In My Opinion …. more or less
The Oregonian yesterday published an OpEd with my name and photograph, responding to their editorial immediately after the election that called for pulling the plug on Public Campaign Financing. I appreciate being given access to the forum. I think it’s important for you to know, though, that what was published was not exactly what I wrote. Changes were made without my knowledge or consent. I note this so you realize that what you read in the media may not be what I actually said — even when it appears to be written by me, let alone when I am quoted after an oral conversation. To find out my position on issues, verbatim, from me, keep reading this blog over the next four years.
For those seeking an excuse to avoid going out to rake up more leaves, here is a game: Compare what I wrote, and what was published. See how many differences you can spot. And then you can muse about why those changes were made, given that what I sent in was exactly 500 words, the maximum specified.
What I sent in:
In Response/OpEd
Thank you, voters and taxpayers of Portland, for electing me to the Portland City Council. I will work hard to continue to earn your trust.
I support Public Campaign Financing. I will work continually to improve the system, and I will vote to refer the revised program to the ballot in 2010. I will educate voters about its importance, and lead the campaign to see it passed.
Because my 13-month run was funded with Public Campaign Financing, I had time to campaign in every one of Portland’s 95 neighborhoods. I attended hundreds of community events and meetings, met with thousands of Portlanders, knocked on doors in 50 neighborhoods spanning the city, posted more than 200 personal reports on my campaign web site, and responded to citizens’ questions by phone and email. I was out most days from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and seldom went to bed before midnight.
In a traditional campaign, I would have had to spend several hours every day, making phone calls asking for donations. I ran because I want to serve the people of Portland by helping the Council to prioritize spending citizens’ money and time, in all areas of the city. I do not want to develop the “skill” of asking affluent people for large sums of money. I would not have run a second time without Public Campaign Financing.
Now, because I have been elected with public money, I am beholden to every taxpayer, voter, and citizen in Portland, rather than indebted to a few affluent donors with interests that don’t always dovetail with community concerns. I will be able to push the Council to prioritize spending money wisely to provide basic services in all 95 neighborhoods.
The annual cost of Public Campaign Financing since its enactment comes to $1.05 per Portland resident. This is a cost-effective investment to ensure that community interests are heard in City Hall. My campaign used taxpayers’ money wisely to convey my core messages about who I am and what I will do. My staff, volunteers, and I worked tirelessly to inform citizens of my plans to improve Portland. I talked with affluent business owners and with homeless youth, with Democrats and Republicans, with cultural groups, non-profit boards, high school students. I would not have had time to make personal connections with as wide a range of Portlanders, if I had been dialing for dollars every day.
Before calling for pulling the plug on Public Campaign Financing, let Portlanders watch how I perform on the Council. Watch what I do, being truly independent of special interest money. I will give citizens an account of the money I save through my actions as a City Commissioner, when I vote to refer Public Campaign Financing to the ballot in 2010. I am confident, having just spent 13 months of my life talking with Portlanders and hearing their views in up to 9 events per day, 60 hours every week, that Public Campaign Financing will become Voter-Owned, voter approved, in 2010.
OK, that’s what I sent in. The following is what was published. How many changes can you spot?
Beholden to all but indebted to none
(for the record, I like the title chosen for me)
With the election now well behind us, I’d like to thank the voters and taxpayers of Portland for electing me to the City Council. You can be sure I’ll work hard to continue to earn your trust.
My 13-month run for office was funded by our city’s system of public campaign financing, giving me an inside look at its benefits. I support that system and will work to improve it. I’ll also vote to refer the revised program to the ballot in 2010 and vow to help educate voters about its importance and lead the campaign to see it passed.
Because of that system, I had time to campaign in every one of Portland’s 95 neighborhoods. I attended hundreds of community events and meetings, met with thousands of Portlanders, knocked on doors in 50 neighborhoods spanning the city, posted more than 200 personal reports on my campaign Web site and responded to citizens’ questions by phone and e-mail. I was out most days from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and seldom went to bed before midnight.
In a traditional campaign, I’d have had to spend several hours every day making phone calls asking for donations. But asking affluent people for large sums of money isn’t a “skill” I want to develop. I ran for office because I want to serve the people of Portland by helping the council prioritize how it spends citizens’ money — in all areas of the city. Frankly, I wouldn’t have run a second time without public campaign financing.
Now, because I’ve been elected with public money, I’m beholden to every voter and citizen in Portland, rather than to a few affluent donors with interests that don’t always dovetail with community concerns.
The annual cost of public campaign financing since its enactment comes to $1.05 per Portland resident. That’s a cost-effective investment to ensure that community interests are heard in City Hall. My campaign used taxpayers’ money wisely to convey my core messages about who I am and what I will do. I talked with well-off business owners and with homeless youths, with Democrats and Republicans, with cultural groups, nonprofit boards, high school students. I wouldn’t have had time to make personal connections with as wide a range of Portlanders if I had been dialing for dollars every day.
So before anyone pulls the plug on public campaign financing, watch how I perform on the council. Watch what can be done when a commissioner is truly independent of special-interest money. I’ll give citizens an account of the money I save through my actions when I vote to refer public campaign financing to the ballot in 2010. I’m confident, having just spent 13 months of my life talking with Portlanders and hearing their views in up to nine events per day, 60 hours every week, that public campaign financing will become voter owned — and voter approved — in 2010.