Show 16-05 Oregon Democrats vs. Your Wallet: Blocking Trump’s Tax Cuts to “Protect” You?
Oregon Democrats vs. Your Wallet: Blocking Trump’s Tax Cuts to “Protect” You?
Release Date: January 31, 2026
Episode Subtitle: Oregon’s economy burns under Democratic policies—now they’re sabotaging Trump’s tax cuts. Connect the dots before it’s too late.
Duration: 47:55
Host: Mark Anderson
Guests: Jonathan Williams, President and Chief Economist of American Legislative Exchange Council, the nation’s premier state policy organization dedicated to to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism.
About This Episode
Oregon’s economy is already smoldering under punitive taxes and regulations—now Democrats want to pour gasoline on the fire by decoupling from Trump’s tax cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Proven free-market policies work every time they’re tried. So why is Oregon—dead last in business environment—stubbornly choosing the opposite? Full Democratic control (super-majorities in both chambers, Governor’s office, all statewide positions, even the Supreme Court) prioritizes left-wing ideology over results, crushing businesses and citizens alike.
This episode connects the dots: How bad economic policies create bad economies—and why voters need to fill in the right ones on their ballots. You’ll gain more insight than most state legislators, just in time—because Oregon is running out of clock before the flames spread.
No math, just facts and real-world examples. Tune in to see how ideology is burning down the state… and what can still be done.
Show Notes
- 00:00 – Intro to some basics, like the single-most important factor whether someone buys something—and why higher taxes don’t mean more money for the state.
- 05:10 – Simple example why raising taxes doesn’t work that every legislator should learn
- 09:14 – Other factors that people and especially businesses consider when relocating. Elections have consequences: a new state enters the race to the bottom and seems determined to beat Oregon to it.
- 16:37 – Oregon as the example and warning for other states what not to do. Breaking the mindset of raising taxes every time a state feels pinched.
- 21:24 – Why Oregon Democrat’s bad economic policies are so critical at a time like this. What is happening that could damage Oregon for decades.
- 25:23 – Oregon media got excited that more moving trucks arrived in Oregon than left. But what those moving trucks surveys don’t mention.
- 28:55 – Oregon Democrats are about to make a massive mistake. Those moving vans might be turning around.
- 34:03 – The regulation Trump just repealed that will save U.S. businesses well over $1 trillion per year. Connecting the dots and why that’s so important. One Big Beautiful Bill tax cuts people will see this year.
- 39:57 – It’s not just no tax on tips and no tax on overtime. Connecting the dots between a huge new tax rule for businesses that will grow economic activity. And why left-wing politicians will hate it and try to stop it.
Transcript
Opener:
Here’s a question for you. What is the single-most important determining factor whether or not someone buys something? The one reason that is generally more important than all of the others.
If you said price, you were correct. And you have a better sense of economics than the overwhelming majority of Oregon’s elected democrats.
This comes directly from a theory in microeconomics — although it’s not really theoretical, it’s a known fact — so we’ll say, a “principle” known as the law of demand. All things being equal, the price of a good or service is the main factor that determines how much consumers will buy of those goods or services.
I mention this because on today’s show we’re going to take a look at what Oregon Democrats’ recklessness is doing and will do to Oregon If they get their way to raise prices and worse to take money out of your pocket which is the same as raising prices.
Because they don’t seem to understand this basic concept.
Because here’s a related issue. The more money you have to spend, that you must spend, the less money you have available for other things. Again that’s pretty simple. If your rent goes up and your income doesn’t change, the less money you have for other things. Food, utilities, kids’ clothes, or like actually putting money aside or investing it so you’ll have more for the future.
And, also again, this simple economic principle is one that the overwhelming majority of Oregon’s elected Democrats can’t seem to grasp. If your taxes go up the less money you’ll have for normal economic activity. Paying for the things you need to and buying things you want.
Right now the only economic principle that Oregon’s Democrats seem to believe is that if you have money you are stealing it from the government. How dare you keep your own money?
Don’t believe me? We’ve said several times over the last few months that Oregon Democrats right now want to decouple Oregon’s tax code from the federal tax code. Previously it was just an idea — scheme, really — being talked about behind closed doors. Now they’re talking openly about it. Oregon Democrats want to block Oregonians from getting the tax cuts trump gave them in the one big beautiful bill. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime.
And how are Democrats trying to spin taking away more of your money by blocking Trump’s tax cuts? Speaker of the House, Democrat Julie Fahey said, they want to shield Oregon families from harmful federal policies.” And the democrat-friendly media is spinning it this way: quote, “The bill includes tax cuts that could mean more money in Oregonians’ pockets at the state’s expense.” There it is. Keeping your own money, that you earned, is at the state’s expense. That implies that money originates with the state. It belongs to the state.
Well this November Oregonians have a chance to send a giant goodbye to Democrats and remove that kind of thinking from Oregon.
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Additional Show Notes
- Jonathan Williams is the president and chief economist organization at American Legislative Exchange Council. Find out more at ALEC.org.
- Encourage your representatives to join ALEC! There are state and city memberships. Help elected officials understand economic problems and the real solutions available to get out of them. Send them this link: https://alec.org/membership/.
- And you too can join as a private-sector member!
- Follow Jonathan on Twitter at @TaxEconomist.
- Head to Rich States, Poor States to see how your state is doing — 2026’s edition will b e released on tax day, April 15th.
- Oregon taxpayers are getting hammered with the highest effective income tax burden in the nation (Ed Diehl, Facebook post, January 13, 2026)
- Outrageous! What elected Democrats think of your money: “Oregon lawmakers return Feb. 2 facing budget hole, tax fight and transportation fallout” (Central Oregon Daily, Jan 25, 2026)
- Democrat Speaker of the House Julie Fahey: “We’re focused on…shielding Oregon families from harmful federal policies.” Apparently, you need to be “shielded” from federal tax cuts that would let you keep more of the money you earned.
- Also in that article: “The bill includes tax cuts that could mean more money in Oregonians’ pockets at the state’s expense.”
- Many Virginia voters are developing buyer’s remorse after Democrats are pushing a TIDAL WAVE of tax surges on citizens following the most recent election (Eric Daugherty, X post, January 29, 2026)
- Moving Company migration surveys
- U-Haul’s 2025 survey shows Oregon had a net positive for trucks coming into Oregon vs leaving (50.3% inbound)
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