June 21, 2019

"Oregon’s Democratic governor, Kate Brown, has dispatched state troopers to find missing Republican senators and bring them back to Salem to legislate."

"All 11 Republican senators are in hiding, at least some of them out of state, in order to prevent the Senate from having the quorum it needs to operate. They can’t abide the Democrat-backed carbon cap and spend bill that is up for a Senate vote today."

The Oregonian reports.

Ah! Memories of the Wisconsin protests. Remember "Meet The 14 Wisconsin Democratic FLEEBAGGERS Everyone Is Talking About":
The media latest stars of the Union protests that have been consuming much of the news cycle the past week are the so-called Fleebaggers.
The term "fleebagger" was a play on "teabagger."
These are the 14 Democratic senators from Wisconsin who have fled the state in protest of bills requiring concession from union workers.

By leaving the state, these legislators prevent the Wisconsin senate from reaching the minimum number of members required for voting, known as a quorum.

By fleeing to other Democratic states the assumption is they can't be coerced by police to return. Presumably it's just a matter of time before Bill O'Reilly launches some sort of ambush special aimed at finding them....
They were "stars" when they were Democrats. And a bad old Republican — remember Bill O'Reilly? — had to be hypothetically dragged into the picture to give it a good-and-evil dimension. With the Republicans absconding, in Oregon, the fleebaggers are automatically bad and the Democrats — ready to legislate and deprived of the quorum — are the easy good guys. The narrative clicks into place.

130 comments:

Milo Minderbinder said...

Hey, this may be a great time to visit Boise....

David Begley said...

Can the Oregon police cross into another state and bring these Senators back to Oregon? Extradition?

tim maguire said...

The hypocrisy may be more extreme on the left (it usually is), but I will be surprised if we see any outrage from the right as we did in Wisconsin.

rhhardin said...

With women it would be a quarum.

Fernandinande said...

Phil 'n' Buster are both missing?!?

Sebastian said...

"The narrative clicks into place."

The target of the narrative is liberal women. At what point, oh Althouses of America, will you let progs know that you despise them? that you reject the narrative, once and for all? Or do you actually have a thing for the bad boys of American politics?

MadisonMan said...

Well, you're elected to vote on things, not run away. I can't agree it's a good law, but the majority wants it and they can live with the consequences.

Tank said...

Can state troopers detain and transport individuals for the "crime" of not appearing in the legislature when scheduled?

Really?

narciso said...

After Texas and Wisconsin, projection much.

wendybar said...

As a Conservative (not a Republican) I say they should STAY THERE and do their jobs. The bill sucks, but suck it up, lose gracefully, and get the hell out of States that are turning to Communism.

Wince said...

It should be noted whose interests were being served by the legislators's deliberate absence, respectively by party and state, in each extraordinary case.

Oregon: They can’t abide the Democrat-backed carbon cap and spend bill that is up for a Senate vote today.

Wisconsin: These are the 14 Democratic senators from Wisconsin who have fled the state in protest of bills requiring concession from union workers.

rehajm said...

I hear Boston courthouses are safe spaces. Claim illegal immigrant status and you're probably untouchable in Washington.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Our media is hack, so yes - democrats are stars when they shit in the can, R's are evil... pouncing, menacing, evil-doers.

Madonna is a virginal saint
Trump is a whore

Birkel said...

Now that the narrative is noted one question remains.
Does the hostess suffer Gell-Mann on other issues that are less familiar?

AMDG said...

What Wendy bar said - They need to do their job. This is not how republics are suppose to work.

mccullough said...

Maybe they resigned and didn’t tell anyone. Nothing for a Republican legislator to do in Oregon.

gspencer said...

Because GOPers are automatically evil, they've likely found refuge in the various dens of Sasquatches. These Repubs will never be found.

Levi Starks said...

Filibuster in absentia

mccullough said...

Just have some illegals show up in their place to make a quorum.

cacimbo said...

Republicans rehashing failed Democrat ideas. Is Romney their leader?

Danno said...

My thought is it would be better to fight this crap legislation by making sanctuary counties rather than being no-shows at the state legislature.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

“The hypocrisy may be more extreme on the left (it usually is), but I will be surprised if we see any outrage from the right as we did in Wisconsin.”

Well, sure. But as in Wisconsin, these senators will be heroes to a whole lot of folks. The media hates that these guys made themselves newsworthy at all. Surely no sane person objects to being robbed in the name of preventing AGW!

Mr Wibble said...

I dislike legislators fleeing from their jobs. Vote against the bill, and stand up for yourselves.

Unfortunately the GOP are largely cowards.

Birkel said...

I disagree with wendybar. Each of the legislators is not bound by anything beyond his respective conscience. I thought Muhammad Ali and MLK, Jr were right to go to prison based on matters of respective conscience. And I thought it was reasonable for Democrats to leave in Wisconsin and Texas.

Meanwhile, the so-called optics worked against the on-the-lam legislators in all cases, nationally. How it plays domestically is a matter on which I have no data.

The state police have power outside their own state only if given to them by the foreign jurisdiction.

gilbar said...

This is just yet another example of the single standard*
People are always talking about 'double standards', and such.
But, there is No 'double standard' it's always just the one single standard; for everything

Single Standard* Democrats GOOD Republicans BAD

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

Teabagger was Cooper's contribution to the conversation. Weird. #HateLovesAbortion

Ralph L said...

I thought "fleebaggers" was a play on "carpetbaggers."

stevew said...

"“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall."

R. W. Emerson

hawkeyedjb said...

Oregon's state government, unable even to address any actual problems, decides to scream into the wind and "solve" the "problem" of climate change. By taxing its citizens of course - there are no other weapons in its arsenal. Tax increases - is there anything they can't do?!?

Francisco D said...

This is political theater designed to bring attention to the crazy Democrat senators in Oregon.

However, the crazy senators seem to represent their whacked out constituency pretty well.

Henry said...

The map at this link is instructive.

It's like a tax on rural people.

Outside of the merits of increasing costs on fossil fuels (gasoline, natural gas), the bill is a monstrosity of carve-outs and special exemptions. Which is normal, I guess.

Rick said...

I'm for their proposal anyway. The rest of us should thank them for showing us the impact of combining virtue signalling with economic illiteracy.

Seeing Red said...

They didn’t learn from Cali. Lolol

I think they should forbid travel by plane for starters.

Seeing Red said...

It's like a tax on rural people.

They’re going France!

Henry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

We can carbon tax our guilt away! It will amount to jack squat.

Perfect delusion for the corruptocrats.

Rick said...

My thought is it would be better to fight this crap legislation by making sanctuary counties

I like this. Announce you're a sanctuary country and watch the lefties froth. This would be require more than popcorn though, it's more a game watching party than a movie. So bring beer and wings.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Taxing the working class = what the D-assholes are all about.

Henry said...

Time to franchise some gas stations in Vancouver, Washington.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Maybe they resigned and didn’t tell anyone.

Interesting idea. What if all 11 resigned? Would there be a quorom? Then they could run for re-election in their district. Wouldn't that gum up the works for months?

Henry said...

My thought is it would be better to fight this crap legislation by making sanctuary counties

Wouldn't work. Gas and natural gas utilities are statewide entities. They can't escape the tax. A sanctuary county is a county with no gas stations.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

In the U.S. House and Senate, a majority of members is a quorum. So why would Oregon have a supermajority quorum? If it’s intentional, doesn’t it have to be to allow maneuvers like this one?

The rules of these quorum fights are always a little fuzzy. Why don’t they need to leave one Republican State Senator behind to call for the quorum? Why can’t the Democrats call the roll and have someone answer for the missing members?

jeremyabrams said...

Running away is good theater, and clarifies the position of their party, and their passion. When the cap-and-trade scheme blows up in the dems' faces, the voters will know who saw it coming.

Carbon dioxide is plant food. Also, its role in increasing global temperatures, if any, is accepted by all as being logarithmic: X parts per million raises temperature one degree, but another 2X is needed for the next degree, and another 4X for the degree after that. Only by claiming the extra CO2 triggers (that word!) extra water vapor can the Warmists achieve their fever dream. And the water vapor should already have shown up - but it hasn't.

Seeing Red said...

IF I was one of the missing, I’d get my floor time and let it rip as to the lies. Get it in the record.

Rick said...

Wouldn't work.

The point isn't to work, it's to show the impact of the left's principle that they only have to follow laws they agree with.

William said...

There are many examples of double standards. I suppose we all have double standards, but the Dems, given their dominance in the media, offer the most blatant examples. Bush's DUI was indicative of his character. Beto's DUI was a youthful indiscretion and, besides, he apologized for it. Kavanaugh's past sexual history disqualifies him from public office. Fairfax's history? Who's Fairfax?.....That's the way it goes. It tends to make the media look worse than the politicians. It's more comical than aggravating. The only time I really got upset was with the Covington kids. The way the media piled on that one poor kid, especially when you compare such treatment with the way they beatified Michael Brown was truly infuriating.

Birkel said...

Seeing Red,
All of the legislators will still have that opportunity.

William said...

There are many examples of double standards. I suppose we all have double standards, but the Dems, given their dominance in the media, offer the most blatant examples. Bush's DUI was indicative of his character. Beto's DUI was a youthful indiscretion and, besides, he apologized for it. Kavanaugh's past sexual history disqualifies him from public office. Fairfax's history? Who's Fairfax?.....That's the way it goes. It tends to make the media look worse than the politicians. It's more comical than aggravating. The only time I really got upset was with the Covington kids. The way the media piled on that one poor kid, especially when you compare such treatment with the way they beatified Michael Brown was truly infuriating.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I'd like the democratic carbon BS tax hikers to explain the Medieval Warming Period, and the mini Ice Age that followed.

Was it due to the collective Hollywood private jet?

n.n said...

This is about the prophecy of catastrophic anthropogenic global warming, and Democratic solutions including redistributive change, carbon sequestration, and planned populations?

Unions? Perhaps unsustainable tax and profit, immigration reform, and shared responsibility, schemes, too.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Agree with Madman's comment @ 8:09. Elections have consequences. Let the voters experience them.

The Vault Dweller said...

It was bad when the Wisconsin Dems did it, and it is bad now. Society only works when all parties work with good-faith. Sure in the short term people can figure out clever ruses to or parliamentary tricks to avoid something, but that just means the other side will do it, and in the long term this breeds resentment and mistrust. The problem is that everyone is quick to point out bad-faith on the other side but generally neither side is willing to hold their own side to account when they pull chicanery that may be technically correct but violates the spirit of the rules. How many Democratic Senators objected to the Kavanaugh hearing debacle?

buwaya said...

This is a dishonorable tactic no matter who uses it.
Such things can be justified only by some grave emergency, but this is not it.
The law in question is stupid and will cost the people greatly, toward no good end, but this does not justify such an act.

It is also poor propaganda.

buwaya said...

It is dishonorable even if there is no trust at all, which I believe to be the case. Both sides see the other as alien if not subhuman.

That condition is already a given.

wwww said...

"The narrative clicks into place."

it's on the west coast in Oregon. Not sure there will be a narrative. Virginia state house got a lot of attention for its scandals but WA state was ignored for a huge scandal. Media does not pay attention unless it's a swing state or on east coast near media centers.

Nancy said...

What n.n. said. I have despised Anderson Cooper ever since for his sniggering at the Tea Party.

narayanan said...

mccullough said... Maybe they resigned and didn’t tell anyone. Nothing for a Republican legislator to do in Oregon.

1)If they resign and the seats are empty does quorum calculation change?
2)Can the whole OR senate moves to Idaho? and hold session there?

LA_Bob said...

Of course the Democrats are the "good guys" in this one. They're stopping the rise of the seas worldwide with their carbon cap plan. Like, yeah, right.

Still, wendybar and others are right. We just can't go throwing temper tantrums for every political defeat.

buwaya said...

Media does not pay attention unless it is useful propaganda.
Distrust everything from them, even the truth. Because it is a selected truth.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Tim Maguire: "...but I will be surprised if we see any outrage from the right as we did in Wisconsin."

I thought it was a low-life stunt when the Dems did it in Wisconsin. Shows disrespect for the Rule of Law, their Oath of Office, the Electorate; a sneaky and cowardly behavior.

Maybe not such a low-life stunt this time, but *only* because "Yes, that is how slippery slopes work."*

- HXG; card carrying Libertarian

*The phrase sticks in my mind from a comment here a few months back, re some Progressive gutter politics move the Progs were complaining about being used on them. I would give credit but do not remember who posted it.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

She's right. The assholes of Oregon elected democrat party members to rule over them. Get back and do your damn job, GOP cowards and rats.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I think taking a stand before the inevitable passage of the crap sandwich is fine.

When the working class figure out it's just another tax, perhaps they will remember how one side attempted to do something.
Even if that something is nothing, because they don't have the numbers.

David53 said...

I like what Republican Brian Boquist told OSP Superintendent Travis Hampton,

“Send bachelors and come heavily armed. I’m not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It’s just that simple.” In an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive Wednesday afternoon, Boquist stuck with his earlier statement and rejected a reporter’s characterization of his threat to troopers as “thinly veiled.”
"Nothing thinly veiled,” Boquist wrote. “I have been in political coup attempts. I have been held hostage overseas. I have been jailed politically overseas … Not going to be arrested as a political prisoner in Oregon period.”


This could get interesting. Send bachelors, Ha! He’ll probably get arrested for threatening the police.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

On the other hand, democrat party members have opened the field to underhanded anti-American activities, and I for one am going to go wilding the morning the inauguration of the next democrat party member is elected president. No good American should allow a democrat party president a moment's peace, an ounce of respect, or any fealty to any law or policy proposed or enacted by Democrat party members.

wwww said...

Pacific northwest gets ignored unless a volcano blows up. Or if a music band gets signed. Or if someone starts a book store on-line book store service or franchises coffee shops. Then high school kids will pay 80$ for PNW lumberjack flannel shirts from Hot Topics. Otherwise the nation ignores that region.

PM said...

If only she had the wherewithal to dispatch ICE to find 'em - epic.

Browndog said...

Seeing Red said...

They didn’t learn from Cali. Lolol


They're from Cali. They're parasites. The former host is dead.

stevew said...

One man's hero is another's scalawag.

Personally, I'm stuck on the honor your oath of office idea. Get back into the chamber, debate as much as is possible, and then vote. If the measures pass you and your Democrat opponents are on record. This approach is an underhanded way to block the process. Didn't like when the Dems did it either.

narayanan said...

Oregon’s Democratic governor, Kate Brown, has dispatched state troopers to find missing Republican senators and bring them back to Salem to legislate.

Is this a legal order for state troopers to follow and not be charged with illegal imprisonment and kidnapping?

Are there no law-fare specialists among Repubs?

Yancey Ward said...

On principle, they should stay and do their jobs, but since the rules don't really apply equally to the two parties, I wish them well in their endeavor. You have to make the Democrats and the media live by their own rules, to do otherwise is just stupid.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Fuck'em, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. I like the cut of that Boquist's fellows jib.

Big Mike said...

I beg everyone’s pardon, but precisely which law did the missing senators break? How can anyone justify using state police to enforce a nonexistent law?

They should agree to come back when the rural areas of eastern Oregon are exempted from the tax.

mockturtle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mockturtle said...

I agree with others who think this is an ignoble ploy. They are being paid to carry out their duties. I'm always appalled to see mostly empty legislative chambers during an important vote and this applies to Congress, as well. If they can't show up for work, they need to be fired.

Achilles said...

The situation in Oregon is different.

Democrats are trying to pass a law that is specifically and obviously unconstitutional by Oregon law.

They are trying to pass their Carbon Tax as an emergency measure so it doesn't go to popular vote. But the Oregon State Constitution specifically prohibits measures that raise revenue from being passed as Emergency Measures.

Rich elites in Portland want to cripple and ruin the livelihoods of mostly rural industries.

The little blue islands of tyranny are asking for it.

Achilles said...

MadisonMan said...
Well, you're elected to vote on things, not run away. I can't agree it's a good law, but the majority wants it and they can live with the consequences.


You are completely and absolutely wrong on many levels.

We are a Republic. We are not a democracy.

The Oregon constitution does not allow the Democrats to do what they are trying to do. We are specifically NOT a democracy for the very reason you put out there.

This argument you put forth is pernicious and stupid.

No matter how many democrats are elected with voters they import from central america they cannot take away free speech, the right to bear arms and defend ourselves, the right to privacy or due process.

Achilles said...

Michael Fitzgerald said...
She's right. The assholes of Oregon elected democrat party members to rule over them. Get back and do your damn job, GOP cowards and rats.

She is not right.

Oregon has a Constitution and the democrats are acting unconstitutionally trying to raise revenue with an emergency measure so they don't have to ask voters.

Again because apparently some people don't understand civics: We are NOT a Democracy.

DanTheMan said...

>>You have to make the Democrats and the media live by their own rules, to do otherwise is just stupid.

Can the legislature now call upon the State Police to bring the governor back to the state to sign a bill?

BarrySanders20 said...

Regarding the Wisconsin protests, the Wisconsin Supreme Court today upheld the legislature's "lame duck" session laws from late 2018 that took back some powers previously granted by the legislature to Gov Walker. It is kind of an end of an era for the 2011 laws that spurred the heroic running away by the state D legislators. Many of the main reforms will stay in place as long as R's still control the statehouse. That rubs sand into D's especially sensitive places because R hold on the statehouse was helped by the re-drawn districts that favor R's. So Gov Evers (rhymes with Fevers) will rant about this latest outrage, but he aint got the votes in the legislature or on the court.

https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-sides-with-gop-legislature-in-case-challenging/article_8daf36bc-4741-5223-89e4-6dd999ce73c5.html

mockturtle said...

The little blue islands of tyranny

Very apt, Achilles. Sometimes I think the only solution for eastern WA & OR is to form a separate state. They have never been fairly represented.

Achilles said...

Birkel said...
Now that the narrative is noted one question remains.
Does the hostess suffer Gell-Mann on other issues that are less familiar?



Ann lives in a pretty thick bubble.

But almost everyone in this country does.

Michael K said...

I think the only solution for eastern WA & OR is to form a separate state.

Back when I lived for a while near Spokane, there was a semi-serious movement for eastern Washington to secede. The new state was to be named "Lincoln." Nothing happened but it still might. I have seen discussion of eventual evolution to small states with reactors as power sources and separate institutions. The blue states can continue on the AGW pathway to 109th century life.

Henry said...

The "emergency clause" issue in the bill has nothing at all to do with majority passing the bill, but language in the bill about when it will take effect:

Republicans have also objected strenuously to an emergency clause in the bill. That means it would take effect immediately and prevent opponents from gathering signatures to refer the policy to voters on the ballot next year.

There is likely to be a legal challenge on this point of when the bill can take effect.

I don't see any commentary in any of the articles I've read about the bill being used to raise revenue.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

You have to make the Democrats and the media live by their own rules, to do otherwise is just stupid

This wasn't a winning strategy for Democrats in Wisconsin. Sure, to the media and far left, the fleebaggers were heroes. However, the general voting pubic wasn't impressed. Democrats were crushed in the following election cycles. Even now, Democrat prospects of regaining control of the state legislature and supreme court appear dim at best. Even if that occurs next year, the most generous reading of the outcome for Democrats is that they limited the duration of the damage from these tactics to only a decade.

Gospace said...

You can pretty much blame this and a lot of other actions on Reynolds v Sims where the seers on the Supreme Court found a "one man one provision" in the Constitution that actually isn't there that meant states couldn't have state governments organized the same way as the federal government is. State budget expansions can be directly traced to that, along with most gun control laws. And a lot of land use restrictions. NY's unconstitutional SAFE Act, unconstitutional even as courts use the invisible ink and emanation of penumbras to uphold it, would never have passed if counties held equal representation in NY's upper house.

Yancey Ward said...

"I don't see any commentary in any of the articles I've read about the bill being used to raise revenue."

The bill is a cap and trade- as I read it, the state will run part of the auctions, so the bill will surely raise some revenues for the state- the money spent for the emission permits ends up somewhere.

Earnest Prole said...

Everything Republicans do is good; everything Democrats do is bad. Or the other way around, I forget which. But I do know it’s amusing when people have no fixed principles, only a tribe.

MadisonMan said...

Achilles, your argument is incoherent. Please try again. Note exactly what I said if you're going to say I'm completely wrong. (Where, for example, do I state anything about a Republic v. a Democracy?)

I was unclear about one statement: The majority of elected officials want it. I apologize if you were offended.

RobinGoodfellow said...

Blogger BleachBit-and-Hammers said...
I'd like the democratic carbon BS tax hikers to explain the Medieval Warming Period, and the mini Ice Age that followed.


Don Quixote killed all those nice, green windmills, dontcha know, which meant that people had to grind their grain with mills powered by Briggs & Stratton-upon-Avon generators.

Henry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Henry said...

MadisonMan said...
The majority of elected officials want it.

Considering that the Democrats hold a supermajority in both the Oregon Senate and Oregon House, (an 18-12 majority in the Oregon Senate and a 38-22 majority in the House), that they increased their majorities in the past election, that they also hold every elected executive office in the state except Secretary of State, I suspect the Democrats do represent the majority.

Henry said...

@Yancey Ward -- True enough. What I meant to point to is a lack of controversy over that issue in all the commentary.

I Callahan said...

Agree with Madman's comment @ 8:09. Elections have consequences. Let the voters experience them.

Jesus. No wonder we lose all of the time.

The voters who voted for the GOP Senators in question, most certainly did NOT vote to “experience those consequences.” Which is why there were thousands of truckers, loggers, and others protesting this Marxist bill and it’s enablers (apparently, a number of commenters didn’t read the article).

The GOP may lose this fight, but they have every right at their legislative disposal to fight this piece of shit bill, and good on them for doing so. And I’ve had it with the “play fair” types who think the GOP should just roll over and play by the rules the Dems themselves wouldn’t play by.

buwaya said...

Principles go with the culture and religion of the tribe.
When the tribe splits irrevocably, as the American tribe has, then you no longer have a common culture, and no common principles.

I Callahan said...

She's right. The assholes of Oregon elected democrat party members to rule over them. Get back and do your damn job, GOP cowards and rats.

LOL! The Dems won, so the GOP are just supposed to roll over and take it. You know, just like the Dems have done ever since Trump was elected.

The above idiocy makes me wonder how the GOP keeps losing in the long run. I mean, how is it possible?

Leland said...

Texas Democrats do this quite often. I understand the tactic, but I don't agree with using it. It seems weak and petty.

I Callahan said...

June 25, 2001: House Democrats, including then-Minority Leader Kate Brown, staged a five-day walkout to prevent a Republican maneuver to redraw state legislative districts without the governor’s signature.

That was different, because shut up.

wendybar said...

Nancy said...
What n.n. said. I have despised Anderson Cooper ever since for his sniggering at the Tea Party.

Of course, Anderson knows all about that term.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

I Callahan@12:50PM They're not supposed to roll over and take it, they're supposed to roll up their sleeves, grab their megaphones, and start arguing to the idiot voters of Oregon exactly why Democrat party policies are poisonous and destructive for their state and bad for children and other living things.

A totally self-defeating tactic would be to do the same dumb shit that makes people hate democrats. Their next genius move will be to offer their own cap-and-trade bill that's even more leftist.

buwaya said...

When you have two tribes, there is no longer the ability to argue about policy, because everything becomes a question of power. There is no common interest.
The only thing that matters is who rules.

I Callahan said...

Buwaya nailed it, Michael Fitzgerald. We’re past the point of “rolling up our sleeves” and doing it the old way. The Dems have a Marxist imperative, and they’re going to use whatever means at their disposal to erase this country’s philosophy.

Frankly, I’d rather us rule than them.

Earnest Prole said...

In other words we're all Leninists now.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Achilles@11:19AM She may not be right, but running and hiding isn't going to prove that, or do anything to help their constituents. They'd be better off pulling some stunt involving direct engagement, take over the chamber with a filibuster to force the issue and their problems with it into the public sphere. Right now what's Oregon talking about? The chickenshit Republicans hiding because they can't stand up to democrat party members.

bleh said...

It’s a chickenshit move that disrespects both the voters and the republican form of governments. It’s operating outside the system; an extalegal or extraconstitutional maneuver. Unless of course such maneuvering is part of the system and was intended to be part of the system.

Still, I hate it even more than I hate ill-conceived, expensive, stupid leftwing policies. The voters of Oregon have elected these people to do something. You can’t just throw a wrench in that because you disagree with the outcome or the result. That’s what the “deep state” bogeyman does, right?

caplight45 said...

Ahh, 2011. Friday lunchtime Union revival services at the Heg Statue. Good times.

Earnest Prole said...

It’s un-American when the Left fantasizes about killing their fellow citizens over political differences. Substituting the word Right doesn't change a thing.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

I Callahan@1:27PM Yeah I, but fleebagging is not fighting back, it imitates and legitimizes Democrat party depravity, and it hurts the cause. They need to plant their feet and punch, do something, don't fucking run away. Filibuster, raise a crowd of protesters, lock the doors of the building on Democrat party members, get in their faces, punch back twice as hard.

Fucking run away and hide like the other assholes did... That's why your GOP fucking sucks.

buwaya said...

"In other words we're all Leninists now."

Precisely.
Its not a question of seeking to be Lenin.
Its that circumstances have forced it upon you.

buwaya said...

"but fleebagging is not fighting back, it imitates and legitimizes Democrat party depravity"

Recognition of the strategic situation is one thing, tactics are another matter.
Perhaps this is a bad tactic. There is good reason to think so.

It could turn into a good tactic if a true martyr can be made. A bloody one if possible.
Yes that is cynical, but thats the nature of this sort of conflict.
Poor odds of that though.

buwaya said...

"It’s un-American when the Left fantasizes about killing their fellow citizens over political differences. Substituting the word Right doesn't change a thing."

There is very little that is "American" anymore.

Its a different world now. Part of the problem with the right is a filter of nostalgia, an inability to see the present as it is. Assuming what is now a freeway is a leafy, sun-dappled country road, and its traffic is horse-drawn carts at best, and trying to stroll across it casually, as one did a hundred years ago.

Earnest Prole said...

Not just unpersuasive but positively repellent, not to mention un-American. But if I remember correctly, your plan is to seek refuge in the Third World after sparking a conflagration here.

Gk1 said...

Its sad to see the koo koos that lived and voted in California jettison the dessicated husk of their home state to now infest other unlucky states in Colorado, Oregon and even Texas. They have not been able to make the connection between voting for more nanny state control and the throttling of manufacturing and other enterprises.

buwaya said...

"But if I remember correctly, your plan is to seek refuge in the Third World after sparking a conflagration here."

Our plan is to retire abroad, yes. Very soon now. And provide a lifeline to the kids should there be need. This is only prudence.

As to what you Americans should do, I leave up to you. I certainly don't have solutions.
My only opinions are as to the nature of the present, and the definition of your problems.

Milwaukie guy said...

The Oregon bill would severely curtail what logging still exists in Oregon. Trees sequester that devil CO2. It is yet another attack on rural Oregon by the leftist urban gentry in Portland.

Sadly, the Pacific Northwest is probably the greatest habitat for growing softwoods. Clear cuts, as long as watersheds are protected, create edge communities of high bio-diversity. We still need softwoods, why not in the U.S.A.? Rural Oregon could use the jobs.

TJM said...

If the Libtard Media didn't have double standards, they wouldn't have any standards at all. And they wonder why they are held in lower esteem than used car salesmen

Amadeus 48 said...

Fleebagging is not a good look. Also, don't forget the "Texas Eleven" in 2003. This is a loser Dem tactic. Let them own it.

Make your points, and then run a campaign on repeal. If it's bad, go on the record as to why it's bad. The Dems are handing you a chance to be clear, smart, and perspicacious. Don't turn it it to a "GOP bad" moment for the weak-minded propagandists of the press.

.

Seeing Red said...

Good and hard.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

I can't spare these men, they flee!
- Cuckraham Lincoln

Pettifogger said...

In 1979 or thereabouts, a group of Texas state senators, who came to be known as the Killer Bees, decamped to New Mexico, where they were out of reach of the Texas Rangers, who had been sent to retrieve them.

Joe said...

I don't think it seemly for any group of representatives to "flee" the state as a parliamentary maneuver. And it is true that hypocrisy is not limited to democrat or republican. But I believe Ms Althouse's point is that it is the press which, despite vehement claims to neutrality, seems to be taking sides.

Ambrose said...

Bring them back for a witch trial.

wildswan said...

Nothing the Republicans did in Oregon could ever have gotten as much coverage for the problems of their rural constituents as this has. Those who represent cities utterly disregard the rural areas of their own state. This is a growing problem and I believe that only secession as was done by West Virginia will solve it.

Henry said...

Is the press taking sides? The only evidence to that point that I've seen is Althouse's extraction of the "can't abide" quote for this blog post. If you think "can't abide" is negative, that's your evidence. To me it sounds mildly dismissive in a kind of flippant way.

The same article mentions two other walkouts.

Other articles I've googled seem like pretty straight news.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Wildswan@6:43PM "Nothing Republicans did could ever have gotten as much coverage..."

Wanna bet? I can think of a half dozen dirty tricks those pussies could have pulled that would have the whole nation talking about it, not to mention the internet making it viral.

What positive coverage has occurred for the Republicans and their constituents? The country is mocking them as losers, cowards, chickens and chumps. This move will do nothing to prevent Democrats from enacting the legislation. It was a bad move with no positive.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

I bet if Oregon Republicans had two dozen dump trucks filled with bull shit deposited in the democrat party parking area, motor pool, locker room and offices, that would be more effective act then running away and hiding.

How about some Oregon cowboys ride their ponies into the capital building and chase down Democrat party members with lariats and branding irons? Bet that would bring some coverage. But no, they run away and hide. Embarrassing. The least they could have done was asked our great president for some ideas, but no, they come up with this weak idiocy. Fucking losers.

I Callahan said...

Any of those responses would have been treated as the theatrical political stunts that they are. And the media, other than locally, wouldn’t have even mentioned it.

Sorry, Michael, but you’re utterly full of shit here. The GOP is using the only trick that will stop this travesty of a bill from becoming law. You should be proud that they’re actually fighting, but instead, “muh principles”, which with $1 will get you a cup of coffee.

Sleep well, while our country falls to shit. Thanks for nothing.

bleh said...

“And provide a lifeline to the kids should there be need. This is only prudence.

As to what you Americans should do, I leave up to you. ”

I take it your children aren’t American.

tim in vermont said...

where they were out of reach of the Texas Rangers, who had been sent to retrieve them.

They should have sent the guy who ambushed Bonnie and Clyde. He didn’t seem to have to many limits on what he could and couldn’t do.

DanTheMan said...

>>which with $1 will get you a cup of coffee.


$6 if you are going to Starbucks.