Oregon Legislature likely to take new direction
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Democrats are on track to pick up four seats for a 34-26 majority in the House.
The Democrats' 16-14 edge in the Senate is unchanged after Tuesday's election.
If the numbers hold, Republicans will lose the power they had to block Democratic legislation and exert their influence over state budget decisions.
House Democratic leader Tina Kotek is likely to be the next House speaker. She said she wasn't ready to talk about specific legislation her party will seek, but mentioned affordable housing and more school funding.
Republican leader Andy Olson of Albany is challenging House Democrats to "step across the aisle and to seek that working relationship."
Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber says he looks forward to sitting down with the leadership of both parties.
The conservative whine index is at 100%.
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When the state flushes $3.8 Billion this biennium on Corporate Welfare, money that could be used for infrastructure, schools, closing the PERS gap (which would solve that problem), public health, TAX reductions, etc., complaining because of the identity of the party in control is a huge joke.
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Remember the Republican majority in 2002 trying to handle the shortfall from that recession by BORROWING MONEY?
I will say this to the Oregon Assembly, when you had to work together, you got a budget in place and were able to balance the books right out of the gate.
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If one party (i.e. the Democratic), decides that a slim lead is a statewide mandate, then the people who were put in place to represent those views NOT on the Democrat agenda will stonewall you.
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If the Democrats want ANYTHING to work, they will shut about any potential lead in numbers they have and do what they did last year.
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Work WITH their counterparts in the Republican party.
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It is counterintuitive but the more power you wield, the less you should show. But politicians as a race are not wise people (or people with decent memories it seems).
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The Communists are proud, I'm sure.
With the history of voter fraud in the Democratic Party, who feels they have won honestly?
"100,000 Stolen Votes in Chicago" - Heritage Press
Now, the UN is finding that instead of fraud by Republicans, the voting is just unbelievably loose - people just walked in voting places back East, asked for a ballot and were allowed to vote. This country is failing.Â
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 @Lei22 Wow, what a sore loser you are. Just because your party lost big time doesn't mean they didn't lose fairly. If anything, it's you Republicans who were responsible for the voter fraud here in Oregon. Sorry people are seeing you fascists as increasingly hateful, wrong and irrelevant.Â
...."....a new direction......." Translation: Oregon taxpayers will pay more, get less service and the beneficiary will be the public employees unions and PERS. Insuring that democrats will be returned to government over and over.
Hear that flushing sound? It's more of your tax dollars going down the toilet.
" . . . more school funding." Â Meaning: Â the taxpayer will have less money to spend on optional things like food and housing.
@theprodigal  " . . . more school funding."  Meaning: the taxpayer will have less money to spend on optional things like food and housing
.....unless you are a member of the school union
 @theprodigal As for Food One can grow there own indoors using Grow huts, as for housing, Well, maybe it is time that people start asking to prove that the Property tax is a real law.
The talk is they may make a run for a sales tax. Albeit a mild 2-3% range tax but we all know once the door is left open they will keep walking thru it....Just ask Washington. My guess is the new gang will be successful in making the state one of the worst places to relocate a business and continue to lag behind the nation like it always does in development
So when will Spanish become the official second language in Oregon?
 @jpk Second?
New direction? How much further LEFT can they go?
Time will tell but it sure seems like we are in for more of the same.
"Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber says he looks forward to sitting down with the leadership of both parties."
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And tuning them out.
"Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber says he looks forward to sitting down with the leadership of both parties."
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No he doesn't. He will just do what he wants now that he has all the power.
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My only hope is that the economy tanks even further and Kitzhaber has to make more cuts to government spending.
We have done so well for the last 30 years as a democratic run state can't wait for the in-sanity to start...
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How do you spell b-a-n-k-r-u-p-t again?
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Greece it's not just a pretty place to look at its a financial goal for local, state, and federal governments!
-Republican leader Andy Olson of Albany is challenging House Democrats to "step across the aisle and to seek that working relationship."-
That step across the aisle works both ways Mr Olson, try seeking that working relationship also.
Bend over private sector, PERS is about to get a Super Tier.