Here in Oregon, we find ourselves in the midst of a truly heinous battle.
Eleven Republican and Independent Senators united to deny quorum and stop further business in the Senate chamber. Our actions were sound; our reasons were valid; our cause was just, and if I dare say, righteous. Our principles and purpose were and still are valid. Our goal was to prevent unconstitutional, disingenuous, risky and life-threatening legislative concepts by stopping Senate business. Not unlike a workers’ strike, we denied quorum to make our voices heard.
Continuing in the language of a labor dispute, our strategy worked until scabs compromised our cause and broke the force of our strike. It only took one additional Republican to make the deal work for the Democrats and meet the quorum requirement needed for these horrific bills to pass.
Without some unifying purpose, what voice does any minority have? During the founding era, our nation was continually warned about the vigilance that would be required to keep our Republic whole.
Over the past several weeks I have written newsletters about the most egregious bills attacking children, parental rights, increasing access to abortions and transgender care, and increasing assaults on our 2nd Amendment rights. I supply details with specifics about how parents, their children and all Oregon families and individuals would be harmed. Here’s a list:
What happened? Did Republicans get concessions? Were those concessions worth the price of having eleven Republican and Independent legislators barred from future office? One side answers, “Yes, they deserve it." While the other claims, "Yes, the Democrats caved and victory is ours.”
The Oregon Capital Chronicle, tells us the story. Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) is quoted as saying, “There really isn’t anything that is coming out of there that I’m really that disappointed with...”
The Senate Democrat chief negotiator, Kathleen Taylor (D-Southeast Portland), said, “If the Republicans had not returned this session, we faced the reality that no additional bills would have passed. They could have stayed away, blocking every single progressive priority: no reproductive health care rights, no gun control and no rights for the transgender community.”
Senator Taylor presents an accurate assessment while parroting the Democrat talking points. As my newsletters illustrate, Republicans and Independent Senators denied quorum to stop the State from:
- becoming the authority over your children and your family’s decisions,
- furthering unconstitutional anti-gun measures on law-abiding citizens,
- increasing the healthcare costs for all Oregonians,
- covering transgender and abortion on demand for all, including minors,
- providing free abortion and gender-altering care to anyone, of any age, from any state,
- eliminating the right of patients to seek justice following provider malpractice.
The progressive and leftist Democrat party is moving by system and design under the colorable pretext of safety, caring for children or elevating the oppressed. These are fine sentiments when corralled by fences of reason, appropriateness, evenhandedness, reasonableness, objectivity, and justice. But when our vocabulary is getting warped by blatantly false ideas we need to argue for truth.
The Democrat party uses our own tax money against us and our children. The advancing power of the state is like the screw in a mechanical fitting. It is always turning, always gaining, always gripping, always penetrating, forever holding fast to what it gains and never letting go.
Friends, this political battle may have been lost. I believe the casualties and the price Oregonians pay will be high. But I am confident we will win this culture war if we continue to stand on our principles with unwavering fortitude. We must protect our children and never back down from working to restore our God-given rights to life, liberty and our own just pursuits.
Surrender is not an option.
The question before us is, how do we continue, where do we throw our weight, what battles should we fight?
At the end of 1776, Thomas Paine was sick at heart over the suffering and despair he saw after just six months of tragedy. Yet, he was also inspired by the undaunted resolution of others in leadership. His book The American Crisis, should continue to inspire us. It begins:
“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”
I will follow Paine’s counsel with all of my might. I will continue to serve Oregonians to the best of my ability. I will continue to work towards a positive, prosperous and wholesome future for all Oregonians. I won't give up and I won't back down from the ongoing fight.
Thank you for your steadfast support. As we forge onward, Diane and I send our Best Wishes for a great Father’s Day!
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"Virtue and vice were warp and woof of our first consciousness, and they will be the fabric of our last.
A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life,
will have left only the hard clean questions:
Was it good or was it evil?
Have I done well — or ill?”
~ John Steinbeck
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