As I have mentioned earlier, Oregon was the exception to the national disaster, and with good reason. We did what the rest of the country did not. We have a solid progressive government here, because we earned it. This is what we won.
Oregon has mail-in voting, no serious efforts at voter disenfranchisement, and an engaged populace. Here’s the big one:
Out of the 2.2 million registered voters in Oregon, 69.5 percent, or 1,519,804, returned ballots.
Which is actually a point and a half down from the 2010 midterm.
And the result?
- Despite a huge Koch cash dump, liberal Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley re-elected in a landslide.
- Despite a relentless smear campaign by the state’s largest (but shrinking) newspaper, Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber re-elected to an unprecedented fourth term.
- The Democrats’ state House majority expanded.
- The Democrats’ state Senate majority expanded by the critical seat that will neutralize a conservadem who had been gumming up the works, with a second possible pickup still too close to call.
- Marijuana easily legalized.
- An equal rights amendment resoundingly passed.
- Top two primaries resoundingly rejected.
A couple of other good ballot measures failed, but overall this was a wide and deep sweep for Oregon Democrats, who continue to hold all statewide offices, and four of five Congressional seats…
Inserted from <Daily Kos>
Our vote by mail system makes a big difference, but we wouldn’t have it, if progressives didn’t earn it. You can be sure that big money pulled out all the stops to keep us from getting it. Oregonians are politically involved. Neighbors talk to neighbors. This year I helped five people fill out their ballots. I resisted the urge to proselytize a Republican. Two of the five did ask my opinion on candidates and issues and followed my advice. Like any other state, Bubba Bagger lives here too, but we make him sit in the back of the bus, and we never let him drive. Most important, we not ashamed of being liberals and progressives. We talked about the issues that matter. In spite of our disappointment that our President has failed to follow through on his promises far too often, we have not thrown him under the bus.
And don’t tell me Oregon has always been liberal. We weree the very last state in the nation to give up Jim Crow laws.
So once again, Oregon leads the way. If you want your state to perform like ours, do what we did. For starters, replace the Republican dog catcher with a Democrat. Work up from there.
19 Responses to “Oregon Leads the Way”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Although I live in "Democrat" NY, I am in the boondocks amidst a whole bunch of "Bubba-Baggers", Our Rethug Congressman Hanna even lives around the corner from me. Elect a Democrat up here? Not over their dead stinking carcasses!
That would work. 😉
Well done TC and well done Oregon – you are a beacon of truth, decency and liberty! (Deepest commiserations to all the good people stranded in Repug areas). TC is right – start at the dog catcher and work upwards!
A Republican dog catcher would probably just shoot the dog for "resisting arrest".
Too true Infidel! LMAO, although the dog would not like me laughing!
From a feline perspective, I get the dawg meat!
The national Democratic party could do worse than to study how Oregon gets its turnout so high. It's not that the state is even dramatically more liberal than the rest of the country — Portland and Eugene are, but rural areas are more conservative as they tend to be everywhere (I used to travel to Coos county regularly and it's nothing like Portland down there). The difference is mostly a matter of getting more people to vote. 69.5% turnout nationwide would have delivered results like Oregon's at the national level.
OR DEMs also have a foundational trust element from having enacted in the 1980's the strongest and most comprehensive environmental laws in the nation–many which are also valued by eastern OR since protection of forest and related tourism is needed to preserve their way of life.
So true that protection of environment is needed to promote and preserve tourism and the way of life that depends on it. So why can't Australia's government see that with the Great Barrier Reef? I'm not throwing stones at Australia particularly; that is just one blatant example. Colorado seems to have difficulty witht the concept too.
CA is similar. We too have mail in ballots, and all state-wide offices are held by Democrats supported by large democratic majorities in both state houses.
Oregonians as a whole have always fared better under Democratic leadership. Fortunately, that fact has not escaped voters' attention. Oregon is proving to itself and the rest of the nation that Progressive Liberalism is the way forward.
Measure 92 e-mail update from Center for Food Safety Action Fund:
As of right now we are less than 6,900 votes from victory on Measure 92, the ballot initiative to label genetically engineered foods in Oregon. While the math looks difficult, there are enough ballots outstanding that it’s still possible to win. Ballots will continue to be counted until November 18th and we likely won’t know whether we’ve won or lost until then.
Proving once again (I guess) that it's not over until it's over.
I'd like to know how/why Billions of dollars were supposedly spent on this election..Seriously, I want to see an audit! I get the feeling this is some kind of money laundering operation!
SCROTUS fixed it so they can keep it secret!
Yvonne White, I have to agree with you!! There has to be some kind of scheme going on there!! SCROTUS has opened a gaping hole for the Koch’s and other mega millionaires to launder all kinds of money and get away with it scot-free!!
Everyone on here knows that the election process could be done better and should be done better, faster and easier for way less money!!
This is no way to run a country, but its the best we got, for now!
Oregonians have MUCH to be proud of politically.
The rest of us?
Not so much!
There is something about Kitzhaber that rings right for me . . . a sense that he can be trusted (that's a big thing for a politician) from an article you did either earlier this year or last year. But I thought he said he was retiring?
I am glad that Wehby got cut with a sound surgical strike (pun intended), and Merkley caused the Kochs et al to lose money in Oregon!
Measure 92, thanks Phil for that glimmer of hope. Labelling of GMOs should be de rigeur everywhere!
Perhaps Oregon Democrats should give lessons to other state and federal Democrats as to how it is done . . . winning for the people.
Congrats to all the voters in Oregon, you have a right to be proud. I wish Ky voters were as enthusiastic, but they are so enured to the same o, shame o, that they think their votes won't make a difference. I hate lving in a red state, wish I could turn it blue, because it is my home.
Thanks all. It is more than just turnout. Australia has mandatory voting, and that has not resulted in a string progressive government.