Kevin Mannix is a big hypocrite who wants to lock up troubled Oregonians and throw away the key.

His measure on property crime has qualified for the November 2008 ballot. Here are the highlights for the measure:

-It mandates a mandatory minimum three-year sentence for first time offenders of drug dealers, burglars, and identity thieves.

-If implemented, it will cost between $128 and $200 million dollars per year.

-The measure enacts its terms, regardless of the offenders criminal history.

First-time offenders? To prison with you! Troubled young adults in need of drug treatment? Vanish from sight! A desperate person in need of a helping hand or crushed by poverty? Get the hell out of my sight, scum, and get behind bars.

Kevin Mannix is a big phony hypocrite. He claims that he wants to help Oregon, but this measure's an exercise in cruelty. At least, that's what I'd call setting uniform guidelines to shove people behind bars instead of giving them a second chance and help.

And he wants us, the average Portland taxpayer, to shell out an ass-load of money to do it? I'm sorry: it's my money, and our money, and we have a say in this. I'd rather have my hard-earned money spent on rehabilitation programs and treatment for first-time offenders than to throw them out-of-sight and out-of-mind.

That's why it's also important to note two things:

(1) There's a competing, better measure. I haven't decided if I'm going to vote for it yet, but it's a vast improvement over "Lock-Em-Up" Mannix's measure: it was passed by the legislature to the ballot and calls for "money for drug treatment" and "requires prison" only "for repeat offenders" at an "estimated to cost about $50 million a year." I'll be doing more research on this measure and I'll let you know what I find.

(2) Kevin Mannix also is running for Congress. Oh boy. He thinks Oregon wants his brand of "change" in Washington D.C.?

He's just a standard Conservative Bush Republican who wants to: max the Bush tax cuts permanent; expand free trade, irregardless of other concerns; keep our troops in Iraq as long as John McCain wants; continuously oppose healthcare reform and universal healthcare; and "secure our borders" with a huge wall and by demonizing the immigrant population.

So, you know our job in November: hold off his ludicrous ballot measure and elect either Kurt Schrader or Steve Marks to Congress to replace Darlene Hooley.

But enough early-morning rumblings. It looks to be a beautiful day outside. I'm going for a bike-ride. Enjoy the day!