I’ve been asked about who I’m supporting this general
election. I feel like the time has come to finally reveal who I think is best
for Portland. I like many other citizens, I have a vested interest in who will
lead our city. While running for office, I had the pleasure to get to know the kind
of person who tries to get this job. Mostly my decision is based on personal
experience. I’m showing my support for Charlie Hales. Yes that’s right: I know
Charlie is the best for Portland, especially given that his opponent is
Jefferson Smith. My family and I have had a long standing relationship with
both candidates. Most recently from my campaign experience I found that Charlie
is the most honest person. He never once tried to exclude me, and was always
showed me respect even though I was his competitor. Here are a few reasons why:
1. I hate Jefferson Smith; we may agree on a lot of policies and progressive issues, but he wears a deceptive mask and is fooling a lot of people into think he is such a great guy. In fact he is not! He only cares about himself. In my medical opinion (even though I have never been in med school), I would classify him as a sociopath. A quote from Forbes.com on “The Sociopath in the Office”:
1. I hate Jefferson Smith; we may agree on a lot of policies and progressive issues, but he wears a deceptive mask and is fooling a lot of people into think he is such a great guy. In fact he is not! He only cares about himself. In my medical opinion (even though I have never been in med school), I would classify him as a sociopath. A quote from Forbes.com on “The Sociopath in the Office”:
“Picture a new boss [or mayor] who comes in... At first he
seems too good to be true. Attractive, well-spoken and suave, he says all the
right things and makes all the right promises. Then things start to go off a
bit. He starts blaming and humiliating individuals in public for mistakes they
claim they did not make. He may target one or two individuals, or start playing
team members against one another. Talk starts to turn sarcastic and hurtful.
Jokes become nasty, profane and mean-spirited, while tempers begin to flare as
shouting becomes more acceptable. Rumor and gossip flourish where little had
existed before: ‘Did you know that X has a drinking problem? Y is leaving his
wife? XY is really having a homosexual affair?’ People are rarely praised. And
if they are, it is hollow. Client requests and needs start to be flagrantly
ignored. And so it goes.”
The youth of Portland should not fall victim of his ways. He
will only use you to get what he wants. If you actually stand in his way or
question him, he will try to bully you. He does not care about anyone but
himself. Smith has a lot of charisma, but it’s all a mask he wears to hide his
true self. I know he will burn bridges as mayor just to get what he wants in
the long run, especially if he thinks that he won’t need you later. I’m not the
only one he has burned, nor will I be the last.
He is a hypocrite in many ways. I stated this in my KATU
interview, and I guess he thought the idea of a young person running would hurt
his chances. So he tried to intimidate me into apologizing for my statement. He
had his Campaign Manager; Stacy Dykus stalk me by making numerous phone calls
in a 12-hour period. Now I have evidence, don’t think I called someone names
that I cannot prove. I’m smarter than that, and he knows it. He lied and
covered his tracks did so as to not look bad. Apparently Smith can’t have any
blemishes, since he is the perfect child.
He blackballed me from a majority of debates. I know this
because I talked with Hales and Brady. They both told the City Club that I
should be included. Smith did not. Months before this vote took place, he told
me to “stop talking shit to me, kid”. My response was that I’m was, and am, just
speaking the truth. Now with that really being the only conversation we had, I
pretty much lost a lot of respect for him. After he tried to bully me, going so
far as to insult me and my family, I will never speak to him again. Not even if
there was a fire. This is one of the main reasons I’m helping Charlie. My hatred
for Smith runs so deep that I pledge to do everything in my power to never see
him hold elected office.
2. During my campaign all of the top three candidates used
my ideas; either it was improving parks, education reform, campaign financing and/or
in general making Portland a better place. Since they were being used they must
be really good, so others used them as their own. I’m fine with that: I hope
really can make Portland a better place. I think Charlie will be the one to keep
Portland going and not send it into a downward spiral, as I know Smith would.
One thing I like about Hales is that he will help the parks, something I think
we need, and he also understands the benefits of higher education to create
jobs.
3. Charlie Hales is an honest man and
takes responsibility for his mistakes. So, I trust him. He focuses on the
issues that I care about. He is not a hypocrite, like Smith. He cares about all
the generations living in Portland. I know we all can’t be perfect, but we
learn and move on to the next play.
I’m asking you all to vote for Charlie, I can guarantee that
we will have a future if he becomes mayor.
Kind Regards,
Max Brumm
@max4mayor
