Oregon’s 2025 legislative session made one thing clear: under one-party control, efficiency, fairness, and accountability are nowhere to be found. In this episode of Oregon D.O.G.E., Senators Mike McLane and Daniel Bonham pull back the curtain on how Democrats used their supermajority to silence opposition, ram through unconstitutional bills, and fund ideological pet projects while rural Oregonians were left behind.
Key Issues Covered in This Episode:
- Gerrymandering Betrayal. Republicans negotiated in good faith for fair maps, only to have then-Speaker Tina Kotek renege on her promise. Oregon received an “F” for redistricting, and Democrats packed districts to entrench power instead of honoring the law.
- DEI Over Snowplows at ODOT. While warning of layoffs for road crews, the governor protected $28 million in DEI programs. Even ODOT’s own managers admitted money was misdirected away from the core mission—plowing roads and maintaining infrastructure.
- Illegal Immigration Legal Aid vs. Rural Needs. The legislature passed $15 million for legal services for illegal immigrants, but denied Lakeview just $350,000 to repair a geothermal well that kept the town solvent.
- Mandated Climate Change Indoctrination in Schools. House Bill 3365 forces climate change instruction across all K-12 subjects, from math to civics. Critics say it politicizes education, indoctrinates children, and ignores Oregon’s already failing literacy and math scores.
- Parental Rights Ignored. Oregon still allows minors as young as 15 to obtain abortions or undergo experimental gender treatments without parental consent—laws the Supreme Court would strike down if challenged.
- Book Ban Hypocrisy. Democrats banned the reading of sexually explicit material on the House floor, but still allow those same books in school libraries accessible to 12-year-olds.
- Public Employee Union Conflicts of Interest. Governor Kotek negotiated raises and remote work perks with SEIU—her biggest campaign donor—while ignoring layoffs and budget shortfalls. Legislators exposed the circular system where unions fund Democrats, and Democrats hand them lucrative contracts and benefits.
- Overregulation & Death by a Thousand Cuts. From wildlife crossings at ODOT to new fees on mining permits (SB 836), Oregon piles on regulations that drive up costs for counties, small businesses, and families—all while calling its $140 billion budget a “cuts budget.”
Conclusion
Oregonians are paying more in taxes and fees, while their freedoms, schools, and rural communities are being sacrificed to ideology and special interests. The message from Salem is clear: government comes first, and you come last.