Guest essay by Eric Worrall

h/t Dr. Willie Soon; Oregon Republicans have walked out on attempts to pass a cap and trade bill, to deny the majority Democrats the Quorum they require to pass a cap and trade bill.

Republican Lawmakers Flee Oregon Again To Avoid A Climate Bill Capping Greenhouse Gasses

CHRIS WHITE TECH REPORTER February 25, 20202:02 PM ET

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Republicans employed a similar tactic in 2019, when they walked out in June to prevent a quorum in protest against HB 2020, a cap-and-trade climate bill. They stayed away even after Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, authorized Oregon State Police to return the lawmakers to Salem.

Brown accused Republicans of taking a “taxpayer-funded vacation” in a statement addressing the walkout Monday. (RELATED: Oregon GOP Lawmakers Stay On The Lam)

“We were all elected by the voters to represent our communities, and to be the voice of our constituents in the capitol,” she said in a statement. “Republicans signed up for this. If they don’t like a bill, then they need to show up and change it, or show up and vote no.”

Republicans are painting a different picture. “Pay attention Oregon — this is a true example of partisan politics,” Oregon Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr. said in a statement.

“Denying quorum is one of the only tools that the minority party has right now,” Senate Republican spokeswoman Kate Gillem told WaPo, noting that the bill is too divisive to move forward during the legislature’s 35-day “short session.”

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Read more: https://dailycaller.com/2020/02/25/oregon-kate-brown-ammon-bundy/

h/t. Gordon; Local news reports that the Republicans offered a compromise, allowing the people to vote on whether they wanted a cap and trade, but this compromise has so far been rejected.

… Senate Republican Leader Senator Herman Baertschiger issued a statement that said Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem) left no other option for Senate Republicans but to “boycott and deny quorum because cap and trade is on the way to the Senate floor.”

“Democrats refused to work with Republicans and denied every amendment that was presented. Pay attention Oregon – this is a true example of partisan politics,” Baertschiger said in the statement.

“Instead of referring this legislation to let the people decide, the Democrats are willfully ignoring 26 counties and one district, representing nearly 2 million Oregonians that have signed proclamations against cap and trade, to push their agenda,” Baertschiger said.

The Oregonian reported that the amendments Senate Republicans offered up Monday and were voted down by Democrats included sending the bill to the voters. State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) was the only Democrat who supported a citizen vote on the bill. …

Read more: https://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news_paid/walkout-oregon-senate-republicans-boycott-over-cap-and-trade/article_60225d88-5740-11ea-9986-3f64665d0ea7.html

I think we can thank the wisdom of the founders that they recognised the risk of unconstrained tyranny of the majority, in which the majority simply mistreat people outside their clique, regardless of the pain their arrogance inflicts, and instead embraced the principle of concurrent majority, to limit the power of US governing bodies to ignore the people.