Op Ed: Kulongoski Praised, Chastised, While Real Record Resounds

(SALEM) - We recently explored probable reason for the Big O’s shocking endorsement of the candidate they categorized, then castigated as a shocking electoral con-man.

Longtime OREGONIAN news-coverage continuously conveyed that imperious and impractical Saxton image.

Rationalization is an unconsciously-applied mental agent in many minds, forced by stressful circumstance, often to excuse and then to support original erroneous decision. (“See also” detailed reference cited at conclusion.)

Journalists are no exception; even Edit Page chiefs succumb. You can see that in, "In search of the 'education governor'" on Sunday's Edit Page (10/29). Don't miss its significant spot as "Second Edit". Opposing pieces by colleagues are often purposely so set-out for ethical reasons.

For the next one below, by esteemed Edit Page columnist David Sarasohn, the sub-head says it all very simply: "MAGICAL NUMBERS". The Saxton key-dollar/numbers are never detailed, while their “efficiencies” are strongly touted, and totals-only revealed, no matter how wildly the chasm-displayed when the myth is blown away and rational, reasonable action must be substituted.

Sarasohn’s content leaves no question where this credible public professional spokesman stands. He defines Saxton’s continued singular insensitivity to dollar-driven contradictions in scathing detail, which no conceivable usage of assorted “magical asterisks” can ever hide for extremely-sensitized Oregonians

That "education governor"-piece itself unmistakably shows certain frequent psychological response to precisely the problem we related earlier: Life-experience and corporate-surround, with its inevitable strong pressures from close work-connection creating inevitable personal stresses.

Actions inhibiting reasonable-rational determination of any painful problem/issue, when "the chips are really down", is by far the most frequent situation in business, industry, and even the professions.
Those affected dance to the corporate beat rather than “face the heat”.

Memory provides much recent-incident, some with obvious close connections right here in Oregon involving politicians, too.

For many Oregonians, the "surround" here surely seemed to sabotage rational response, demanded of The OREGONIAN on their own published record, and betrayed by “the endorsement”.

Without a doubt, reader-response has justified “shocking” as the characterization, after its ongoing assaults via straight, balanced-quality reporting on character, conclusions and capital investments, found without question in the Saxton campaign “ads”.

Those are now being cited nationally for nearly-unprecedented malignity via distorted, perverted attack on Governor Kulongoski.

Particularly pertinent and potent is the impact on all State and public-agency workers, defamed and de-characterized by early “hot-shot” statement to start this defiling Saxton demonstration.

Stating a surely-secondary segment of the Kulongoski record --relieving and reversing the Legislature via the PERS debacle-- does nothing to "make right" what legislative confrontation and confusion got wrong the first time around. Surely That editorialist can tell from their own files where that original error came from --and by whom-committed.

Any rational, reasonable approach must give credit to Governor K. for political courage; then move on to massive effort now to correct deficiencies forced statewide by irreversible trends in health-care costs.

This second edit distorts direct record, making the Governor’s action a perversion in promise to OEA, rather than responsible action regardless of political cost, as now broadly recognized.

This very edit includes reference to Kulongoski’s achievement in “The reforms of the Public Employees Retirement System, which will save school districts hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Surely that states the truth: The man who can find such savings is ALREADY “on the job”, demonstrating abilities needed for our future.

Simply as common sense we should keep him right there, in place, without any desperate “leap of faith” for inexperience, indiscretion and ineptitude.

We have finally forced full attention of a chastised Legislature, firmly instructed to abandon political-cult/driven confrontation. We need a trustworthy experienced veteran to build and shape the consensus sought by all cogitating Oregonians.

Any simple and silly suggestions that "Saxton is prepared to go looking for millions in savings in inefficient school trans-portation systems" simply promises --this time by The OREGONIAN, on its Edit Page-- an action that may prove impossible.

Saxton offers us only promises and “asterisks”. He’s had plenty of time for search and definition of where he stands. But all we ever hear from him refers to solid work done by others such as CHALKBOARD and STAND, on their own, assisted by hundreds of other Oregonians.

That simply echoes the same pitch Saxton has perpetrated throughout a campaign clearly so characterized continuously, right in The paper's news-pages.

It is rationalization at its worst to assume, as this new statement surely does, that substantial savings can be simply “asterisked” into reality. It is further irrational, and irresponsible, to sign on for a search by a candidate resorting to obvious political propaganda.

It is a sure thing that what’s offered as “efficiencies” will be the mythical advantages of "privatization": Does “Halliburton” ring the bell for you ?

To which, surely, completing the mystical/mythological approach Sarasohn characterizes so well, will be added those “empty-words” concepts of “merit pay” and “mentoring” and “charter/magnet schools”.

Each demands more dollars and cannot even begin --much less “save money”-- without years of training.

Not one is conceivably possible without heavy costs for capitalization and personnel, challenging organizational changes across the entire State, and large curricular and procedural disruptions in every school district.

That spells “consultant costs”, adding still more budget disruption right where none is needed, for changes already under way with Kulongoski leadership and support.

That is precisely what one expects from a part-time School Board President who did not even know those costly key-personnel appointments came with “golden parachute” departures written in on arrival.

Still further, to attack naturally-demanded, entirely ethical response from OEA is to denigrate precisely what union leadership should be doing in simple self-defense. OEA’s solid base of conscientious and capable workers deserve and should demand no less, when castigated as the very first shot out of the gun in this Saxton "dirty-dig" campaign.

Most middle-class voters will still remember that it was union action compelling historic advances in previous decades. Strong defense is demanded against those who opposed those advances furiously in the ‘30s, 40s and 50s --and ever since-- for their own malign purposes.

Saxton’s Portland record reveals dollars expended for his own political purposes and furtherance of his own 19th Century-based philosophies, surely as much a threat to Oregon’s future as his ongoing campaign tactics have now, irreversibly, revealed.

====================================================== (“See also” reference:
"Rationalization doesn't mean "acting rationally". It means attaching desirable motives to what we have done so that we seem to act rationally... People seek justification for their behavior.
Rationalization makes people feel good." ---Gaod and Schmidt, Journal of Behavioral Finance, Vol. 6, No. 1,’05)