Was this their one and only shot?
They've adjourned the Oregon Legislature "sine die," meaning "without a day" -- without a day specified for reconvening. Down in Salem, they pronounce this "seinie dye," which of course is not how the Latin is supposed to be pronounced. The correct pronunciation is something like "see-nay dee-ay," but if you try to correct the representatives from the southern and eastern parts of the state, they just reply, "Only them Eye-talians say it like that." So seinie dye it is.
However you say it, this time around the whole "sine die" concept is, like so much that comes out of government these days, a straight-up lie. Actually there is a day that they all have in mind down there to reconvene, early in 2008. It's all part of the move toward annual sessions of the Legislature, which at best is an end run around that pesky little document known as the State Constitution. Oh well. They don't get paid much, and we get what we pay for, and so if they want to have some more meetings in Salem, let them. It's better than them heading off with the beer guys to Maui again.
They got a handful of good things done down there this time around -- for a change -- but it was by no means a blockbuster session in terms of accomplishments. The pundits all seem to be taking a deep breath before digging in and compiling a complete scorecard. I'm definitely in that camp as well. It will take a while to read what they actually passed and sort it all out.
To me this may be the Democratic Party's one and only chance at complete control of the state government for a while. Some of what they did -- particularly the Measure 37 "fix" -- was brave but is going to hurt legislators in unsafe districts. What's more, three long-time senators are already packing it in -- Brown, Walker, and Gordly -- and there may be more to come. Walker barely won the last time around, and the Democratic margin in the House is, of course, razor-thin.
Many probably think that there will be a Democratic landslide in the 2008 Presidential election, and that the Oregon Legislature will be swept along once again in that movement. I fondly hope that both of those projections come true, but at the moment, I wouldn't bet a nickel on either of them.
| Posted at 8:36 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (19)
The way things are headed, we'll be luck just to HAVE an election in 2008, without saying anything about the result -- or whether it's an honest one.
Posted by Allan L. | June 29, 2007 11:57 AM
lucky, that is. Ugh.
Posted by Allan L. | June 29, 2007 11:58 AM
Being of Italian descent and from Southern Oregon, I'm feeling a bit like the Geico Caveman here!!
Posted by genop | June 29, 2007 12:22 PM
The way things are headed, we'll be luck just to HAVE an election in 2008...
Yessir, time to buy weapons and hunker down... oops, a horn of a dilemma; more gun control laws (which I suspect Allan favors) would disarm those who would obey such laws. However, when it all goes to hell as he implies above, neither those with legal guns nor those with illegal guns would be Allan's comrades - certainly not in arms. Maybe hyperbole will serve to "disarm" those who would oppress him.
Posted by rickyragg | June 29, 2007 12:34 PM
Is that the sky that is falling, or were you just spooked by your shadow, Allan?
Posted by Larry | June 29, 2007 12:50 PM
With luck no side will be able to control and agendas, secret or otherwise, will be stifled. A 1000 new laws this session, how bizarre, I'll bet not a sunset in any of them.
Posted by KISS | June 29, 2007 1:34 PM
My first stab, without much reflection: good session for gay rights, but only a few tentative steps toward addressing (or even acknowledging) the revenue crisis.
Re. Dems in '08: never *ever* underestimate the Democratic party's ability to blow even a gimme election.
Posted by Himself | June 29, 2007 2:26 PM
18-11-1 is razor thin??
Posted by torridjoe | June 29, 2007 3:08 PM
Lucky for some of us, the Dems have a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Posted by Joey Link | June 29, 2007 3:58 PM
I could be wrong, but I don't think there is an actual correct pronunciation for most latin words as it is a dead language and we don't know exactly how it sounded back then. Most likely there are multiple correct pronunciations.
Posted by jyah13 | June 29, 2007 8:51 PM
The only thing that beats "the Democratic party's ability to blow even a gimme election." is the Republicans.
Posted by Lc Scott | June 29, 2007 8:59 PM
I could be wrong, but I don't think there is an actual correct pronunciation for most latin words as it is a dead language and we don't know exactly how it sounded back then. Most likely there are multiple correct pronunciations.
Thank you for proving one of my pet theories, which is that no matter what you post on the internet, there's some clown who will argue with you.
My friend, there is no way on God's green earth that the Romans pronounced it "seinie dye." Got it?
Posted by Jack Bog | June 29, 2007 11:11 PM
Correction: Technically, Gordly's an independent. But that's very technically.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 30, 2007 3:09 AM
Some of what they did -- particularly the Measure 37 "fix" -- was brave but is going to hurt legislators in unsafe districts.
I am crossing my fingers that this doesn't occur. IMO M-37 will cause serious permanent damage to Oregon's landscape. It appealed to voters base instincts to mistrust govt., and as usual that wins in a big way.
The legislators tasked with reforming this steaming pile did not have an enviable task--they have my respect. I'm sure that will allow them a good nights sleep!
Posted by jimbo | June 30, 2007 8:13 AM
"IMO M-37 will cause serious permanent damage to Oregon's landscape."
But Metro can overcrowd the entire region and designate large swaths of farm and forest land to be developed and what? No problemo?
Really, the hypocrisy is over the top.
Relatively speaking, M37 applies to very little of Oregon and would allow very limited, yet dispersed, development not unlike the development we see every day. The idea that the measure represents "serious permanent damage to Oregon's landscape" is simplistic hysteria.
Coupled with the exceedingly clear failure of our planning system to genuinely accommodate the needs of growth (in any terms) there is little danger of any true harm coming from M37 at all.
As with the global warming hysteria
the evidence speaks for itself.
It's no coincidence that global warming alarmists are also M37 opponents.
Apparently their hair is on fire as they make up one load of bull after another.
Posted by Don Ameche | June 30, 2007 8:28 AM
It's no coincidence that global warming alarmists are also M37 opponents.
Apparently their hair is on fire as they make up one load of bull after another.
I rest my case.
Posted by jimbo | June 30, 2007 9:03 AM
jimbo,
Indeed, please do. Your case is pure fiction.
Posted by Don Ameche | June 30, 2007 10:04 AM
So recently I was back in my home town of Columbus Ohio. Readding the Sunday paper I noticed an Op Ed piece by the President of the Central Ohio Home Builders Association. As is there want, he was criticizing local planners for their decision making. The problem was that wasn't enough land zoned for high density single family housing. To quote, "People want high density, walkable neighborhoods. The Cities refusal to zone for this land negatively affects our members abiltiy to provide home ownership for the people of Columbus and central Ohio."
Can it be that 50 years after .... the 50's, the market has turned?
Greg C
Posted by Greg C | July 1, 2007 11:02 AM
I could be wrong, but I don't think there is an actual correct pronunciation for most latin words as it is a dead language...
I had a junior high school Latin teacher who would strongly disagree.
Dead language? Never heard the Catholic mass said in Latin?
Et cum spiritu tuo.
Posted by Frank Dufay | July 2, 2007 5:00 AM