(Above: Oregon’s Senate President Peter Courtney)
Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney announce today he doesn’t have the votes to pass the climate change legislation that caused Senate Republicans to flee the state and seek the protection of armed militias.
Democrats need 16 of their 18 votes to pass the bill as none of the Republicans give two shits about the future of the planet.
“House Bill 2020 does not have the votes on the Senate floor,” Courtney, D-Salem, said after Democrats assembled on the floor Tuesday. “That will not change.”
He then ticked off a lengthy list of pending policy and budget bills, including protections for foster kids and schoolchildren, that he said have bipartisan support and wants to see passed when and if Republican end their standoff.”
What is unclear to me is how hard Courtney whipped for votes, as he was so anxious that Republicans might not come back to do their jobs.
The Democratic Senator for Boeing was opposed, concerned that they might have to pay higher electric rates.
Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland wanted to vote yes on the bill, but when asked if she and Courtney tried to whip the vote said:
“It doesn’t work that way.”
Funny, I thought it always works that way.
Triumphant Republicans don’t want to call this a win however, and are calling for the dead bill to be staked through the heart, burned at the stake and buried in garlic bulbs before they’ll deign to return…
“Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, said as of around 10 a.m., he had not yet heard of Courtney’s announcement. However, he said there would be a lot of concern about a possible head fake by Democrats, and he noted a variety of procedural issues that would have to be addressed before Republicans would likely agree to come back to the Capitol.”
I am really angry right now but don’t know enough about Oregon politics to put the Democratic Leadership on blast.
Maybe some readers can shed some light.
In any case Oregon Live has a comprehensive write up that is definitely worth a read.
It’s always confused me as to why Republiscum will fight to the death to avoid passing on debt to their grandchildren, but don’t give two sh!ts about leaving them an habitable planet to live on.
*scratches head*
Methinks the Republican wailing over the federal debt is just another smoke-and-mirrors thing to beguile their base. Given that the debt always increases under a GOP administration (and tRump has outdone ’em all in that regard), their protestations seem mighty hollow.
This is really sad. And angry-making, too. And now I have something I’ll blame Obama for (this is a first for me) and that is, not taking a stronger stand when those militias were invading the wildlife refuge back in the day. And by stronger stand, heavier hand I mean squash-em-out-of-existence-like-a-bug heavier.
Oh, and Boeing doesn’t want to pay higher electric rates? Well boo f*cking hoo.
I’d have wanted a bill introduced that says that deserting to avoid voting on a bill is equivalent to resignation, because it’s violating both the public trust and the oaths of office.
I don’t think there’s really vote whipping once you’ve firmly lost the vote, and when senators flee to avoid a quorum, you’ve lost. They can beat them at the ballot box, or find some other political maneuver to get this through, but there’s no magic wand to make it happen.
This whole debacle is embarrassing for thinking Oregonians, seeing our state held up to ridicule on the news and late night shows, looking like some backwoods idiocracy instead of the progressive state that we are and want to continue being. The non-thinking morons see it as a win for them, though in the end, we will all lose. Being held hostage by a minority is not democratic, it’s not how it’s supposed to work, either in our state or in our nation. But that’s currently what we have. tRump and his mindless minions are a minority of Americans, and look at the damage they’ve caused, how our way of life has been undermined, how ridiculed we are around the world. That has certainly taught our local repugs what they can get away with. And because they’ve gotten away with this twice now, the local repugs are emboldened. There’s no end to the mischief and damage they’ll do. It’s not just H2020 that’s on the line. There are a whole host of measures, including budgetary matters, that are on the line and the session ends June 30. The entire state’s business is behind schedule in the first place because before these walkouts, repugs were slow walking measures, requiring they be read in full before any work could be done on them. They have gamed the system to please their rich guy campaign donors, and to stick a finger in the eye of the rest of us (the majority), while the honest, hard-working members were honestly, working hard to get shit done for Oregon and its citizens. Non-sociopaths don’t think this way and aren’t prepared for those who do. Frankly, Idaho and Montana can keep these POS. If they come back, it should be in cuffs and chains and straight into jail. They should not be rewarded for undermining our state and its people.