I guess Lars took the day off to haul another (tax free) $10,000 plasma tv from Good Guys at Jantzen Beach, across the Interstate Bridge, under cover of darkness, to his new West Vancouver tract home. We would all hate for the GOP Radio God to pay HIS state of Washington its fair share of taxes, right, Little Larsy?

Kari Chisholm Said Worst of all, "I've had this planned for a very long time." Is that what Baby Lars actually said? That is so out of line. The voters did not put him into office not for him to pander the far right and to hear his own voice. I’ve heard him say in the past that he was for going his per diem while he was doing the show, I was floored to here him say that. Trust me if a Vicky Walker stood in for Tom H. the right would come unglued, so why are the Nigel Jaquiss types not up in arms over a state rep doing this crap?

This is awfully hypocritical. Doesn't anyone pay attention to the most infamous no-show in the state? Kelly Wirth is hardly ever there. She misses votes almost every day of the week. She doesn't even show up for committee meetings. Does she get her per diem every day?

Fine. Let's start a system where attendance is taken at every committee meeting and floor vote and unexcused absences (not counting illness) mean per diem for that day is docked. For the amount of money those in the Speaker's office make, they should have no problem with a little extra work.

But I will believe Republicans doing that when I see it, given that Minnis said in the SJ that she loves Kropf.

Where would Republicans be if they couldn't blame Democrats?

Believe me, our district down here is best represented when Kropf is someplace other than Salem.

Muck in Lebanon

"Doesn't anyone pay attention to the most infamous no-show in the state? Kelly Wirth is hardly ever there."

Maybe so, but then again she doesn't get the Speaker to change the schedule of House sessions and committee meetings to accomodate her outside activities like Li'l Lars gets. And she certainly doesn't make arrogant public statements like Li'l Lars, in which he makes it clear it is more important to hear his own voice on the radio than it is to represent the very people he pledged to represent.

GOP arrogance. Gotta love it!

The worst part of it is, Kropf is horrible on the radio. His shallowness and lack of intellect shine through immediately. I actually don't mind listening to Lars even though I think he's wrong all the time, because he isn't stupid.

Kropf is really quite stupid. You only have to listen ten minutes to realize it. What can KXL be thinking putting him on the air?

Where would Republicans be if they couldn't blame Democrats?

Now THAT is worth a "belly-laugh"....

Your hipocrasy is showing. Since when do Dems have anything going but hating the current administration? Hell, they couldnt even get Kerry elected because HE didnt have anything to stand on either.

The only thing any politician gives a rip about is being in office. I have yet to see ONE, no matter the party affiliation, that gives a flying turd about the people they "represent".

"Since when do Dems have anything going but hating the current administration?"

I'm sorry. I thought we were talking about state politics, not federal. Who cares whether Dems hate Bush or whether the GOP hates Clinton.

Classic GOP bait-and-switch. Deflect a totally undefendable issue by bringing up something totally irrlavent, and hope people are stupid enough to fall for it.

Sorry dude, no more.

Kropf (getting back to topic) said on KOIN tonite "I have to work, I have a mortgage".

Didn't he think about that when he filed for re-election? Is he saying that the legislature is secondary? Dock his pay for the week, give him the Cliff Zauner "disappearing legislator " prize, and make sure he isn't back next session.

I would think this would appall self-respecting Republicans. Or is politics only about playing games and not about what is best for "We the people of the State of Oregon..." (opening words of the Oregon Constitution, which legislators took an oath to uphold.)

Seriously, though, what about Wirth? She's missed votes on more days than she's showed up this session. Why did she run if she doesn't have time to do the job? Why does Kropf get the award when he misses votes during a single week, yet another legislator is gone so much that most people know her as "Wirth-Wirth" (from when she isn't there at roll call?) Even the Seine Die party had a spoof about how she's never there.

Kropf is wrong. But there should be a way to hold all absentee legislators accountable. Especially the chronically absent ones.

If you don't like Wirth, vote her out. But I don't see her on TV saying "but I have to work". She wasn't part of the "mystery money" crowd last session--she is part of the minority. I have not heard jokes saying the most dangerous piece of geography is between Wirth and a camera or microphone. Wirth was not a member of the panel in Portland when Peter Jennings was here. Kropf acts as if he is God's gift to politics, and then tries this "I have to work" stunt.

The House needs to be opened up like an ant hill. There are many things wrong incl. how much the Speaker pays her chief of staff and spokesman. The House Dems have failed for over a decade to win a majority.

But none of that changes the fact that Minnis said in a newspaper article "I love Jeff Kropf". The spotlight should shine on Kropf and how the Speaker treats him (unexcused absence is pretty mild) until we learn if his pay has been docked for his "But I have to work" stunt.

He's been lecturing us for quite some time that he has all the answers---so let's see him explain why KXL is more important than the job he was elected to. Then, after that is taken care of, let's worry about the rest of the fixes that need to be made.