Residents of two rural Oregon counties voted in the Nov. 3 election to require their county officials to begin considering what would be involved in …
Residents of two rural Oregon counties voted in the Nov.3 election to require their county officials to begin considering what would be involved in seceding from Oregon by moving neighboring Idaho’s border. Oregon’s swing to the left in recent years has left many Oregonians uncomfortable as state officials such as Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, has enforced what they consider to be excessively strict policies aimed at combating the CCP virus that causes the disease COVID-19. Many conservatives and other residents feel ignored and have become disenchanted with local officials including Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a far-left Democrat, who they say has failed to crack down on political violence by Antifa and Black Lives Matter. Changing state borders is a complex task. The legislatures of both states and the U.S. Congress would have to consent. But the victory of the grassroots group Move Oregon’s Border in Jefferson and Union Counties is just the beginning of what promises to be a long, involved process. The group is also hoping to bring some counties in liberal California along with it to become part of Idaho, a state that has voted for the Republican candidate for president in every election since 1968. The group calls the proposed, expanded state Greater Idaho. “The idea of joining Idaho is new to Oregon voters and they need more time to learn that Idaho taxes are lower, even with all taxes considered, and that Idaho law respects traditional values in many ways that Oregon law does not,” Mike McCarter, president of Move Oregon’s Border, said in a statement.
