http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2012/06/19/you-might-be-screwed-excerpts-from-jefferson-smiths-u-of-o-commencement-speech Comments On: "You Might Be Screwed": Excerpts from Jefferson Smith's U of O Commencement Speech by Denis C. Theriault en-us Copyright 2013 Portland Mercury. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Portland Mercury readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Portland Mercury. webmaster@portlandmercury.com (Portland Mercury Webmaster) Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:45:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by sb]]> Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:23:33 -0700 Portland Mercury
Also, so I don't get kicked out of this commentary, OMG!!! Jefferson Smith is SO AMAZING! Can I have your baby!?!

And also, I like the guy, and will vote for him over Charlie when the time comes.
Posted by GeezRilly?]]> Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:47:57 -0700 Portland Mercury
He's not a "bus/bicycle advocate." The Bus Project is not about public transportation; it is a democracy-building, multi-issue advocacy organization.

"Assumptions that he predicated a radical change in his only life on. That makes me think he's crazy. "

That's in fact exactly NOT what he said. Please reread.



Posted by torridjoe]]> Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:53:34 -0700 Portland Mercury Jefferson Smith is saying that a guy who works for McDonald-level wages should be able to feed his family there. Jefferson Smith is saying that the disparity is real; the only way out is through it.

So, it's Ok - even good - if it takes a little time. It means your brain was not turned to mush. You still retain humanity after all the craptacular you survived. It's only normal to be a cynic.

Take that cyncial side and keep looking, keep asking. In fact, go to an event - a house party or forum - and ask the guy yourself. Ask him about the story at McDonalds. And welcome!
Posted by PDXsays]]> Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:35:04 -0700 Portland Mercury 1. The odds that story isn't simply just a composite or a manufactured vehicle to make a point, about 2%.
2. Assuming its true what does ones race have to do with it?
3. You could have done a lot more for people in this situation as a multimillionaire lawyer than as a bus/bicycle advocate.
4. How does he know that these people are "doing all the right things"? Maybe dad has a perfectly fine job but blows his money at the track. Maybe he's just cheap as hell. Maybe they were trying to save money for something. Why would he make these assumptions about people he knows nothing about? Assumptions that he predicated a radical change in his only life on. That makes me think he's crazy.
5. Let's assume they were the noble poor and simply couldn't afford Happy Meals. What is Jefferson Smith saying? The government should guarantee every family can afford to take their kids out for happy meals?
Posted by bogenreev]]> Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:58:02 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Todd Mecklem]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 19:43:28 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Strunk & White]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:35:36 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Linnea L.]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:31:36 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by tbreunig]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:56:01 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Chuck Garabedian]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:09:07 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by R]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:48:55 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Radway]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:12:06 -0700 Portland Mercury
There's an ingenious mix of 21st century social democracy and Puritan work ethic in this speech. It both nods to the seemingly inexorable control of political and economic systems over people's livelihoods, and challenges the graduates to still not be passive in the face of things, to have hope and to work together to change the goals rather than adapt to the system.

I like Charlie, but with all due respect he's not even CLOSE to having this kind of conversation with Portlanders. Jefferson's approach has lessons to inform how we go about the nuts and bolts of running the city, but Charlie's focus on being some sort of day jobber mayoral handyman is missing the cohesive vision to inform what tools are necessary, which projects to take on and how.
Posted by torridjoe]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:57:07 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Dan Wasil]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:34:27 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Imelda]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:58:34 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Todd Mecklem]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:45:16 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Chuck Garabedian]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:26:46 -0700 Portland Mercury