Mark Fulop

This demonstrates how utterly tone deaf elected leaders at all levels of government in Oregon are regarding the influence of predatory capitalism. I would at least expect the self proclaimed democratic socialist on Portland city council to oppose this nonsense.

Portland Trail Blazers Buyer Tom Dundon Built His Fortune on Subprime Loans In 2020, the state sued Santander Consumer USA for allegedly preying on Oregonians through high-interest car loans they couldn’t afford in a case involving more than 265,000 borrowers nationwide.

Do I understand correctly the democratic socialists: @councilorkanal.bsky.social, @councilormorillo.bsky.social @councilorgreen.bsky.social & @councilortkl.bsky.social all signed on to a $400k taxpayer subsidy to a predatory billionaire who made his money selling subprime car loans to Oregonians?

I think I need the people who emphasize Trump’s “signs of weakness” to explain the relevance to me. I agree, but I don’t think I understand why it matters; weak or not, he holds the levers. Weak or not, he’s not guided by public approval or elections. What am I missing? Asked in earnest.

New law of political physics

The number of actions taken to actually save democracy and restore morality is inversely proportional to the written statements of outrage and disappointment that a politician writes.

Defund ICE (UPDATED 1/21) - HOUSE VOTE THURSDAY ⭑ 5 Calls Updates January 21, 2026: The House is expected to vote this week on a standalone appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). …

🚨🚨 The HOUSE is set to vote on HR 7147 - a standalone DHS appropriations bill - TOMORROW (Thurs 1/22)

Call your House Rep and demand they VOTE NO. 🔥📞🔥

Info, numbers (DC & local offices!), call script here 👉 5calls.org/issue/dhs-bu...

Fail to defund ICE, @schumer.senate.gov & @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social, & there’s no chance of winning in November. And locally?? What’s your vote?

@bynum.house.gov @repdexteror.bsky.social @salinas.house.gov @repbonamici.bsky.social @repvalhoyle.bsky.social @wyden.senate.gov
@merkley.senate.gov

I have a theory that for folks that look like me, the number of cliche MLK quotes & memes posted are inversely proportional to the amount of MLK writings that the person has actually read.

A Local Self-Reliance Agenda for New York City: ILSR's Memo to Mamdani | The Mamdani administration has a crucial opportunity to reverse New York City's affordability crisis; this ILSR policy memo suggests strategies to do so.

Might benefit from looking at these recommendations as you search for becoming a useful governing body. @mayorkwilson.bsky.social & @councilordunphy.bsky.social

ilsr.org/articles/mem...

a black and white photo of the statue of liberty with fireworks in the background and the caption #highcastle ALT: a black and white photo of the statue of liberty with fireworks in the background and the caption #highcastle

The greatest sci-fi authors are social commentators & shaped my world view. Over the last months I watched Amazon’s “Man in the High Castle” (creative interpretation of Philip K. Dick’s 1962 classic). Messy as the the adaptation is it’s essential to let science fiction inspire us not to give up.

Then do something that will unite us.

Leader @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social convening @housedemocrats.bsky.social to prepare strongly worded letters of condemnation. #Venezuela.

When I see the social media feeds of several #PDX City Commissioners I wonder if they think their job is to be “influencers” selling lipstick rather than serious politicians creating thoughtful public policy that improves our community.

She has ‘the worst job in Oregon politics.’ But she wants to keep it It's been no picnic for Elana Pirtle-Guiney as she's tried to lead Portland's first City Council under a new form of government.

Good grief, PDX city council is a year into a new model without a roadmap. Changing leadership would be a mistake. @councilorepg.bsky.social’s “understated and steady presence” is needed to counter the immaturity of the council (and some council members).

How Local Governments Can Support Small Businesses Struggling with Economic Uncertainty and High Costs San Francisco offers an example model for other cities seeking to create the local regulatory environment necessary for small businesses to thrive.

Indeed, @mayorkwilson.bsky.social & the city councilors (cc: @councilorepg.bsky.social) need to learn from other cities & think deeply about the needs of micro/small businesses. Maybe talk to business owners about their struggles. All in preparation for the next budget planning process.

This is scary data. Extremely scary.

The @ncrpcommunity.bsky.social examined philanthropy funding movements focused on sustaining the democratic society versus regressive funders. Regressive funders accelerate their efforts while other progressive funders cower in self-censorship.

…only what was not clearly stated is the reality that the theater became cover for the pillaging of the last vestiges of rural economies, generational wealth, agency, and community self-esteem. Successfully divided by a 40 year Republican Strategy. Not cosplay but simply played.

Praying that some more competent candidates will step up in Portland District 3 for 2026 🙏🏻 #pdxpolitics

Bulgarian government resigns after mass anti-corruption protests Prime minister makes announcement before parliament vote on no-confidence motion filed by opposition

Democracy Failing due to Corruption.

American Progressives. “We periodically hold the most massive awesome and clever #NOKINGS rallies ever. 🙌🏻”

Bulgaria citizens: “Hold our beers.

Capitalism isn’t the problem. Unchecked exploitation of Corporations extracting community wealth is the problem. While we can reduce consumption, do more bartering, & sharing, we inevitably buy things. How we buy matters. Twofold: Boycott corporations and invest in small businesses. #shoplocal

‘Sort of blackmail’: Billions in rural health funding hinge on states passing Trump-backed policies Democrats and health advocates described the strategy as highly unusual, and some fear it could be wielded to favor political allies.

Remember when Bezos asked cities to kiss his ass in a fake competition for Amazon headquarters 2.0? It appears that is what the Republicans are now demanding the same from rural communities in exchange for restoring a third of the Medicaid cuts they took away in the Big Billionaire Bill.

What advice do you have for a person loosely connected to this platform looking to increase their use (abandoning threads) to track pdx politics, small business topics, & nonprofits? Besides engage & be kind.

When PDX district city councilors are focused on troops in Portland, milling around an ICE facility, they’re not talking about 3-4 business owners in a neighborhood having their HVAC systems gutted for scrap metal by known homeless drug users. Leaving the businesses with huge unplanned expenses.

Now that @schumer.senate.gov & @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social successfully made a day of mourning seem bipartisan, rumor has it they are now drafting formal apologies to Randy Weaver, David Koresh, & Timothy McVeigh, sayin, “what the heck, let’s get ahead of this for once. “

My point. How about learning from the experts at PSU’s School of Urban Studies & Planning. The cost of the vacation was reported by Avalos as approximately $130K for the 20 people who went. That money could have been spent of supporting small business districts, parks, arts, etc.

I think this summary falls somewhere between bougie & propaganda in the urban dictionary

I agree with lot of what pdx city councilors do but when the “socialists”of decide to take a vacation to Vienna on taxpayers’ dime & ignore the local academics, researchers & resident experts in housing, urban planning & social sciences, it’s straight up bougie, regardless of the propaganda reels.

I was talking with someone recently who did not know who Jim Jones was, never heard of Ruby Ridge & only had a vague idea of the significance of David Koresh. This week I was reminded to pull Waco Rising off the shelf & revisit the highlights.

Part of me knows that I should be quoting Matt 5 but part of me wants to be quoting Psalms 137. So I best be quiet.

In a Decade, Baltimore Cut Vacancy by More Than 20 Percent. This Didn’t Happen by Accident Over the past 70 years, Baltimore has experienced population decline and disinvestment that has resulted in a high number of vacant properties. Through a whole-block redevelopment strategy, $3 billion...

This is important reading for @portlandcouncil.bsky.social Development is a done well neighborhood by neighborhood.

“The state and city have made large cross-sector investments to finance neighborhood-based redevelopment.”