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Saturday, May 10, 2008
Election 2008 Mayor’s Wife is “Sick of These Disgusting Power Plays that Put Winning and Egos Over What is Best for Portland”
Posted by on Sat, May 10 at 12:48 AM
(UPDATE @ 8:35 pm on Sunday: Hansen has not only pulled that post—which, as the Oregonian reported, she replaced with a post about striving to be more “Tom-like”—but has pulled every post. Apparently being more “Tom-like” means not blogging, which is apropos. But good thing for Google. Here’s a cache of the post.)
Did you know Mayor Tom Potter’s wife, Karin Hansen, has a blog? (Either that, or she’s got a sock puppet more talented than any I’ve ever seen.) From her profile: “It can be tough for an opinionated person like myself to be the wife of an elected official. I get so frustrated sometimes. I have my own ideas, but they are often minimized. People, knowingly or not, take away my power when they make comments, such as: ‘Of course, she would say that. She’s Potter’s wife.’ or ‘If she’s endorsing Dozono, Potter must be.’” (Which means she’s going to hate the title of this blog post.)
This afternoon, Hansen posted about the goings on at city hall. This is even better than the time she listed Potter’s “accomplishments” on BlueOregon a few weeks ago.
Background: As you could probably tell from my post on Wednesday, Commissioners Sam Adams and Randy Leonard aren’t too happy with Potter’s proposed budget (which basically denied funding to any of Adams’ projects, and a key one of Leonard’s). The two have been working on an alternative budget, and Dan Saltzman is the third vote—Saltzman can vote for Potter’s budget, but then it’s 2-2 and the city doesn’t have a budget… or he can get more of his stuff funded via the Adams-Leonard alternative proposal, and the city gets to carry on… we’ll see which way he goes!
The budget is supposed to be up for a vote on Wednesday. I had some calls in this afternoon to see where things were at. The “alternative” budget, last I heard, is going to include more arts funding, more transportation funding, a shift in money to actually fund Leonard’s recently passed legislation to move the PDC’s attorneys under the city attorney’s authority (not including that in his own budget was Potter’s first mistake—NEVER cross Randy), plus “some things for Dan,” according to a city hall staffer I spoke with earlier this week.
It’s a pragmatic and politically smart way for Adams and Leonard to see that their priorities get funding. Hansen sees it quite differently. Calling it a “Character Assassination in Progress,” she says “The evil doers are hard at work at City Hall. They are trying to erase all the good work of Tom Potter’s administration.”
I want to quote the entire dang thing—it’s that juicy and over the top. Oh, what the hell, let’s do it.
They are working on ending funding for on-going projects, such as the Office of Youth and Gang Violence Prevention, the newly created Human Rights Commission; while chipping away at Tom’s supporters. They have yanked Dan Saltzman to the darkside for their third vote to override “the Mayor’s Budget” With an “Alternative Budget.” They have swayed PDC chair, Mark Rosenbaum to their side for the deconstruction of PDC. They have pulled in Charles McGee of BPI with money promises. They tried to get to a large group of Black Portlanders to turn against the mayor via Willie Brown, but he didn’t take the bait. And, someone is secretly supplying the homeless protesting at City Hall with sustenance…I believe that is them also.Emphasis hers.This is a pretty nasty list. It almost sounds paranoid, but, really, it is just finally putting the pieces together…and, those are just the pieces that I have found. Where are others still lurking?
….all this just to get even with a person they don’t like. Is that your Portland? It’s not mine.
I am sick of these disgusting power plays that put winning and egos over what is best for Portland.
If we elect Sam Adams as our next mayor, this will be business as usual for Portland’s future, folks.
Vote for Sho Dozono for mayor, because he would actually put Portland first.
In protest, write in Tom Potter for Randy Leonard’s spot.
How can this possibly get better? Randy Leonard found it (and sent it to me and a couple other reporters tonight), and has responded in the comments to her post. That’s after the cut.
Randy responds:
Karin- It is neither a conspiracy nor disrespectful to disagree with Tom's proposed budget. In fact, it is quite normal for elected officials to have differing views on funding priorities. I am surprised you do not view my wanting to fund items different from what Tom may want funded (such as giving the workers at Central City Concern a cost of living wage raise) as a part of the job I and the others on council were elected to do...not just be a rubber stamp for Tom.I would have hoped you could see the benefit of having more than one view how best to fund essential city services as a strength of our city, not some evidence of a conspiracy or strategy to do Tom ill.
I'm off to read Hansen's archives...
UPDATE! Good thing there are only ten entries, or I'd be up all night. The blog apparently kicked off after she posted Potter's "accomplishments" to BlueOregon, and was essentially laughed off that thread. She writes "Instead of being intimidated out of posting on the blogs of others, here I am with my own blog." Right on.
Then:
One of the reasons that I am so frustrated all of the time is because a Do-Nothing Portland City Council of Mean White Boys, in alliance with the Portland media, have successfully painted a productive, inclusive and amazing mayor as a "Do-Nothing Mayor." I am angered by this.
Emphasis mine.
Comments
"...a productive, inclusive and amazing mayor": Karin left out "irrelevant."
According to the City Charter, the Mayor does have that authority.
Article IV / Section 2-401 states, "The Mayor shall exercise a careful supervision over the general affairs of the City."
To supervise means to manage. To manage means to hold accountable.
This means that the Mayor does have the authority to hold council accountable.
In fact, Article IV / Section 2-403 states the Mayor can at anytime investigate any officer, or employee of the City.
Potter simply isn't keeping the kids at City Hall under control. Sam likes it this way and will create an environment of even more chaos.
You know the guy's been bankrupt. He spends your money like he's a trophy wife and he can't control his impulse spending.
Other than the constant "single-brained" programming you get from all the media (incl. The Mercury), how could anyone find Sam appealing or trustworthy? For the past four years they write about all the crap he's pulled, and now they want you to believe he's great!?
Don't buy the lie!
RICH4MAYOR!!!
Am I the only one who finds this terribly inappropriate and disturbing behavior totally unbecoming of our city's first lady?
They have YANKED DAN SALTZMAN TO THE DARKSIDE.
Amy I expect t-shirts with "I YANKED DAN SALTZMAN TO THE DARKSIDE" to be available here on Blogtown by Monday morning, all proceeds going to...er...charity.
Cripes.
Perhaps the post's title -- "Character Assasination [sic] in Progress" -- is meant to describe her own words.
Amy: seriously, your "NEVER cross Randy" comment is actually more ridiculous than anything you're posting here. In grade school, bullies were followed around by a parasite that would giggle and parrot anything the bully said (we called them "toadies"). Guess what you just made yourself out to be?
You're not the press, you're a propaganda machine. In light of your comments, it's no wonder the Mayor's wife said what she did.
FWIW and without claiming this was or was not an endorsement, one technically can state "NEVER cross Randy" as an observation without it being an endorsement of Randy.
"...one technically can state "NEVER cross Randy" as an observation without it being an endorsement of Randy": "Technically"? It was obviously an observation.
Amy's consistently doing the best City Hall coverage in town, and it gets on my tit when people (deliberately or otherwise) mistake reportage for punditry.
Too funny. She'll say anything or spin any conspiracy. And you know the funniest thing? When she was on that Blueoregon site, she wasn't even telling anyone she was the mayor's wife, posting material straight off of Dozono's campagn talking points.
And, Mr. Rich, you know Sam's bankruptcy came from him having no health insurance and medical bills, right? And he paid it all back, even though he didn't have to. Just saying...
Hey Guffman, are you Amy's wife?
Hey Variable, are you Tom's wife?
Oops, looks like Karin pulled that blog post! Guess somebody figured out it was wild-eyed crazy-talk...Amy, do you have a screencapture you can post?
Hey Rich, go homphobes! "Trophy Wife" hmm would you have used that particular slur were Sam not gay? Doubt it. Why do I doubt it? Because you bring up the totally irrelevant fact of Adams having a bankruptcy in his history.
1) He went bankrupt over medical bills during a period of under/no insurance.
2) He wrote to his creditors and told them he intended to pay them back.
3) He paid them back.
All of which was legal, ethical and financially the responsible thing to do. Beyond that bankruptcy law is vital to capitalism which is why it has such a long history; entrepreneurs and investors need the ability from time to time to step (temporarilly or permanently) out of the game to regroup. If bankruptcy were unavailable to individuals and businesses there would be no innovative start-ups, no venture capitalism and there would be no relief from the legalized usury that are credit card interest rates.
Back to the mayor's wife. Blog posts are gone. Too sad. Maybe Mrs Tom should ask that she be written-in for mayor, sounds like she has bigger cohones that her husband. SNAP!
The fact Sam is homosexual is irrelevant to me. That is his personal and private business. It is also his right, which I defend.
How he makes decisions, is another. When facing a difficult situation, does Sam respond with decisions that reflect an emotional response, or a logical response? Those who are more disposed to emotional responses, are also prone to impulse purchasing habits. Credit card companies feed on this trait. This also explains why the advertising industry has shifted its focus to the psychology of the consumer, instead of the traditional "3 P's" Product - Placement & Promotion. You'll buy a complete piece of crap because you feel good or look cool. The fact you are regarded at as carefully manipulated consumers should be troubling enough to you, but that's another discussion.
Bankruptcy is a sign of financial mismanagement. Sam is not alone in this. He is part of an increasing population who have a "buy it now and figure out how to pay for it later" mentality. I come from a "if you don't have enough money for something, you don't buy it" mentality.
I've had medical bills that have created a financial burden and I have had to make major changes until the debt was paid. In fact, recently I went to the ER for a decent scratch in my eye. I waited for about 20 minutes in the waiting area, then was looked at for 15 minutes - tops. That whole thing cost over $700. I don't have insurance and I am still paying it off. In the past, I've paid one medical bill for over 3 years in $10 and $20 chunks.
The point is, I have never lived beyond my means - I have never even had a credit card! These are character traits that I am very proud of and want to promote.
They are also what I see as major fundamental differences between Sam and myself.
His bicycle crusade is an entirely emotionally driven campaign, so was His bridge campaign. That aside, move into the actual transportation needs of the city and the severe infrastructure problems that are a result of the time Sam has been in office. He's brought his financial irresponsibility from his personal life into the public life. Now he wants to control your budget.
Sam has a record of financial mismanagement in his personal and elected life.
I have a record of financial responsibility in my personal and professional life.
I allow logic to prevail over my emotion.
Sam is running for Mayor.
I am running for Mayor.
I don't know if Sam filed a 7 or 13, but it's still a legal proceeding called bankruptcy, which does have a stigma attached to it and fiscally minded people naturally see it as a warning sign - as they should.
I do not support the homophobic agenda because it is emotion over logic too.
It's quite absurd.
Nice try though ;)
RICH4MAYOR!!
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Tom had a wonderful chance to do something different than the iron fist of Vera Katz. We were all for him. It's too bad we didn't realize Tom wanted to run city hall like the Portland Police Dept. Just because you're mayor doesn't mean you're the final say like when you're the police chief. I can't think of a vote I've regretted more.