In the John Wayne movie Rio Bravo, the bad guy Nathen Burdett hires a Mexican band to play the Degüello. This cutthroat song, played at the Alamo, according to Colorado (Ricky Nelson), was intended to send a message to the sheriff and his men.

In Oregon right now, the Republican lawmakers are playing the Degüello for the Democrats as the supermajority needs to vote and pass lousy tax bills, bad gun legislation, stealing the tax kicker, gas taxes, and higher property taxes. According to one of my good friends, a state representative, no Republicans are even going to come close to these career-ending stinkers, much less support them. So now we watch as the Democrats try to figure out how to raise taxes without being blamed for raising taxes.

Many nasty bills have stalled or are stuck in committee as the Democrats who live in and represent purple districts don’t want to push any tax or money-related bills forward. The people in these districts, which Democrats consider to be on-edge districts, are letting legislators know they are taxed enough. You can tell there has been a shift in the political winds in Oregon, just like in the national political scene. The Democrats are subdued and quiet; things do not appear to be going well for them now -- they presented all these tax schemes without really thinking through the cost to the taxpayers.

What I believe all of this will do is burn the Democrat's supermajority to the ground in Oregon. There are moving parts in all of this, as well as being an interested participant, watcher, and writer. Let me make some educated guesses about what will happen in Oregon. First, I saw a headline that the Washington State Education Director is being investigated by the federal DOJ for Title Nine abuses. Oregon governor Tina Kotek and Oregon attorney general Dan Rayfield have publicly pronounced Oregon a sanctuary state. According to news reports, Rayfield has sued the Trump administration at least one hundred times over different policies and presidential executive orders. So, Oregon appears to be moving towards a conflict with the federal government.

Meanwhile, the Oregon Republican minority mariachi band is playing the Degüello quietly in the background.

In Oregon, we live in interesting times. Every morning, I wake up, get a cup of coffee, read American Thinker, and wonder what new movie will be playing at the Oregon cinema today. It is hard sometimes not to get discouraged and not envy all you guys and gals who live in free red states. But the entertainment in Oregon is never-ending, and it gives me something to write about! Though that song keeps playing in my head.

John Woods: Father, Husband, Conservative, Activist, Patriot, Veteran, Certified Action Range Shooter, Voting Delegate to the Oregon Republican Party.

Image: Frederic Remington