At the elephant graveyard, a new donkey
Here's news that slipped right past me during the election and over the holidays. My former congressman, Earl "the Pearl" Blumenauer, has a cushy new job. You'll never guess where.
Yep! Ha! Ha! Portland State!
When I think of PSU, I think of three things: real estate construction pork barrel, "urban planning" baloney factory, and political patronage scrap heap. Over the years, many washed-up politicians have found a nice place on the Portland State faculty after they got tired of running for re-election. Off the top of my head, I'm recalling Ted Kulongoski, Vera Katz, Mike Burton, Phil Keisling, plus I'm sure there are many more. It sounds like the closer you were to Neil Goldschmidt, the better your chances of getting in on the gravy.
It's got to be demoralizing for the real faculty. The suits keep telling them to tighten their belts, there's an $18 milion budget shortfall, or some days it's $32 million, yada yada yada. But when one of the local pols needs to keep the public money flowing into his bank account – and Lord knows, Earl the Pearl doesn't need it – the Portland State administration welcomes them with open arms and open wallet.
To make matters worse, what will the dude be teaching the young people? His brand of "urban planning," in which cars are bad (except his), and the smaller and crummier your apartment, the better (except his, or maybe he'll rent you one). The students will all get nice diplomas and then get hired at City Hall, where within a year they'll be closing your street and deciding what you can do with your deck.
Well played, Mr. Retired Congressman, well played.
Maybe Earl the Pearl, who got weirdly rich after decades of getting a Congressional paycheck, will help out with the antisemitism investigation by the federal (not state!!!!) justice department.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't leave out his shilling (for schillings?) for PGE's proposed clear cutting of 5 acres in Forest Park, because it's for "the climate protection." Wonder how much he's making, in total on the side.
ReplyDeleteStraight outta the Goldschmidt School of Government.
DeleteYep... Ol' Earl was, and prolly still is, a factotum for the Frisbee family.
DeleteSadly old “retired” politicians don’t ever really go away.
ReplyDeleteI heard Neil went to France. Isn't that 'away' enough for you?
DeleteHe has to keep the circle of incompetence going, without a hitch. The voters seem to demand it.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly wait for Earl’s first press interview on campus.
ReplyDeleteBow Tie 101? I've come to the conclusion that those "Bio Swales" are only there to take away parking spots. Earl should be able to come up with a few more methods to rid this town of those horrible relics with wheels.
ReplyDeleteA reader writes:Blumenauer is so old, the first time he saw the Mormon Tabernacle Choir they were a trio.
ReplyDeleteHeh... I remember when Earl was the 'wunderkind', the youngster who was going to change the world. I believe he and Rick Gustafson came out of the woodwork in the wake of Tom McCall's LCDC land use and comprehensive planning guidelines being imposed. And then, Metro was formed. Earl went into the trenches in the city and got buried by Katz and Adams...pushed out, as I remember. That's why he jumped for the Congressional route when he had the chance. Earl did not make a good impression upon me. He seemed out of touch and 'sold out' to the electric utility interests. He had all the personality of a dead fish with a poker up its ass. It always surprised me that he did so well in politics with that approach, but, I'm not an elite.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, any living politician who assents to public recognition using public funding in city infrastructure is not due any respect. That kind of stuff should be reserved for posthumous award.