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Thread: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

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  1. #1
    Katsumoto's Avatar Quae est infernum es
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    Default Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Eleven Republican senators from the state of Oregon are in hiding.

    They walked out of Salem's Capitol building on Thursday and state police have been given authorisation to track them down.

    This bizarre series of events has unfolded amid a deep rift between the state's rival parties.

    Oregon's Democrats, who have a clear Senate majority, want to pass landmark climate change legislation. Local Republicans have fled to stop that happening.

    This weekend, the state capitol had to shut down altogether amid apparent security threats from militia groups.

    The Republicans released a statement explaining their walkout.

    "Oregonians deserve better. It's time for the majority party to consider all Oregonians - not just the ones in Portland," Senate Republican Leader Herman Baerschiger Jr said regarding the rural-city divide.
    How dare the majority rule in favour of the will of the majority. This is surely the most shameless and hilarious attempt by Republicans so far to hold on to power and thwart the will of voters. I really don't know how these people are actually elected into office. I mean, I do, but damn. What's less amusing is their ominous threats and warnings.

    One lawmaker, Brian Boquist, responded angrily. Speaking to a local news outlet on Wednesday, he said police should "send bachelors and come heavily armed" if they were to try to arrest him.

    "I'm not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It's just that simple," he said.

    His comments were condemned by Democrats who said "threats like these are unacceptable".
    Militias have also lined up to protect them (from doing their job, I guess?) creating a dangerous situation. My question is, does anyone think this is acceptable behaviour? Run away and threaten violence if democracy doesn't go your way? Surely we can all condemn these cowardly acts?

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48737711

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  2. #2
    Morticia Iunia Bruti's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Unacceptable. In Germany criminal because of "High Treason against a Federal State" because of attack on the constitutional order (§ 82 StGB).

    They should all be arrested and sentenced to prison.

    The militias should be dissolved as criminal gangs.
    Cause tomorrow is a brand-new day
    And tomorrow you'll be on your way
    Don't give a damn about what other people say
    Because tomorrow is a brand-new day


  3. #3

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Carmen Sylva View Post
    Unacceptable. In Germany criminal because of "High Treason against a Federal State" because of attack on the constitutional order (§ 82 StGB).

    They should all be arrested and sentenced to prison.
    Is there a law in Oregon that says state senators 'can't go into hiding'?
    Last edited by Infidel144; June 24, 2019 at 07:03 AM.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Cyclops View Post
    This has happened before, some Texas Dems went into hiding to prevent the undoing of some Gerrymander or other longstanding injustice.
    And in Wisconsin. Somehow I doubt that Katsumoto started similar threads in either case.


    Quote Originally Posted by Carmen Sylva View Post
    Unacceptable. In Germany criminal because of "High Treason against a Federal State" because of attack on the constitutional order (§ 82 StGB).


    They should all be arrested and sentenced to prison.
    Is there a law in Oregon that says state senators 'can't go into hiding'?


    Katsumoto "can't seem to find anything that suggests it's illegal".


    I wonder, in Nazi Germany did political opponents get arrested and thrown in prison as Carmen Sylva wants to have happen here...

  5. #5
    Barry Goldwater's Avatar Mr. Conservative
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Infidel144 View Post
    And in Wisconsin. Somehow I doubt that Katsumoto started similar threads in either case.



    Is there a law in Oregon that says state senators 'can't go into hiding'?


    Katsumoto "can't seem to find anything that suggests it's illegal".


    I wonder, in Nazi Germany did political opponents get arrested and thrown in prison as Carmen Sylva wants to have happen here...
    Wisconsin and Texas nothing, Governor Brown herself supported a Dem walkout in 2001 when she was still a state senator. I can't find a source suggesting that the police were used to forcibly bring back the missing Democrats in that situation, either.

    Frankly, I don't see a problem with legislators opting to walk out of the legislature to deny quorum in an effort to stop legislation which their constituents do not want passed, and when the other side has a supermajority so all that they will accomplish by showing up to vote no is granting said other side the quorum to ram their legislation through. It's a valid, and definitely not illegal, legislative tactic that happens more often than many seem to think or know and is not a partisan thing, as demonstrated by the examples in Texas, Wisconsin & Oregon itself.

  6. #6
    Morticia Iunia Bruti's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Infidel144 View Post
    Is there a law in Oregon that says state senators 'can't go into hiding'?
    The border from non criminal behavior to criminality is crossed at the moment, when a lawmaker declare:

    One lawmaker, Brian Boquist, responded angrily. Speaking to a local news outlet on Wednesday, he said police should "send bachelors and come heavily armed" if they were to try to arrest him.
    I don't think its legal and not criminal for a normal citizen to threaten policemen, which want to arrest them, with violence.

    Why should a local senator get a special treatment?
    Cause tomorrow is a brand-new day
    And tomorrow you'll be on your way
    Don't give a damn about what other people say
    Because tomorrow is a brand-new day


  7. #7

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Carmen Sylva View Post
    The border from non criminal behavior to criminality is crossed at the moment, when a lawmaker declare:



    I don't think its legal and not criminal for a normal citizen to threaten policemen, which want to arrest them, with violence.

    Why should a local senator get a special treatment?
    Because what he said didn't constitute a call for violence. US isn't like UK, when anyone can be arrested for pretty much anything, as "unlawful speech" can be applied to any statement, and usually to silence political worngthink. Telling police to go themselves isn't illegal in America.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    I don't see anything wrong with militias, as the concept is perfectly in line with preservation of democracy.
    Virtue-signaling city dwellers dictating the rest of the population isn't "democracy", however, more checks and balance needed to prevent over-populated urban dystopias from dictating their will on everyone else.

  9. #9
    irontaino's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Should all be given the boot for dereliction of duty.
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    This has happened before, some Texas Dems went into hiding to prevent the undoing of some Gerrymander or other longstanding injustice.

    US politics is a dropped plate of mash.
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  11. #11

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    So, Liberals have started arresting the opposition uh? Never saw that one before in other countries. Who could have predicted it?

    Fair warning for the rest of the country. Oregon is the future if liberals aren't stopped. Lock and load.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    People always love democracy till they lose.

  13. #13
    paleologos's Avatar You need burrito love!!
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    It seems to me that the Republicans in Oregon want to federalize their state, but only when they are not the majority.

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    Aexodus's Avatar Persuasion>Coercion
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Of all the things to walk out on. Climate change?

    Yeah Politics in America has got so polarised that literal militias are forming. The perceived urban liberals and perceived rural hillbillies hate eachother’s guts.
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  15. #15

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Aexodus View Post
    Of all the things to walk out on. Climate change?
    Notion of "climate change" is often used to pass ridiculous and often harmful legislation. Good example would be "carbon tax" that was passed in Canada, despite our rather minuscule role in actually affecting climate, and an obvious scheme by corrupt and authoritarian "liberal" government under that mouth-breather Trudeau, to enrich themselves at expense of tax-payer.
    Yeah Politics in America has got so polarised that literal militias are forming. The perceived urban liberals and perceived rural hillbillies hate eachother’s guts.
    Its the process started by previous administration and heavy reliance on identity politics to shift the political issues in its favor. Trump is kind of like America's Tito. US is likely to have its own perestroika after Trump and split into a number of more or less politically and ethnically homogeneous states.

  16. #16

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    What amuses me about all this are the partisans making out the Republicans are heroes looking after the minority. I know exactly how they would spin this if it was Democrats hiding to stop Republicans passing legislation.

    Democracy seems to be falling apart and it's spiteful, jealous politicians killing it.

  17. #17
    Muizer's Avatar member 3519
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Quote Originally Posted by Katsumoto View Post
    My question is, does anyone think this is acceptable behaviour? Run away and threaten violence if democracy doesn't go your way? Surely we can all condemn these cowardly acts?
    Acceptable? No, but that doesn't mean it's illegal. I wonder what justification there can be for sending the police after them. Is "failure to do one's democratic duty" a criminal offense for state senators? Does anyone know? It may sound absurd if it was, but then again, if it wasn't that would effectively mean only a 2/3 majority could legislate.
    "Lay these words to heart, Lucilius, that you may scorn the pleasure which comes from the applause of the majority. Many men praise you; but have you any reason for being pleased with yourself, if you are a person whom the many can understand?" - Lucius Annaeus Seneca -

  18. #18
    Katsumoto's Avatar Quae est infernum es
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    I can't seem to find anything that suggests it's illegal, but I imagine it could be because nobody thought legislation would be required to force elected officials to do their job, much like there shouldn't need to be a law about shouting "lalalala, can't hear you" with fingers in ears in a council session or whatever. Seems it could be unconstitutional according to the state unconstitution:

    State law allows any branch or department of the government to call upon the state police to enforce laws and regulations, if the governor gives permission.

    The Constitution gives legislators the power to “compel” absent members to attend so that the Legislature can conduct its business.
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  19. #19

    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Can't other states Republicans send weapons and militia to support the patriots against the communist take over? A bit of patriotic war narrative would also help.

  20. #20
    Katsumoto's Avatar Quae est infernum es
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    Default Re: Oregon Republicans flee and hide to delay vote, police sent to find them

    Hey Infidel, do you think it's okay for politicians to literally run away and hide if they don't like what's being voted on?
    "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."
    - John Adams, on the White House, in a letter to Abigail Adams (2 November 1800)

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