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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Rogue Valley programs persevere in extreme heat ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Rogue Valley programs persevere in extreme heat ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... OTHER VIEWS Other Views: Legislators shbould avoid feel-good distractions from The (Bend) Bulletin Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 22, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 22, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News During this season's legislative campaign, talk focused on the economy, jobs, education and health reform. But now that Democrats have increased their majorities, the conversation is shifting to more controversial topics, such as fuel standards and gun background checks. Oregon Democrats have gained two seats in the state Senate, giving them an 18-12 supermajority, which means they can pass any bill without a single Republican vote, even ones having to do with taxes. In the House, they picked up one seat for a 35-25 majority. The party also held onto the governorship. That gives the leadership hope of passing bills that failed earlier, as well as advancing other agenda items that got less attention when candidates were courting voters just weeks ago. Many sound good until you dig into their complications and unintended consequences, as we've noted in past editorials and will revisit as they come before legislative committees in 2015. Think paid sick leave, minimum-wage increases, state-sponsored retirement plans, automatic voter registration, among others, and the aforementioned fuel standards, legal aid and gun issues. If these and other liberal wish-list items dominate legislative action in 2015, work on jobs and the economy — our most critical problems — will suffer. Democrats should beware of overreaching. A three-seat gain is not a mandate. They should remember the result from 2009, when they held supermajorities in both chambers and gave us controversial tax measures 66 and 67. In 2010, voters responded with a 30-30 split in the House, and a reduced Democratic majority in the Senate. Gov. John Kitzhaber was bruised by a difficult campaign but retains powerful influence to lead his party in the direction of meaningful tax reform and economic development that leads to job creation. He'll need legislative support to follow through on his initiatives in health care and education, and to fix the mess of Cover Oregon. Legislative leadership needs to focus on those core issues, not a litany of feel-good but damaging distractions. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 22, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501