Rep. Diehl: A fix for Oregon’s problems

By Oregon State Representative Ed Diehl

The Oregon Democrats (@ORDems) recently posted on X (formerly Twitter), reaffirming their commitment to a Capitol building that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive.

I’m pleased to see that a safe and welcoming Capitol is as important to the Democrats as it is to the Republicans.

However, outside the marbled walls of the Capitol, Democrat policies over the last decade have made Oregon less safe, less welcoming, and less inclusive.

Just look at the data. A recent survey showed that if they had the financial means, 56% of Portlanders would move out. In another survey, 74% of Oregonians said they want to recriminalize hard drugs and 77% would require addiction treatment. And, for the first time in decades, Oregon is experiencing a net population decline – people are abandoning the state they once cherished.
In response to disastrous policies that have hamstrung our police, increased crime, increased drug use, downgraded our schools, increased taxes, and raised housing costs, Oregonians are leaving the state. High income earners are fleeing across the border to Vancouver or to other states, reducing our tax base. Farmers are selling their Oregon farms and moving to Idaho. Foreign-owned corporations are buying up Oregon farmland. Parents are picking up and moving to other states with schools that align with their values.

Oregonians do not feel safe. They do not feel welcomed. And they do not feel included in the decision-making process.

My request to Democrat leadership: Instead of focusing on rhetoric, how about joining me to fix the real problems facing this state?

Get back to basics

We must get back to basics in Oregon. The grand progressive experiment must come to an end. I am proposing practical, common sense solutions on the issues most concerning to Oregonians:

• Dramatically reducing homelessness and addiction by repealing and reforming Measure 110, bringing compassion to those suffering from substance use instead of enabling their deadly addiction;
• Make Oregon affordable by opposing new taxes, promoting investment in public infrastructure and encouraging free market housing with more local control;
• Hold government accountable by revamping our agency budget process and establishing meaningful performance metrics. Remember, our agencies work for us and not the other way around;
• Provide low cost, reliable energy by removing ‘green energy’ mandates that do nothing to improve the climate but are driving energy costs sky high at the expense of a reliable, robust energy grid;
• Lower Oregon’s regulatory burden by eliminating redundant and uncompetitive regulations built up over decades of one-party rule. Our regulations are stifling innovation and driving up costs;
• Foster healthy forests and healthy communities by following evidence-based active forest management. Our forests can be beautiful and fire hardened while at the same time providing jobs and revenue to our communities;
• Protect parental rights through legislation that enforces parent’s constitutional right to direct the care and upbringing of their children.

Together, we can change the trajectory of Oregon!