4 ms·

'Greater Idaho' took one step closer to being a real thing

20 points by throwkeep 5y ago

HDMI_Cable 5y ago
Am I the only one who really wants to see this happen, but not for political reasons? I don’t really care about the Democrat/Republican split; I just think border changes (especially more geographically representative ones) are cool.
andromeduck 5y ago
This actually seems like a win win vis a vis representation.
- jgalt212 5y ago
  Amen government of the people, by the people, for the people,...
sunstone 5y ago
Ironic that those counties are right next to one of the very few Idaho counties that votes Democratic.
bsder 5y ago
I would love to see Oregon say "Sure, if you can get Idaho to take you, go for it." and see Idaho go "No, we don't want you." Those counties likely take far more revenue than they produce. Maintaining the roads in those areas alone is likely quite expensive. I can't imagine that Oregon would be that upset about them leaving. And I can't imagine Idaho would really want to pick up that bill. Be careful what you wish for. You might just get it.
- _-david-_ 5y ago
  Maybe I am just being cynical, but I could see Oregon refusing this to prevent the state from losing an electoral vote (maybe more than one?). That electoral vote would almost certainly switch from the Democratic nominee to the Republican one.
  - webmaven 5y ago
    > Maybe I am just being cynical, but I could see Oregon refusing this to prevent the state from losing an electoral vote (maybe more than one?). That electoral vote would almost certainly switch from the Democratic nominee to the Republican one. I think quite a few more counties would have to move in order to shift an electoral vote, but they may be closer to the threshold needed for Idaho to (eventually) gain a congresscritter and Oregon to lose one.
  - gautamnarula 5y ago
    Add that to the ever-growing list of reasons to get rid of the Electoral College.
    - amscanne 5y ago
      I’m sure this is a general comment on the electoral college, but it’s always bothered me that criticisms of the electoral college (generally made by Democrats, since they are negatively affected at the national level) tend to completely ignore the fact that a huge portion of people are disenfranchised in nearly all states. I imagine that Republican voters in California feel just as frustrated about their electoral votes going blue as Democratic voters in California are about the relative value of their electoral votes (which they get to control completely). The focus is on the national outcome so much, that actually enfranchising voters is seen as a problem. And unlikely other ways of suppressing and disenfranchising voters, it’s perfectly fine to discuss and strategize around this. Personally, I’d much rather see states send proportional electoral votes than a national popular vote. Perhaps that can fix the problem here? Give the counties to Idaho, but on the condition that both Oregon and Idaho assign electoral Nebraska-style — everyone is enfranchised, and you have an outcome (from those states at least) that is practically guaranteed to be representative.
      - bobthepanda 5y ago
        The electoral college was not originally winners take all. The problem is that going proportional only works out for the states if everyone is doing it, otherwise a massive winner takes all state is that much more important to swing.
MeinBlutIstBlau 5y ago
It seems ironic that the country that devised "no taxation without representation" requires approval from a state and federal authority for them to adequately receive culturally aligned representation that a majority of constituents desire. Every day it astounds me that the US still exists as a governing entity. It doesn't feel like a nation capable of adapting to times like these and is getting a stronger fist by the week. Every day I compare china to the US and think the only difference is instead of the government wanting to imprison me, it's other people wanting to sue or libel me. My rights only exist "potentially" in court even if it's an amendment right. It feels like a gangrenous bandaid that desperately needs to be torn off, but nobody wants to do it because it'll hurt too much.
- jejdn 5y ago
  You’re trying compare apples to asteroids. Sure they’re made up of matter, but that’s where it ends. Just because some individuals don’t get what they want doesn’t meant they don’t have a voice/aren’t represented. It means their opinions are not-yet popular/currently in the minority.
  - MeinBlutIstBlau 5y ago
    When they applied for statehood, it wasn't a complicated vote. Now to secede their statehood with someone else whom aligns better with them, they require the state and federal government to agree with it? "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
ZSU2357 5y ago
There's an awful lot of open country Idaho would gain both farm and grazing. And people would flock to those counties to get out of Oregon. I would.
- ZSU2357 5y ago
  Also a lot of room to build.
- djmips 5y ago
  You can already move to Idaho.
wrp 5y ago
The southern and eastern parts of Oregon wanting to break away from Portland is a very old story. Look into the "State of Jefferson." I suspect this will go nowhere, because if it were that easy, it would have happened a long time ago.

20 points by throwkeep 5y ago

Am I the only one who really wants to see this happen, but not for political reasons? I don’t really care about the Democrat/Republican split; I just think border changes (especially more geographically representative ones) are cool.

andromeduck 5y ago

This actually seems like a win win vis a vis representation.

jgalt212 5y ago
Amen government of the people, by the people, for the people,...

sunstone 5y ago

Ironic that those counties are right next to one of the very few Idaho counties that votes Democratic.

bsder 5y ago

I would love to see Oregon say "Sure, if you can get Idaho to take you, go for it." and see Idaho go "No, we don't want you." Those counties likely take far more revenue than they produce. Maintaining the roads in those areas alone is likely quite expensive. I can't imagine that Oregon would be that upset about them leaving. And I can't imagine Idaho would really want to pick up that bill. Be careful what you wish for. You might just get it.

_-david-_ 5y ago
Maybe I am just being cynical, but I could see Oregon refusing this to prevent the state from losing an electoral vote (maybe more than one?). That electoral vote would almost certainly switch from the Democratic nominee to the Republican one.
- webmaven 5y ago
  > Maybe I am just being cynical, but I could see Oregon refusing this to prevent the state from losing an electoral vote (maybe more than one?). That electoral vote would almost certainly switch from the Democratic nominee to the Republican one. I think quite a few more counties would have to move in order to shift an electoral vote, but they may be closer to the threshold needed for Idaho to (eventually) gain a congresscritter and Oregon to lose one.
- gautamnarula 5y ago
  Add that to the ever-growing list of reasons to get rid of the Electoral College.
  - amscanne 5y ago
    I’m sure this is a general comment on the electoral college, but it’s always bothered me that criticisms of the electoral college (generally made by Democrats, since they are negatively affected at the national level) tend to completely ignore the fact that a huge portion of people are disenfranchised in nearly all states. I imagine that Republican voters in California feel just as frustrated about their electoral votes going blue as Democratic voters in California are about the relative value of their electoral votes (which they get to control completely). The focus is on the national outcome so much, that actually enfranchising voters is seen as a problem. And unlikely other ways of suppressing and disenfranchising voters, it’s perfectly fine to discuss and strategize around this. Personally, I’d much rather see states send proportional electoral votes than a national popular vote. Perhaps that can fix the problem here? Give the counties to Idaho, but on the condition that both Oregon and Idaho assign electoral Nebraska-style — everyone is enfranchised, and you have an outcome (from those states at least) that is practically guaranteed to be representative.
    - bobthepanda 5y ago
      The electoral college was not originally winners take all. The problem is that going proportional only works out for the states if everyone is doing it, otherwise a massive winner takes all state is that much more important to swing.

MeinBlutIstBlau 5y ago

It seems ironic that the country that devised "no taxation without representation" requires approval from a state and federal authority for them to adequately receive culturally aligned representation that a majority of constituents desire. Every day it astounds me that the US still exists as a governing entity. It doesn't feel like a nation capable of adapting to times like these and is getting a stronger fist by the week. Every day I compare china to the US and think the only difference is instead of the government wanting to imprison me, it's other people wanting to sue or libel me. My rights only exist "potentially" in court even if it's an amendment right. It feels like a gangrenous bandaid that desperately needs to be torn off, but nobody wants to do it because it'll hurt too much.

jejdn 5y ago
You’re trying compare apples to asteroids. Sure they’re made up of matter, but that’s where it ends. Just because some individuals don’t get what they want doesn’t meant they don’t have a voice/aren’t represented. It means their opinions are not-yet popular/currently in the minority.
- MeinBlutIstBlau 5y ago
  When they applied for statehood, it wasn't a complicated vote. Now to secede their statehood with someone else whom aligns better with them, they require the state and federal government to agree with it? "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

ZSU2357 5y ago

There's an awful lot of open country Idaho would gain both farm and grazing. And people would flock to those counties to get out of Oregon. I would.

ZSU2357 5y ago
Also a lot of room to build.
djmips 5y ago
You can already move to Idaho.

wrp 5y ago

The southern and eastern parts of Oregon wanting to break away from Portland is a very old story. Look into the "State of Jefferson." I suspect this will go nowhere, because if it were that easy, it would have happened a long time ago.