Things to Be Thankful For

Today, dear friends, I give thanks...
 
To the Occupy movement, for quintupling the number of references to 'income inequality' in the national news media.
 
To the Occupy movement again, for making City Councilors, Mayors, and candidates such as myself realize that cities can use their clout as major customers of major banks to demand that the banks change their policies on mortgage modification, foreclosures, and local investment. Some cities - San Jose, Cleveland - had this insight years ago; now, thanks to Occupy, others are waking up to it. And thanks to New York Times columnist Joe Nocera, for explaining that banks' refusal to agree to mortgage principal modifications poses a major threat to the economy.
 
For the failure of the Congressional debt reduction "supercommittee." If they had reached an agreement, it would have meant that the Democrats caved. The "automatic" alternatives - including expiration of the Bush tax cuts and major military cuts - are better than any deal they would have reached, and in any event don't happen until January 2013, when other things might be possible.
 
To both Portland Occupiers and the Portland Police for avoiding violence during the eviction of the Occupiers from city parks. They both made Portland look good.
 
To the Oregonian, for putting a spotlight on the pepper-spraying of a young woman who volunteered to be arrested, and for sharply correcting Police Chief Mike Reese's false statement that the Occupiers had prevented the police from responding to a rape victim. I think the Oregonian's coverage helped ensure that the Police Bureau regained the composure it displayed during the eviction.
 
To Neil Patel, one of the doctors who launched the Atlantic City casino workers' health clinic, for meeting with me during his recent visit to Portland and giving me further details on how they have achieved better care at lower cost. Turned out that while he was in town, Patel volunteered at the Occupy health tent. Isn't it great when brilliant people also turn out to be saints?
 
To my friends at the Environment Division of the Federal Justice Department, who joined me last Friday in celebrating Robert Kennedy's birthday, continuing a tradition we started about twenty years ago.
 
And to all of you, for being wonderful.

-- Steve