Queral says its only a matter of time before Portland approves fluoridation? That its not a lost cause? Bwahahahahaaa! Are you kidding me? This is the FOURTH time Portlanders have voted this down. And now by 20% when being outspent 3 to 1? I like this sentiment: Lets not be the last major city to fluoridate, lets be the first major city to figure out dental access for all kids. Lets start coming together over the issue of dental care for kids, and how about leave the fluoride fight out of the picture for at least another 10 to 20 years... Remember, as long as "Keep Portland Weird" is a major theme, fluoridated water has no chance. Want fluoride? Get box stores, kick all artists out of town, make this place just like Phoenix or Tampa.

Pathetic.

The grapes...they are so sour.

Well, the Politics of Fear are alive and well in 'progressive' Portland.
That and Fear of Change.
Well dammit, at least I tried.

Oh, kudo's for Novick for showing up for what already was a losing battle, according to the polls.
That takes balls for a new City Commisioner- knowing a issue is getting shot down and showing up anyway.

The campaign to put Fluoride in our water was based on fear.

No, the campaign was run on equality, at least that was the goal.
So the poorer kids could have the same teeth as those with dental coverage.
I knew the campaign was going downhill when I saw the sheer number of anti signs, and then the corny pro-fluoride signs.

Note to Nivick - I've heard and read about losing the publics trust being blamed mostly on Nixon.
Watergate and all...
Maybe it was the final straw though.....

"Novick, sipping on a cocktail, blames fluoride's potential downfall on Lyndon Johnson."

Sounds like he's had quite a few cocktails ....

Fluoride does not even come close even if it helps reduce dental problems in humans to creating or giving us or them "equality" social economic issues are grand and adding stuff to our water is the least or at least should be on the bottom of the list. Remember the Nutrition Pyramid? Empty carbs for better health, have you seen what garbage PPS feeds kids at School?

Shame that Sam and Randy didn't show up. I mean, I remember them both so fondly and tacking this big, wasteful, discontent-building loss onto their lapels would have really made for a great reputation-gilding opportunity.

I guess I can always catch up with them on twitter.

If they can't have good job's in inner Portland give em Fluoride, if they can't live in inner Portland (rent or own) give em Fluoride, will that help you sleep at night?

Dear Portland Mercury Staff:

I am just really, really forlorn that your fluoride didn't make it to our drinking water. I have a feeling that those who love putting various sundry chemicals (including alcohol) into their bodies might not care if "just one more" gets thrown into the mix? Stranger things have happened!!

But regardless, some of the nonsensical, unintelligent and obviously underestimated thorns in your sides want to extend our sympathies.

Please go back to writing your hipster drivel. And do be dears and go ahead and punch eachother in the cocks for us, ok? Pics or it didn't happen.

Love,
Napalm

Ever notice how much like a sermon the anti crowd sounds? Who needs science when our fear can rot teeth, revive defeated diseases through fear of vaccinations and institutionalize fraud medicine like homeopathy and riki.

The food here is great. The willful ignorance and lack of rudimentary critical thinking skills is distressing. Still better than Tampa.

Fluoridation is a solution looking for a problem Who's really benefiting? Portland's tooth decay record improved over the last 5 years without fluoridation. A fact that state officials tried to cover up, according to FOIA’d emails. Portland actually enjoys better oral health than most fluoridated cities and it did 5 years ago, too. There never was an oral health crisis in Portland except to low-income people who need dental care not fluoride as they do in every fluoridated city in this country. I’m shocked the fluoridationists don’t have a plan in place to get treatment to this group of people, whether fluoridation passed or not.

So, who or what is benefiting from fluoridation besides legislators who'll still get their campaign donations for trying to railroad fluoridation on a new generation or Portlanders and foundations made more rich and therefore more powerful from the “grants” they were given by fluoridationists. And who or what funded the fluoridation funders?

Portland now joins the 95% of the world which has rejected fluoridation. Over 100 communities worldwide have done so in the last year.

Fluoride is still legal and available, so those who want to take it can put tablets in their own glass of water. Just leave the rest of us out of it.
That is freedom of choice, and we will all be happy.

Hey Leif - the campaign NOT to fluoridate was based on fear. For being as non-religious as this town is, you would think Portland would at least be intelligent enough not to become terrified at the word "chemical".

"It's only a matter of time before Portland approves fluoridation" -- Yeah right. Fluoridation has been losing ground across the entire planet for decades, including the US, where HUNDREDS of places have rejected it over the past 15 years. 1/3 of the US rejects fluoridification, although the fluoride salespeople would never mention it; and that percentage has been growing. Australia also just had a huge anti-fluoride victory, coincidentally; the Netherlands, Sweden, and other European countries voted it out years ago; Japan never had it, and still doesn't; and 95% of the planet, including 97% of Europe, thoroughly rejects it. And you can verify all those facts yourself, within minutes, using the Internet.

As much as the corporate lobbyists for fluoridation would have you believe the opposite, and have no facts to support their sales pitch, Portland is following the global anti-fluoridation trend -- and is leading the way for America, as we do on most political issues.

Even after massive outspending by the pro-fluoride marketing manipulators, only a minority of Portlandites were fooled. This is why Portland is so excellent, informed, and intelligent compared to most of America.

And if you don't like it, maybe you should consider the possibility that a) you've been duped by pseudoscientific marketing hacks, and b) maybe this isn't the town for you, and you should leave.