Strange Bedfellows: Oregon Democrats and Republicans Unite Against Rebate Measure in Rare Show of Bipartisanship

August 14, 2024: In the steamy, humid vortex that is Oregon politics in August, something both remarkable and absurd happened, as it often does when well-dressed, well-meaning lawmakers gather in the same room. It was August 14, 2024, and the Democratic side of the Oregon Legislature, those same folks who’ve spent years trading barbs with Republicans and exchanging passive-aggressive notes with the Governor, found themselves—hold on to your hat—agreeing with them.

Yes, the Democrats, historically the champions of progressive tax policies, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Governor and Republicans, who they typically treat like a case of athlete's foot, to oppose a rebate ballot measure. It’s the kind of situation that, in any other context, might suggest some sort of mass hysteria or perhaps a carbon monoxide leak at the Capitol. But no, this was a conscious decision. They had all become bedfellows, united against something that was designed to put a few more dollars back in the voters’ pockets. If you didn’t laugh, you might cry.

The rebate, in its simplest form, would redistribute excess revenue back to the taxpayers—an idea that would usually send Republicans into a euphoric state and leave Democrats muttering curses under their breath. But this was no ordinary rebate. It was the kind of populist gimmick that looked great on a bumper sticker but might just bankrupt the state or at least cause serious damage to the budget that these politicians had fought tooth and nail to craft. It’s the fiscal equivalent of taking your paycheck to Vegas and betting it all on black.

And so, in a plot twist that would make even the most seasoned screenwriter weep with envy, these Democratic legislators decided that maybe, just maybe, the Republicans were right about something. Of course, they did it through gritted teeth, and you can bet they were planning their next move before the ink on the press release was dry. But in that moment, in the oppressive August heat, they had found common ground in the most unexpected of places: their mutual fear of fiscal disaster.

If this sounds surreal, that’s because it is. But this is Oregon, where the rain may stop for summer, but the deluge of political weirdness never does.

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