They say that Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Gun rights advocates in Oregon are quickly rounding up their political ammo to combat a Democratic Senate and House as a bill mandating background checks on private gun sales picks up steam, taking a page from Colorado.
After passing a Senate vote, the bill has already sparked petitions to recall three Democratic legislators, including one who accepted campaign money from gun-rights groups before signing on as the sponsor of the controversial bill. Republican backlash has so far created space for over eight hours of public testimony from citizens concerned for their rights.
For Coloradans, it’s gun control déjà vu, since three significant gun control laws in 2013 prompted the successful recall of Democrats Sen. Angela Giron and Senate President John Morse, as well as the resignation of Sen. Evie Hudak. While Oregon legislators don’t seem too concerned about the local petitions against them, we’d like to highlight the history of the battle in Colorado as a warning.
Forcing legislation through a friendly Senate and House will seriously irk constituents who believe in their constitutional rights. In Colorado, sheriffs, legislators, small business owners, and private citizens took aim at the laws before the ink was dry, despite Democrat arrogance. Former Senator Giron confidently told The Huffington Post in 2013 that:
“I think it’s without a doubt that we’re going to make it through this [recall] … We are going to be making some history here.”
That sounds uncomfortably familiar to Sen. Chuck Riley of Hillsboro, Oregon, one of the Senators facing a recall petition. He told the Statesman Journal that:
“There’s no reason to think that you’re going to be recalled for doing what you said you were going to do in your campaign.”
We’ll see about that, Sen. Riley.
Colorado is a bellwether for gun control battles. Oregon Democrats should have paid more attention to the power of constituents to successfully repeal legislation and recall legislators. Even with a Democratic majority, Colorado is already proof that underestimating recall petitions is the Dems fatal flaw. One of them, at least.