UPDATED: Brancaccio-over the edge.

Over the years, Lou Brancaccio has been an interesting guy.

He frequently denies the obvious (That he is a leftist) He can hold… and use his paper to act on… a grudge and do it with ease.

He’s apparently quite conflicted on what democracy means.

And he can… and frequently does… appear to act out of hatred more than out of common sense.

Here’s the thing: no one in this community has done more to divide us. No one. No one, in fact, comes close.

He tells us, for example, that it’s “time to move forward.” He then suggests through his writing, that’s it’s time for everyone else but HIM to move forward.

He sets himself up as the judge, jury and executioner of all things political in this county… gives himself the title of grand arbiter of what that’s supposed to look like…. And he actually appears to believe that anyone cares.

It IS “time to move forward.” So why doesn’t Lou?

“Hatred” is a powerful force. But like most emotions, hatred is frequently wrong… self defeating… misguiding.

And if Lou Brancaccio hasn’t made anything clearer over the past year, it’s that he hates those who defy him, question his judgment or his conclusions, and given the opportunity, he will do everything he can to injure them.

Today is no exception.

He condemns Commissioners Madore and Mielke along with Senator Benton. He demands that the Republicans step up and…. What? Join his campaign to elect democrats?

He tells us “it’s time for our community to come together.”

Really? When was it time for our community to shatter… to fall apart?

It was ALWAYS time for our community to come together. But one has to ask: what has Lou Brancaccio done to make that happen? What, in fact, is he doing now?

As a community, I’ve heard my side of the various equations he frequently lambastes us with as something akin to domestic violence victims.

And now the perpetrator comes along, inflicts more of his own peculiar brand of the damage, and then demand that we punish others when he, himself, is the main perpetrator.

Lou has… while he has allowed others working for him to follow his lead… thrashed, attacked, belittled, distorted, lied and generally beaten the hell out of the people of this county who oppose his agenda generally. Specifically, it’s likely that he’s devoted 40 or so of his last 50 columns to beating the hell out of Benton, Madore and Mielke.

How can such attention or focus be based on anything BUT hatred and political bigotry?

Lou tells us that we need to “come together.” But he offers nothing to suggest how, exactly, that be accomplished. He offers nothing to suggest where compromise can be achieved. He dilutes his message by adding his weekly “Politically kill Madore, Mielke and Benton” rap.

The wounds Brancaccio has inflicted on this community will take decades to heal. He complains, but offers no solutions. He is the cause of much of the damage confronting us, and he continues to hold himself blameless.

For example:

And coming together, I should say, in no way means we all should be in lockstep with one another. That we all should agree on everything. That we should be cautious of bringing passion and desire to a conversation. It also doesn't mean being frightened of pointing out when ideas stray off course.

"That we should be cautious of bringing passion and desire to a conversation."

Seriously?

Ladies and gentlemen, here's a guy who can DEFINITELY "talk the talk," but who also resolutely avoids "walking the walk."

When someone who fancies themselves as some sort of leader tasks us all to be, and act, and think a certain way... shouldn't he set the example?

When he wrote this column, it was a set up to hammer Benton, Madore and Mielke.  the rest of it was smoke and mirrors.  It amounts to just another chapter of his personal jihad against these 3.

And so what does this paragon of virtue and altruism do today?

Hammer Benton, Madore and Mielke AGAIN.

Every time this man sits in front of a keyboard, he brings his hatred to the fore.  He writes with hate, he thinks with hate, he eats, breathes and sleeps in hate.  And he cautions US about "bringing passion and desire to a conversation," while he routinely violates that same tenet with each and every word HE writes?

Why is it OK for Brancaccio to write this way for years... but somehow express the expectation that we are all, somehow, supposed to be beyond what he's been fomenting for years?

And whose “course” might that be, exactly? I point out where Brancaccio is off course almost every time he writes. So, does that mean I shouldn't "fear" him, either?

Why, Lou Brancaccio’s course. And that’s a shame. Because Lou Brancaccio is pretty much the only one who gives a damn about his “course.”

What course SHOULD he be concerned about?

The “course” set by the people of this community.

Instead of attacking, belittling and demeaning those who stand up for the people of Clark County, he SHOULD have spent these years defending, working with and speaking for the community. Not taking the “I only speak for Steve” route advocated by our soon-to-be former and unlamented Commissioner Stuart. Not the special interests and the fellow travelers who would exclude us from having any say.

But that is not Brancaccio’s way. He claims that as a community, we should “come together,” but only under his rather non-specific, nebulous and therefore, essentially worthless terms.

Brancaccio plays like the leadership in 1984. He could, in fact, give Orwell a run for his money as he assumes the role of “Big Brother.”

Here’s the wiki version of “Big Brother.” I find the resemblance, save for the power aspect, to be startling:

The tyranny is epitomized by Big Brother, the quasi-divine Party leader who enjoys an intense cult of personality, but who may not even exist. Big Brother and the Party justify their oppressive rule in the name of a supposed greater good.[1]

"In the name of the 'greater good.'"

Gee. Where have we heard that before?

While Brancaccio certainly exists… the resemblance here otherwise seems rather accurate in many respects.

The poll Brancaccio refers to is typical of the responses he preordains to the audience who typically supports him… or is a member of the leftist cult.

Brancaccio refers first to “hard right politics” because that’s what he opposes. In fact, he opposes any “right politics” of any kind.

The problem with his position here, and why he’s lying about the “look for moderates” meme?

He has 3 fringe-left democrats representing the 49th District.

In comparison to his GOP targets of Madore, Mielke and Benton… what has he had to say about Moeller, Cleveland and Wylie?

Wouldn’t even-handedness demand that if he actually believed this, the attacks would be the same, relatively speaking, as he has fomented against Madore, Mielke and Benton?

Of course they would. It would be a roughly 50/50 split if he actually believed his statement concerning “moderates.”

Brent Boger is certainly a “moderate.” After crucifying me some 4 years ago, Brancaccio proceeded to begin the process with Boger until even his side of the spectrum had had enough of his playground theatrics and blew back, forcing him to “not do stupid stuff” about Brent.

Brancaccio’s problem?

It wasn’t that long ago that many wouldn’t remember: ultimately, the fact is that if you’re GOP; moderate or otherwise, you stand a damned good chance of Brancaccio breaking his editorial bat over your skull… because his hatred of Republicans runs that deep. You WILL be treated in ways he wouldn’t consider treating, for an example, a Jim Moeller.

He goes on to write:

Find common ground to concentrate on: We are a goal-oriented country. We need to pick something we can work on and succeed at. Success breeds success, and it will give us a road map to succeed on other important issues. The Interstate 5 Bridge, for example, has been anything but common ground. It has shown this community at its worst.

Here, I can actually agree. It has (and is) showing Brancaccio and his people at their worst.

The jihad he’s been on against Madore, Mielke and Benton, for example.

If these three had actually supported the CRC Scam and light rail, does ANYONE believe that Brancaccio would be floating on his sea of hate for them? Would he have this hatred for, say, me if I were a rabid leftist… a rabid CRC supporter?

Of course not. At his cellular level, his litmus test begins and ends with the CRC Scam. Support it, and there’s no end to what you can get away with. Oppose it, and every sin, real or imagined, will be treated as if you were a child molester.

But what if we were able to wipe the slate clean? I like the idea (not mine) of getting Republicans and Democrats together from Washington and Oregon to come up with a plan that most of us could agree upon. What if it didn't include light rail, and we waited on that issue for a later time? What if we made compromise happen?

What has Lou Brancaccio ever done all these years to “wipe the slate clean?” When has HE advocated “compromise?” When did he remind Kitzhaber and/or Inslee or the downtown mafia that the bridge replacement should be about the bridge and not about light rail?

In fact, when did he or his minions ever do anything but attack, belittle, distort and attempt to injure those who stood in his way? When, for example, did Brancaccio ever advocate for a binding… or even a non-binding advisory vote on this project?

Never. And it was “never” because he never wanted to run the risk of what, ultimately happened: his complete repudiation at the polls.

No, never. He belittled any such effort. He (or those working for him) made up bogus polls, including the last poll they did (which cost them chump change) that was subsequently shown to have been worthless last November.

The “common ground” that Brancaccio wants is only HIS “common ground.” He NOW asks the question:

“What if it didn't include light rail, and we waited on that issue for a later time? What if we made compromise happen?”

What if Lou had started asking that question 5 years ago… or at any time that it mattered?

Why is it being asked now, in the rubble of $190 million wasted dollars and a deeply divided, injured community that HE helped to create?

Because he knew, as well all know and part of the article he wrote about where he likely misrepresented what was said in the editorial board, that Oregon is not interested in replacing the bridge without the fungus of their hated light rail.

He asks:

 What if we made compromise happen?

Compromise DID happen. Repeatedly. But the compromise was unacceptable to Lou… and to my knowledge, he never once advocated a bridge without light rail in all the years he pounded opponents of the scheme to latch TriMet to the jugulars of Clark County tax and toll payers… 45 years of ever increasing tolls to pay for this light rail project.

Many who opposed the CRC Scam in its entirety might have been persuaded to support a bridge replacement, period. But loot rail was the deal killer… and every time the message of “no light rail” was sent to Olympia, Portland or Salem, what was the response?

“No light rail?

No Bridge.”

And where was Lou in the middle of all of this?

He was too busy beating the hell out of Madore, Mielke and Benton to notice or care.

And then this beauty, written purely, I’m sure, to “bring the community together.”

Isolate those politicians who want to divide us: This is not particular to any single party, but it is obvious that County Commissioners David Madore and Tom Mielke, as well as state Sen. Don Benton, are creating an unhealthy dynamic in this community. They all happen to be Republicans, but that's not what is important. What is important is they are sucking the life out of this community.

While I freely admit that this community has an “unhealthy dynamic,” the author and cause of that is one Lou Brancaccio.

Brancaccio’s hatred… his obsession… rests primarily with these three men who represent everything Lou hates… every failure… every inadequacy of the very many inadequacies that represent Lou Brancaccio.

“They all happen to be Republicans, but that’s not what’s important.”

Really?

Then why did he mention it? And you see, this goes to the pattern of partisanship and leftist hackery that Lou is known for. Apparently, even when he tries to show how “even-keeled” he is, he has to throw in the rank partisan chip.

And this:

“Recall is a silly waste of time. As voters, we made choices. Now we have to live with those choices. That's the way it works.”

And yet, Lou isn't "living with the choice," is he?

Really? When he and Stuart were out there whipping up the mob, I must have missed this sort of thing in his blather of attempting to use his column to have the mob charge the county building with torches and pitchforks. There certainly was no shortage of articles covering the doomed-from-the-beginning attempt to start a recall.

And then, this idiocy:

But we can isolate those who are bringing us down. Because the three mentioned above are Republicans, that party has to step up. There are so many good Republicans, but where are they? We don't hear their voices. Right now they're sitting back — shaking their heads a little — and enjoying the carnival.

Few Republicans actually have enjoyed Brancaccio’s partisan efforts to tear us apart… except, of course, in his mind.

And, actually, those on the right of center HAVE isolated the one who needs it: and that’s Lou Brancaccio.

The “good Republicans” are not going to be his bitch. He is going to have to continue his efforts to destroy these men all by himself. The implied threat against GOP candidates he would oppose anyway; that he is going to smack them around unless they play his game?

That is the raving of someone who doesn’t understand his place… who sees himself as having so very much more power than he actually does.

Does Brancaccio have this power?

Not sure. Maybe we can check with Commissioner Boldt or Tanner. No? How about Senator Probst? Or Rep. Cortes? Maybe we can check with Ken Vance at the Reflector?

“Elections,” the community-organizer-in-chief once told us, “have consequences.” The main consequences of the last election are that Lou and his ilk lost. And all of this from Brancaccio is a result of that.

In everything from failing to keep Boldt in office, to failing to keep the voters silent on the advisory votes to ultimately seeing the CRC Scam go up in ashes… Lou has lost.

The “silence” of the community (Except for the fringe-left nutters infesting the board meetings) translates to approval. The community, by and large, actually approves of the job these men are doing. And just because Lou Brancaccio doesn’t like it… well… how much real meaning does that have?

That Brancaccio wants to use Republicans as a cudgel of some sort against Madore is really his problem. It’s just another one of his fantasies.

There should only be one response to Lou’s demand on this issue by anyone, inside or in elected politics if they are GOP: “No comment.”

This is not a political issue on Brancaccio’s part: it’s a personal issue. And Lou throws the red meat to the left every week because the weak minded not only need to be told TOO think… but they also need to be told WHAT to think.

Brancaccio also chose today to issue his orders to the freeholders. This is where I remind them that, first of all, the freeholders work for the people.

Secondly, Brancaccio’s hatred should not infect you.

Thirdly, this is the reminder: the more baubles you put on this Christmas tree, the more likely it is to fail. And remember: Brancaccio has made it clear in the past that he does want this effort to fail. Do not be misled: he understands that loading the charter up with crap like this hurts the possibility that it will pass… and the LAST thing Lou wants is for this county to have a charter so that the people can vote on anything… including a rip off like the CRC… without having to beg for it and be laughed at like Brancaccio and those working for him have laughed at us.

I and many others will vote “no” on any effort to punish the voters who support(ed) the election of Madore and Mielke. And this clown would have us “isolate” (without providing any definition of what that actually means) the two county commissioners who effectively run this county.

The stupidity of that boggles the mind.

And what, precisely is a “moderate conservative?” That’s as moronic a label as a ”conservative liberal.”

And here’s the last thing: the resignation and departure of Lou Brancaccio would do more to heal this community than anything, anyone or any group of people, could possibly accomplish.

For years now, I have referred to Lou as a cancer on our community. His column today, rife with arrogance and hypocrisy, is but an example of that.