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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2019)
Page 10 May 15, 2019 O PINION Burning Down the House America Built A failure to provide oversight by o sCar h. b layton $174,000 – That’s what every member of the House of Representa- tives receives in salary each year. Ev- ery member, that is, except Nancy Pe- losi, who as the Speaker of the House, gets to take home $223,500. Those are not bad wages, even if these legislators work five days a week with only two weeks off annual- ly for vacation. But Congress has av- eraged only 138 legislative days a year since 2001. If you do the math, you will see that comes to less than three days a week. Undoubtedly, many members of the House of Representatives can ar- ticulate why they need so few days in session. Their stated reasoning might include the rigors of carrying out their constitutionally mandated functions. But therein lies the rub. The House of Representatives is refusing to carry out one of its more important constitu- tionally mandated functions. When the Founders of this nation wrote the Constitution, they did not want the country to be forced to blind- ly trust and follow the person holding the office of the President. And for this reason, they divided the power of the government into three distinct branches and gave each branch equal status. In order to prevent the President from becoming a tyrant, the House and Senate were given the responsibil- ity and authority to perform oversight of the Executive Branch. In order to properly carry out their job, Congress must provide oversight of the president. We now have a sick and twisted man-baby fouling the oval office. Donald Trump does not respect the rule of law or the institutions of our federal government. He is determined to bend all aspects of our national structure to his will and he has found pliant minions who have been willing to ignore, and even break, the law in service to their overlord. Neither Con- gress nor the nation has ever seen any- thing like this before. The purulent character of Trump has infected most agencies of the ex- ecutive branch of our government and released bigots, misogynists, xe- nophobes and every other manner of villain as antigens into the body of our democratic society. While Trump burns down the house that America has built, Repub- lican lawmakers have become his collaborators. And too many Demo- cratic members of the House of Rep- resentatives, cowered by the thought of angering the Republican base, sim- ply quail in the face of this onslaught against our liberties. Two centuries ago, Congress was given a tool with which to rein in or remove an abusive president because the Founders knew it was possible a day like today might arrive. The House of Representatives has the power of impeachment. In fact, it C LASSIFIED /B IDS METRO Decommissioning & Road Repair – McCarthy Creek ITB 3675 Bid Date: June 6, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Portland Community College Roof Fall Hazard Safety Assessment Interested Proposers must submit a Proposal pursuant to the provisions of this Solicitation to Robert Lowe, or designee, at Office of Planning & Capital Construction, Suite #260, 9700 SW Capitol Highway, Portland OR 97219. NO LATER THAN: SOLICITATION DUE DATE AND TIME (CLOSING): June 12th at 2:00 PM Pacific Time Proposals will be opened and recorded. The number of Proposals received, the identity of Proposers, or the contents of any proposal will not be disclosed to the public until all proposals have been evaluated, negotiations completed if required, and a recommendation for Award has been published. Proposers are solely responsible for ensuring that Portland Community College receives its Proposal. LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Prospective Proposers may obtain the RFP and its mandatory Addendum at our solicitations website: http://www.pcc.edu/purchasing. Interested Proposers who are not equipped to download the document may request a copy of the RFP by contacting: Robert Lowe, Planning and Capital Construction by email: robert.lowe3@pcc.edu. Emerging small businesses, as well as minority-owned, women- owned, and service disabled veteran owned enterprises are encouraged to submit a response to this RFP solicitation. All questions and comments regarding this solicitation shall be directed ONLY IN WRITING to Robert Lowe, by email to: robert. lowe3@pcc.edu. PROPOSALS SHALL BE PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SOLICITATION. THE COLLEGE MAY REJECT ANY PROPOSAL NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL PRESCRIBED REQUIREMENTS. citing the difficulties in carrying out impeachment proceedings, would rather call on the American electorate to vote Trump out of office in 2020. This strategy is designed to maximize Democratic seats in Congress while relieving the Democratic majority in the House of the obligation of doing its difficult job. Fear of losing elections because you did your job is putting party be- fore country. This calculated political expedien- cy – and shirking from impeachment – is one reason why the current Dem- ocratic leadership in the House cannot stay in place much longer. Attempts at dressing this self-serving cowardice in a suit of tactical shrewdness will not dupe right thinking Americans. Nancy Pelosi has argued that im- peachment proceedings will solidify Trump’s base. Clearly, she is making a political calculation and not a moral decision grounded in the Constitution and her oath of office. Oscar H. Blayton is a former Ma- rine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Portland Community College is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide a comprehensive review of Roof Fall Hazards on PCC owned buildings. The College recognizes that various type of work is performed on PCC roofs. These services will include maintenance and repair of HVAC equipment, public safety equipment, elevator system repair, cell tower installation, and various other services detailed in the RFP. Additionally on-site assessments and meetings with College staff will clarify the needs of the successful proposer. has the “sole” power of impeachment. The Senate cannot impeach. It can only try a federal officer who has been impeached by the House of Represen- tatives. The process has been clearly laid out in Sections 2 and 3 of Article I of the Constitution. Once the president has been impeached by the House of Representatives for high crimes and misdemeanors, he or she is then tried on those charges by the Senate; and if convicted, he or she shall be removed from office. The House of Representatives does the impeach- ment and then the Senate conducts the trial. The impeachment process allows the House of Representatives to in- vestigate the wrongdoings of Donald Trump – wrongdoings that are clearly laid out in the report of Special Coun- sel Robert Mueller. And if substanti- ated, those wrongdoings can then be presented to the Senate where their deliberations can be observed by the American public. But rather than carry out their sworn duty, the Democratic leader- ship in the House of Representatives, Local 290 will be accepting applications for the Steamfitter, Plumber & HVAC apprentice programs May 27th-June 10th. Please contact the Training Center at 503-691-1997 or visit our website at UA290.org under apprenticeship opening. Metro runs the Oregon Zoo, Metro, a metropolitan service district organized under the laws of the State of Oregon and the Metro Charter, located at 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-2736, is hereby inviting bids for Decommissioning & Road Repair – McCarthy Creek. Sealed bids are due no later than 2:00 p.m., June 6, 2019 in Metro’s business offices at 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-2736, Attention: Kim Bardes, Procurement Analyst, ITB 3675. Metro is inviting bids for McCarthy Creek Forest Practices Road Repair for the Parks & Nature department. This project will involve two phases of work: 1. Road Improvements: Roads will be improved by restoring roadside ditches, replacing culverts, and upgrading the condition of the running surface of the road; 2. Road Decommissioning: Existing forest roads will be decommissioned and removed from service. Oregon Convention Center, Portland Expo Center and Portland’5 Centers for the Arts and provides services that cross city limits and county lines including land use and transportation planning, parks and nature programs, and garbage and recycling systems. A voluntary Pre-Bid Conference is scheduled for all potential prime and sub-contractors on May 17, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at gate off McNamee Road (see attached map). Per Metro’s Subcontractor Equity Program, Contractors that submit a bid for this project must solicit a sub-bid from ALL COBID certified businesses who attend the pre-bid conference. Visit oregonmetro.gov/jobs for current openings and a link to our online hiring center. Metro may accept or reject any or all bids, in whole or in part, or waive irregularities not affecting substantial rights if such action is deemed in the public interest. Metro is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer Metro extends equal opportunity to all persons and specifically encourages minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses to access and participate in this and all Metro projects, programs and services. Advertise with diversity in The Portland Observer Call 503-288-0033 email ads@portlandobserver.com Solicitation documents can be viewed and downloaded from the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN) at http://orpin. oregon.gov/open.dll/ Metro and its contractors will not discriminate against any person(s), employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, political affiliation or marital status. Metro fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more information, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, see www.oregonmetro.gov.