Local Portland rant

Why does my suspicion antenna go up when I get glossy postcards [size 6x11 !] 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 6x11 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.