The plot thickens?

Our former mayor and his wife, both "establishment progressive" figures in the city, have come out in favor of the recall movement. This is EXACTLY what the recall has needed, some visible liberal support (other than what visibility yours truly has, which isn't much any more), and we can use as much as we can get to disassociate the movement from its homophobic fringe of support. I have no idea if this will help but I know it can't hurt. I still think the task is formidable, but perhaps doable. We'll see.

In the past week I finished two pieces for publication, both requested, a big deal since I don't write for publication these days: a contribution to an upcoming anthology on screenwriting craft, and an op ed piece I am calling "Why Progressives Should Support the Recall of Mayor Sam Adams," which now seems well timed. I really stress my argument that supporting both Adams and Obama is a contradiction in political values. I hope I can change some progressive minds.

Adams is a tragedy in classical terms since his own flaws have caused all of his problems. If he came clean in the beginning, resigned in order to have a new election, which he himself supported, I think he could have won again. He has a lot going for him. But out of fear, arrogance, ambition, or something else or combinations of these, he kept digging himself deeper and deeper into the black hole of lies and deception. I keep waiting for the kid to file a civil suit, Adams ended up using and betraying him so much. I haven't seen such a self-destructive politician since Nixon.

And the movement to get Nixon a street, 23rd Ave., has begun in earnest. Ah, what a delightful comedy of political bravado! When the chips come down, don't know if I could vote for a Nixon street or not but if I do it's in the spirit of balancing one absurd decision with another. There are so many constructive, creative ways to honor folks who deserve honoring, without making innocent small business people and residents pay the bill. Talk about knee-jerk old school ideological decision making! And Portland considers itself some kind of liberal vanguard. The bottle bill was creative. Making the beaches public, decades ago, was creative. Renaming a street is knee jerk nonsense. We've lost the creative edge we used to have.

blah blah blah.

Well, it's gray and rainy, what else is new in July in Portland? But we are supposed to have 80 degree weather through the week, so we'll see.

Going to church with H today, as I usually don't, to hear a sermon on the nature of evil, a subject of interest to me. Then we plan to see the new Woody Allen movie. Then, depending on the weather, I may canvas -- or consider my op ed piece a decent contribution to the cause for the weekend.

3 police officers are sitting across the way. Wish I had a recall petition on me. Would they sign it? Or are they not permitted to while on duty?

I just hope this recall business doesn't get ugly. There was minor ugliness reported on the news, a canvasser yesterday chased off with "homophobic" accusations. The recall movement has the support of gay publications but it also could use a very visible gay figure in active support. If nothing else, this is going to be a fascinating process to work in and witness. Democracy at work, after all. But man, the rules sure make it hard to pull off. I suppose this makes sense or recalls would happen all the time for trivial reasons.

I had a recent conversation with an articulate bright doctor in town, a progressive, who was against renaming 39th, and he told me as soon as that battle was over (he lost), he'd get behind the recall movement with all his energy. I wish I had taken his card. I really dug his mind and his style.
Are there more progressives with common sense in town or more ideologues? We'll find out.

Another summer task is to clean my office. I want to get rid of 75% of what is in there. I started on one small bookcase. It's a summer long job but what I'm done, hopefully I'll look like I've begun the transition to traveling light. I remember one move I made years ago, driven by the dictum that if it didn't fit in my VW bug, it didn't go. Tough love ha ha.