Claiming that senators who violated the walkout ban cannot be reelected is incorrect: While the unlawful measure may prohibit their filing for reelection, it cannot prohibit their reelection.

If the majority of the people vote for them, registered for reelection or not, they’re reelected. When an authority starts deciding for whom the people may vote, we officially become a third world authoritarian state. The Willamette Valley will not dictate the terms of freedom for the rest of Oregon simply by virtue of possessing the greatest concentration of population.

When a representative’s absence from a vote is the only power we have left, then by God we’re going to use it. Snuffing out the voice of the people is not wise policy, historically speaking.

Mark Elfering

Hermiston