He says those words, but I do not think he knows what they mean.
Just one week after the media chattering classes announced that Republican Scott Brown’s upset win in Massachusetts represented a political sea change, voters in Oregon sent an unmistakable message of their own. And to be sure, they signaled an important win for Democrats and their progressive allies.
Yes, because “Tax the Rich” is always an easy sell.
Especially when it is being repeatedly screamed at Oregonians from their radios and televisions with the help of $6.8 Million dollars worth of union dues.
So, to summarize the Progressive message: The election of Scott Brown to the US Senate meant nothing. But a pair of tax initiatives getting passed in a state known for its high population of tree huggers means the people of America want to get taxed more.
UPDATE: On my list of businesses that should be “First across the bridge” I’m nominating the Laurelwood Public House & Brewery.
I just had a pint+six of their Free Range Red Ale and found it quite tasty. A good replacement for when I can’t find my favorite (Maritime’s Flagship Red Ale).
Laurelwood apparently already has facilities on the WA side (in Battleground) so the move should be easier than most. An even better reason to run.
If I was a high-income (funny how the media use rich/wealthy and high-income interchangably, when they’re really not) Oregonian, or business owner, I’d be looking to move across the river right about now.
If the WA state .gov had any business savy, now would be a great time to rationalize/simplify/lower the B&O tax to encourage businesses to relocate to WA. But, sadly, they don’t.
HL, there are damn few businesses in Oregon you would want. this state is broke, and all the business worth talking about has already relocated all or part of their operations.
BTW, this entire “messsage” is about spending on the election. We were bombarded with pro-tax ads, and the anti-tax message, which usually prevails here, was drowned out badly. The anti-tax folks ran a poor campaign which never featured any real business people who would go down the drain when that tax kicks in. BTW, it’s retroactive, so it’s already kicked in.
There was a HUGE lie perpetrated by the pro-tax side: that the “soak the rich” tax wouldn’t get down to anyone making less than $250K.
Since the measure also gets rid of the State deductibility for Federal income tax, everyone who itemizes on their 1040 will be taxed extra, that EVERYBODY, not just the rich.
The personal income tax measure makes several changes to the State tax code, and Oregon law says that an initiative may make only one change, so it’s probably dead on arrival in the State court. The business tax measure was more carefully written and will survive legal scrutiny.
Just got a peek at the county-by-county breakdown on the measure.
It was an urban progressive victory. The Willamette Valley voted these taxes in, and it lost pretty much everywhere else.
After the Un-Do will come the partitioning of Oregon, and everything West of the Cascades will be a separate state, just for the fuzzy thinkers. the other 65% of the State will be a conservative state, perhaps linking up with WashingToon’s east side.
Maybe a new nation will be involved. From the Canoodlian border to the Mexican border, everything West of the spine of the Cascades and Sierras can be a strip-country.
The new strip-country, Cascadia, will not be able to feed itself, and will have to buy food elsewhere. All the trains and trucks passing through the conservative West with cargoes to and from Cascadia will have to pay a $50 levy or not get through.
500 good men could close the East-West routes and keep them closed.
I should have finished that novel….