He prayed? Wow, thanks for doing literally less than nothing to support the teachers. Time to vote for some new blood.

so proud to see Nick Caleb running-yes, we need someone who represents us the people, not the PBA!

I get the feeling teachers are getting a little big for their britches these days, and think the world revolves around their needs (oh wait, it is the CHILDREN they think only of).
I do not support their unions aims, 99% of the time, and as such my support for Saltzman is even stronger.

And I'm praying only that I get a new commissioner. I'm sick of Salt. Everywhere when I want some fried food, but not when I'm looking for a lean, issues first diet. Man I'm hungry just thinking about this election. You think Nick Caleb is spicy and goes good with mayo or will he simply start working on issues? Really though, will he only pray for important issues to work themselves out or should I still count on tastiness as what I depend on the most from a council member?

Even if Caleb doesn't win the election, forcing Saltzman to talk about the minimum wage and inequality is a victory in itself. And I've been emboldened to attend the Oregon Democratic Party Convention the weekend after Memorial Day, and advocate for adding a $12 minimum wage to the state party platform!

Democrats, still lowering the bar. It's $15 now not $12 later. We already lowered the bar from $22, correcting for inflation and productivity gains.

Saltzman's answer just sums up his whole attitude, as if some greater power is going to come and make everything work out. When in a leadership position... LEAD! Stand for something... DO SOMETHING. This state and city used to be ahead on so many issues. Can we resurrect Tom McCall? He was a Republican for recycling, clean water and the public spaces. Nick Caleb is the best I've heard in a while as he wants to but ideas into action.

Pretty sure Nick Caleb is another phony. Going with Joe even if he's a long shot.

Children's Champ? Here is a section from the speech I wrote for the Oregon Black Political Convention held earlier today:

In commissioner Charles Jordan’s memoir he explains his position on assistance to the poor with a parable.
There was a certain river and many human beings were in it struggling to get to shore. Some succeeded on their own; some were pulled ashore by kind people on the banks. But many more were carried down stream and drowned. While it is noble for people to help the victims out of the water it would be better if some would go upstream and see who was pushing them in.

I think Mr Jordan’s river story is the proper way to understand the incumbents oft touted Children’s Fund. The good people on the shore are Portland citizens who vote to increase their own taxes to help kids in need. And we can do real good, we can pull some kids out. We need to ask though, why are so many kids in need? What do we see if we walk up river?

I see wealthy incumbent politicians pushing those kids in.
They are pushing those kids in with their developer-first housing policy;
They are pushing those kids in with racist policing and unequal sentencing;
They are pushing those kids in with regressive and repressive increases in water rates;
And, as the doubling of Portland’s poverty rate shows, they are pushing them in faster and faster.

We need real change.

Vote for the citizen candidate of your choice.

The Change we really need is to get rid of this damn mini-mayor system, that allows PEU's to pay off enough votes to push through whatever legislation they want and leaves it up to the public to pay for it.