Greater Idaho Proposal Isn’t a Fool’s Errand

It’s a quixotic mission according to liberals and their fellow travelers in mainstream media.  A fool’s errand, if you will.  And, yet, for a great many people in Eastern Oregon they believe they can no longer co-exist with the coastal liberals who dominate state politics.  The easterners want to leave Oregon and join Idaho.  A joint session of the Idaho House and Senate met with leaders of the movement Monday.

To be clear, both states and the federal government would need to sign off on any changes in boundaries.  It just doesn’t happen, we’re told.

But America is changing.  A book I’m reading by columnist Cal Thomas details how the United States could be headed for a crack-up before the end of this decade.

If there’s a serious decline in the economy and the power of a distant federal government, we could see more than a political realignment.

Several Idaho legislators posted about Monday’s session.  A former Speaker of the Oregon House joined in making the presentation.

One caller to my radio program suggests Eastern Oregon should focus on becoming an independent state and add two likely Republican U.S. Senators in Washington.  Another argument suggests absorption by Idaho would break the growing political power of the Treasure Valley.

Again, all a long shot but this country is drifting in strange waters.  Who knows what we’ll see if and when the fog clears.

Two arguments stood out on Monday.  Oregon’s minimum wage is much higher.  There would need to be some sort of reconciliation or more county control on the issue.

Oh, and recreational marijuana is legal across the state line.