Several activist groups have written an open letter to the Oregon Senate Republicans. It reads:

Stop allowing the majority party to eviscerate the rights and liberties of all Oregonians. This letter is a combined effort from the leaders of groups and communities across our state, who speak on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of members we represent from all backgrounds, color, creed, age, gender, religion, and political ideologies: Senate Republicans, you have our full support to walk out before irreparable harm occurs due to the policies set forth, this legislative session.

We, as Oregonians, are witnessing the makings of a societal train wreck, and the complete destruction of our State, if the current agenda is tacitly consented to, via quorum requirements. The supermajority Democrats won’t work collectively or collaboratively on many of the core issues Oregonians care about, and we are watching them dominate the 2021 legislative session with an agenda that ignores Oregon families. Rebuilding our economy, and providing structure for a secure, safe and vibrant future must be our focus.

Radicals within the Democratic Caucus don’t feel they need to collaborate with the public, due to their supermajority status, and they certainly won’t, unless we use our last bargaining chip. They have removed the referendum process, by adding emergency clauses onto proposed bills to prevent a public vote and have locked the people—and even some media—out of the capitol. In fact, their elitist attitude has brought them to the belief that they are our collective leaders, not our elected representatives.

Our legislators have critical issues to address, and putting continued time and resources towards one-sided social engineering is marginalizing a large number of Oregonians, and indifferent to human suffering.

Who would have thought that after such a challenging and costly time for Oregonians, one party would focus their efforts on special interest bills, such as crippling new tax increases like a 30-60% increase in property taxes and an exorbitant beer and wine tax, micromanaging our local schools, expanding the Oregon Health Authority’s power within educational institutions, and rewarding criminal behavior? There are just too many proposed bad bills and issues to list here. Governor Kate Brown preaches equity and equality, but not for law abiding taxpayers who see their rights evaporating while our cities burn.

This legislative session, we are witnessing an across-the-board assault on our values and the constitutionally protected freedoms held dear by countless Oregonians.

Our priorities should be getting kids back to school, in person and full time, and helping workers and small businesses recover—not doing all we can to perpetuate failed, costly and untested policies that deride the very fabric of society and place unforetold consequences and risk upon the next generation of Oregonians. If the proposed bills pass, they will forever change the physical, economical, emotional, and livable landscape here in Oregon.

While some Republicans have claimed they need to continue to allow these attacks on our liberties so they can influence redistricting, under the current leadership, it is clear that Secretary of State Shemia Fagan will ignore Republican input. If public meetings are being abruptly closed after important, clarifying questions are being asked but then censored for comment (as we saw during Senator Dallas Heard’s simple committee question directed to the Police Chief providing testimony), what realistic chance do you have to provide influence over the redistricting process?

Fagan, whose extreme partisanship is reflected in her almost daily fundraising emails, is determined to hijack the process irrespective of your attendance. She has even hired outside counsel specializing in Constitutional law, instead of relying upon the Attorney General’s office, as every other Secretary of State has previously, and legally, done.

We can all agree, the state of Oregon has been run very poorly. The hundreds of thousands of Oregonians who were victims of the failed unemployment claim system can attest to that, and a recent poll, reported on by The Oregonian, reveals that Governor Kate Brown’s already low approval rating has now “tanked” after this past year.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

In 2019, Republican Senators walked out TWICE and we stood behind you, because you walked out to protect our people and our families against radical proposed legislation.

If you won’t stop what is coming this week, there’s nothing to stop the steamroller of dangerous, unproven and failed policies being rammed through by the ruling party.

If you fear the media, remember, you have already been labeled, simply because you are a Republican Senator trying to uphold the constitution, just as many of our groups—with which you claim to share values— have already been falsely labeled as “extremist.” We have suffered censorship, baseless attacks and even slander, yet continue to press forward in our efforts despite these assaults. Will you stand up for us and protect us, or will you allow them to silence our voices?

Unelected bureaucrats continue to formulate, enforce, and extend draconian regulations with no input from elected representatives, and the people are still locked out of the process as the Democrats continue to pretend that a failure-prone “virtual” reality and biased treatment of testimonial guests is a substitute for face-to-face engagement.

Your continued participation in this process will not help the people who elected you to protect their rights and liberties. We urge you in the strongest possible terms to, once again, display the courage that served you, and countless Oregonians, so well in the past.

You won’t get favorable media coverage by the mainstream, left-leaning media anyway, and if you don’t walk, you will face major backlash and negative press from the conservative media as well. Staying will not help the people or our precious children who look to those that have come before them to protect their future. Republicans, what happened when you came back to the capitol? The Democrats came to the table and negotiated a reasonable outcome. There were clear benefits to your party that included reelection and an overall increase in seats held across the legislature. Let’s not forget that your past willingness to stand up increased your standing with your supporters and constituents, who celebrated you as heroes, many of which became first-time Republican voters because of your bravery.

We urge you to walk out and not return until the Oregon Democrats agree to stop these alarming and irreversible attacks on our inalienable and inherent rights.

What other recourse do we, law-abiding Oregon citizens who do not consent, have at this point? Many of the organizations that have signed onto this open letter have supported Republican legislators with both their votes and contributions for candidates.

While the aim of this letter is NOT to talk politics, we ask you, Senate Republicans, to once more, hold the line for the safety and protection of Oregonians. We must all stand TOGETHER in fighting against this special interest agenda before it’s too late to continue working and living in our beautiful state.

If you don’t walk, you risk losing ground with all your supporters. We understand the sacrifices you would be making. Remember, we have all been making great sacrifices this past year—since the “two weeks to flatten the curve” were announced. We all feel the crippling effects of overreaching policies, and we need your leadership now more than ever.

We ask you to unite, as we have, for the good of the people of Oregon, for your families and ours, and the very future of our state, before it’s too late. Unprecedented times require unprecedented acts of great courage in the face of failure and fury.

Please, it’s YOUR responsibility to stand up for US. We are calling on our members to contact Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod, and the rest of the Senate Republicans.

Signed,

Oregonians for Fair Elections
Oregon Grassroots United
Democrats for Informed Choice
Libertarian Party of Oregon, PAC
Oregon Push Back
Columbia County Republicans
Oregon Liberty Coalition
Freedom Believers
Oregonians For America
Free Oregon
Oregonians for Medical Freedom
Representative Jeff Kropf (Ret)
Richard P. Burke, Former Chair, Oregon Government Ethics Commission
The Northwest Connection Newspaper, JoLinn Kampstra, Publisher
Oregon Department of Education Fight Club
Peoples Rights Oregon
Oregon Citizen Lobby
The Roseburg Beacon Newspaper
Parents’ Rights In Education, PAC
Oregon Firearms Federation
Rob Taylor Chair of the Committee to Preserve the Second Amendment
Lindsey Graham, former Glamour Salon owner and founder, Patriot Barbie
Lyle Mordhorst Polk County Commissioner
Mae Huston, Jefferson County Commissioner
Chairman William Harvey Baker County Commission
Mary Starrett, Chair, Yamhill County Board of Commissioners
Robert “Bob” Main, Chairman, Coos County Commissioner




--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-03-22 16:09:55

Last Update: 2021-04-15 14:39:26