Manhattan was purchased 387 years ago

by NW Spotlight

In 1626 Dutch settlers purchased Manhattan Island “from the Indians” for 60 guilders (in trade goods).

Trade goods would have been things like axes, iron kettles, wool clothing and possibly beads. The 60 guilders is often converted to $24, but others have calculated it to be as much as $1,000.

I fear Republicans will have settled for a few crumbs from the table while allowing Governor Kitzhaber and the Democrats to escape blame for the PERS disaster.

The Governor is rightly worried that Oregonians who have given Democrats a pass for years on their ownership of PERS are now waking up and demanding it be fixed, which is why he has called for the special session. Governor Kitzhaber knows the PERS problem pits traditional Democrat allies against each other, hurting their candidates and possibly leading to long term political gains for Republicans.

Yet it if Republicans give Democrats cover on PERS and raising taxes on the poor and elderly, then nothing will change in the minds of the voters and Republicans will have missed their chance to bring long term change to Oregon’s politics.

~ Jeff Kropf – Why I oppose the grand bargain