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| | ==51st State of America?== | | ==51st State of America?== |
| | Conservative secessionist movements exist for Eastern Oregon to [[secede]] and join the [[United States]] as a 51st state.<ref>Wright, Phil, [http://www.eastoregonian.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48&ArticleID=76761 Group eyes Eastern Oregon as 51st state], East Oregonian, Published April 25, 2008.</ref> This [[secession]] movement is similar to other Northwest secession proposals such as the conservative [[Jefferson (Pacific state)|Jefferson]] (far [[Northern California]] and [[Southwestern Oregon]]) and conservative [[Lincoln (Northwest state)|Lincoln]] ([[Northern Idaho]] and [[Eastern Washington]]). However, the proponents of this plan have not presented a path forward to achieve this goal. | | Conservative secessionist movements exist for Eastern Oregon to [[secede]] and join the [[United States]] as a 51st state.<ref>Wright, Phil, [http://www.eastoregonian.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48&ArticleID=76761 Group eyes Eastern Oregon as 51st state], East Oregonian, Published April 25, 2008.</ref> This [[secession]] movement is similar to other Northwest secession proposals such as the conservative [[Jefferson (Pacific state)|Jefferson]] (far [[Northern California]] and [[Southwestern Oregon]]) and conservative [[Lincoln (Northwest state)|Lincoln]] ([[Northern Idaho]] and [[Eastern Washington]]). However, the proponents of this plan have not presented a path forward to achieve this goal. |
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| − | ==[[Essay:Survivalist Retreat Potential Rank]]ing Analysis by [[James Wesley Rawles]]==
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| − | * [[Population]]: 3.4 million.
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| − | * [[Population density]]: 35 per square mile (Rank 9 of JWR’s top 19 states) (The highest density is in the northwest part of the state. It is much lower elsewhere, particular eastern 2/3rds of the state.)
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| − | * Area: 97,000 square miles (rank 10 of 50).
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| − | * Average car insurance cost: $704/yr. (rank 35 of 50).
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| − | * Average home insurance cost: $343/yr. (rank 47 of 50).
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| − | * [[Essay:Crime Safety Ranking|Crime Safety Ranking]]: 18 of 50.
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| − | * [[Boston T. Party]]’s State Firearms Laws Ranking (see [[Essay:State Firearms Laws Ranking]]) from [[Boston's Gun Bible]]: 65%.<ref>[[Boston T. Party]], ''[[Boston's Gun Bible]]'', Chapter 34 [[Essay:State Firearms Laws Ranking ]], [[Common law]] [[copyright]], [[Wyoming]] [[American Redoubt]] - Printed in the "united states of America" without any 4 USC §§ 105-110 [[Federal]] area or [[State]]: [[Javelin Press]] 1997-2008: pp. 34/3-8. [[ISBN]] 1-888766-06-9</ref>
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| − | * Per capita income: $27,660 (rank 25 of 50).
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| − | * ACT & [[SAT]] Scores Ranking: 10 of 50 (tied with Washington).<ref name="survivalblog"> 357 word [[quotation]]: [[Fair Use]] Source: [[James Wesley Rawles|Rawles, James Wesley]]. ''[[Rawles on Retreats and Relocation]]''. 1st. Clearwater, [[Idaho]], [[American Redoubt]]: The Clearwater Press, 2007. p. 87. See [[Talk:James_Wesley_Rawles#Template:James_Wesley_Rawles_authorized_quotation|James Wesley Rawles on Fair Use]]</ref><ref>[[James Wesley Rawles|Rawles, James Wesley]], "[http://www.survivalblog.com/retreatareas.html Recommended Retreat Areas]". [[Idaho]], [[American Redoubt]]: [[The Survival Blog]]. Accessed February 20, 2015</ref> <ref>Rawles, Jonathan, "[http://www.survivalrealty.com/united-states/oregon Oregon Retreat Locations] [[Idaho]], [[American Redoubt]] [[The Survival Blog]], Accessed February 20, 2015</ref>, <ref name="survivalblog"/>
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| − | ===Plusses===
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| − | * No [[sales tax]].
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| − | * Very low home insurance rates. (Average of $343 per year. Ranks #47 in the country!)
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| − | * Has a high rating in “education freedom” (ranked #5 of 50), since Oregon has relaxed [[home schooling]] laws.
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| − | * Relatively low car insurance rates.
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| − | * "Note: In the late 1970s, the much-respected [[:Category:Preparedness Authors|survival writer]] [[Mel Tappan]] touted [[Southwest Oregon|southwestern Oregon]] -- particularly the [[Rogue Valley|Rogue Rogue River Valley]] -- as a [[strategic relocation|survival haven]]. But that was back when [[California]] had a population of only around 20 million people. Today, I'm not sure that southwestern Oregon will have sufficient geographic isolation to be immune from California's "[[Golden Horde]]" in the event of an abrupt [[TEOTWAWKI]]. Presently, I recommend the [[Grande Ronde Valley]] of [[Eastern Oregon]]."<ref name="survivalblog"/>
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| − | ===Minuses===
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| − | * High [[property tax|property taxes]].
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| − | * Creeping "Californication".
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| − | * Second lowest church attendance rate in the country.
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| − | * Restrictive [[zoning]] and expensive [[building permit]]s in many western counties.
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| − | * [[Private party gun sales]] at [[gun shows]] were recently [[gun control|banned]].
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| − | * "All transactions involving modern (post-1898) guns at gun shows must now be processed through a [[FFL]]-licensed dealer, with the requisite paperwork. Sadly, since gun shows are the best place to find a decent selection of used guns, and since many metropolitan newspapers now refuse to run gun ads in their classified sections, I consider this change in the Oregon law a significant hit against [[firearms freedom]]."
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| − | * Parts of the state are recommended, (with reservations).
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| − | "Note: I probably should have given Oregon a lower survival ranking, due to its mediocre gun and tax laws. However, its favorable [[climate]] and long [[growing season]] pushed it up the list slightly."
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| − | JWR’s Combined Retreat Potential Ranking: 3 of 19.<ref>374 word quotation: [[Fair Use]] Source: [[James Wesley Rawles|Rawles, James Wesley]]. ''[[Rawles on Retreats and Relocation]]''. 1st. Clearwater, Idaho: The Clearwater Press, 2007. p. 64. Print.</ref><ref>[http://www.survivalblog.com/retreatareas.html Recommended Retreat Areas] Accessed February 20, 2015</ref>
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| | ==Eastern Oregon Elected Officials== | | ==Eastern Oregon Elected Officials== |