BH poaching political analyst,Rob Kremer's, IPhone.
Our trip home.Well how did it go? It was a hearing so it wasn't on the floor of the House. It started with my illustrious representative, Michael Dembrow, testifying first about the wonderful accolades of this bill. *barf*
Surprisingly, there was several hours of testimony from us, the people. I mean several hours. I expected this hearing to last a max of two hours. Nope. Started at 8 am. Broke for a break at 10:30 am. Resumed at 1:30 pm and ended at 3 pm. As much as I realized my kids were dying, I appreciate the representatives listening. Committees haven't always listened to testimony in the past, and have shut out testimony.
And guess what? I signed in as an audience member and inadvertently got called to testify. I gave the typical why my kid is in ORCA, the lousy public school choices I have available to me, etc. Then I started. I referenced that my representative is Michael Dembrow, who we heard from earlier, and he and I agree to disagree. And I said it. I question his ethics and a potential conflict of interest since when he is not a representative, he is employed the the very union who is listed with him on the bill. And guess what? Another idiot liberal representative (Jules Bailey) chastised me saying "We representatives do have lives outside of our offices, and we are capable of separating the two."
And then the gavel fell and we broke for lunch. Durn, because my response would have been something like this:
"Several members today have brought up potential conflict of interests because they have a family member who is employed by someone testifying or they are on a city council together. I don't think it is unreasonable for me to mention that it is public record that Michael Dembrow has a potential conflict of interest. As his constituent I have that right to point it out. As a representative, Michael Dembrow has an obligation to mention it, and he didn't this morning. I do question his integrity, as we all should."
The bill passed this hearing with an amendment. It is bittersweet. The amendment is a pile of hooey, but it did buy us time to have it go before the Senate floor again. Hopefully, we can get three Dems to switch their vote. Hopefully.
However, here are two anciliary things that happened. During the lunch break, Rob Kremer, who is a great advocate for us, goes off and does a bunch of calls on his cell phone and comes back to me and says, "I have an assignment for you." At the time he said this, I was asking everyone, "Was that wrong of me to bring up Dembrow's ethics." The answer was a staunch, "No, you got it in the public record. Shame on Bailey for being a dork". Rob Kremer in in huge agreement with all of us, this is all about how the unions have bought the House and Senate in this state. Without boring you to tears, there have been several other bills passed hugely sponsored by unions during this legislative session, and it sickening.
So I say to Rob, "Uh oh....what?" Well, remember all my jokings about the mayor of Portland this spring? How this openly gay mayor is in a huge soap opera sex scandal? And I have been joking like crazy about it? For those of you who are Oregonians, go back in your history and think about the Neil Goldschmidt scandal, where this huge politician was sexually abusing an underage girl during his hey day. Remember that? The reporter that broke those stories is Nigel Jaquiss. He is a Pulitzer prize winning reporter. He doesn't go to stories, they come to him and he picks and chooses what he covers. He loves to uncover scandal, in appropriate ways, not in National Enquirer ways. Okay, I didn't know any of this when Rob was giving me my next assignment. I was still at "was what I said over the line?"
Rob says, "Nigel Jaquiss wants to interview you right now on union corruption on this issue and you need to call him right now."
*&%$!!
"Rob can you watch my kids for a sec?"
I called him and I was very honest with him about my feelings on Dembrow, my belief that this issue has nothing to do with education, has everything to do with union corruption, etc. He was very kind and nice. He asked me tons of questions and I did not hold back like I did in the hearing. I also let him know I am very serious about filing a complaint against Dembrow for misconduct on this issue.
Okay, the Willamette Weekly coming out Wednesday, look for it.
But wait there is more!
I get home with two kids who endured way too many hours of a hearing and deserved the moon for being so good. I tell my husband about our day. He has always said and said it again, "Call Victoria Taft (local conservative talk show host) . I was just listening to her on the radio." Well, okay, so I sent a quick email and told her about the day's events. Guess what? Five minutes later I get a one sentence email from her, "You available to talk at 7:05?" Ummmmm.....yes!
So at 7:05 pm last night I gave a five minute phone interview summarizing the day's events, explaining virtual schooling, and hearing more about our union controlled state capital.
And then I had a libation, two in fact, and went to bed.
Surprisingly, there was several hours of testimony from us, the people. I mean several hours. I expected this hearing to last a max of two hours. Nope. Started at 8 am. Broke for a break at 10:30 am. Resumed at 1:30 pm and ended at 3 pm. As much as I realized my kids were dying, I appreciate the representatives listening. Committees haven't always listened to testimony in the past, and have shut out testimony.
And guess what? I signed in as an audience member and inadvertently got called to testify. I gave the typical why my kid is in ORCA, the lousy public school choices I have available to me, etc. Then I started. I referenced that my representative is Michael Dembrow, who we heard from earlier, and he and I agree to disagree. And I said it. I question his ethics and a potential conflict of interest since when he is not a representative, he is employed the the very union who is listed with him on the bill. And guess what? Another idiot liberal representative (Jules Bailey) chastised me saying "We representatives do have lives outside of our offices, and we are capable of separating the two."
And then the gavel fell and we broke for lunch. Durn, because my response would have been something like this:
"Several members today have brought up potential conflict of interests because they have a family member who is employed by someone testifying or they are on a city council together. I don't think it is unreasonable for me to mention that it is public record that Michael Dembrow has a potential conflict of interest. As his constituent I have that right to point it out. As a representative, Michael Dembrow has an obligation to mention it, and he didn't this morning. I do question his integrity, as we all should."
The bill passed this hearing with an amendment. It is bittersweet. The amendment is a pile of hooey, but it did buy us time to have it go before the Senate floor again. Hopefully, we can get three Dems to switch their vote. Hopefully.
However, here are two anciliary things that happened. During the lunch break, Rob Kremer, who is a great advocate for us, goes off and does a bunch of calls on his cell phone and comes back to me and says, "I have an assignment for you." At the time he said this, I was asking everyone, "Was that wrong of me to bring up Dembrow's ethics." The answer was a staunch, "No, you got it in the public record. Shame on Bailey for being a dork". Rob Kremer in in huge agreement with all of us, this is all about how the unions have bought the House and Senate in this state. Without boring you to tears, there have been several other bills passed hugely sponsored by unions during this legislative session, and it sickening.
So I say to Rob, "Uh oh....what?" Well, remember all my jokings about the mayor of Portland this spring? How this openly gay mayor is in a huge soap opera sex scandal? And I have been joking like crazy about it? For those of you who are Oregonians, go back in your history and think about the Neil Goldschmidt scandal, where this huge politician was sexually abusing an underage girl during his hey day. Remember that? The reporter that broke those stories is Nigel Jaquiss. He is a Pulitzer prize winning reporter. He doesn't go to stories, they come to him and he picks and chooses what he covers. He loves to uncover scandal, in appropriate ways, not in National Enquirer ways. Okay, I didn't know any of this when Rob was giving me my next assignment. I was still at "was what I said over the line?"
Rob says, "Nigel Jaquiss wants to interview you right now on union corruption on this issue and you need to call him right now."
*&%$!!
"Rob can you watch my kids for a sec?"
I called him and I was very honest with him about my feelings on Dembrow, my belief that this issue has nothing to do with education, has everything to do with union corruption, etc. He was very kind and nice. He asked me tons of questions and I did not hold back like I did in the hearing. I also let him know I am very serious about filing a complaint against Dembrow for misconduct on this issue.
Okay, the Willamette Weekly coming out Wednesday, look for it.
But wait there is more!
I get home with two kids who endured way too many hours of a hearing and deserved the moon for being so good. I tell my husband about our day. He has always said and said it again, "Call Victoria Taft (local conservative talk show host) . I was just listening to her on the radio." Well, okay, so I sent a quick email and told her about the day's events. Guess what? Five minutes later I get a one sentence email from her, "You available to talk at 7:05?" Ummmmm.....yes!
So at 7:05 pm last night I gave a five minute phone interview summarizing the day's events, explaining virtual schooling, and hearing more about our union controlled state capital.
And then I had a libation, two in fact, and went to bed.
2 comments:
So when are you running for office?
You might be joking but you are not at all the first one to mention that idea. My husband mentions it continually, of all people. Did you see my Facebook profile this morning?
My official answer?? I'll keep you posted. It is not out of the realm of possibility.
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