Karen Minnis Bails Out; Dennis Richardson Fills In
On Wednesday, we asked Blue Oregonians to suggest questions for Speaker Karen Minnis at her appearance today at the Portland City Club.
This morning, she bailed out. Officially, it has something to do with a last-minute meeting called by the Governor related to today's budget forecast. Of course, her office scheduled the City Club appearance because today would be the day for the budget forecast. So, it's likely that the budget forecast is going to be unexpectedly good or unexpectedly bad.
In any case, the Speaker is sending a pinch hitter: Representative Dennis Richardson, the speaker pro tem. (Literally, the official pinch hitter.) Richardson is well-known for his strongly held conservative views. To his credit, he publishes them in his newsletter, archived for public review.
So, now that Karen Minnis is afraid to face your questions, what questions do you have for Dennis Richardson?
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May 13, 2005
Posted in in the news 2005. |
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May 13, '05
Given that the voters supported Measure 37, and the sponsors said they'd crossed every t and dotted every i, why is the Legislature changing it? Why are you trying to weaken our land use laws instead of compensating people? Doesn't that go against the will of the voters? Less than a third of Oregon voters think our land use laws are too strict.
May 13, '05
What is the weather like on your planet?
May 13, '05
Given the tree hugging, anti-republican, and pro-socialist membership roster at City Club, who can blame her for getting cold feet?
She would probably get a warmer reception at the Egyptian Club than the City Club.
1:14 p.m.
May 13, '05
Dear Speaker Minnis,
There is no reason to sign your name as Lacy Underall- we understand if you are nervous about facing a room full of informed citizens and voters, but funding for K-12 does not make someone a socialist. And if you want to spend your time at the Egyptian Clubs, go for it, but don't use don't use pro-civil rights, pro-education, pro-economic growth progressives as the excuse.
May 13, '05
Yo! Walk LIke...
Lacy is a cross dressing dude: definitely not Rep. Minnis.
Name one pro-economic growth program widely supported by "progressives."
And don't say Public Power, more gambling, OLCC open on Sundays, or Wind Farms. The righties don't believe these examples of Democratic opportunism are actually "pro-growth."
2:35 p.m.
May 13, '05
The righties don't believe these examples of Democratic opportunism are actually "pro-growth."
That doesn't mean they aren't, of course.
May 13, '05
Now that Speaker Karen Minnis (R) ducked the speech at the last second, I have a new question for her: why are you such a coward?
3:59 p.m.
May 13, '05
Rep Richardson,
Why do you consistently adopt a "hands off" policy for buyout negotiations between two private corporations, and then show a tender concern that the "ratepayers" should be the final arbiters of any government purchase of PGE?
By this logic, should renters be allowed to decide how much rent they will pay? Or maybe that should be the case only in section 8 housing.
Just wondering......
May 13, '05
Rep. Richardson,
Next time you present your theories on government and the electorate, can you tell us what level of government "efficiency" you hope to achieve as a steward of our state agencies? If there is a specific number that would make you feel secure in supporting the public's business, it would be instructive to make this target publicly known. Likewise, you should let us know where we stand now, so we can judge our progress towards accomplishing our goal. Also, it would be interesting to know how 10 plus years of Republican control of the budget process in the House has advanced your goal of efficiency. Finally, how logical is it (or is it simply consistent with anti-government bias) to argue that inefficency (whatever you mean by this) must naturally dictate tightening of the belt. Is it wise to skimp on variable costs so that the fixed cost investments in government agencies yield less and less? (eg buy hotel room and plane ticket to Cancun, save $10 cab fare from airport but forced to spend vacation sleeping in airport). Does this make us more efficent? While your emotion as a speaker may be impressive, it would be more convincing as political theater if you suggested under what conditions you might support a ballot initative such as Measure 30. Will we always be just shy of your efficiency target? I guess we won't know if you never tell us what it is. How clever.
--Aubrey Russell
May 14, '05
OK, to be fair, politicians cancel engagements all the time. Or, worse, they show up for 10 minutes, full of fan-fair, distract everyone from the real issues at hand, kiss babies, shake hands, don't answer any real questions and depart in equally as much fan-fair, and "the people" (their employers) feel blessed by their presence (and conversely, disempowered by it). It is part of the problem; we extoll (or revile) the personality cult of the politician instead of listening for their stand and holding them accountable for their actions. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that Karen Minnis is a poor leader, but the message she sends by bailing on City Club is as important as what she would have said if she'd shown up and evaded, squirmed through or refused to answer the tough questions she surely would have been asked. She is not interested in a dialogue with the citizens of Oregon. She is interested in building the personality cult of Karen Minnis, even though that personality cult could be summed up as one of a spineless wimp with a big mouth.