The Tariff Two-Step: A Dialogue on Roads, Revenue, and Reckless Spending in Oregon

In today's episode of America the Battlefield, Tim sits down with Ben Roche over coffee, the former Chair of the Linn County Republican Party, stepping through the back-and-forth dance of state policy missteps and budget band-aids. One starts with a jab: "You see ODOT wants more taxes again? Gas, mileage, tolls—you name it.” The other counters, “And yet, they can’t keep the roads paved. Where's all that money going?”

They “two-step” through topics: the Oregon Transportation Package in 2017 which promised smoother roads but now shows signs of crumbling promises. They challenge vehicle fees and how gas taxes hurt the working-class, and discuss the tolling schemes that feel more like revenue traps than traffic solutions.

As Tim and Ben waltz into the deeper details, they dig into the Oregon Department of Transportation’s financial mismanagement—like the BILLIONS in debt and nearly $30 billion in upcoming project costs.

“It’s like they’ve choreographed a budget ballet where the taxpayers always foot the bill for the encore.”

By the end of their chat, the theme is clear: Oregon’s transportation policy has become a careful dance of shifting costs and dodging accountability—a real Tariff Two-Step where they try to pass the buck to Trump, while Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and the ODOT keeps changing the rhythm, and the public keeps getting stepped-on.

Ben Roche's Substack: https://substack.com/@bensviewpoint

'The Tariff Two-Step: Oregon Democrats Dance Around Direct Taxes While Crying Foul Over Trade Policy' by Ben Roche, April 5, 2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-160661644

This might be the single best explanation of Trump’s tariff policies I’ve seen and it was from a former Democrat on Piers Morgan: https://x.com/DC_Draino/status/1907606593509769654

'Oregon Legislature posts first draft transportation package, with gas tax hike and pay-per-mile fee' by Portland's NBC-KGW8:

Article: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/legislature-first-draft-transportation-package-gas-tax-hike/283-c9cdb781-f483-4c5b-aa91-6c3638fb19af

Video: https://youtu.be/PBIjo9kLYiU?si=r1OVHVo1marFxhVU

Oregon Freedom Coalition: https://oregonfreedom.com

Ed Diehl, President: https://oregonfreedom.com/leadership

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