By Miguel.GFZ

Semi-retired like Vito Corleone before the heart attack. Consiglieri to J.Kb and AWA. I lived in a Gun Control Paradise: It sucked and got people killed. I do believe that Freedom scares the political elites.

5 thoughts on ““Do as I say…” Portland Commisioner Version”
  1. But, science!

    Seriously. For every “expert” that says one thing, there is always an expert that says the opposite. Both are likely “right” but one has better data, or a more supportable argument.

    Science says mask and separation will slow the spread of ‘rona. Then again, science also says there is no statistically meaningful difference between the areas where mask mandates are in place and businesses are closed or severely restricted, and those where masks/restrictions are encouraged but voluntary.

    The grief I have with people like this woman, Cuomo, Newsome, Fauci, Whitmer, etc… etc… etc… is they know both sides of the argument, likely know their mandates are meaningless, but put them in place anyway. Regardless of the issues caused. (Then they go out and ignore their own mandates.)

  2. Jo Ann Hardesty is like a Portland-Leftist version of Donald Trump.

    A political outsider, nobody thought she’d win her seat. Far more outspoken than a “normal” city commissioner, and frequently appears on camera to comment and posts on Twitter with her unfiltered thoughts.

    Not an “established” candidate, but with massive groundswells of support from the people. And doesn’t always stick with the Party Line, but supports policies she believes will serve her constituents best. (Many of those beliefs, such as “Defund the police”, are objectively wrong, but she believes them and so does her base.)

    Finally, generally walks her talk, keeps her campaign promises, and doesn’t expect others to do what she wants done but isn’t willing to do herself.

    But she is a bit crazy.

    ——

    As to the casinos being open, they are even as restaurants in the rest of the State are shut down.

    Casinos are all on tribal lands, not subject to State laws or regulations. Thus, the Governor’s shut-down orders don’t apply there. (Unfortunately, a CHL doesn’t apply there, either, so there’s that….) The tribes are making some COVID concessions, requiring masks and such, but haven’t closed down because the State simply can’t make them.

    I don’t fault Ms. Hardesty for going to a tribal casino to blow off a little steam; she’s far from the only one on either side of the aisle. She could have better taste in games, though. Slot machines are a racket, plain and simple (when you see those signs like “97% payout” or “99% return”, they’re just telling you how much and how quickly you’ll lose your money).

  3. Ilani Casino Resort is located near Ridgefield, WA, roughly twenty-five miles or so north of Portland, OR. As it’s legally part of the sovereign Cowlitz Tribe’s territory, it isn’t subject to the shutdown orders of Gov. Inslee (nor Oregon’s Gov. Brown). So she’s not violating any laws… Not technically. Massively bad optics, however — especially after the whole Lyft incident — to go back to the casino.

    Furthermore, Oregon law prohibits casino gambling, but a “social gaming” statute to allow nonprofits and private clubs to host bingo halls and poker games. Portland started licensing poker clubs in 2008. Basically, as long as the dealer isn’t an “employee” of the poker club and the club didn’t take a “rake,” you were kosher. It wasn’t a casino, it was a social space for a friendly private game. Wink wink, nudge nudge.

    Of course, Hardesty hasn’t been in office long enough to have any sort of voting record regarding Portland’s poker rooms. But she’s firmly ideologically aligned with the forces that have been trying to drive them out of business for over a decade… So we can’t accuse her of hypocrisy. Yet.

    https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/nov/19/ilani-to-remain-open-despite-restrictions/

    https://www.wweek.com/news/2017/03/22/portlands-poker-rooms-are-licensed-by-the-city-wildly-popular-and-too-illegal-to-last/

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