WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.180 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we are focusing 00:00:03.180 --> 00:00:05.639 on a place many of us, you know, we think we 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:08.820 know, Oregon. You probably picture rain, craft 00:00:08.820 --> 00:00:11.699 beer, maybe some Portlandia sketches, and just 00:00:11.699 --> 00:00:14.320 a generally progressive laid -back vibe. And 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:16.039 that image is certainly part of the story, but 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:18.070 it's really just the surface. Right. Our source 00:00:18.070 --> 00:00:21.050 material today reveals a state that is so deeply 00:00:21.050 --> 00:00:26.309 defined by its own motto, which translates to 00:00:26.309 --> 00:00:29.050 she flies with her own wings. She flies with 00:00:29.050 --> 00:00:31.600 her own wings. Yeah. And Oregon has. always, 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:34.539 always sought to govern itself, often aggressively 00:00:34.539 --> 00:00:37.460 separate from national norms. And the result 00:00:37.460 --> 00:00:42.119 is this place of dramatic, often jarring contradictions. 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:44.240 We're talking about a state whose landscape swings 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:47.640 from what coastal rainforest to basically a high 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:50.439 desert. A technical high desert. Yes. And a history 00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:53.039 marred by some of the most stringent racial exclusion 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:54.939 laws ever written into a state constitution. 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:57.609 And then at the same time. Its economic life 00:00:57.609 --> 00:00:59.609 is balanced between like the world's largest 00:00:59.609 --> 00:01:02.210 fungus and the world's largest sports apparel 00:01:02.210 --> 00:01:05.629 company. And crucially, it operates under one 00:01:05.629 --> 00:01:08.290 of the most unusual fiscal policies in America, 00:01:08.530 --> 00:01:12.590 the kicker tax law, which acts as a sort of constitutional 00:01:12.590 --> 00:01:15.709 leash on government spending. So that's our mission 00:01:15.709 --> 00:01:17.609 today. We want to trace the complex history, 00:01:17.769 --> 00:01:21.030 explore this unique geography of extremes, and 00:01:21.030 --> 00:01:23.590 really unpack the economic and political engines 00:01:23.590 --> 00:01:26.829 that make Oregon one of the most geographically 00:01:26.829 --> 00:01:31.269 diverse and politically polarized states in the 00:01:31.269 --> 00:01:33.409 U .S. We're going deep into the Beaver State. 00:01:33.629 --> 00:01:35.230 So to set the stage, let's just start with the 00:01:35.230 --> 00:01:38.409 basics. Okay. Oregon was admitted as the 33rd 00:01:38.409 --> 00:01:41.950 state on February 14th, 1859. And as you mentioned, 00:01:42.030 --> 00:01:44.269 the Beaver State is the nickname, which reflects 00:01:44.299 --> 00:01:46.780 the fur trade that really defined its early years. 00:01:46.980 --> 00:01:49.060 And the capital is Salem, right? The third biggest 00:01:49.060 --> 00:01:52.079 city. It is, but Portland just, it dominates 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:54.439 everything. The Portland metro area, which even 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:57.120 stretches up into Washington state, is the 26th 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:00.159 largest in the entire nation. And it's huge geographically 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:01.959 too. I think I saw it's the ninth largest state. 00:02:02.099 --> 00:02:04.700 Ninth largest, covering over 98 ,000 square miles, 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:07.180 which for some perspective makes it significantly 00:02:07.180 --> 00:02:10.659 larger than the entire United Kingdom. Wow. Okay, 00:02:10.699 --> 00:02:12.479 but before we jump into the deep history, we 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:15.860 have to do... The necessary public service. Ah, 00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:18.139 yes. The pronunciation. You have to get it right. 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:21.000 There is a specific, locally preferred way to 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:24.560 say it. Absolutely. The rule, famously popularized 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:27.039 by former Oregon Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington, 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:29.919 is mandatory if you want to avoid the outsider 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:34.979 label. It's Oregon. Never or Egon. Never or Egon. 00:02:35.099 --> 00:02:39.099 It's a key piece of identity, you know, a small 00:02:39.099 --> 00:02:41.259 but really important sign that the locals fly 00:02:41.259 --> 00:02:43.979 with their own wings, even when it comes to bowels. 00:02:44.060 --> 00:02:46.240 OK, let's unpack the state's name itself, because 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:48.909 the story of Oregon is anything but clear. It's 00:02:48.909 --> 00:02:51.150 remarkably uncertain, especially for a state 00:02:51.150 --> 00:02:53.930 admitted relatively late into the Union. And 00:02:53.930 --> 00:02:56.030 the competing theories, they span centuries and 00:02:56.030 --> 00:02:58.090 languages and they really illustrate the complexity 00:02:58.090 --> 00:03:00.710 of those early European encounters. The difficulty 00:03:00.710 --> 00:03:02.629 is that the name just started showing up on maps. 00:03:03.210 --> 00:03:04.789 Before anyone really knew what it meant, right? 00:03:04.930 --> 00:03:07.189 Exactly. It appeared in print before anyone could 00:03:07.189 --> 00:03:09.810 definitively prove its connection to any specific 00:03:09.810 --> 00:03:13.490 geographic or linguistic route. So what are the 00:03:13.490 --> 00:03:15.349 competing theories? Let's start with the Spanish. 00:03:15.490 --> 00:03:17.750 What do the sources suggest there? Okay, so the 00:03:17.750 --> 00:03:20.469 Spanish were the earliest European claimants 00:03:20.469 --> 00:03:23.090 to the Pacific coast. And one theory points to 00:03:23.090 --> 00:03:26.090 a 1598 Spanish chronicle, which referred to the 00:03:26.090 --> 00:03:29.370 area near the Columbia River as Orojon. Wait, 00:03:29.469 --> 00:03:32.409 Orojon means big year in Spanish, doesn't it? 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:34.919 That's a very strange name for a region. It is. 00:03:35.020 --> 00:03:38.460 It's an intensely bizarre name. And the idea 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:41.039 is that this initial designation, El Orojon, 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:43.500 was somehow corrupted over time, maybe through 00:03:43.500 --> 00:03:46.460 transcription errors, shifting that J sound to 00:03:46.460 --> 00:03:49.810 a G, which led to Oregon. That one seems like 00:03:49.810 --> 00:03:51.969 a stretch. It's pretty humorous, but yeah, not 00:03:51.969 --> 00:03:54.090 widely accepted. Other Spanish theories are a 00:03:54.090 --> 00:03:56.150 bit more benign. Maybe it referenced a stream 00:03:56.150 --> 00:03:59.270 in Spain called Arroyo del Oregon, or possibly 00:03:59.270 --> 00:04:01.009 the plant oregano that grows in the southern 00:04:01.009 --> 00:04:02.629 part of the state. Okay, so maybe not Spanish. 00:04:02.770 --> 00:04:05.129 What about the earliest English appearance? The 00:04:05.129 --> 00:04:07.469 word first showed up in English documents in 00:04:07.469 --> 00:04:10.990 1765. Major Robert Rogers petitioned the King 00:04:10.990 --> 00:04:13.590 of Great Britain for a land grant, and he used 00:04:13.590 --> 00:04:16.310 the spelling Oregon to refer to this great but 00:04:16.310 --> 00:04:19.040 still mythical river of the West. A mythical 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:22.160 river. A mythical river. And that spelling shifted 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:25.819 to Oregon by 1778 after Captain James Cook explored 00:04:25.819 --> 00:04:28.470 the coast. And the French theory is all about 00:04:28.470 --> 00:04:31.230 the region's infamous weather, isn't it? Precisely. 00:04:31.310 --> 00:04:35.490 The French word Oregon means windstorm or hurricane. 00:04:35.870 --> 00:04:39.209 And the theory is that French explorers or traders 00:04:39.209 --> 00:04:42.129 heard Native American accounts of these ferocious 00:04:42.129 --> 00:04:44.509 Chinook winds that just whip through the lower 00:04:44.509 --> 00:04:47.149 Columbia River gorge and said, yeah, the name 00:04:47.149 --> 00:04:49.949 fits the stormy, rugged environment. And finally, 00:04:50.029 --> 00:04:53.470 we have what is supposedly the most widely accepted. 00:04:54.009 --> 00:04:56.329 It's a little anticlimactic theory. This is the 00:04:56.329 --> 00:04:59.079 likely winner, yeah. It was proposed by George 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:02.139 R. Stewart in 1944, and it all comes down to 00:05:02.139 --> 00:05:05.399 an engraver's typo on an 18th century French 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:08.339 map. A typo. A typo. Stewart suggested that the 00:05:08.339 --> 00:05:10.000 name started when the Ouissaconsink, which we 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:12.399 now know as the Wisconsin River, was mistakenly 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.300 spelled Wararaconsint. So the engraver just broke 00:05:15.300 --> 00:05:16.779 the word in the wrong place. That's the idea. 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:19.079 They might have broken the name across two lines, 00:05:19.220 --> 00:05:21.259 making it look like a large western river named 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:24.079 Waracon existed. And this typo was then adopted 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.420 by Major Rogers for his petition. So whether 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:29.079 it was... a mythical river, a hurricane, or just 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:32.100 a simple cartographic mistake, the name stuck. 00:05:32.420 --> 00:05:35.779 It stuck. But long before any European speculation, 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.360 this land was shaped by geological forces of 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.740 incredible magnitude and was home to complex 00:05:42.740 --> 00:05:45.899 civilizations. The land itself has a deep, dramatic 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:48.699 history. It really does. We have evidence of 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:51.000 human habitation dating back at least 15 ,000 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.120 years. Archaeological sites like Fort Rock Cave 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:56.759 and the Paisley Caves, they contain material 00:05:56.759 --> 00:06:00.540 dating as far back as 13 ,200 years. And these 00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:02.420 early settlements were concentrated around the 00:06:02.420 --> 00:06:04.819 Columbia River. right? Mostly, yeah. Around the 00:06:04.819 --> 00:06:07.240 plentiful resources of the Columbia and the coastal 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:09.839 estuaries. But the geological drama is, I mean, 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:11.980 it's literally the reason most Oregonians live 00:06:11.980 --> 00:06:14.540 where they do today. We have to talk about the 00:06:14.540 --> 00:06:17.779 massive Missoula floods. This is absolutely critical 00:06:17.779 --> 00:06:20.399 to understanding Western Oregon's identity. During 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:23.439 the last glacial period, enormous ice dams formed, 00:06:23.579 --> 00:06:26.699 creating this vast ancient Lake Missoula in Montana. 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:29.970 And when these dams collapsed. When they collapsed, 00:06:30.050 --> 00:06:32.410 and this happened repeatedly over thousands of 00:06:32.410 --> 00:06:35.550 years, it unleashed these catastrophic floods. 00:06:35.850 --> 00:06:38.629 We're talking about torrents of water and ice 00:06:38.629 --> 00:06:41.170 moving faster than anything imaginable today. 00:06:41.430 --> 00:06:42.970 And what did that do to the Willamette Valley? 00:06:43.290 --> 00:06:45.930 The Willamette Valley, which is today the densely 00:06:45.930 --> 00:06:48.689 populated heart of Oregon, was just inundated. 00:06:48.730 --> 00:06:51.990 It was filled with 300 to 400 feet of water. 00:06:52.129 --> 00:06:54.750 Wow. But the crucial result wasn't destruction. 00:06:54.889 --> 00:06:58.980 It was creation. These floods deposited layers 00:06:58.980 --> 00:07:02.000 and layers of nutrient -rich sediment known as 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.160 Missoula flood silt all throughout the valley. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:06.439 So that's the source of the valley's famous fertility. 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:09.139 That is the source. It supports everything from 00:07:09.139 --> 00:07:10.980 the massive agriculture to the thriving wine 00:07:10.980 --> 00:07:12.879 industry we'll get into later. So by the time 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:15.500 European contact began in earnest... starting 00:07:15.500 --> 00:07:17.800 with Spanish explorers in the mid -16th century, 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:21.060 the region was home to dozens of sophisticated 00:07:21.060 --> 00:07:23.620 indigenous nations. Absolutely. The Chinook, 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:25.959 the Klamath, the Nez Perce, the Umatilla, and 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:28.120 so many others, they were already managing the 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:30.639 resources of the Columbia and its tributaries. 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:32.939 And then the 18th century brought the major players. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:36.399 Captain James Cook explored the coast in 1778, 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:39.120 but the real race for the territory began in 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.660 the 19th century after the Louisiana Purchase 00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:44.459 pushed American interests west. And that journey 00:07:44.459 --> 00:07:47.220 often starts with Lewis and Clark. Yes. They 00:07:47.220 --> 00:07:49.939 arrived in 1805 searching for the Northwest Passage 00:07:49.939 --> 00:07:52.620 and establishing American claims. They built 00:07:52.620 --> 00:07:54.980 Fort Clatsop near the mouth of the Columbia River 00:07:54.980 --> 00:07:57.959 and endured that famous, miserable winter from 00:07:57.959 --> 00:08:02.000 1805 to 1806. Shortly after that, in 1811, John 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:05.259 Jacob Astor financed Fort Astoria. Which established 00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:07.480 the first permanent English -speaking settlement 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:09.439 west of the Rockies. But the English presence 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:11.779 was initially the dominant one, wasn't it? especially 00:08:11.779 --> 00:08:13.860 through the powerful Hudson's Bay Company. Oh, 00:08:13.899 --> 00:08:16.939 absolutely. Following the War of 1812, the British 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:19.480 essentially took over Astor's posts. The Treaty 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:22.139 of 1818 then established a joint British and 00:08:22.139 --> 00:08:24.839 American occupancy. And the Hudson's Bay Company, 00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:27.680 the HPC, they ran everything from Fort Vancouver. 00:08:27.980 --> 00:08:30.579 They did. From their headquarters there, built 00:08:30.579 --> 00:08:34.460 in 1825, the HPC exerted massive control over 00:08:34.460 --> 00:08:37.080 the entire Pacific Northwest. And their goal 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:40.440 was to keep the area as wilderness for the fur 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:42.690 trade, right? They actively discouraged settlement. 00:08:42.889 --> 00:08:46.710 They did, for a while, until around 1841. The 00:08:46.710 --> 00:08:49.370 HBC governor, Sir George Simpson, he realized 00:08:49.370 --> 00:08:51.690 the American pressure was just becoming overwhelming. 00:08:52.190 --> 00:08:54.549 So he changed tactics. In a pretty desperate 00:08:54.549 --> 00:08:56.769 attempt to solidify the British claim to the 00:08:56.769 --> 00:08:59.570 Columbia District, he reversed policy and encouraged 00:08:59.570 --> 00:09:02.389 some Red River Colony settlers to relocate near 00:09:02.389 --> 00:09:06.230 Fort Vancouver. But it was too little, too late. 00:09:06.409 --> 00:09:08.570 Because at that point, the Oregon Trail had become 00:09:08.570 --> 00:09:11.190 the main artery for American migration. It was 00:09:11.190 --> 00:09:14.409 a massive wave starting in earnest around 1842, 00:09:14.629 --> 00:09:17.850 1843. Thousands of American settlers just flooded 00:09:17.850 --> 00:09:20.309 into the Willamette Valley, drawn by the promise 00:09:20.309 --> 00:09:23.549 of free, fertile land. And that influx just made 00:09:23.549 --> 00:09:25.750 the joint occupation unsustainable. Exactly. 00:09:26.070 --> 00:09:28.769 The tension was peacefully dissolved in 1846 00:09:28.769 --> 00:09:30.529 with the Oregon Treaty, which set the border 00:09:30.529 --> 00:09:33.090 at the 49th parallel and formalized the territory 00:09:33.090 --> 00:09:35.659 status as American land. The settlement then 00:09:35.659 --> 00:09:38.259 accelerated rapidly, especially after the Donation 00:09:38.259 --> 00:09:42.200 Land Claim Act of 1850, which, well, it essentially 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:44.620 gave away indigenous land to white settlers. 00:09:44.779 --> 00:09:48.159 It did. But this influx and the resulting political 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:51.000 development coincided with one of the most difficult 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:54.139 parts of Oregon's history, the foundational role 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:57.039 of black exclusion. This is a crucial element 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.000 that has to be fully understood. Yeah. Because 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:01.679 it so profoundly contradicts the modern image 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:04.220 of Oregon. Right. When Oregon was being settled 00:10:04.220 --> 00:10:06.700 and moving towards statehood, it wasn't just 00:10:06.700 --> 00:10:08.820 dealing with the national slavery debate. It 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:11.519 was ensuring that even if it were free, it would 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:14.860 remain explicitly and legally white. And the 00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:17.059 first black exclusion law was passed in December 00:10:17.059 --> 00:10:20.399 1844, when Oregon was still just a provisional 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.980 government. Lay out the details of this law for 00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:25.379 us, because they are. They are truly shocking. 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:29.279 The 1844 law simultaneously banned slavery and 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:31.460 prohibited African Americans from entering the 00:10:31.460 --> 00:10:34.860 territory at all. At all. At all. And if a black 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:37.360 person refused to leave, the consequences were 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.820 written directly into law. They would face arrest 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:41.820 and public physical punishment. This was the 00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:44.639 famous lash law. Yes, the lash law, as it was 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:47.159 known. They would receive no less than 20 and 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:50.100 no more than 39 lashes or stripes on the back. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.409 And this could be repeated. repeatable every 00:10:52.409 --> 00:10:54.889 six months until the individual decided to leave 00:10:54.889 --> 00:10:58.029 the territory. It was institutionalized state 00:10:58.029 --> 00:11:00.690 violence aimed at driving out an entire race. 00:11:00.929 --> 00:11:02.830 They later removed the public whipping part, 00:11:03.029 --> 00:11:05.470 but the intent was still there. The whipping 00:11:05.470 --> 00:11:07.730 clause was removed due to public distaste, but 00:11:07.730 --> 00:11:10.789 yes, the intent of exclusion remained firm. And 00:11:10.789 --> 00:11:13.490 this context is so vital for understanding the 00:11:13.490 --> 00:11:17.240 delay in statehood. Arguments just raged in Congress 00:11:17.240 --> 00:11:19.440 over whether it should be admitted as a free 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:22.899 or a slave state. The irony is staggering. Oregon 00:11:22.899 --> 00:11:26.419 eventually entered as a free state in 1859, but 00:11:26.419 --> 00:11:28.360 only because Southern politicians struck a deal 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:31.179 to open the possibility of slavery in the southwestern 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:33.759 U .S. So in return for securing this free status, 00:11:33.980 --> 00:11:36.519 Oregon's original constitution, which its own 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:39.379 citizens voted to approve, contained a definitive... 00:11:39.769 --> 00:11:42.409 White's only clause. A free state founded not 00:11:42.409 --> 00:11:44.509 on some abolitionist principle, but on white 00:11:44.509 --> 00:11:47.450 exclusion. What did that clause explicitly forbid? 00:11:47.909 --> 00:11:51.970 Section 35 of the 1857 Constitution, which became 00:11:51.970 --> 00:11:55.289 law upon statehood, stated, and I'm quoting here, 00:11:55.769 --> 00:11:58.690 no free Negro or mulatto not residing in this 00:11:58.690 --> 00:12:00.669 state at the time of the adoption of this Constitution 00:12:00.669 --> 00:12:03.629 shall ever come reside or be within this state. 00:12:03.769 --> 00:12:05.970 It goes on, right? It does. Or hold any real 00:12:05.970 --> 00:12:08.450 estate or make any contracts or maintain any 00:12:08.450 --> 00:12:11.460 suit therein. It was a complete legal ban on 00:12:11.460 --> 00:12:13.720 future black settlement designed to create a 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.059 haven for white farmers and laborers who didn't 00:12:16.059 --> 00:12:19.000 want to compete with black workers, free or enslaved. 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:22.840 It's a deep, dark stain. A foundational paradox 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:25.480 where the state motto of self -determination, 00:12:25.580 --> 00:12:28.120 she flies with her own wings, meant independence 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:30.159 only for the white majority. And that clause 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:33.440 wasn't fully repealed until 1926. Even then, 00:12:33.460 --> 00:12:36.080 only due to popular vote pressure. The legacy 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:38.100 of this exclusion is visible even today, isn't 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:40.289 it? For decades, black populations in Oregon 00:12:40.289 --> 00:12:42.330 were just tiny compared to neighboring states 00:12:42.330 --> 00:12:44.529 like California or Washington. It profoundly 00:12:44.529 --> 00:12:47.070 shaped the demographic profile we see now, and 00:12:47.070 --> 00:12:49.070 it's just a necessary counterpoint to the state's 00:12:49.070 --> 00:12:52.029 current progressive image. So the political landscape 00:12:52.029 --> 00:12:54.850 was forged in this fire of independence and exclusion. 00:12:55.590 --> 00:12:58.710 But what about the physical land? How did this 00:12:58.710 --> 00:13:02.389 incredibly varied geography isolate certain regions 00:13:02.389 --> 00:13:05.870 and maybe reinforce some of those early cultural 00:13:05.870 --> 00:13:08.750 and political divides? The geography is a masterclass 00:13:08.750 --> 00:13:11.409 in extremes, and it absolutely dictates the political 00:13:11.409 --> 00:13:14.629 divide. Oregon is the ninth largest state, stretching 00:13:14.629 --> 00:13:17.590 nearly 400 miles east to west. That east -west 00:13:17.590 --> 00:13:19.789 distance tells you a lot about the challenges 00:13:19.789 --> 00:13:22.470 of communication and governance. Exactly. The 00:13:22.470 --> 00:13:25.029 landscape ranges from these lush, temperate rainforests 00:13:24.970 --> 00:13:27.830 forests in the coast range to high desert in 00:13:27.830 --> 00:13:30.289 the southeast. And that southeast region, by 00:13:30.289 --> 00:13:32.549 the way, it still meets the historical and technical 00:13:32.549 --> 00:13:34.750 definition of a frontier. And the mean elevation 00:13:34.750 --> 00:13:38.110 is pretty high, too. 3 ,300 feet, emphasizing 00:13:38.110 --> 00:13:40.610 the mountainous nature of the interior. What 00:13:40.610 --> 00:13:42.490 about its position relative to the rest of the 00:13:42.490 --> 00:13:44.539 country? There's a fun fact about that. There 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:47.700 is a fascinating detail. Oregon's geographical 00:13:47.700 --> 00:13:50.100 center is further west than any of the other 00:13:50.100 --> 00:13:53.159 48 contiguous states. It is physically and culturally 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:56.000 tethered to the Pacific Ocean. Geologically speaking, 00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:59.059 western Oregon sits on a ticking clock, doesn't 00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:01.720 it? It does. The mountains of western Oregon, 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.519 including the formidable Cascade Range home to 00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:06.440 Mount Hood, the state's highest peak at over 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:09.500 11 ,000 feet, were formed by the subduction of 00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:11.519 the Juan de Fuca Plate under the North American 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:14.139 Plate. And that process is still happening. Still 00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:17.220 happening, and it generates significant seismic 00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:20.340 and volcanic risk. The Cascadia subduction zone 00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:23.000 is a geological reality that Oregonians have 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.940 to live with. It's a chilling reminder. I mean, 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:28.139 the entire western flank of the state sits on 00:14:28.139 --> 00:14:30.639 this ticking geological clock. It really does. 00:14:30.919 --> 00:14:33.379 The last time the Cascadia Fault truly spoke 00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:36.840 was in 1700. It was an earthquake so massive 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:39.000 it created a tsunami that traveled all the way 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:41.360 to Japan. And modern planning is finally starting 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:43.360 to account for this, right? Increasingly, yes. 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:45.899 Modern land use planning in the Willamette Valley 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:47.659 is now forced to account for the possibility 00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:51.279 of a magnitude 9 .0 plus earthquake, a risk that 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:53.480 was largely ignored for decades in the name of 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:55.919 development. The Columbia River is another immense 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:59.059 force in this geography. It acts as both a natural 00:14:59.059 --> 00:15:01.740 boundary and an economic lifeline. It defines 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:04.399 so much of the northern border. And it's one 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:06.659 of only two major rivers, the Klamath in the 00:15:06.659 --> 00:15:09.259 south being the other, that manages to cut completely 00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:11.799 through the formidable Cascade Mountains. And 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:14.419 beyond being the conduit for those ancient Missoula 00:15:14.419 --> 00:15:18.159 floods, it's also a huge source of power. Massive 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:20.139 hydroelectric power, thanks to structures like 00:15:20.139 --> 00:15:22.639 the Bonneville Dam, it's been the source of civilization, 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:26.740 trade, and now electricity. Okay, before we delve 00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:28.980 further into the living landscape, we have to 00:15:28.980 --> 00:15:32.320 cover Oregon's quirky record holders. They range 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:34.899 from the incredibly deep to the impossibly small. 00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:36.799 Let's start with the deepest natural feature. 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:40.159 Crater Lake, located in Oregon's only national 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.240 park. It's an intensely blue caldera that holds 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:45.279 the record for the deepest lake in the U .S. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:49.440 at 1 ,943 feet. Formed by the collapse of a volcano, 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:52.799 Mount Mazama. About 7 ,700 years ago, yeah. Then 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.399 you go to the other extreme, the smallest. Portland, 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:58.360 the supposed urban center of quirkiness, is home 00:15:58.360 --> 00:16:00.659 to the world's smallest park. Mill Ends Park. 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.039 Mill Ends Park. Officially recognized by Guinness 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.580 World Records, it measures a minuscule 452 square 00:16:06.580 --> 00:16:08.720 inches. And it started as what, a hole in the 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:11.360 ground? A hole for a light pole that never got 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:14.220 filled. A journalist eventually appropriated 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:17.100 it as a tiny park for leprechauns. It's peak 00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:19.460 Portland. And we have to mention the Dee River, 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:21.940 which is locked in this rivalry. Yes. Oregon 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:24.220 claims the Dee River is the shortest river in 00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:27.259 the world. It flows just 120 feet from Devil's 00:16:27.259 --> 00:16:30.179 Lake to the Pacific Ocean in Lincoln City. But 00:16:30.179 --> 00:16:33.019 Montana disputes this. Montana disputes this 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:36.559 with their Rowe River. It's a very literal and 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.240 often amusing measurement competition that just 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:41.700 encapsulates the state's competitive spirit. 00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:44.460 All right, let's shift to the living wonders, 00:16:44.700 --> 00:16:47.860 the flora and fauna, and maybe the most surprising 00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:50.559 fact about life in Oregon. The world's single 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:53.649 largest known organism resides there. This connects 00:16:53.649 --> 00:16:56.210 directly to that theme of profound subterranean 00:16:56.210 --> 00:16:59.190 forces. About 60 % of the state is forested, 00:16:59.190 --> 00:17:02.129 and that number rises to 80 % west of the Cascades. 00:17:02.169 --> 00:17:04.710 With the Douglas fir, the state tree, being dominant. 00:17:04.869 --> 00:17:06.970 Right, which fuels the massive timber industry. 00:17:07.190 --> 00:17:08.910 But let's talk about the fungus. Tell us about 00:17:08.910 --> 00:17:11.849 the fungus. We're talking about Armillaria astoyae. 00:17:12.140 --> 00:17:14.019 a fungus commonly known as the honey mushroom. 00:17:14.420 --> 00:17:17.220 It lives beneath the soil in the Malheur National 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:20.259 Forest in eastern Oregon. And this is not just 00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:22.900 a collection of mushrooms. It's one single organism. 00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:27.240 One contiguous massive life form. This single 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:30.980 organism spans an astonishing 2 ,200 acres. 2 00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:34.039 ,200 acres. It's the single largest organism 00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:37.559 by area, globally. It's mostly underground, this 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.400 vast network of fungal filaments feeding on tree 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.880 roots. I think it's a brilliant metaphor for 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:46.380 Oregon's identity. A massive, slow -moving, deeply 00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:48.859 complex, and fiercely independent life force 00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:51.119 residing mostly beneath the surface. That's a 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:53.440 powerful way to frame it, that slow, independent 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:56.000 spirit. And the state is still the top timber 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:58.579 producer of the lower 48, even after a massive 00:17:58.579 --> 00:18:00.740 shift in environmental policy. That's a testament 00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:03.099 to the sheer scale of the forests. Despite a 00:18:03.099 --> 00:18:05.920 90 % drop in timber harvest from federal lands 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:08.720 between 1989 and 2011 driven by conservation 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.680 policies, Oregon still leads the U .S. in softwood 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:13.519 lumber production. What about the wildlife? We 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.400 hear about beavers, obviously, but also some 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:18.140 interesting recent returnees. The American beaver 00:18:18.140 --> 00:18:21.079 is the state mammal, of course. And Oregon is 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.839 home to cougars and elk. But the return of gray 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:26.519 wolves is a major story. They were completely 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:28.940 gone from the state for a while. Extirpated around 00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:32.480 1930. But they have returned primarily to the 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:35.099 remote northeast region. And their presence creates 00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:37.460 significant friction with ranchers, which again 00:18:37.460 --> 00:18:39.680 just highlights that tension between the rural 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:42.859 and the urban progressive interests in the state. 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:45.400 Finally, before we transition, let's talk climate. 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:49.019 There's this paradox of mild winters but cool 00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:52.140 summers. Western Oregon enjoys an oceanic climate, 00:18:52.339 --> 00:18:54.400 heavily influenced by the Pacific, so you get 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:57.140 wet winters and dry summers. And despite being 00:18:57.140 --> 00:19:00.140 quite far north, the winters are far milder than 00:19:00.140 --> 00:19:02.519 places at similar latitudes, like the upper Midwest. 00:19:02.859 --> 00:19:05.279 It feels warmer than it should. It does. It feels 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:07.619 similar to coastal Western Europe. But the paradox 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:10.700 is the summer. Oregon ranks fifth for coolest 00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:12.819 average summer temperatures of any year. U .S. 00:19:12.859 --> 00:19:15.460 state. It rarely gets truly hot near the coast 00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:18.059 or in the valley. Meanwhile, eastern Oregon is 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:20.640 a completely different world. Completely different. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:25.299 Cold, snowy winters and very dry summers. It's 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:28.200 a semi -arid or arid steppe climate, much like 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:30.720 the Great Basin. Only the Blue Mountains receive 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:33.099 enough moisture to support extensive forests. 00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:36.440 And speaking of traveling east, there's that 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:38.779 fascinating administrative quirk about the time 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:41.380 zone. Right. While most of the state is in the 00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:43.859 Pacific time zone, which suits its coastal identity, 00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:47.079 most of Malheur County, down in the far southeast 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:49.740 corner bordering Idaho, operates in the mountain 00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:52.460 time zone. Just another small but telling example 00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:55.319 of the state's regional divisions. Defying easy 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:57.420 boundaries, exactly. Okay, let's shift gears 00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:00.079 now and discuss where Oregonians actually live 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:02.359 and how the massive demographic changes over 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:05.480 the last 50 years have altered the state's sociocultural 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:08.119 landscape. The clustering of the population is 00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:11.440 extraordinary. The Willamette Valley is the undisputed 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.759 heart of Oregon life. It runs from Eugene in 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.279 the south through Corvallis and Salem all the 00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:18.619 way up to the Portland metro area. And this is 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:20.400 that ribbon of fertility we talked about thanks 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.640 to those ancient floods. It is. And it's where 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.140 the overwhelming majority of Oregonians, around 00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:27.759 60 percent, reside. We mentioned Astoria as the 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:30.420 first permanent settlement, but Oregon City played 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:33.279 the earliest political role. It did. Oregon City 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:35.420 was the destination point for the Oregon Trail. 00:20:35.819 --> 00:20:38.539 It became the Oregon Territory's first incorporated 00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:41.480 city and served as the first territorial capital 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:45.500 from 1848 until the move to Salem in 1852. So 00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:47.700 these early cities really established the dominance 00:20:47.700 --> 00:20:50.759 of the Willamette Valley. They did. But new centers 00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:52.740 of growth are emerging rapidly, particularly 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:56.250 in the high desert. Bend, located near the geographical 00:20:56.250 --> 00:20:58.869 center of the state, is frequently ranked as 00:20:58.869 --> 00:21:01.730 one of the 10 fastest growing metro areas in 00:21:01.730 --> 00:21:04.089 the entire U .S. What's driving that growth? 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:07.599 Tourism, outdoor recreation, and its appeal as 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:10.000 a remote work destination. And in eastern Oregon, 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:12.599 Hermiston is growing quickly, powered by agriculture 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:15.400 and distribution logistics. It provides a necessary 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:18.059 counterbalance to the West's dominance. And people 00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:20.119 are just flocking to Oregon in general. They 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:22.539 are. The state experienced high in migration, 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:25.039 being named the nation's top moving destination 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:28.700 back in 2014. And this sustained influx of people 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:31.079 is the engine behind the massive demographic 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:33.619 shifts we're about to see. Let's focus on those 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:35.779 demographic shifts, particularly against the 00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:38.380 backdrop of Oregon's early history of explicit 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:42.240 racial exclusion. The numbers show a state that 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:44.740 is fundamentally changing its face. The transformation 00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:47.180 is profound, especially when you consider that 00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:52.599 whites -only clause. In 1970, the non -Hispanic 00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:56.240 white population stood at 95 .8 % of the total. 00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:59.220 Almost entirely white. Almost entirely. By the 00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:01.759 2020 census, that figure had dropped dramatically 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:05.740 to 71 .7%. That is a monumental diversification 00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:08.940 in just five decades. Moving Oregon away from 00:22:08.940 --> 00:22:11.500 that monochromatic ideal it was founded on. Exactly. 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:14.259 And the new diversity is visible across the board. 00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:16.960 The Hispanic or Latino population now makes up 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:19.880 nearly 14 % of the population. The foreign -born 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:22.220 population is also highly diverse, originating 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:24.380 mainly from Latin America and Asia. Who are the 00:22:24.380 --> 00:22:26.779 largest groups? The top five countries of origin 00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:30.240 for immigrants are Mexico, Vietnam, China, India, 00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:32.559 and the Philippines, reflecting modern global 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:34.740 migration patterns. And the state is home to 00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:36.819 some distinct and historically isolated communities, 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:40.240 too. Yes. There's a substantial Roma community 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:42.619 concentrated in the Willamette Valley and Portland 00:22:42.619 --> 00:22:46.200 areas. And perhaps most uniquely, Oregon is home 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:48.680 to the largest community of Russian old believers 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:51.240 found anywhere in the U .S. They settled there 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:53.920 in the 60s and 70s, right? Yes. And they've maintained 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:56.940 a very distinct cultural and religious identity. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:59.460 This brings us to that famous cultural contradiction 00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:02.680 of modern Oregon, the title of least religious 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:05.740 state. This is often misunderstood. Oregon is 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:07.740 frequently cited, sometimes tied with Vermont, 00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:10.440 as the state with the lowest percentage of religious 00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:13.700 communities. Surveys have repeatedly shown that 00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:15.680 Oregon has one of the highest percentages of 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:18.500 residents identifying as non -religious, around 00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:21.789 24%. So a quarter of the population explicitly 00:23:21.789 --> 00:23:24.549 claims no religious affiliation, which reflects 00:23:24.549 --> 00:23:27.750 a strong secular, intellectual and sort of anti 00:23:27.750 --> 00:23:31.329 -establishment culture. Exactly. This high secularism 00:23:31.329 --> 00:23:33.710 is a defining characteristic, particularly in 00:23:33.710 --> 00:23:35.950 the urban centers. However, we have to remember 00:23:35.950 --> 00:23:38.210 that the numerical majority among those who do 00:23:38.210 --> 00:23:40.009 affiliate with a religion remains Christian, 00:23:40.230 --> 00:23:42.650 primarily Roman Catholic. So the state isn't 00:23:42.650 --> 00:23:45.190 atheist. It's just unusually non -affiliated 00:23:45.190 --> 00:23:47.490 and resistant to organized religion compared 00:23:47.490 --> 00:23:50.099 to the rest of the country. Precisely. It suggests 00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:53.019 a culture where individuals are highly comfortable 00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:56.299 forging their own moral and ethical paths, which, 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:58.900 if you loop back to the motto, she flies with 00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:01.980 her own wings, it makes perfect sense. It's an 00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:04.940 independent, skeptical streak applied to faith. 00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:07.599 And that independence feeds directly into the 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:10.109 political and economic landscape. which is where 00:24:10.109 --> 00:24:12.750 Oregon truly defies norms. This is where we get 00:24:12.750 --> 00:24:14.970 into the really unique stuff. Now we move into 00:24:14.970 --> 00:24:17.670 the economic and political realm, where Oregon's 00:24:17.670 --> 00:24:20.269 identity as a place that flies with its own wings 00:24:20.269 --> 00:24:23.490 dictates these truly unique fiscal anomalies 00:24:23.490 --> 00:24:26.210 and groundbreaking legislation. The economy is 00:24:26.210 --> 00:24:28.630 built on a duality. You have traditional resource 00:24:28.630 --> 00:24:30.990 extraction on one hand and cutting -edge technology 00:24:30.990 --> 00:24:33.809 on the other. And that agriculture is still immensely 00:24:33.809 --> 00:24:36.069 strong thanks to the Missoula floods. It is. 00:24:36.069 --> 00:24:39.829 Oregon produces 95 % of domestic U .S. hazelnuts, 00:24:39.869 --> 00:24:42.690 a near monopoly. And it ranks third among U .S. 00:24:42.710 --> 00:24:44.930 states in wineries, benefiting from the perfect 00:24:44.930 --> 00:24:47.450 microclimates in the valley. And we can't forget 00:24:47.450 --> 00:24:50.630 the resource foundation of timber and hydroelectric 00:24:50.630 --> 00:24:53.130 power. Hydroelectric power, especially from the 00:24:53.130 --> 00:24:55.970 Bonneville Dam, provides cheap, reliable power. 00:24:56.150 --> 00:24:58.940 And even though federal harvests are down, Oregon 00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:01.220 still leads the U .S. in softwood lumber production. 00:25:01.539 --> 00:25:04.539 That industry is still a vital economic and cultural 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:06.960 force, especially outside the Willamette Valley. 00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:09.400 But the modern economic engine is the Silicon 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:12.619 Forest. Oh, absolutely. This started in the 1970s 00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:14.940 with high tech manufacturing led by companies 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:18.299 like Tektronix. But the true driver today is 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:20.700 Intel. The state's largest private employer. 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:24.339 Largest for -profit private employer, yes. They 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:27.299 operate four massive facilities, primarily in 00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:30.180 Hillsborough, employing over 22 ,000 people. 00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:33.279 Those campuses essentially form an economy unto 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:35.420 themselves. And this tech dependency is tied 00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:37.900 directly back to Oregon's two major assets we 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:41.049 discussed, cheap power and a cool climate. You 00:25:41.049 --> 00:25:42.970 see this in the proliferation of data centers. 00:25:43.029 --> 00:25:45.589 Tech giants like Google in the Dallas and Facebook 00:25:45.589 --> 00:25:47.910 near Prineville have established these huge data 00:25:47.910 --> 00:25:50.210 centers in eastern Oregon. To leverage the cheap 00:25:50.210 --> 00:25:52.509 hydropower and the naturally cooler climate. 00:25:52.690 --> 00:25:55.710 Right. It significantly reduces the massive costs 00:25:55.710 --> 00:25:59.049 required for cooling server farms. And the state 00:25:59.049 --> 00:26:02.089 is headquarters to some corporate behemoth. Nike. 00:26:02.990 --> 00:26:05.390 The world headquarters is near Beaverton. It's 00:26:05.390 --> 00:26:07.430 the state's largest public corporation and a 00:26:07.430 --> 00:26:10.410 Fortune 500 company. Their sheer global scale 00:26:10.410 --> 00:26:13.029 provides Oregon with enormous brand recognition. 00:26:13.349 --> 00:26:16.210 And Adidas is there, too. Adidas bases its American 00:26:16.210 --> 00:26:18.619 headquarters in Portland. The fact that the two 00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:21.660 largest global rivals in athletic wear are headquartered 00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:23.920 in the same state is another one of those remarkable 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:26.880 economic quirks. OK, let's pivot from corporate 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:29.900 giants to the fiscal anomalies that govern how 00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:32.680 the state pays for itself. It all starts with 00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:35.599 the glaring absence of a sales tax. Oregon is 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:37.640 famously one of only five states in the nation 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:40.039 with no statewide sales tax. And this isn't an 00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:42.660 accident. It's an act of choice. Voters have 00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:45.059 rejected proposals to enact a sales tax nine 00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:48.140 times. The last time was in 1993, and it was 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:51.119 by a huge margin. A whopping three to one margin. 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:53.619 The opposition is just deeply entrenched in the 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:55.640 state's culture of independence and distrust 00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:57.910 of government. So because the state can't rely 00:26:57.910 --> 00:27:01.250 on sales tax revenue, that burden shifts heavily 00:27:01.250 --> 00:27:04.690 to property taxes and critically personal income 00:27:04.690 --> 00:27:07.230 tax. Right. And as a result, Oregon has one of 00:27:07.230 --> 00:27:09.150 the highest personal income tax rates in the 00:27:09.150 --> 00:27:11.609 nation, the fifth highest, in fact. It's a very 00:27:11.609 --> 00:27:13.549 deliberate tradeoff the citizenry has chosen. 00:27:13.690 --> 00:27:16.289 High income tax in exchange for tax free consumption. 00:27:16.630 --> 00:27:19.490 Exactly. And the state's need for revenue leads 00:27:19.490 --> 00:27:22.390 to these truly specific measures like the bicycle 00:27:22.390 --> 00:27:25.589 tax. A classic Oregonian solution. They are the 00:27:25.589 --> 00:27:28.950 only state in the country with a $15 excise tax 00:27:28.950 --> 00:27:32.829 on new bicycles costing over $200. It's a targeted 00:27:32.829 --> 00:27:35.329 tax aimed at the state's massive cycling culture. 00:27:35.549 --> 00:27:37.849 But the defining fiscal anomaly, the one that 00:27:37.849 --> 00:27:40.369 governs nearly all spending and budgeting, is 00:27:40.369 --> 00:27:42.890 the kicker law. We need to explain this clearly. 00:27:43.150 --> 00:27:46.089 The kicker is a constitutional mechanism enshrined 00:27:46.089 --> 00:27:48.450 in the state constitution since 2000, though 00:27:48.450 --> 00:27:51.430 its roots go back to 1979. It is essentially 00:27:51.430 --> 00:27:54.410 a constitutional anti -tax insurance policy for 00:27:54.410 --> 00:27:56.730 the citizens. So lay out the mechanics for us. 00:27:56.789 --> 00:27:58.880 How does it work? The law mandates that if the 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:01.579 state government's income tax collections exceed 00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:04.279 the official revenue estimates made by state 00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:07.079 economists by 2 % or more during a two -year 00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:10.019 budget cycle, then the entire excess amount, 00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:12.700 100 % of it, must be refunded directly to the 00:28:12.700 --> 00:28:15.160 taxpayers. So if the government makes a planning 00:28:15.160 --> 00:28:17.619 error and takes in too much money, it doesn't 00:28:17.619 --> 00:28:19.539 get to keep it for a rainy day fund or spend 00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:21.619 it on new services. It has to treat that over 00:28:21.619 --> 00:28:24.380 like a mistake and give it all back. Precisely. 00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:27.220 It's a profound limitation on state spending. 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:30.460 It forces the legislature to be incredibly conservative 00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:34.099 in its estimates. And since 1979, refunds have 00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:36.500 been triggered and issued for seven of the 11 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:38.779 biennia. So it happens pretty often. It does. 00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:41.940 The kicker represents a deep institutionalized 00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:44.079 distrust of centralized government spending. 00:28:44.730 --> 00:28:47.130 It's maybe the clearest expression of she flies 00:28:47.130 --> 00:28:49.569 with her own wings when it comes to money. And 00:28:49.569 --> 00:28:52.230 that drive for direct citizen input is also the 00:28:52.230 --> 00:28:54.769 foundation of Oregon's long history of progressive 00:28:54.769 --> 00:28:57.089 governance in these landmark social experiments. 00:28:57.210 --> 00:29:00.299 That history begins with the Oregon system. In 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:03.299 1902, Oregon became the first state to adopt 00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:06.519 direct legislation through initiatives and referendums. 00:29:06.660 --> 00:29:08.980 This allows citizens to just bypass the legislature 00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:11.099 entirely, right? They can propose or approve 00:29:11.099 --> 00:29:13.960 laws or constitutional amendments directly on 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:16.839 the ballot. And this system has produced truly 00:29:16.839 --> 00:29:19.759 revolutionary policy shifts. Like pioneering 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:22.539 vote by mail? Absolutely. Oregon pioneered the 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:24.960 American use of postal voting, mandating it for 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:27.819 all counties in 1998. It's still one of only 00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:30.069 two states where voting by mail... is the sole 00:29:30.069 --> 00:29:33.190 method. And famously, in 1994, using that direct 00:29:33.190 --> 00:29:35.750 democracy mechanism, Oregon became the first 00:29:35.750 --> 00:29:38.670 U .S. state to legalize physician -assisted suicide. 00:29:38.930 --> 00:29:41.329 Through the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, yes. 00:29:41.569 --> 00:29:44.069 And more recently, Oregon took on one of the 00:29:44.069 --> 00:29:46.410 most controversial social issues of our time. 00:29:46.910 --> 00:29:49.509 drug decriminalization. This was in 2020 with 00:29:49.509 --> 00:29:52.150 Measure 110. Right. Through that ballot measure, 00:29:52.390 --> 00:29:54.809 Oregon became the first state to decriminalize 00:29:54.809 --> 00:29:56.710 the possession of small quantities of street 00:29:56.710 --> 00:29:59.390 drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. 00:29:59.730 --> 00:30:02.089 The intent was to treat addiction as a public 00:30:02.089 --> 00:30:04.269 health issue rather than a criminal one. But 00:30:04.269 --> 00:30:06.970 this policy was recently reversed, which highlights 00:30:06.970 --> 00:30:09.470 the complexity of this kind of direct democracy 00:30:09.470 --> 00:30:12.630 and self -experimentation. It was. After three 00:30:12.630 --> 00:30:15.190 years, the initiative was widely criticized as 00:30:15.190 --> 00:30:18.329 a mixed success. Drug overdose deaths continued 00:30:18.329 --> 00:30:21.210 to rise sharply, and critics argued the treatment 00:30:21.210 --> 00:30:23.849 system just wasn't adequately built out to handle 00:30:23.849 --> 00:30:26.690 the demand. So in 2024, the legislature stepped 00:30:26.690 --> 00:30:30.220 in. Responding to intense pushback from law enforcement 00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:33.140 and city officials, they reversed the decriminalization 00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:35.980 component. So possession became criminalized 00:30:35.980 --> 00:30:37.779 again. But they kept the public health focus. 00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:40.400 They did. The state heavily expanded funding 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:42.579 for treatment services, maintaining the public 00:30:42.579 --> 00:30:45.299 health focus of the original measure, but now 00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:47.819 using criminal penalties as a kind of leverage. 00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:50.160 It was a very quick and significant course correction. 00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:52.700 It shows that while Oregon is willing to lead 00:30:52.700 --> 00:30:55.259 with these radical social experiments, it's also 00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:57.809 willing to course correct quickly. when the data 00:30:57.809 --> 00:31:00.710 proves challenging. And they also pioneered psychedelics 00:31:00.710 --> 00:31:02.890 around the same time. Also a 2020 ballot measure. 00:31:03.089 --> 00:31:05.369 They approved creating a legal framework for 00:31:05.369 --> 00:31:07.549 the therapeutic administration of psilocybin. 00:31:07.730 --> 00:31:09.730 Okay, before we leave governance, there's one 00:31:09.730 --> 00:31:13.690 final incredible constitutional quirk about the 00:31:13.690 --> 00:31:16.849 executive branch. Ah, yes. Oregon is the only 00:31:16.849 --> 00:31:19.069 state in the entire nation that does not have 00:31:19.069 --> 00:31:21.309 a mechanism to impeach executive office holders, 00:31:21.509 --> 00:31:24.349 including the governor. No impeachment. So how 00:31:24.349 --> 00:31:26.539 do you remove a governor? It requires a recall 00:31:26.539 --> 00:31:29.859 election. This structural limitation means political 00:31:29.859 --> 00:31:32.279 accountability is handled through popular vote, 00:31:32.420 --> 00:31:35.819 not legislative action. And all of this complex 00:31:35.819 --> 00:31:39.079 independent policy happens within an intensely 00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:42.779 polarized political climate, entirely split by 00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:44.900 that geographical line we discussed. Yeah. The 00:31:44.900 --> 00:31:48.299 cascade range. The split is visceral. The Willamette 00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:51.019 Valley urban centers, Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, 00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:54.400 Salem are overwhelmingly liberal. They form the 00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:56.859 foundation of Oregon's progressive policy reputation. 00:31:57.079 --> 00:31:58.940 And the other side. The eastern two thirds of 00:31:58.940 --> 00:32:00.960 the state, the high desert and mountain regions 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:03.519 are staunchly conservative and vote reliably 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:05.819 Republican. And the data confirms this isn't 00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:08.839 just anecdotal. A 2008 analysis found Oregon 00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:11.440 to be the most politically polarized state in 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:14.400 the country. It boasts both both most liberal 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:18.339 Democratic voters and, conversely, the most conservative 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:21.369 Republican voters nationally. So statewide elections 00:32:21.369 --> 00:32:24.109 are often decided by the sheer population density 00:32:24.109 --> 00:32:26.309 in that narrow corridor of the Willamette Valley. 00:32:26.529 --> 00:32:28.829 That's right. And a recent development has expanded 00:32:28.829 --> 00:32:31.569 Oregon's federal political power, too. Following 00:32:31.569 --> 00:32:34.450 the 2020 census, Oregon gained a sixth congressional 00:32:34.450 --> 00:32:37.009 seat due to population growth. Which increases 00:32:37.009 --> 00:32:39.950 its total electoral college votes to eight. For 00:32:39.950 --> 00:32:43.190 the 2024 election and onward, yes. This increased 00:32:43.190 --> 00:32:45.710 national influence only intensifies the pressure 00:32:45.710 --> 00:32:48.309 points between the state's urban and rural populations. 00:32:48.710 --> 00:32:51.730 We've covered geology. history, policy, and politics. 00:32:52.269 --> 00:32:54.430 Now let's wrap up with a quick look at Oregon's 00:32:54.430 --> 00:32:57.069 cultural footprint through sports, film, and 00:32:57.069 --> 00:32:59.789 global connections. Oregon is rapidly becoming 00:32:59.789 --> 00:33:02.309 a major professional sports hub. For decades, 00:33:02.490 --> 00:33:04.589 the NBA's Portland Trailblazers were the only 00:33:04.589 --> 00:33:07.630 major team famous for their 1977 championship. 00:33:07.970 --> 00:33:11.000 But now soccer's huge. Soccer reigns supreme 00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:14.460 in terms of sheer fan enthusiasm. The atmosphere 00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:17.099 at Providence Park for a soccer match is legendary. 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:19.859 The state hosts the Portland Timbers of the MLS 00:33:19.859 --> 00:33:23.930 and the Portland Thorns FC of the NWSL. And the 00:33:23.930 --> 00:33:26.769 Thorns are cultural icons in the city. They're 00:33:26.769 --> 00:33:28.849 three -time champions, and they consistently 00:33:28.849 --> 00:33:32.430 lead the entire NWSL in attendance, often drawing 00:33:32.430 --> 00:33:36.410 massive, passionate crowds that rival men's professional 00:33:36.410 --> 00:33:38.930 teams. And the future of professional sports 00:33:38.930 --> 00:33:42.470 in Oregon is female, with a new WNBA team on 00:33:42.470 --> 00:33:45.289 the horizon. Yes, the Portland Fire are set to 00:33:45.289 --> 00:33:48.369 begin play in 2026, further cementing Portland's 00:33:48.369 --> 00:33:50.809 reputation as a high -engagement sports market. 00:33:50.970 --> 00:33:53.759 And beyond the pros. The collegiate rivalry between 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:55.559 the Oregon State Beavers and the University of 00:33:55.559 --> 00:33:58.859 Oregon Ducks is a massive cultural event. Especially 00:33:58.859 --> 00:34:01.000 in the Pac -12 conference, which dominates local 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:03.279 attention. And Oregon has served as a stunning 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:05.279 location for film shoots thanks to that geographical 00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:07.460 diversity we spent so much time on. The coast, 00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:09.739 the valley, the high desert, it offers everything. 00:34:10.139 --> 00:34:13.039 Classic examples include the Goonies, which defines 00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:16.019 the Astoria coast for so many people, and one 00:34:16.019 --> 00:34:18.820 flew over the cuckoo's nest. This legacy is preserved 00:34:18.820 --> 00:34:21.659 at the Oregon Film Museum in Astoria. And of 00:34:21.659 --> 00:34:23.940 course, the state claims a piece of global pop 00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:27.039 culture through native son Matt Groening. Who 00:34:27.039 --> 00:34:29.639 incorporated so many references from his hometown 00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:32.500 of Portland into the enduring universe of The 00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:35.119 Simpsons. Finally, let's just touch on Oregon's 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:37.489 global reach. reflected in its international 00:34:37.489 --> 00:34:40.250 sister region partnerships. They aren't just 00:34:40.250 --> 00:34:42.329 partnering with predictable neighbors. That's 00:34:42.329 --> 00:34:45.090 where the detail is fascinating. Oregon has relationships 00:34:45.090 --> 00:34:48.030 with major trading partners like Fujian Province 00:34:48.030 --> 00:34:51.570 in China, Toyama Prefecture in Japan, and South 00:34:51.570 --> 00:34:54.429 Geola Province in South Korea. But the most unexpected 00:34:54.429 --> 00:34:57.610 connection is with Iraqi Kurdistan. It is. And 00:34:57.610 --> 00:34:59.630 a partnership like that tells us a lot about 00:34:59.630 --> 00:35:02.670 modern Oregon's global priorities. That specific 00:35:02.670 --> 00:35:04.969 partnership was established to foster educational 00:35:04.969 --> 00:35:07.710 and medical exchanges. So it suggests Oregon's 00:35:07.710 --> 00:35:10.269 independent spirit is also applied to international 00:35:10.269 --> 00:35:13.469 outreach. Focusing on unique diplomatic and trade 00:35:13.469 --> 00:35:16.150 connections outside of the typical federal framework. 00:35:16.449 --> 00:35:20.010 What a journey from ancient flooded valleys and 00:35:20.010 --> 00:35:22.769 complex naming mysteries through the profound 00:35:22.769 --> 00:35:25.789 paradox of a free state founded on exclusion. 00:35:26.030 --> 00:35:29.010 laws to this modern economy powered by Nike, 00:35:29.210 --> 00:35:32.230 Intel, and local hazelnuts. It's a state that 00:35:32.230 --> 00:35:34.329 is constantly governing itself through unique 00:35:34.329 --> 00:35:37.329 legislation, like the $15 bike tax, the Death 00:35:37.329 --> 00:35:39.670 with Dignity Act, and that defining constitutional 00:35:39.670 --> 00:35:43.059 leash on government known as the kicker. Oregon 00:35:43.059 --> 00:35:45.820 truly operates on its own terms, often deliberately 00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:48.440 separate from national norms, whether in its 00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:51.260 tax structure or its social policies. It is defined 00:35:51.260 --> 00:35:53.940 by its extremes. And that leads us to our final 00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:56.099 thought for you to consider as you wrap up this 00:35:56.099 --> 00:35:59.260 deep dive. We've seen that motto, she flies with 00:35:59.260 --> 00:36:01.940 her own wings, reflected most clearly in the 00:36:01.940 --> 00:36:04.860 Oregon system of direct democracy. Right. Citizens 00:36:04.860 --> 00:36:07.260 are constantly intervening directly through initiatives 00:36:07.260 --> 00:36:09.860 and referendums, legislating everything from 00:36:09.860 --> 00:36:12.280 pump -your -own -gas rules to the very nature 00:36:12.280 --> 00:36:14.719 of health care with the Oregon Health Plan and 00:36:14.719 --> 00:36:17.239 the complex, rapid evolution of drug policy. 00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:19.579 So the question is, how does this deep, inherent 00:36:19.579 --> 00:36:21.760 drive for self -determination and direct control 00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:24.960 define the state's ongoing, often turbulent evolution? 00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:28.019 Does this constant reliance on the popular will, 00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:30.300 expressed through ballot boxes and constitutional 00:36:30.300 --> 00:36:33.500 quirks like the Kicker Law, create a more resilient, 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:36.860 responsive, and innovative civic life? Or does 00:36:36.860 --> 00:36:39.619 it simply guarantee perpetual, intense polarization 00:36:39.619 --> 00:36:42.440 between its highly concentrated urban centers 00:36:42.440 --> 00:36:45.360 and its vast conservative frontier? It's the 00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:47.539 central tension of the state, and one we will 00:36:47.539 --> 00:36:49.599 certainly continue watching. Thank you for joining 00:36:49.599 --> 00:36:51.260 us for the Deep Dive. We'll see you next time.