Exercising The Right
Redrawing State Lines?
This column has previously reported on how Democratic control of Virginia is causing some supporters of the Second Amendment to look into redrawing state boundaries to protect rural communities from the urban-controlled state government that is hostile to gun rights. CNN reported on February 18 that this idea is now spreading to other parts of the country, as evidenced by the growth in the movement for a “Greater Idaho.” CNN reported that the movement, which is referred to as “Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho,” is striving to get the proposal on the ballot in the state of Oregon. Such a move is a long shot, as it would require not only the passage of a ballot initiative, but also approval from the state legislature. Such a thing is unlikely, considering the legislature is controlled by Democrats, and they have no incentive to voluntarily cede political control. Obviously, Idaho would have to agree to the proposal, as well.
The main activist behind the movement, Mike McCarter, explained that the impetus behind the movement is to show that the rural counties in Oregon are upset with the utter disdain that their urban-controlled legislature has for them and their beliefs. “Rural counties have become increasingly outraged by laws coming out of the Oregon Legislature that threaten our livelihoods, our industries, our wallet, our gun rights, and our values,” McCarter wrote on his website, which promotes the Greater Idaho movement. “We tried voting those legislators out, but rural Oregon is outnumbered and our voices are now ignored. This is our last resort,” McCarter explained.
Conservative lawmakers from Oregon’s rural region support the movement. Senator Herman Baertschiger, the Republican leader in the state Senate, replied by e-mail to CNN when asked for his comments, and he explained that “Oregon is largely controlled by one party that does not represent the entire state effectively, making the urban and rural divide striking…. Democrats should be paying attention to how unhappy these Oregonians are with the current regime to seek secession from Oregon. I would welcome the idea to serve on the Greater Idaho legislature!”
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