Politicians say the darnedest things. Remember former Speaker of the House Tom Foley? Voters in Washington State passed term limits. Foley didn’t like that. So he sued the people to overturn their vote. Next election, the voters sent Foley packing, the only Speaker defeated since the Civil War.
Now politicians in Oregon are trying to follow in his footsteps. They don’t like the term limits that Oregon voters passed with a 70 percent majority, the first initiative in state history to gain a million yes votes. The politicians want to repeal term limits, extend them, water them down, ANYTHING to get out from under those darn limits so they can wheel and deal with our tax dollars for the rest of their lives. Now they’ve introduced legislation to change the filing period for legislative candidates. Why? So they can sue the people of Oregon and overturn the term limits law.
The legislation would allow for an immediate lawsuit, no delay. State Rep. Bill Witt says, “It’s an effort to subvert the will of the people by using the courts … [It’s] disgraceful.” Rep. Jeff Merkley called the maneuver “transparently self-serving.” But Representative Carl Wilson would have none of that. On the floor of the people’s House, he told fellow legislators: “I don’t expect voters to understand. But as you know, we are privy to things they are not. This hallowed place is where we are, and we know it best.” Politicians say the darnedest things.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.