitution. It was okay with them to amend it for a cigarette tax because it's already had so many amendments. What's one more? Now it's okay to flush out any real meaning of the word "emergency".

    It's this kind of thinking that makes people so skeptical of the rainy day fund promises--or any government promises. If Oregon is in an "emergency" now, what day could ever be considered not "rainy"?

     
  • At 1/09/2008 11:48 AM, Blogger Gullyborg said…

    one note: It's LARRY George that's suing.

     

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