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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JENNINE PERKINSON TIM TRAINOR Advertising Director Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Bud Pierce imagines a new Oregon GOP Is Bud Pierce the kind of Oregon Republican who can win a statewide election? The gubernatorial candidate and KLVFDPSDLJQVWDIIPDGHWKHLU¿UVW trip to Umatilla County last week and met with the East Oregonian editorial board. 'XULQJWKHVKRUWVLWGRZQWKHUH was no mention of the social issues that have hampered Republicans in this state for decades: gay marriage and abortion most notably. Both are reliable election losers in this state. “The party needs new messengers and new messages,” he said, frankly. Bud Pierce As a practicing cancer doctor, statewide minimum wage hike an he actually said something nice undue burden on economically about Obamacare. For years he raised millions of dollars to help pay depressed areas. He said Portland wouldn’t stand for valuable, empty medical care for the uninsured, and high rise buildings that occasionally he is happy that he no longer has to burned and do that. endangered the So what town. That’s what makes this guy a Pierce said rural Oregon has Republican? he would to deal with as our Well, for one become thing, he talked incentivize the forests more unhealthy about his displeasure movement of and temperatures ZLWK'HPRFUDWLF increase. controlled Oregon people and And the state government. Republican he bases He thinks it needs resources to his politics on? No, to run much better rural areas. he didn’t mention — not necessarily Ronald Reagan. smaller, just Instead, it was smoother — if the Abraham Lincoln. state is going to grow and prosper. Pierce was short on details and He said state workers are a talented heavy on generalities. But that’s how lot, but their hands are tied by you begin to introduce yourself to moribund bureaucracy, managers that don’t want to make a waves and voters, and let both sides drill down LQWRVSHFL¿FVDVDORQJDQGDUGXRXV an atmosphere where imagination campaign moves along. and excellence are so far out of the Clearly, it’s going to take a norm as to be unwelcome. new kind of GOP candidate to He said rural Oregon has been have success in Oregon — a state, IRUJRWWHQLQWKH9DOOH\GRPLQDWHG remember, whose most beloved statehouse. SROLWLFLDQVKDYHEHHQRXWRIWKH And that shows in economic mold Republicans. We’re not and population declines in much FRPSDULQJ3LHUFHWRD+DW¿HOGRU of Oregon, outside of the main McCall, but we notice he comes population centers. Pierce said he from their tradition rather than the would incentivize the movement of PRUHPRGHUQGH¿DQWLQWUDQVLJHQW people and resources to rural areas. and losing one. No, Eastern Oregon doesn’t have Pierce has his work cut out for to be an urban center, put it has him just to win the GOP nomination, to attract enough people to make much less unseat probable EXVLQHVVHVSUR¿WDEOH$QGLWKDV Democratic nominee Kate Brown. to have enough economic variety But when a candidate so clearly has to keep the best and brightest from a focus on rural Oregon, it’s hard ÀHHLQJWRPHWURSROLWDQOLJKWV not to hope they stay in the game for He spoke of the need to support airplane subsidies in rural areas, like DORQJWLPHDQGKDYHDVLJQL¿FDQW impact on the race. 3HQGOHWRQ+HFDOOHGDVLJQL¿FDQW Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of Publisher Kathryn Brown, Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, and Opinion Page Editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. OTHER VIEWS Sen. Hansell and Rep. Barreto reach across the Cascades The (La Grande) Observer UHJRQLVDELJGLYHUVL¿HGVWDWH on a number of levels. In a sense, WZRGLVWLQFWFXOWXUHVH[LVWVLGH E\VLGH7KHVL]HRIWKHVWDWHDORQJZLWK the sharp political divisions that endure, can create a gulf between perception and understanding. Sometimes it can appear that the needs and values of the eastern side of the state are lost in the bustling white noise of the Willamette Valley. It is true, DWOHDVWDW¿UVWJODQFHWKHHDVWHUQSRUWLRQ of our state has little in common with portions of Western Oregon. So while the natural resources tour that cruised through Eastern Oregon earlier this week may not secure blaring headlines across the state, the effort should be lauded. Five state legislators joined area ODZPDNHUV5HS*UHJ%DUUHWR5&RYH DQG6HQ%LOO+DQVHOO5$WKHQDLQDQ excursion in the Columbia Basin and :DOORZD&RXQW\$W¿UVWJODQFHWKH political outing may seem unimportant, but a closer review illustrates that such efforts are not only good for lawmakers from the western side of the state but also a good thing for Eastern Oregon. That is why such endeavors as the one this week are so important. Lawmakers with little knowledge of our great piece of this state and what makes our economies run should be allowed every opportunity to get to know the area. That way, when decisions O are reached in Salem, lawmakers from the western side of the state can make better informed judgments about future impacts in areas like Wallowa County. In this day and age — where instant communication is the norm — it would VHHPHDV\WR¿QGRXWDOORQHQHHGVWR know about an area with the simple click of the mouse on a computer. The truth is, though, that the best way to learn about an area is to be on the ground — actually visit it and talk to residents and stakeholders and gain an understanding of the challenges they face. No doubt a gulf of understanding does exist between many on the western side of the state and Eastern Oregon. Yet efforts such as the one this week are one very good way to educate Western Oregon lawmakers on the unique attributes of our side of the state. A gap in understanding between regions in the same state is not a recipe for success. Instead, it can only lead to further misunderstanding and political angst when a lot of hard political work needs to be completed. Events such as the natural resources tour, along with ag and manufacturing tours, should be — if they are not already — annual exercises and should also include other counties. Whether we want to accept it or not, Eastern Oregon depends on Western Oregon. Yet the only way to create a seamless future mechanism of prosperity is through mutual understanding and knowledge. OTHER VIEWS And that’s my opinion! O pinions. and those terms should be staggered so That’s what we do in that one expires every other year. That 2S(G:HUHQGHULQIRUPHG way, every president would be able to opinions that we hope are smart and QRPLQDWHWZRMXVWLFHVGXULQJDIRXU sometimes provocative, backed up by year term. What difference would this JRRGROGIDVKLRQHGVKRHOHDWKHU,¶P make? Few things have more poisoned heading off to a new assignment, and our politics than battles over Supreme as I do, please indulge me as I toss off Court nominees, precisely because a few last opinions: they are lifetime appointments. With Joe )HZSHRSOHDUHPRUHDQWLJXQ Nocera term limits, the stakes would be lower than Michael Bloomberg. And few when a seat is vacated, and maybe, just Comment people are wealthier. According to maybe, our political culture could start Forbes, Bloomberg is worth around to heal. $40 billion, some of which he spends backing William Wachtel, a New York lawyer DQWLJXQFDQGLGDWHVDQGVXSSRUWLQJWKH DQGFRIRXQGHURIWKHJURXS:K\7XHVGD\" advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. believes that elections should be held on His success, though, has been limited. the weekend, when most people are not How about another working, instead of Tuesdays, approach? I propose that when they are. Tuesday he buy a gun company. voting, he likes to note, Seriously. Smith & Wesson was originally built around and Sturm, Ruger & Co. both farmers’ schedules; today, it have market capitalizations is nothing less than a form of hovering around $1 billion. discrimination. As I quoted Buying one would barely dent Chris Rock when I wrote Bloomberg’s wallet. about this in 2013, “They Owning a gun company don’t want you to vote. If they would allow him to take a did, we wouldn’t vote on a different kind of leadership Tuesday.” role on issues like improving Why, oh, why won’t the gun safety and imposing Metropolitan Opera perform universal background checks. “Porgy and Bess”? As I once $%ORRPEHUJRZQHGJXQ noted in Sunday Review, manufacturer could make it is the greatest American a smart gun, for instance opera ever written, with — that is, a gun that only DKDOIGR]HQRIWKH¿QHVW its owner can use. Gun songs George Gershwin companies today won’t sell ever composed. Its mostly them for fear of retaliation by the National black cast would help bring in a more diverse 5LÀH$VVRFLDWLRQ$%ORRPEHUJRZQHGJXQ audience, something the Met could use. company has more potential to effect change Whenever I’ve inquired whether Peter Gelb, in the country’s gun culture than anything else the Met’s general manager, is considering I can think of. “Porgy and Bess,” I’m told that he is — “in I’ve written many columns about the future.” The last time the Met performed it education, especially the effort, spearheaded ZDVDTXDUWHUFHQWXU\DJR+RZPXFKORQJHU E\ZHDOWK\SKLODQWKURSLVWVWR³¿[´SXEOLF are we supposed to wait? education by funding the charter school The late South African psychiatrist Mike movement. 5XVVHOOZDVDPRQJWKH¿UVWWRQRWHWKDW Paula McAvoy, the program director for smokers “smoke for nicotine, but they die the Center for Ethics and Education at the from the tar.” Meaning that while nicotine 8QLYHUVLW\RI:LVFRQVLQ0DGLVRQ²DQG addicts smokers, it is the burning tobacco, ,VKRXOGQRWHP\VRQ$PDWR¶V¿DQFpH² with all of the carcinogens the smoke recently suggested a different idea: “Why produces, that kills them. don’t they spend their money on infrastructure ,¶YHZULWWHQDORWDERXWHFLJDUHWWHV² instead?” maybe excessively so — because I think +HUSRLQWLVWKDWDEURNHQGRZQVFKRRO this point is so important. In demonizing sends a powerful message to students: HFLJDUHWWHVWKHSXEOLFKHDOWKFRPPXQLW\KDV “Society doesn’t care about your education.” created a false equivalency between cigarettes McAvoy added, “The place where you learn DQGHFLJDUHWWHVDVWDQFH,EHOLHYHLVFRVWLQJ matters.” OLYHV(FLJDUHWWHVPD\QRWEHFRPSOHWHO\VDIH A new school sends the opposite message: but there is no doubt they could save lives if that the country does cares and wants public adult smokers could be encouraged to make school students to succeed. A new school is the switch. And with that, I’ve had my last also a huge morale booster, for students and word on the subject. WHDFKHUVDOLNH³,I\RXZDQWWR¿[$PHULFDQ I’ve enjoyed writing this column and I education,” McAvoy told me, aiming her hope you’ve enjoyed reading it. Thank you for remarks at education philanthropists, “how your many thoughtful responses, both pro and about setting a goal of putting every kid into a con. I’m looking forward to engaging with VWDWHRIWKHDUWVFKRROE\WKH\HDU"´ you again soon. 7ZRRIWKHEHVWLGHDV,KHDUGDVDQ2S(G Ŷ columnist: Joe Nocera is an Op-Ed columnist. Before Norman Ornstein of the American joining The Opinion Pages in April 2011, he Enterprise Institute believes that Supreme wrote the Talking Business column for The &RXUWMXVWLFHVVKRXOGVHUYHRQH\HDUWHUP New York Times. Two of the best ideas I heard as an Op-Ed columnist: 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices, and Election Day on the weekend. YOUR VIEWS Reason we need more prison space is Measure 11 I read your article about the Department of Corrections needing $9.5 million to expand Madras prison. Yet you won’t do a series on why it needs to be expanded. Let me do it for you. Measure 11 — district attorneys use it for anything and everything. Fact: In October 2015, there are 14,689 inmates in Oregon; 6,274 (42.7 percent) in under Measure 11 — almost half the prison population. Of those 6,274, 3,876 are in XQGHU¿UVWWLPHRIIHQVHZLWKQRFULPLQDO background. From the voters pamphlet in 1994: “We must imprison all violent and repeat offenders and keep them locked up for a substantial amount of time.” Where does LWVD\¿UVWWLPHRIIHQGHUVZLWKQRFULPLQDO background? Whoa, it doesn’t. The district attorneys intimidate, harass and add charges just so they can get a plea agreement. Cost to the state: $87.08 per day = $199 million per year for those measure 11 inmates. )RUWKRVH¿UVWWLPHRIIHQGHUVZLWK no criminal background, it is $123 million per year. They are asking $9.5 million for expanding a prison; what makes more sense, when possibly half of those 3,876, with no SULRUKLVWRU\¿UVWWLPHRIIHQVHFRXOGEHOHWRXW on strict probation with GPS monitoring? That would be about 1,900 fewer inmates. I am not talking about letting out “career criminals” or violent criminals. Why will papers do an article on this and not on what is causing the issue: Measure 11 and the district attorneys total power over the legal system. Barbara Dickerson Milton-Freewater LETTERS POLICY The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. Be heard! Comment online at eastoregonian.com.