Hon. Bill Post: Hypocrisy, punishment over Oregon Congress walk-out

By former State Representative Bill Post,

I saw that several Democrat Congresswomen walked out of Trump’s speech including at least 2 former colleagues from the Oregon House: Andrea Salinas and Maxine Dexter.

As a member of the Oregon House, I had to sit through 4 tedious State of the State speeches by Democrat Governors. I did not walk out even when I was infuriated with some of the words. It’s just not something you do.

We DID however, “walk out” at least 3 times in my terms, but they were concerted efforts to deny quorum (not walk out on an Executive’s speech) and stop bad bills from passing. It was not personal, it was policy. We were raked over the coals by the Democrats in the Legislature and the Oregon media for doing that. There was tremendous pressure exerted on us and eventually, in 2023, it cost State Senators their ability to run for their seat again. This was one of the few “tools” the minority party has, and it’s no longer available.

So, I ask former State Representatives Maxine Dexter and Andrea Salinas: what should YOUR punishment be? And why, as you told us repeatedly, can’t you, now that YOU are in the minority, “work across the aisle”?

Now they have a bit of an idea of how difficult being in the minority is. How one handles that is a measure of one’s character. I am proud of the stand that my former colleagues and I took in 2019, 2020 and 2023. It was all for Oregon, not for personal ambitions.

Sincerely,

The Honorable Rep. Bill Post, retired