#iadoregon

I know.

Oregon—that’s us on your upper left, you know, above California—is of no great electoral import. In a presidential year, if we go blue (and we go blue), no one cares. Seven measly votes.

We have five members in the House of Representatives, four people who care about the welfare of the state’s citizens and one who voted to take away health care. All five, all incumbents (four Democrats, one Republican) won reelection. So did our Democratic governor, Kate Brown.

I am so very proud to be an Oregonian this post-election day. And it’s not only because of the election results I mention above. It’s because of how my fellow citizens voted on several of the initiatives on the ballot. These victories or defeats speak to our values, our principles and our character. I’m going to mention two. But first, to brag some more about Oregon: We are the originators of the Initiative and Referendum (a Progressive Era reform). You’re welcome.

Oregonians defeated an initiative to take away state funding for abortions. If passed, it would have meant that reproductive freedom and choice would be reserved for those who could afford it.

Oregonians defeated a specious initiative that would have created a constitutional amendment to ban the taxing of groceries. We don’t tax groceries. We do not have a sales tax. But still…sounds good, right? With the amendment our groceries can never be taxed! Vote yes!

But Oregonians were savvy enough to see through this sugary-drink-company funded initiative. Soda is considered a “grocery.” There is a national move to tax soda. It has no nutritional value and is implicated in a myriad of health problems (not to mention dental issues). If this innocent-sounding, protect-us-from-being-taxed on broccoli-and-bread initiative had passed, there could never be a (well deserved) “sin” tax on soda.

Our state motto: Alis volat propriis which translates as “She flies with her own wings.”

And she does.