One thing local government is really good at
The many, many layers of government we "enjoy" here in the Portland region have many, many p.r. flacks sitting around pumping out advertising. The City of Portland has a small army of bureaucrats who come to work every morning and start Tweeting out puffery on behalf of the likes of Mayor Creepy and Fireman Randy. Entirely too many -- and often they're touting some favored private business.
Multnomah County has taken it relatively easy in that department, but as a recent find at our local public library reveals, they're not immune from public relations overload:
There's more to this fold-out flyer, but you get the idea.
It's a grey day in our community when the government is advertising welfare and jails.
| Posted at 11:45 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (11)
I hate this trend of government running PR campaigns on its own public.
"WES works." No it doesn't, so why are tax dollars being spent to misinform ourselves that it does?
How much did we spend on Bush's tour of the country to convince us that we wanted to privatize Social Security? No we don't. Stop spending our own money to sell us something we clearly don't want.
Posted by Snards | September 14, 2010 12:00 PM
Seems to me that the purpose of advertising is to convince a consumer to choose one service provider over another.
If the County's advertising its services, does that mean there's another service provider out there? Can I make a different choice? Please?
Oh yeah. I could move.
Posted by Michelle | September 14, 2010 1:44 PM
Two words: WAPATO JAIL.
Posted by Mister Tee | September 14, 2010 1:44 PM
"Multnomah County Public Safety System" Hmmmm? Much more positive than "Criminal Justice System". Whatever they're paying the bureaucrat who coined that phrase - it isn't enough.
Posted by genop | September 14, 2010 2:05 PM
What no bikes?
Posted by Lc Scott | September 14, 2010 2:27 PM
Funny too, because 'multco.gov' isn't a valid domain.
Posted by Roamsedge | September 14, 2010 3:11 PM
The real outrage is that they spend money to get you to consume more government services, which means they have to raise taxes to fund all the "services" ...
Oh, and if you consume government services, you're no longer a "beneficiary," you're a "client."
Posted by Garage Wine | September 14, 2010 3:47 PM
I could move.
Yeah...after 9 long years of helplessly watching the infamously corrupt government of that irrelevant little backwater steal and waste my money, I did. Austin may have some problems, and it might in some respects be headed down the same path as Portland, but at least they let you earn a living here, and let you keep a larger portion of the money you earn.
Sure, no sales tax, yadda yadda yadda. I don't purchase things like $900 rims and $100 pairs of jeans, so it doesn't affect me that much. Live off of Grocery store food too, which isn't taxed either.
Every now and then I buy a treat for myself like...this week...an old Soviet attempt to imitate the Minimoog synthesizer, the "Polivoks," but for the most part, if you live frugally, the sales tax works towards your advantage.
Whenever I see examples of the wasteful nonsense Jack posts up here for ridicule, I think about all those years of Oregon income tax, Multnomah County business income tax, and Tri-Met business income tax, all at obscene "independent contractor" rates.
Gods Above, am I grateful that those skill-less goldbrickers running your fair city into the ground cannot get at my income any more !
The thing about Portland is, most of the people who live there are totally convinced that it's the best or even the only place to live there is.
A shame, really, that so many of them will see so little of their own country over the course of their lives. But those are Portlanders for ya...myopic, naive and self-absorbed.
Do yourself a favor. Vote with your feet...get out of that sinking ship and see what the rest of your nation has to offer...
Posted by Cabbie | September 14, 2010 3:48 PM
You have to admit, those are some mighty successful looking children, all due to the many services they've received from Multnomah County, of course. Sort of fills that void in my wallet.
Posted by Bark Munster | September 14, 2010 8:40 PM
The theory is, I am guessing, is that if people can get their basic needs met with government help, they can go from there to be successful on their own.
Is it better than pretending there are no kids in need?
Posted by Cynthia | September 15, 2010 9:48 AM
From the MERC:
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/the-criminalization-of-mental-illness/Content?oid=2090110
Interesting contrast to the smiling faces on the glossy above. It appears that MultCo doesn't work so well for the mentally ill.
Posted by Mister Tee | September 15, 2010 10:24 AM