Why does my suspicion antenna go up when I get glossy postcards [size 6×11 !] almost daily from a group telling me to vote YES YES YES YES [yup 4 of them] on a measure that they do not even give the number for?

Perhaps because the alleged group sending thee 6×11 glossies never tell me WHO they are? Even their website lacks the names of the “group.” So maybe my antenna is correct and this is a group or an individual who will benefit from a change in how Portland operates?

Anonymous mailings will always put my suspicion antenna way high! If you truly believe in what you are proposing – put your names on the mailings. The less glossy but more factual letters I got from the people against this change in government had their names in the mailings. And they only sent them once. Apparently they believe I can read and think and do not need the George Bush school of propaganda to form an opinion.

I have lived in many cities and towns – under all sorts of governments…My take? THEY ALL HAVE PROBLEMS. I have never lived anywhere that has had efficient government. Government – like democracy is messy. Mess is GOOD – propaganda and forcing a position anonymously is BAD.

That’s my take on the proposal to “fix” city hall. Although I am relatively new to Portland, I did learn that our wise citizens have rejected this type of fix several times.

Keep Portland Weird – and messy – and with the system we have.