It's quite notable that when you get away from the professional politicians and look at neutral observers (newspapers), the superior talent of Steve Novick is readily apparent time and time again. First the Oregonian, then the WW, and now the Mercury. Merkley just needs some professional politician -- especially someone from Washington -- to buy a newspaper.

Sorry. My last post sounded snide, which more reflects my mood than anything about Oregon politics. There's nothing wrong with Jeff Merkley, and I don't want to suggest that he only appeals to professional politicians. I just think Novick's great. I can't imagine too many politicians who could stand up to him. (Of course, one that could, and then some -- Mr. Obama -- is currently being abused, night after night, on TV, so it just shows how easy is it to criticize any mere mortal.)

To those Oregonians basing their voting decisions on endorsements from the Willamette Week and/or the Portland Mercury - my condlences.

The Willamette Week is akin to the "newspaper" produced in your middle school - with some advertising content for adults thrown in to piss off the vice principal.

The "snarky" and "edgy" brand they so badly want to cultivate is really just bad journalism.

At least Blue Oregon doesn't pay people to post self-important musings such as the one I'm shamelessly creating right now.

I like the AG endorsement a lot. I think that Kroger really understands the drug problems and how to solve them. Thats why cops, crime victims groups, mayors, and district attonerys across the state are supporting him. I like Merkley in the Senate race because he really impressed me with his record and Novick doesnt match it for me, but hey either is better then Gordon Smith. The tough race for me is the Secetary of State race. I was a big Avakian guy but now dont know weather I should go Brown or Walker. I love how progressive Brown is and has been but I also love the work that Walker has done with audit related work as a state senator.

Whoa! John Branam pays Phil Busse $20K+ and he can't even get endorsed by Busse's former paper?

Reality check posted: "To those Oregonians basing their voting decisions on endorsements from the Willamette Week and/or the Portland Mercury - my condlences. ... At least Blue Oregon doesn't pay people to post self-important musings such as the one I'm shamelessly creating right now."

No, but many of Blue Oregon's stories end with a disclaimer, to the effect of "I'm on Jeff Merkley's payroll." By contrast, we are seeing one impartial newspaper after another after another after another endorse Novick. Quite obviously, they may all be wrong and Merkley's staff may be right. But maybe, just maybe, the little man with the razer sharp mind is just the kind of lightening in a bottle that the Democratic Party needs to unseat a supposedly "moderate" incumbent Senator, who even Wyden won't fight against.

I like the endorsements, but disagree with "tax 'em Sam" Adams for mayor. "Tax 'em Sam" will burden Portlanders with new taxes & fees to pay for all his toy projects, e.g., the Sauvie bridge move.

And since KATU reported about Sho's city tax matter, it's now fair game to talk about Adams' bankruptcy. Portland needs a fiscally responsible mayor, and "Tax 'em Sam" isn't fiscally responsible.

I don't care. I support Hillary Clinton and she will be our next president.

David M writes:"And since KATU reported about Sho's city tax matter, it's now fair game to talk about Adams' bankruptcy. Portland needs a fiscally responsible mayor, and "Tax 'em Sam" isn't fiscally responsible."

Adams' bankruptcy was a personal chapter 11 and he repaid the debts to his creditors in full. Sometimes Chapter 11 is the fiscally responsible thing to do, most people and companies do not pay back creditors, but Sam did. Bankruptcy is an important part of capitalism as it allows entrepreneurs to shoot for the stars and if they miss they can get partial to full relief enabling them to go out and try again. I can't source this so take it with a grain of salt, something like 1/3 of people who are millionaires today have a personal or professional bankruptcy in their past. Sometimes you have to fail to succeed.

As for Deadbeat Dzono: Withholding taxes and permit fees is ILLEGAL. Withholding rent is not, so long as the rent monies are deposited into escrow pending resolution of whatever dispute is at hand. Has the media dug deep enough to know if Dzono did that? Paying out of your pocket after the fact doesn't alter the contractual violation and the city would be well within its rights to evict Bush Garden, if as I said Dzono failed to escrow the money.

In any event there is no comparison between personal bankruptcy and illegal withholding of taxes.

Please, someone, anyone tell me how a traffic system built incrementally over the last 100 years can be efficiently repaired out of a maintenance budget? Can't be done. At some point you move beyond maintenance and have to look at upgrades and new systems. Sho's talk about using budget surpluses is a no go because most transportation funding is based on federal matches and municipalities have to be able to show they have the revenue to maintain projects. The only other way to pay for what should be considered a capital improvement is to do a bond issue which is simply taxation by other means.

It's helpful seeing each paper's endorsements, but can anyone tell me if any paper has done a Q&A matrix with all the candidates' takes on various issues? I'd rather see their opinions on specific issues and make decisions for myself than go with endorsements.

to Unit: then you can read the actual content in the paper to find out what position each candidate has. sorry there are no pictures.

Unit: You can check out the actual video of WWeek's endorsement interviews on their website. I am not a huge fan of Willy Week, but I credit them for letting us get a glimpse of how their process works.

to Sonia: endorsement articles are quite different from what I was suggesting. Has it occurred to you that journalistic portrayals might be different than the candidates' own words? From the ignorance of your reply, I would guess that it hasn't.

Others, thanks for the suggestions. I wish one of the papers would do a written info-piece giving all candidates equal opportunity to respond in their own words. The WW interviews are a nice resource for those patient enough to watch all of them.

I disagree with the endorsement of "Tax 'em Sam" Adams. Not only do I think Adams is UNqualified in fiscal discipline, but I also think he wants to make Portland into another San Francisco, and that would make it too expensive for most of us to live in. Portland is fine the way it is right now.

It seems to me that Adams is bent on keeping the city on a path that will make it more expensive to live in.

I'd vote for Tom Potter if he were running, but as of now, I'm voting for Dozono.

David M wrote: "I disagree with the endorsement of "Tax 'em Sam" Adams. Not only do I think Adams is UNqualified in fiscal discipline, but I also think he wants to make Portland into another San Francisco, and that would make it too expensive for most of us to live in. Portland is fine the way it is right now."

SF is a great city to live in. That is why it is so expensive: supply and demand. Development of the Pearl and South Waterfront is not creating demand, it is meeting demand. Natives and the next to the last recent arrival always complain about things changing. We do not have a right or the ability to control where people want to live. We have to adapt to the demographics and plan for the changes that are coming whether you want it or not.

<h2>Personally I like Portland a lot more now than I did 20 years ago. There are more people, the streets are more lively, and most of the once troubled areas of North and North East are safer now and getting better all the time. New Seasons has driven even Safeway and FM to do a better job of stocking organics. In nearly every livability category Portland is better now than when i was growing up. Except of course wages still suck. Portland is still the fourth most expensive city in America to buy a house (relative to household income), worse than SF and NYC!</h2>