I agree with your assessment. It's a bit odd seeing names on your new leaders list that fought the assessment you make of Sam tooth and nail.

Chuck Currie:

Mike Lindberg...worked to solidify Portland as a Mecca for the arts.

Bob T:

Attracting, and not driving away, businesses that employ people would have been better. Now many unemployed people can walk around downtown Portland and look at artwork. Big deal.

Chuck Currie:

Erik Sten brought passion and a real brilliance to issues concerning homelessness, energy and campaign finance reform.

Bob T:

Don't forget the $40 Million PGE Park deal that flopped, and the water bureau computer flop that cost more millions. He was also one who helped various Fat Cats stay on the Gravy Train while his followers pretended that only others did that -- once again, here's a list of big donars to his campaigns:

Some contributions to Erik Sten (Portland City Council)

                      2002              1996

GSL Properties----------$3,000.00 ------ $ 500.00 Kenneth Novack (Schnitzer Investments)---$5,000.00 Tom Walsh (Walsh & Assoc.)--------$2,500.00 ------ $7,940.00 Bob Walsh (Walsh Construction) ------------------ $7,500.00 Don Morrisette Homes, Inc.------------$1,000.00 ------ $ 500.00 Bob Gerding (Real estate)----------$2,500.00 Conwest Resources -----$5,000.00 H. Naito Corp.---------$1,000.00 Imsport, Inc.----------$1,000.00 R. B. Pamplin Corp.----$2,500.00 ------- $1,500.00 HDR Engineering -------$2,500.00 Rose Quarter-----------$1,000.00 John Russell (Office bldg owner)----$1,000.00 Joseph Weston (developer)------------$1,000.00 James Winkler (developer)------------$2,500.00 -------- $ 500.00 Ramis Crew Corrigan & Bachrach LLC---------$1,000.00 Bay City LLC-----------$2,500.00 BPM Associates --------$2,000.00 D Park Corporation-----$2,000.00 MWS Holdings ----------$1,000.00 MWH Global (wastewater)-----------$2,500.00 Frank A Bitar & Assoc (property mngm't)------$1,000.00 -------- $1,000.00 Philip Smith (Finance manager) -----$2,500.00 -------- $ 647.00 Heritage Investment----$1,000.00 Pat Pendergast (developer)------------$ 950.00 -------- $ 500.00

(Source: C&E Reports, 2002 & 1996)

Ka-CHING! Ka-CHING!

Bob Tiernan Portland

Come on Rev. Chuck- libertarian Bob Tiernan from Portland posts comments on BO all the time. That's why he signs his name "Bob Tiernan - Portland." The GOP state leader you're referring to is Bob Tiernan from Lake Oswego.

And way to respond to his concerns with an ad hominem. Not very classy.

We have a mortally wounded mayor who cannot truly exercise the powers of his office.

Everyone...and I mean everyone that knows about the inner workings of City Hall knows this statement is patently false. Even most of the reporters that cover City Hall have mentioned it.

Amanda Fritz seems content to join the good old boy’s network when the city aches for an independent leader.

Actually Fritz is pretty independent. She also a very big part of the problem with Portland. She wants to talk something blue in the face rather than actually making it happen.

Tom Potter, whose tenure as mayor was truly underappreciated.

That's one word for it I guess. I think another way to put it was whenever someone disagreed with Potter he took it way to personally and went as far as to declare himself irrelevant and walk out on City Council when he was in the minority. Not exactly the mark of a good mayor.

erase any nostalgia

Funny you mention erasing nostalgia since you seem to have a lot of it.

Leonard’s toughness is a virtue in a city council adrift and leaderless.

I agree with about half of this. I admire Leonard's toughness and his leadership. Our city council is not adrift nor is it leaderless.

I love it when "preachers" venture into politics.

What a man of God! A straight out ad-hominem attack, without so much as a nominal counter point to Bob Tiernan's very factual and forthright points.

Reverand Currie: Why would it matter if the post WAS the Bob Tiernan of L.O? It is OK to dismiss his points and refuse to deal with them because you don't like him?

I hope you preaching is better than you political debate, but somehow I doubt it.

Hey Chuck. Thanks for chiming in.

The four challengers who filed to date are all shooting for public campaign funds and time is short to gather 1000+ signatures and $5 donations. It's a logistical nightmare. Our entrances must therefore be quite early and has therefore garnered minor attention.

Saltzman and Fish can raise necessary campaign funds with a dozen phone calls. They don't intend on mucking about with the groundlings and won't peek out until late January. Neither want to debate in public, and Saltzman is mortally wounded.

Other challengers may join in, others who have the capacity to raise $200,000+ to win. To source these folks, think about what issue can be leveraged for that amount of non-tax deductible cash.

Since Torrid Joe kinda missed the point of this thread, I think it would benefit readers if he could return and explain why he thinks the Mayor shouldn't be held responsible for the actions of his police department.

Torrid Joe: One irony I found in the recall was that he had supposedly lost all clout, yet the recall apparently failed because too many people were afraid of what would happen to them from Sam if they signed the ballot measure petition. How does a guy without clout have that much clout?

That sure is what I want in a Mayor, Joe! "Too many people [who] were afraid of what would happen to them from Sam if they signed the ballot measure petition." Given that philosophy, I'm thinking Joe might be endorsing Dick Cheney or John Yoo for President in 2012... and I think I know that's not the case.

Seriously, folks, the reverend was making points that it's perfectly fair to challenge but some of the vitriol (Garret and ScaryTail in particular) is completely out of proportion to your perception of his transgressions and/or errors.

You know it's getting bad out there when people on a Blue Blog let Teabaggers set the standard for their discourse.

And who can forget Mildred Schwab, who had a heart of gold and bionic brain under that rough exterior, and who probably could have beat the shit out of anyone of got out of line.

Chuck for your information I wrote a letter to Tom Potter and cc'ed it to damn near every other politician in this city on the lack of adequate transportation and how improving transportation might put a dent in the poverty situation in Portland. That includes two of the people now sitting on the council. You mentioned them by the way. It included information from a federal study showing how improving transit would help many people.

The letter was ignored. I never received so much as a courtesy reply, so don't count on any great ides coming from anyone in this town The people you mentioned oversaw the destruction of the SRO housing in downtown and they don't give a rat's ass about anything but their legacy.

Excellent post, sticking your neck out with honest sentiments. That'll cop it every time here. At least a learning experience. By now I know it's obvious that in liberal Portland, dealing with the greatest progressives in the country...you need to watch your back!

Posted by: ScaryTail | Dec 12, 2009 2:52:49 PM

I love it when "preachers" venture into politics.

Snicker. Thinks there's a difference!

I love it. Sam's weakness is in the eye of the beholder. So, you think he's as open, blogging and such as before? Yeah, it's in the eye, as in Randy can't look him in it any more. That doesn't weaken him? He didn't support the recall. But now, that's not good enough for doctrinaires.

Definitely. Watch your back. And good luck!!!

Well, you have it in a nutshell, here. Rev. Chuck thinks what's good is good for the city, and t.a. thinks closing ranks is good for the city. I single him out because his thought was so clearly what one experiences in dealing with the self justified enlightened ones, a la Sam and Vera.

You want to know how "real" a progressive is, all filters aside? Real progressive thought varies inversely with cronyism. Cronyism as the means to an end betrays the Dem who found a nifty new label. BO is thick with 'em. But then what do we know. For that crowd you don't exist if you don't get waved over by a recognizable face at a trendy-third area restaurant!

I always suspected Collymore was better than she comes across here. On balance, I like your list of newbies.

The Sam affair also is a lesson. Like when someone has been groomed for Mayor, without ever having a real job, he isn't the kind we want. This city can be such a disappointment. I voted for Extremo . Then I had the worst rental experience of my life, living, quite by accident, next door to one of his sons and got to watch Extremo hiding teen girls from his mealticket he calls a wife. Does anyone run that doesn't lvoe a good con? Obviously part of that great soap opera I don't get.

It's a really big, small city. You would think we could get someone that represents the average Portlander in office again!

How about a leader that DOES NOT fall for every crackpot idea that comes along? 20 minute neighborhoods. Tax subsidies for all kinds of developers. New Urbanism Creative Class Smart Growth Global warming CO2 reduction Mixed use Light Rail Mass transit as a social good instead of as welfare. Selling land below cost to developers

and instead concentrate on good, low cost:

schools police assistance to the needy (as opposed to developers & consultants) roads water

Yes, you can be both good and low cost.

Posted by: jamieeee | Dec 13, 2009 1:51:05 AM

Yeah! Let's have a dust farting enviroterrorist that masquerades as jamieee or billy, because his name ( Jim Kar-lock ) has been added to the freakin' spam filter on the council!!!

Unfortunately the blogosphere hasn't rid us of the bitter old man that sits on the porch and yells at anyone that comes by about whatever it is he thinks they aren't doing right.

Sixty thousand downtown jobs have been lost in the last decade. We have built a world class transportation system that is basically designed to get people to and from downtown and the employment base has evaporated. We need leadership that understands business and economic development. For too many years now our leaders have confused housing developent with economic development.

The greatest example of this is south waterfront. What was supposed to be a mecca for high paying biotech jobs is is full of half empty condo towers. The promised benefits of the huge public investment there were specious.

And meanwhile, urban renewal pork for the chosen developer class has resulted in second rate schools, parks, roads and public safety services. It's just crazy.

Rev. Chuck Currie:

Bob T:

"Talking points"? Mentioning two hugely expensive Sten blunders as well as listing his on-the-gravy-train Fat Cat contributors is considered a "talking point"? I call it a listing of facts. I simply can't understand why such drek as Sten are considered darlings when you can actually find much better so-called progressives (you know, the kind who might actually oppose building a stadium for a multi-millionaire like Paulson - but then, to most of them such a deal is considered New Urbanism and provides another example of "managing the economy" to obtain a "better" result than what Paulson on his own would do, so yeah, it fits in as a progressive idea).

Bob Tiernan Portland

Seriously, folks, the reverend was making points that it's perfectly fair to challenge but some of the vitriol (Garret and ScaryTail in particular) is completely out of proportion to your perception of his transgressions and/or errors.

You know it's getting bad out there when people on a Blue Blog let Teabaggers set the standard for their discourse.

Interesting. I pointed out that anyone in the know about city hall knows the mayor is not mortally wounded and that statement was patently false. Keep in mind the recall campaign associated themselves with the likes of Lars Larson and Victoria Taft.

So...who you callin' a teabagger?

what portaland needs is a good five cet cigar...

Frances | Dec 13, 2009 5:58:20 AM Yeah! Let's have a dust farting enviroterrorist... JK: Your intelligence is showing,.

Do you have any constructive comments?

If you read carefully so I hope that you will see many information here......So read carefully now.... http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=2342790

Torrid Joe:

How's that 2nd recall coming, anyway?

Bob T:

Maybe they're waiting for the holiday season to be over. That's never that good a time for this.

By the way, you claim that the reason the reall did not get enough sigs was because there aren't enough people willing to sign. Well, campaigns need funding, and this one was underfunded because Wurster sabotaged his own effort in a number of ways. Next time there'll be funding. Odd, I never heard you guys refusing any George Soros money for your own favorite petitions.

Bob Tiernan Portland

Well, campaigns need funding, and this one was underfunded because Wurster sabotaged his own effort in a number of ways. Next time there'll be funding.

True enough Bob. They will be funded. The thing is that this will be a little more high profile and I imagine when people start seeing the money seeping from socially conservative backers they may do a double take before signing a recall form.

TJ does have a great point. The hypocrisy is amazing. Recall advocates say there is no leadership and a void in power but they still fear that power so much that they blame much of the failure of their campaign on it.

I repeat. Nobody that works with the city council, reports on city hall, or has spent time in city hall thinks there is a leadership gap there.

I'm not trying to put words in his mouth but it seems like Rev. Currie is ticked off about the police and the fact that nobody can do anything about them. I get it. So am I. This problem has existed with city hall for years. Stretching even to the glory days Rev. Currie opines about. This city has a history of the police dept. being corrupt and having little regard for anything or anyone beyond their walls stretching back almost a hundred years. The thing is...what do you want anyone to do? The union is too strong. We can't just bust them up. Almost every city has the same problem with the thin blue line. I can't think of one I've spent time in that doesn't. If Rev. Currie has the magical solution that will fix all of this I suggest he gets out there and coughs it up rather than complaining about a city council that seems to be trying to figure out a way to fix things without a nuclear meltdown happening over at police headquarters and the union offices.

Portland is called the City of Roses for its proliferation of brightly hued blooms, but the color that best describes this city is green. Portland prides itself on being environmentally friendly, boasting an award-winning public transportation system, 277 miles of bike paths, and city planning that minimizes sprawl.

Acai Force Max

Get rid of all the uptight ecozealots and this "green agenda" and we will be fine. Fix the infrastructure of the city first before we "enhance" it with green crapola.

Chuck:

"Is this the same Bob voters kicked out of office who now runs the state GOP? Talk about failed leaders."

First of all, I think it's odd that you use a disclaimer to say that your views don't represent the church. So why do you feel the need to use your Rev. title? Do you feel it gives you more importance? And it's naive' of you to think using a disclaimer separates you from the church. It doesn't.

Secondly, the comment above that I quoted is completely beyond a man in church leadership. Where's the call to be "beyond reproach?" Because that sure doesn't suffice.

"didn't seem like he was too weak to be invited overseas by those leaders."

I think the office got him invited. Most of these confs are looking to pump up the numbers and will take any stray if he pays his own way.

Sam is doing what he can to stay out of the public eye hoping this sexual harrassament deal with Breedlove will blow over. Meanwhile he has a staf of 30 scurrying about generating PR to cover for any lack of direction now that the developers have fled.

I mean all this stuff (beyond the big lie, of course) about more jobs and better schools and infrastructure - so much chin music. Unless you can point out something of subsatance he done in the past year.

And please, Garrett, something besides the soccer stadium for Paulson.

Rachelpriest:

Portland prides itself on being environmentally friendly, boasting an award-winning public transportation system

Bob T:

What kind of award would that be? Based on its looks?

The agency itself, Tri-Met, is a lousy transportation agency that can move a lot of people despite itself.

Bob Tiernan Portland

I don't claim it as much as present it as demonstrable fact. That's how they ALL fail.

The fact that the campaign wasn't willing to prove they had 30,000 signatures should be pretty damning evidence there too. I observed one signature gatherer for almost 30 minutes at a Sunday Parkway gather absolutely no signatures and watched another for 15 minutes with the same result. That was supposed to be one of their big target areas. People were flat out ignoring them.

"People were flat out ignoring them." - Garrett

Garrett, that's 'coz people in Portland like weird and respond to weird. So, these signature gatherers need to change tactics:

Stand naked, with a used condom hanging out of your ass. Shout random obscenities directed at Bu$h (It doesn't matter that Bu$h isn't President, most of them don't know this)

The freaks, sissies, girlie men, bull dykes, progressives, commies, pedophiles, socialists, et al that make up Portland will automatically respond to this. They will sign w/o even reading what they are signing (much like how they vote).

"Nobody that works with the city council, reports on city hall, or has spent time in city hall thinks there is a leadership gap there."

Beside WWeek quoting Randy Leoanrd as saying he can run the city without being elected mayor. Yes, I know WWeek are the evil people who don't want us to give Paulson money for a playground.

Just some factual information for you Chuck. The ordinance that implemented the taxpayer financed elections in Portland requires the city to refer the measure in 2010. The language states "The Auditor is directed to prepare a Resolution, Measure and Ballot Title to refer the publicly financed campaign system to the voters at the November 2010 general election, and return such Resolution, Measure and Ballot Title to City Council by June 1, 2010."

So, before you dispare about the council's guts, you might want to read the ordinance.

Beside WWeek quoting Randy Leoanrd as saying he can run the city without being elected mayor.

The WWeek wrote a hit piece on Randy Leonard. They threw anything they may have heard out there and hoped something stuck. Nothing did.

Posted by: Garrett in SE | Dec 16, 2009 9:05:54 AM

Beside WWeek quoting Randy Leoanrd as saying he can run the city without being elected mayor.

The WWeek wrote a hit piece on Randy Leonard. They threw anything they may have heard out there and hoped something stuck. Nothing did.

Another symptom that practical progressives are dissed for the litmus tested, identity candidate. That is what Rev. Chuck is talking about. Concerned that he seems to list a few, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt...

The freaks, sissies, girlie men, bull dykes, progressives, commies, pedophiles, socialists, et al that make up Portland will automatically respond to this. They will sign w/o even reading what they are signing (much like how they vote).

Which really is not nearly as bad as the developers, real estate agents, rat mongers, evangelicals and assorted "community leaders" that run most councils in this country. You want real representation? Move were the land is worthless and everyone is sterile, or leave the US. You'll not see it in Portland.

@rachelpriest: i get it, you copied and pasted something off a wiki so you could put your -buy my acai- link up. didn't you guys get that? she had ya going huh.

SPAM.