Large swaths of Oregon are looking to secede from Oregon and join Idaho. There is only so much wokeness normal human beings can stand. They are getting tired of being dictated to by ultra-liberal Portland. Nine counties in eastern Oregon want to escape to the friendlier climate of Idaho. Two additional counties have scheduled a vote to join the original nine counties.
Matt McCaw, the spokesman for the Greater Idaho movement said:
“It makes more sense for Eastern Oregonians to get state-level governance coming from Idaho, where they share their values, share their culture, share their politics, than it does to be governed by Western Oregon.”
In order to approve the move, the state legislatures in Oregon and Idaho as well as the US Congress would need to approve of the move. Fat chance that will happen. If the move were to happen, Oregon would lose some of their representatives in the House and Idaho would pick them up. The Democrats would never allow it. It’s all about power and the Democrats won’t give that up without a fight.
The west side of Oregon includes the far-left cities of Portland, Eugene, and Bend, whereas the far eastern portion of the state is much more conservative. The two are close in proximity, but thousands of miles apart in ideology. The eastern part of the state is much more compatible with Idaho. But, the western part needs the tax money from the east to fund their liberal agenda.
McCaw added:
“It’s always been a problem because the west side has many more voters. They have the numbers to dictate what happens statewide.”
“Idaho doesn’t have a homelessness problem; Oregon’s keeps growing. Idaho doesn’t restrict the building of new homes. Combining all taxes together, the average Idahoan paid $1722 less in taxes in 2019 than the average Oregonian. That’s averaging together every adult or child.”
“This has led to a ruling party that ignores eastern Oregon because none of our legislators are in the ruling party. … But in Idaho, our representatives would be part of the majority. 80% of the Idaho legislature is Republican and mostly rural.”
Greater Idaho states:
“Oregon’s state school curriculum teaches radical theories on race, gender, sexuality, and anti-Americanism. Oregon limits charter schools, homeschooling, and local control. Idaho’s COVID mandates were only statewide for a few weeks, not two years. We’re not leaving Oregon; northwestern Oregon left us.”
“We’ve proven that people in Eastern Oregon want to pursue this idea, and we’re going to keep trying to get as many of those counties as possible to get on the ballot. But it’s time for the legislature to pick up the ball and start this discussion.”
McCaw is confident that by 2024 the 11 counties will become part of Idaho. I do not share this confidence. I do not believe the Oregon legislature will allow the move. But, they could decide to allow them to leave, giving them a state ruled strictly by true believers. And if that should happen, I don’t think it will pass in the US Congress. The Democrats would vote against adding power to a deep red state like Idaho.
