The only thing he has going for him is that he is isolated in PDX and the rest of the state hasn't figured out what a tool he is.

Good God man(whomever approached him), what are you smoking???

He may have trouble persuading people to contribute to his campaign after this story.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=123560634097833100

"The only thing he has going for him is that he is isolated in PDX"

If you don't think the public employee unions would back him 200%, you're wrong. If you thought Ted rolled over for whatever they wanted, Randy will do somersaults.

Camas is starting to look more appealing.....

Okay, how about Louisiana? Jindal keeps shooting himself in his feet, so he probably won't be running for governor again.

If Fireman Pele gets elected, God help us all. That would be an utter disaster. Then, we'd get stuck footing the bill statewide for the same type of crap he and Tramuel are forcing on Portland in other cities as well.

I'd hope, though, that with stories like the one from the Trib that Audaciously Hopeful just posted, that it'd keep him out of office. Can't underestimate the power of the Goldschmidt crony web, though. Welcome to the machine.

I second Audaciously's nomination of Randy for governor of Louisiana. It's obvious he has a little Huey Long inside him.

Steve --

I wonder what your reaction is to this story from the O:

Gov. Ted Kulongoski has shocked state unions by proposing that state workers lose 24 days of pay over the next two years to help Oregon cope with its deepening budget crisis. ...

Leslie Frane, executive director of SEIU Local 503, called the proposal "Draconian" and "mean-spirited." She said workers are willing to share in sacrifices to get through the recession, but this places too much of the burden on workers. She said it amounts to a pay cut of 4.6 percent.

"This is the worst proposal I've looked at in 35 years," said Ken Allen, executive director of Oregon AFSCME.

Governor Randy wasn't shoveling Portland taxpayer dollars out to buy biofuel from Eastern Oregon farmers just to save the planet ...

"Gov. Ted Kulongoski has shocked state unions by proposing that state workers lose 24 days"

OK, after about two terms of rubber stamping everything the union wants and looking at a $3B black hole, he actually asked the union for a give back. A whole 24 days over two years! Hate to tell you this, but when things got tough at Intel everyone got a 10% pay cut until things got better - If Ted is looking for ideas.

I am slightly amused by his deck chair shuffling on the Titanic.

PS - Thanks for contributing to Mr Bog's unique visitor count.

It's obvious he has a little Huey Long inside him.

Is that what it is?

I thought it was something else - and I thought it was a lot.

Kari Chisholm, it would be insightful if you would have put in context the pay increases of Local 53 in the past eight years, as compared to the average pay increases (decreases) of all other employees of the state. I think you know the answer, many of the rest of us do.

Kari,
I wonder what your reaction is to that story from the O?

Apparently you are impressed?

I'm not. Big deal.

It's a proposal for one thing so it coudl easily morph into anything status quo.

Another is the severity of the fiscal calamity leaves the Governor fews choices.

He can't possibly screw the taxpayers enough to fill the void.

...he actually asked the union for a give back.

Exactly, Steve.

Not exactly "[rolling] over for whatever they wanted."

Not to mention Ted's work on reforming PERS - which got him a well-funded primary challenger.

Will the entire State of Oregon have to pay $7.25/gallon for biodiesel if he wins?