Thank you again for helping us make good choices. Hmm. Maybe it would be fun to contact Mary Nolan and see if she can dispute any of the above. Just for fun.

“Hey Chandler ... I somehow managed to miss your retirement
announcement. When did you decide you were going to drop out of the lobbying business? Let me know if there's a farewell party; I
certainly wouldn't want to miss it. Stay in touch. Thanks.” -- Mary Nolan, threatening a lobbyist, 2010

Jack did you miss the trial lawyers doubling what that evil Wal Mart and Philip Morris gave? Or for that matter all those clean as the driven snow health outfits ponied up to her?

We should all be concerned on just who our politicians are friendly with.

"The lesser of two evils is still evil."

That's a classic, Garage Wine. If anyone needed more evidence that the OR Dem Party has taken the lack of meaningful opposition as an opportunity to turn into a cozy gangster operation, there you have it.

And now they're serving up Nolan and Novick. The "annointed." Or should I say "appointed."

Weak sauce - she was leadership, which means that in order to compete you gotta go to the same trough as the other side. Not saying I like it, but it's the reality we have to deal with for the time being.

And now they're serving up Nolan and Novick. The "annointed." Or should I say "appointed."

Who's "they", specifically?

And who, specifically, *would* be a great city council candidate? Think about what it takes before you choose. Nolan's got way more ability to do something good for the city than Fritz, and a lot of people know it--including, I think, Fritz.

"Mary Nolan knows what it takes to sustain a prosperous economy"

Well now that we are heading down the debt toilet, maybe this ain't her time.

Nolan is being too cute by half.

Can she run for both the rep seat and the Council seat in the May 2012 primary?

If Nolan has to drop the rep seat, watch a very ambitious local Den precinct committee guy who lives in the Multno,mah Neighborhood, Moses Ross, jump in for the rep seat.

Somebody here was on the homebuilders' side against 66 & 67? Sorry, but corporations and high income people can pay more. It is called progressive taxation, and I'm for it. Oh, and I take back the "sorry" part -- not sorry for being in favor of a more-progressive tax structure.

She'll do a great job. And with Portland's debt business about to hit the rotating metal thingy, we'd better have a grownup or two on there.

I'm surprised at you folks. In this state, in this city, Dems can do anything they want. Anything. Without compunction.

Including diddling minors in the restrooms of government buildings.

Wouldn't surprise me if Kitz decided he wanted to also be mayor and chief justice at the same time he was governor. Also wouldn't surprise me if media types chimed in with praise for his "innovative streamlining" in merging state, county and local governments under one leader.

As for Ms. Nolan doing good for the city, I'm sure if something beneficial to the public occurs while she is raking in her graft, padding her finances, appeasing her benefactors and threatening her opponents, it will be trumpeted in her campaign literature next time around. Whether or not she actually had anything to do with it.

I'd wholeheartedly support and defend a candidate that had actual ideas, practiced honesty and integrity, told it like it was and let the chips fall. Alas, not gonna see one in my lifetime.

Other white meat, "they" are the Democratic Party establishment.

And I think someone from outside the establishment would be a good city hall candidate. Preferrably someone with experience doing something besides holding office, or doing political/non-profit work that is closely affiliated with the government.

We don't have a healthy political spectrum here. We have a bunch of people who think exactly the same. And the result is increasingly costly and irresponsible behavior from buddy-buddy officials who can rest safe knowing they'll never be called on it.

Other white meat, "they" are the Democratic Party establishment.

That's fair. But I don't see a candidate outside the "establishment", and I don't think "Voter owned elections" do a thing to change that.

We don't have a healthy political spectrum here. We have a bunch of people who think exactly the same.

I mostly agree, especially with City Council. But I don't think Novick thinks just like Adams or Leonard, for example.

OWM, I'll keep my ears open for how Novick or Nolan would meanfully affect the course in Portland. I'll hear them out. But I don't believe we'll be hearing much to differentiate them.

I will likely vote for Fritz. She hasn't been hugely effective, but she was willing to vote against the boys club on a lot of things. I think she's had more of an impact than Fish, who just seems to go along to get along.