Portland Politics Thread

[2oh1]

I had a thought and wasn't sure where to put it, so I started a new thread in the "Business, the Economy & Politics" section.

In the PDX Airport thread, MarkDaMan said (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9849785&postcount=942):

I think we should get PoP Director Curtis Robinhold to run for mayor. He gets things done!

Honestly, that's not a bad idea. I'd like to explore that topic, if you don't mind.

Portland hasn't had a good mayor since Vera left office in 2004. OK, technically, it was January 2005. Since then, we've had a string of 1 term mayors... and Ted.

For a long time, I've been thinking that the only way we'll get a decent mayor again is if 'somebody' (or some influential group) steps up to recruit the right candidate, because it sure seems like nobody who could actually do the job wants the job.

So... here's my question: If you could convince anyone you want to run for mayor next year, who would it be?

Who is your dream candidate for Portland Mayor in 2024?

[PhillyPDX]

Does it even matter with such a relatively powerless position? Soon to have maybe even less power (in a different way).

Honestly, I've heard so many complaints of Wheeler, and I think, "That complaint assumes the mayor here even HAS the power to do X. They don't". It's like people hear the word "mayor" and just assume the role is similar to other cities (it's not), and then complain. What would the perception of Wheeler be if you changed his title to what it really is, "Council Chair"? I guarantee public perception would change drastically.

[tworivers]

In the spirit of having fun with this, can we nominate fellow forumers? If so, I think that whoever aquaticko is, well, they should give it a shot. We need more people running for Mayor, or any elected office, who have an expansive vision and the data and persistence to back it up and then push hard against the increasingly-deadly (at every level) status quo and those who can't see past it. Eric can be chief of staff...

[eric cantona]

In the spirit of having fun with this, can we nominate fellow forumers? If so, I think that whoever aquaticko is, well, they should give it a shot. We need more people running for Mayor, or any elected office, who have an expansive vision and the data and persistence to back it up and then push hard against the increasingly-deadly (at every level) status quo and those who can't see past it. Eric can be chief of staff...

ack. that position is currently a poisoned chalice as Macbeth would say.

[urbanlife]

Does it even matter with such a relatively powerless position? Soon to have maybe even less power (in a different way).

Honestly, I've heard so many complaints of Wheeler, and I think, "That complaint assumes the mayor here even HAS the power to do X. They don't". It's like people hear the word "mayor" and just assume the role is similar to other cities (it's not), and then complain. What would the perception of Wheeler be if you changed his title to what it really is, "Council Chair"? I guarantee public perception would change drastically.

Yeah, most cities treat their mayor as a punching bag without realizing what it is a mayor actually does and doesn't do.

[2oh1]

Honestly, I've heard so many complaints of Wheeler, and I think, "That complaint assumes the mayor here even HAS the power to do X. They don't".

Maybe it's just that some of us are old enough and have been here long enough to remember Vera.

And what about Bud Clark? 30 years have passed since Bud left office after two terms and he is still remembered. Will Wheeler be remembered 30 years from now? Even five years from now, will he be remembered for anything other than getting tear gassed at a protest while protesters cheered and laughed?

Under-fire Portland mayor Ted Wheeler now has a hot sauce named after him: 'Tear Gas Ted'

"Tear Gas Ted's Hot Sauce is available for free – but customers have to donate to a social justice nonprofit first."

https://i.insider.com/5f84abaac255d800190b9671?width=700&format=jpeg&auto=webp

-- Business Insider (https://www.businessinsider.com/tear-gas-teds-hot-sauce-named-portland-mayor-ted-wheeler-2020-10)

Yes, it's a hard job, especially since so much power is actually in the hands of city council... but that's the job. Vera and others have proven the job can be done.

We've gone nearly 20 years without an effective mayor, and nobody worth a damn seems to want the job. We're getting to the point where it's time to start begging credible leaders to step up. The only reason Ted won a second term was because the other candidate was sooooo baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

I still don't understand how Sarah Iadontcare went from THIS in 2016:

https://res.cloudinary.com/sagacity/image/upload/c_crop,h_783,w_1168,x_322,y_0/c_limit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_80,w_1080/sarah-stairs_2560x1141_acf_cropped-1756x783_gwwsnh.jpg

...to THIS in 2020...

https://www.koin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/02/Sarah.png?w=900

...not to mention the fact that she was wearing skirts with the faces of communist dictators as a pattern. Good. Freaking. Lord. What happened?

[NOPO]

Rene Gonzalez, Dan Ryan, Ted Wheeler, and Mingus Mapps are destroying our city. They’ve recently balked at funding an organization that intends to help the black community, Reimagine Oregon. They’re pulling back $4.89 million. I cannot wait until everything is upended in 2024 with the new city government structure.

[2oh1]

Portland Commissioner Mingus Mapps announces run for mayor in 2024 election

Portland Commissioner Mingus Mapps announced he’s running for mayor in the November 2024 election, calling the city’s status quo of crime, drugs, and the homelessness crisis “unacceptable.”

City records show Mapps filed a notice of intent to run on Monday.

...continues at KATU.com (https://katu.com/news/local/portland-commissioner-mingus-mapps-announces-run-for-mayor-in-2024-election).