The Oregonian's Harry Esteve perfectly sums up some of the Oregon Legislature's great accomplishments -- or lack thereof.

Gamblers get more choices. Smokers inhale cheaper cigarettes. And tipplers can hoist a round to Oregon lawmakers who kept state alcohol taxes among the lowest in the nation.

Even gluttons came out OK in the just-ended legislative session, which rejected efforts to require more nutritious school lunches and more time in PE classes.

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Gov. Ted Kulongoski took an expansionist approach to gambling, calling for and getting video slot machines as part of the state-run lottery program, and approving a new tribal casino at Cascade Locks.

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[L]awmakers from both parties made runs at notching up taxes on beer, wine and tobacco, but ran into a brick wall of tax opposition in the House.

While some states take the tack that morals should be enforced through taxation and that people's "sins" should finance the common good -- like schools, for instance -- Oregon's libertarian spirit moves it into an entirely different direction. Do I agree with that direction? Well, schools are in desperate need of more money. But far be it from me to believe that Oregonians should pay another nickel for a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon -- or even a bottle of Widmer for that matter.