Voters passed tax increases in Oregon (yes, tax increases on the wealthy and corporations)

Riding a wave of populism, voters in Oregon passed two tax increases yesterday:

Oregon voters bucked decades of anti-tax and anti-Salem sentiment Tuesday, raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy to prevent further erosion of public schools and other state services.

The tax measures passed easily, with late returns showing a 54 percent to 46 percent ratio. Measure 66 raises taxes on households with taxable income above $250,000, and Measure 67 sets higher minimum taxes on corporations and increases the tax rate on upper-level profits.

The results triggered waves of relief from educators and legislative leaders, who were facing an estimated $727 million shortfall in the current two-year budget if the measures failed.

Voters voting for a tax increase doesn't happen every day. And, it sounds like this bucks a trend with Oregonians.

Jonathan Singer provides the political context:

The message out of Oregon, like the message out of Massachusetts, is resonating: Voters are in a populist mood right now -- not an anti-government one, necessarily, but a populist one nevertheless. The progressive brand of populism that resonated with Oregonians this month is slightly different than the one that rang true in Massachusetts. Yet the message is just as clear.

The real question now is whether DC will listen, or if instead it will continue to cling to its common wisdom.

If voters passed a tax cut, it would fit with the conventional wisdom. The DC brain trust won't be able to get its collective head around this one.