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1 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 Public safety officials ask state to investigate Grant County sheriff ... Gun background-check bill clears Oregon House, heads to Senate ... Washington man jailed after fatal crash in Ashland ... Public safety officials ask state to investigate Grant County sheriff ... Gun background-check bill clears Oregon House, heads to Senate ... Washington man jailed after fatal crash in Ashland ... OUR VIEW Our View: GOP gamesmanship born of legitimate frustration Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 17, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Feb. 17, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Minority Republicans in Salem, frustrated by majority Democrats' insistence on pushing complex legislation in a short session designed for minor fixes and budget adjustments, are pushing back by slowing the Legislature to a crawl. While the tactic may be somewhat juvenile, the Republicans' frustration is real, and Democrats ignore it at their future peril. The slowdown invokes a requirement in the Oregon Constitution that bills must be read aloud in their entirety before a floor vote. Normally, both parties agree to waive this requirement when the session opens, or little would ever be accomplished. But when the Legislature convened Feb. 1, the Republicans threatened to withhold that waiver if Democrats insisted on ramming through complex bills during the short session. On Monday, the House GOP required the reading of a 51-page measure dealing with marijuana regulations that had broad bipartisan support and an 18-page bill transitioning some utilities away from coal power generation. Both bills eventually passed, but not before all the pages were read aloud, which took 4½ hours. The stunt was prompted by the Republicans' anger at the speed with which a minimum wage bill was approved in committee and sent to the floor. Republicans want the measure to go to the Ways and Means Committee to assess its effect on the state budget; Democrats refused. The Democrats insist that bill and other complex measures must be passed this session to head off voter initiatives headed for the November ballot that would be more damaging to the state than the milder legislative versions. House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson of Portland compared the Oregon Republicans with those in the U.S. Senate refusing to take up President Obama's nominee to replace deceased Justice Antonin Scalia, calling the slowdown "obstructionist, D.C.-style politics." Not exactly. Oregon House Republicans have a legitimate complaint about the high-handed tactics being employed by Democrats who have enjoyed a solid majority for the past several years. The slowdown may seem childish, but it's the only weapon the minority party has. For their part, Democrats should remember that the strong-arm approach will come back to haunt them when — not if — they lose the majority in some future election. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 17, 2016 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 2016 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