Where Is the "RECALL MINNIS" Juggernaut?!?
Last year when certain Multnomah County Commissioners legalized Gay Marriage without any public debate, retaliation was swift - opponents of equality for sexual minorities wrapped themselves in the banner of "Democracy" and filled recall petitions.
House Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village even went so far as to say, "It makes a citizenry angry when government appears to be arrogant. When objections are raised, they say, 'Too bad, we're smarter than you.' " ("Marriage fire fuels debate on public trust," by Harry Esteve, The Oregonian, March 22, 2004 as published on OregonLive.com).
But now that Minnis, in league with her cronies from the religious right, has said "I'm smarter than you are. I'm not going to let the Oregon House even discuss the idea of Civil Unions," she seems to get off with barely a snicker. And yet that isn't even enough for Minnis, she feels the need to do the political equivalent of throwing sand in the eyes of an opponent by "gutting" Senate Bill 1000 of its substance (creating civil unions and banning discrimination in the housing and the workplace based on sexual orientation) and "stuffing" it meaningless "reciprocal benefits" language.
As reported by MedfordNews.com, "House Speaker Karen Minnis (R-Wood Village) referred SB 1000 to the House Committee on State and Federal Affairs on Thursday. Committee Chair Wayne Krieger (R-Gold Beach) then convened an immediate work session on the bill and banned the public, advocates, and legislators from testifying on the bill."
Where is the public debate now?
It is completely galling that Minnis and minion Krieger are not required to hold public debate by their opponents, let alone the same folk who cried for similiar debate in 2004. Simply put, progressives and others on the left are gutless and unwilling to play hardball. While this is not a call for mud-slinging, if the right is willing to use recall terrorism to cow every moderate legislator maybe it's time that the left do the same to those who make a stand against public debate, the hallmark of a viable democracy.
March all you want (certainly there is nothing wrong with it) but until we hold the legislator's feet to the fire, nothing is going to be accomplished.
PS - Congratulations and thanks to bill sponsors: Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown, D-Portland, Sens. Frank Morse, R-Albany, Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, and Alan Bates, D-Ashland. Read more about it at the BendBulletin.com.
House Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village even went so far as to say, "It makes a citizenry angry when government appears to be arrogant. When objections are raised, they say, 'Too bad, we're smarter than you.' " ("Marriage fire fuels debate on public trust," by Harry Esteve, The Oregonian, March 22, 2004 as published on OregonLive.com).
But now that Minnis, in league with her cronies from the religious right, has said "I'm smarter than you are. I'm not going to let the Oregon House even discuss the idea of Civil Unions," she seems to get off with barely a snicker. And yet that isn't even enough for Minnis, she feels the need to do the political equivalent of throwing sand in the eyes of an opponent by "gutting" Senate Bill 1000 of its substance (creating civil unions and banning discrimination in the housing and the workplace based on sexual orientation) and "stuffing" it meaningless "reciprocal benefits" language.
As reported by MedfordNews.com, "House Speaker Karen Minnis (R-Wood Village) referred SB 1000 to the House Committee on State and Federal Affairs on Thursday. Committee Chair Wayne Krieger (R-Gold Beach) then convened an immediate work session on the bill and banned the public, advocates, and legislators from testifying on the bill."
Where is the public debate now?
It is completely galling that Minnis and minion Krieger are not required to hold public debate by their opponents, let alone the same folk who cried for similiar debate in 2004. Simply put, progressives and others on the left are gutless and unwilling to play hardball. While this is not a call for mud-slinging, if the right is willing to use recall terrorism to cow every moderate legislator maybe it's time that the left do the same to those who make a stand against public debate, the hallmark of a viable democracy.
March all you want (certainly there is nothing wrong with it) but until we hold the legislator's feet to the fire, nothing is going to be accomplished.
PS - Congratulations and thanks to bill sponsors: Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown, D-Portland, Sens. Frank Morse, R-Albany, Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, and Alan Bates, D-Ashland. Read more about it at the BendBulletin.com.
posted by xj at 11:23 PM
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