February 23, 2005
The Return Of 'West Idaho'
Deja Vu All Over Again
We're putting this in our State of Oregon category because it's an unexpected follow-up. Over at Oregon Commentator earlier today, there was a pointed to a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article which sounded particularly familiar to us.
That article details the pitch from Washington State Senator Bob Morton to create a new state from the portion of his state east of the Cascades. As it turns out, there's also an OPB News story on this as well.
Two years ago, we posted an item on a proposal to form a new state not only out of eastern Washington, but including eastern Oregon as well. The main proponent of that proposal?
Yes, the very same Senator Morton. Back then, he sought $27,000 to conduct a feasability study. This time around, he's pushing a resolution urging President Bush to seek such a 51st state (although this time, apparently, without eastern Oregon). In neither the Post-Intelligencer nor OPB News stories does anyone bother to mention that Morton seems to do this on a regular basis.
Well, okay, Two known instances does not a "regular basis" make. Still, you'd think they'd offer that sort of context.
Comments (6)
Jack Peek on 24 Feb 2005
And this side of the mountian"s views match their side of the mountian's views?
It's like you telling me to get my own blog, it's a damn good idea.
Yes, I KNOW...I can now move there is your next post.
Alan DeWitt on 24 Feb 2005
It may seem a bit daft at first, but it's not an entirely looney idea. People have been muttering about the proposed state of Jefferson for sixty years, and Cascadia is much talked about by quite different folks. The boundaries among the western states as they exist don't really collect communities of common interest. It's not hard to imagine boundaries re-drawn at the divides between watersheds resulting in states that provide much better representation to their entire populations.
If a proposal were on the table to re-divide the northwest into the states of Puget, Willamette, Columbia, and Jefferson, I think it'd be worth serious consideration.
(Not that it'd ever happen.)
Brandon Rhodes on 24 Feb 2005
I respect Morton for his willingness to suggest what so many people seem to be open to, but no politicians dare touch. I think public support for something like is far broader than the status quo would have us believe. I can't tell you how many people I've mentioned this idea to (whether for Oregon, Washington, or both), and they seem to think it's long overdue.
Biggest problem I'd see is that of watershed management. It's hard enough trying to protect salmon in the Columbia and Snake rivers when it's broken up into two states and federal management. Then again, maybe something like what Daniel Kemmis suggests in his book, "This Sovereign Land" would be the best answer.
Sid Anderson on 24 Feb 2005
Hey, I'm all for it. It would end all the state based rural welfare that is bought and paid for by urban tax dollars. You know how people in the eastern part of Oregon and Washington believe in pullin' yourself up by the boot straps... well, let's let them. They can pay for their own schools, roads, police, fire protection, hospitals, health care, etc.
Right now, rural voters get a much larger return on each dollar paid out in taxes than urban voters do. So let 'em have their own state! It'll save those of us on the western side a lot of money.
Jack Peek on 24 Feb 2005
Well, let's let them. They can pay for their own schools, roads, police, fire protection, hospitals, health care, etc. The post by a lib on PDX COMMUNIQUE
We can pay for the Oregon health plan for people within our borders, we can insist people who are here from Mexico get legal, before they get a dimes worth of aspirin.
You can have the schools and teachers that teach socialism and tell kids the people that died in 9II were "little Echiman's".
We can have a flag hung on a street like Redmond Oregon, where over 200 were hung on both sides of the street and not have it burned and ripped up. When Mikey Moore seeks a speaking venue, we can say we are booked, you fat Bastard! ( a Little free speech there)
And when we vote, we will not allow dead people to count nor will we count felons, nor will we have a street corner blocked by people who have nothing better too do except bitch their welfare/handout checks were cut because the schools admin. people couldn't make do with 10,000 dollars plus a kid.
If you think we care what you think we lose,guess again, we don't!
And this is a great idea, we will visit other areas of the country before we come back to visit where we left, and we will thank God, we did it.
And as we grow, we might have a college football team, that plays football only, and not make the police rap sheet, but make ESPN as a team that kicks butt on the field not in a bar.
cab on 27 Feb 2005
One rule for both new states. If you don't like the place you live, move before you end up a bitter nasty man like Jack.