It backfired spectacularly after he realized how crucial Texas is to the Portland and Oregon economy.

Even the far-left editorial board of The Oregonian newspaper lambasted Wheeler and City Council for wasting their time on Texas.

They point out:

“It’s unclear how much Portland’s boycott would even affect Texas and raises questions about how far such a ban should extend. For instance, does that include airfare purchased on American Airlines, which is headquartered in Fort Worth? Food products from Houston behemoth Sysco? Facial tissue or toilet paper from Dallas-based Kimberly Clark?...

the real question here is: Why is this symbolic action considered a priority in a city with so many concrete needs?

Portland already has logged the most homicides in 25 years and we still have three months to go. Traffic deaths are also nearing record levels. Piles of trash line our streets, parks and neighborhoods. We’re still waiting on a police contract and police officers are fleeing an already short-staffed bureau. And City Council has given few answers or updates on their plans – assuming they have some – for tackling these problems…

…our city leaders’ focus must be on taking meaningful actions that benefit the lives of the people they represent – not on progressive preening to score some short-term points.”

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