Have you heard the newsflash that schools all around the entire country are under-funded? Or that independent businesses everywhere are struggling?

It isn't just the Portland economy that is struggling. Heard of National Deficit? National Debt? It's not just about Portland, you know.

You sound like the same dickhole that wrote about drunk hypocrits. Go away.

Pretty sure this is thebadsteed/stjohnsrules, the fucker who has been trolling here for a month or so.

Remember kids, don't feed the troll.

How come people who just moved here a few months ago love to reference themselves as Portland natives?

"Just because someone is gay doesn't mean they can run a fucking city."

And just because someone is gay doesn't mean they can't run a fucking city. Methinks someone needs to dip a toe outside the closet.

Haha, right. As opposed to all of those cities run by republicans that are doing so well. Right.

Please, please *do* hold your breath. Liberal extremists can't stand up to that. (Also, wear overalls.)

Obviously this isn't the posters city and obviously shouldn't be commenting here. Yes, this is to you anon. Because it's city issues. I've been struck in traffic for 3 hours so frack off.

It is pretty easy to move to Vantucky, or Vanabama or whatever people are calling it these days. Just hop in I-5 North till you get to the bridge. Cross it. Stay there. If you hate it so much, you probably should not work here, so find a job there too. I'm sure that would make us all happier. A win-win.

It's your move. Take it.

Um...I'm pretty sure that fiscalyl conservative policies have had a great impact on the city's degradation, not just the alleged liberal oversight. Either way...
WHITE WHINE!!!

And yet another idiotic rant from our very own village idiot: StJohnsRule. Nice try, you moron.

The way to influence politics and voters is to post anonymously in the Mercury.

Sounds to me like not only have you lived your whole life in Portland, but also that you've never left it. If you had, you would understand that schools are underfunded everywhere, and if you want to know how much worse that can be than in Portland, have a look at Detroit. You would also understand that city services have been cut everywhere, and if you want to know how much worse that can be than in Portland, have a look at Newark. You would also understand that families and small businesses have, and have always had, a challenging go of things everywhere, but last I checked, Portland had a ton of both, and most of the ones I know of are doing pretty well. Yet you piss and you moan about how liberal voters and gay politicians have ruined *YOUR* town, without offering so much as a shred of evidence, factual, anecdotal or otherwise, to back up your point, much less any ideas about how to improve things... Know what this makes you? It makes you A GOD-DAMNED SELF-ABSORBED WHINY LITTLE FUCKING PUSSY, that's what. Man the fuck up, for crying out loud! Clearly, you still live in Portland because you wouldn't survive much more than a week anywhere else...

uh..."liberal extremists" are to blame because it's hard to find a pubic restroom?

And being a "sanctuary city" makes the RECESSION worse? What the hell does THAT mean? Everybody would have a job if only people weren't being hidden from overseas political persecution in church basements?

I will literally rent a truck and drive you to a new home. Within 2000 miles from here. That oughta be far enough, right?

I AM NOT KIDDING, I WILL SPEND MY OWN MONEY TO MOVE YOU OUT. Anything to get your fucking whiny non-consensus ass out of town.

Lashing out at conservatives is desperate, people. I'm not conservative. I'm pro-choice. I'm not religious. I'm for Civil Unions. I'm for stricter gun control laws. I fucking love black people. I listen to Jay-Z all the time (meant to be sarcastic and most of you libbie sheep won't get it so instead of reading some idiotic and certainly humorless response to that, I'm just fucking kidding). Just because I shave, bathe and have been moderately successful in life doesn't mean I cheated poor people to get there. I worked hard for years to gain what I have. Fuck, man. You people are way too easy. Also, when has Sam Adams ever been a talking point? I don't listen to Lars Larson, at least, since he was an anchor for KPTV. I know he is pretty popular with conservatives in Portland but he comes off as a sensationalist dick. Rush? Fuck no. That fat, pill-poppin' bastard can go fuck a Krispy Kreme. What I AM is your neighbor. I don't have to agree with you to be good person and an asset to the community. Liberals used to stand for equality and tolerance. What the FUCK happened there? Look at all of the intolerant posts above. You press dislike about things you don't understand. I'm a free-thinker. I don't need MSNBC or Fox News to tell me what's right (or left). I've lived in Portland all of my life and anyone can feel free to criticize that. Guess I'm not worthy enough for a perspective on the world, huh? Well, the reason I haven't traveled much (I have traveled) is because I've spent my time building a business and taking care of my family. Go ahead and judge me for that. My family loves me for that. When most of you settle down and start a family, you will begin to peel back the layers of life and see that you've been lied to on many, many issues. Liberals just happen to have a stranglehold on local politics and now the state and national level as well. As soon as Republicans get back in the game, I will tell it like it is, good or bad. For now, you libbies can deal with it. I'm here for the duration. Get it right or step aside.

We make a good team, Humpy. Thanks for the press. This thread got popular real quick. But you are wrong about me. I hang to the left and to the right. It's really that big.

StJohnsRule: I think you're dumb enough to confuse negative attention for something relating to character or value. You're an idiot, so when people read an idiotic IA like this one, the first thing that comes to mind is an idiot: you. I wouldn't be jizzing in your pants so quickly, for you portray yourself as one fucking enormous imbecile. I guess for you, like a child, any attention is good attention... and that's really great, because if it makes you happy, then I'm all for it. I just feel the need to clarify that you are, in fact, a fucking idiot, and it's totally transparent. We're all kind of laughing at you, you poor little thing. So, go ahead and latch on to these comments, and let it feed your childish insecurities. Write your little IA's and then deny that you did, merely to garner this attention that you need/seek/rely upon. I think I can speak for the lot of us when I say that we're glad we could do our part to make your pathetic little life somewhat tolerable. You can thank us anytime, by the way.

Little attack dog for the liberal establishment. All you can say is "idiot", "pathetic", "enormous imbecile" etc. Your vocabulary issues only underscore the failure on your part to tell me why I am these things. At least I can construct a sentence. Listen, man. You can pat yourself on the back and be a good little hero for people who think just like you but let me tell you something very important. You're being lied to. Only, you are not smart enough to understand that. You have been beaten down by political correctness so often you really don't know what to think unless someone like Obama or a group of liberals tell you what to think. I feel equally sorry for people like you who get don't get it. As for all of my detractors here? This is the Merc. You think I don't know the type of people who post here? I managed to get 16 posts on my I,A in relatively short order. That is by design, not accident. And you think liberals are above negative attention? Then why is Obama lashing out at Romney in political ads in hopes of keeping his job? I'm not a negative person by nature but I will call out those who have failed us as leaders and their blind followers. The Merc is not the all-wise oracle of information. I just like to mess with liberals because it's so fucking easy. Especially when they haven't done shit for our city in a long, long time.

Jesus Christ stjohns. Brevity. Because all I see is WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS.

No one needs to explain why you're an idiot because, as was already explained to you, it's quite clear that you're an idiot. It does make me smile that you think you're "messing with libbies." I'm glad you feel like you're doing something productive by blasting loooong screeds about nothing into the internet.

Why don't you try doing an I,A, D&W? In fact, I challenge you to "Drunk and Write" something engaging enough to garner ten responses within a day. I got sixteen. See if you can beat it. If not, you're just proving that you are utterly boring. Try not to copy me. Be original or I will call bullshit. Have some balls, man. I don't expect people to agree with me all the time. That is the beauty of our country and blogs like these. What my aim is here is to bring a little perspective to the challenges we all face as humans on this planet. Dismiss me as an idiot all you want. I love all the responses I get. That means there is dialogue. Where there is dialogue there is a chance to change things. When people are so rigid on their beliefs (LEFT AND RIGHT FUCKERS JUST ADMIT IT!) and dismiss people as "imbeciles" without properly explaining why, I'm proving that the libbie trolls here really don't have an original opinion. It would be even funnier if it wasn't so sad. Look at the responses above. No one is telling me why I'm so dumb or wrong. You know why that is? It's because anyone with half of a pea for a brain can see that isn't true. People will tire of dishonesty eventually. I know I am. The only person who came close to even addressing my opinion was kay_b but her opinion to me seemed a little defensive and didn't address any solutions. Fix my fucking city or step away a failure, libbies. There's no shame in failing if you admit it and at least turn this boat around. Think of the entire city, not just the sheep that flock here to wait for their opinions to be told to them.

I really want you to meet damosa by the tether ball court. Also tell us when that happens. It is a fight worthy of YouTube.

Also: SHEEPLE

1... 2... 3... 4. I declare a thumb war!!! 25 and counting.

Do you think you would win?

You're adorable. I didn't read beyond the first couple sentences, but as for your challenge, go look at "Unemployable, USA."

tch: here is the problem with declaring a thumb war with damosa. I have a suspicion he will say he doesn't want a war because there aren't any WMDs, Wimpy, Mangled Digits. My thumbs are STRONG. Like "Over The Top" STRONG. Like "Camel Clutch" STRONG. Like HITCHHIKER STRONG!!!!

D&W: If that is you, congrats. You are also adorable. But, please, I do not want a relationship with you. Maybe a handy in the parking lot of the Merc offices? We can REALLY "Keep Portland Weird" then, huh? Huh? HUH?

zzZZZzz

@stjohns as it turns out, for all of his 'say it to my face' he doesn't even respond when you ask if he wants to meet.

Just so you know, "st.johns", there'd be just as much of a revenue shortfall if the Mt. Hood Freeway had been built as there is with TriMet and Max(if you actually HAD lived in Portland all your life, you'd know what I was talking about there).

OK, AlaskanNow. Want to test me? Do you remember Farrell's? The Blue Kangaroo? Djangos? The two-story McDonalds? The hydratubes at Jantzen Beach? The Organ Grinder? These are all places I went to as a kid. That's as far back as I go. Don't ever question my fucking loyalty to my city again, motherfucker. Good luck in Alaska. Have a pleasant day and I really hope you don't get attacked and eaten by a Polar Bear.

I miss Django's :(. And Ozone. Jackpot is a poor substitute.

I miss Djangos, too. I was a loyal customer since the early 80s when I was a kid getting Led Zeppelin albums and posters. All the great record stores are gone now. Music Millennium will eventually vanish, too. Sucks. But now we're in the digital age and I have 2000+ songs on my iPhone, including the entire Zep catalog. How times change.

I remember ALL those places, St. Johns. Went to Farrell's for my birthday as a kid(I'm here because I was an economic refugee from the '82 Reagan recession).

Portland is not short of public restrooms because of the public transit system. It's short of public restrooms because of Measure 5, and because a lot of people got elected by promising to do anything they could to drive the homeless out of town...including shutting down public restrooms(that's also why, in most large cities, you can't find a park bench...some uptight assholes decided that it was more important to prevent the homeless from sitting down in public than it was for everybody to have a place to rest their feet for a moment while walking around on the downtown streets).

Oh, and I live in Southeast Alaska. The polar bears don't get anywhere near us here(they're up north of the Arctic Circle, trying to avoid drowning in the Polar Sea as a result of the loss of ice floes caused by global warming).