Oregon Republicans Off the Ballot in 2024

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/01/oregon-supreme-court-gop-walkout-00139079?cid=politico_threads

The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday that 10 Republican state senators who staged a record-long walkout last year to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights cannot run for reelection.

The decision upholds the secretary of state’s decision to disqualify the senators from the ballot under a voter-approved measure aimed at stopping such boycotts. Measure 113, passed by voters in 2022, amended the state constitution to bar lawmakers from reelection if they have more than 10 unexcused absences.

Last year’s boycott lasted six weeks — the longest in state history — and paralyzed the legislative session, stalling hundreds of bills.

We call it the Constitution

I recently re-watched portions of the 2015 film, “Bridge of Spies,” starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance. In the film, Tom Hanks' character attorney, James Donovan, lectures an FBI agent, who claims that when it comes to the Soviet Spy, Rudolf Abel, portrayed by Rylance, “There’s no rule book.”

Donovan responds, 

“I'm Irish, you're German. But what makes us both Americans? Just one thing…: the rule book. We call it the Constitution, and we agree to the rules, and that's what makes us Americans. It's all that makes us Americans, so don't tell me there's no rule book — and don't nod at me like that, you son of a bitch.”

I wish Donovan were around to lecture Donald Trump and his cronies, and Republican congressional members, who continue to dismiss January 6 as a simple protest — expletive  included.