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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2015)
OPINION 6A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015 7KH¿QDQFLDOO\LQVHFXUH$PHULFDQ about the realities of life But leave self-declared for those not yet elderly. conservatives and their Founded in 1873 Which is where that Fed- contempt for the poor on eral Reserve study comes merica remains, despite one side. What’s really STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher in. WKH GDPDJH LQÀLFWHG E\ striking is the disconnect 7KLVLVWKHVWXG\¶VVHF between centrist conven- LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor the Great Recession and its af- tional wisdom and the re- ond year, and the current BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager termath, a very rich country. edition actually portrays ality of life — and death a nation in recovery: In CARL EARL, Systems Manager But many Americans are eco- — for much of the nation. XQOLNHDVXE 7DNHDVDSULPHH[DP nomically insecure, with little pro- JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager stantial plurality of re- ple, positioning on Social Paul tection from life’s risks. DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager spondents said they were Security. For decades, Krugman 7KH\ IUHTXHQWO\ H[SHULHQFH ¿ a declared willingness better off than they had HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager nancial hardship; many don’t expect WR FXW 6RFLDO 6HFXULW\ EHQH¿WV HV EHHQ¿YH\HDUVDJR<HWLW¶VVWDUWOLQJ to be able to retire, and if they do pecially by raising the retirement how little room for error there is in retire have little to live on besides age, has been almost a required many American lives. :H OHDUQ IRU H[DPSOH WKDW Social Security. position — a badge of seriousness 0DQ\ UHDGHUV ZLOO , KRSH ¿QG — for politicians and pundits who LQ QRQHOGHUO\ $PHULFDQV VDLG nothing surprising in what I just want to sound wise and responsi- they had no retirement savings or VDLG %XW DOO WRR PDQ\ DIÀXHQW ble. After all, people are living lon- pension, and that the same frac- Americans — and, in particular, ger, so shouldn’t they work longer, tion reported going without some members of our political elite — too? And isn’t Social Security an kind of medical care in the past seem to have no sense of how the old-fashioned system, out of touch year because they couldn’t afford it. Almost a quarter reported that other half lives. Which is why a new with modern economic realities? he suicide in April of 54-year-old Carrie Barnhart is only the VWXG\RQWKH¿QDQFLDOZHOOEHLQJRI Meanwhile, the reality is that liv- they or a family member had ex- most recent and obvious of many such family tragedies that U.S. households, conducted by the ing longer in our ever-more-unequal perienced financial hardship in the Federal Reserve, should be required society is very much a class thing: past year. happen in our county and region, year in and year out. And something that even startled reading inside the Beltway. /LIHH[SHFWDQF\DWDJHKDVULVHQ Before I get to that study, a few DORWDPRQJWKHDIÀXHQWEXWKDUGO\ PHSHUFHQWVDLGWKDWWKH\ZRXOG Sorrow, pain and a lingering social wrong. A person who is thoroughly stigma continue to impede our inter- determined to commit suicide is hard words about the callous oblivious- at all in the bottom half of the wage not have the resources to meet an un- vention in and reaction to suicides and to stop. Meanwhile, CBH and all oth- ness so prevalent in our political distribution, that is, among those H[SHFWHGH[SHQVHRI² life. who need Social Security most. 7KH\ZRXOGKDYHWRVHOOVRPHWKLQJ suicide attempts. Barnhart’s family is er health and social service agencies I am not, or not And while the retire- or borrow to meet that need, if they right in seeking better answers than operate in a seriously constrained only, talking about ment system FDR could meet it at all. they have received thus far. budgetary framework that makes ac- right-wing contempt Social Of course, it could be much introduced may look old-fashioned to af- worse. Social Security is there, and It is natural for families to second tive, ongoing case management into for the poor, although Security is ÀXHQW SURIHVVLRQDOV we should be very glad that it is. guess years worth of behaviors and a frustrating exercise of constantly the dominance of compassionless con- it is quite literally a Meanwhile, unemployment insur- there, and clues leading up to these personal stretching too few resources to cover servatism is a sight lifeline for many of ance and food stamps did a lot to catastrophes. “What did we miss?” too many needs. to behold. Accord- our fellow citizens. cushion unlucky families from the we should “What could we have done different- In addition to making sure mental ing to the Pew Re- A majority of Amer- worst during the Great Recession. be very LFDQV RYHU JHW And Obamacare, imperfect as it is, ly?” “Who could we have asked for health care is effective, there other search Center, more than three-quarters more than half their has immensely reduced insecurity, help?” And simply “Why?” All these recognized ways to protect against glad that of conservatives be- income from Social especially in states whose govern- questions and more crowd the minds VXLFLGH7KHVH LQFOXGH VWUHQJWKHQLQJ lieve that the poor Security, and more ments haven’t tried to sabotage the it is. of families and friends. Sometimes, connections with family members, “have it easy” thanks than a quarter are program. there are no answers. But sometimes, the community and social institutions; to government bene- But while things could be worse, almost completely lessons can be learned, some of which helping those at risk by improving ¿WVRQO\LQEHOLHYHWKDWWKHSRRU reliant on those monthly checks. WKH\ FRXOG DOVR EH EHWWHU 7KHUH LV 7KHVH UHDOLWLHV PD\ ¿QDOO\ EH no such thing as perfect security, may invisibly blossom into saving a their problem-solving skills; and ed- “have hard lives.” And this attitude translates into policy. What we learn penetrating political debate, to but American families could easily life years, decades or even genera- ucating everyone about warning signs from the refusal of Republican-con- some extent. We seem to be hearing have much more security than they tions later. such as an expressed loss of purpose trolled states to expand Medicaid, less these days about cutting Social have. All it would take is for pol- At a minimum, a thorough exam- in life, changes in sleeping patterns even though the federal government Security, and we’re even seeing iticians and pundits to stop talking ination of facts and feelings can aid and increased alcohol or drug use. would foot the bill, is that punishing some attention paid to proposals for blithely about the need to cut “en- a family’s mourning process. Even 7KHUHQHDUO\DOZD\VDUHVRPHZDUQ the poor has become a goal in itself, EHQH¿W LQFUHDVHV JLYHQ WKH HURVLRQ titlements” and starting looking at better, it can help a whole community ing signs — in Barnhart’s case, her one worth pursuing even if it hurts of private pensions. But my sense the way their less-fortunate fellow is that Washington still has no clue citizens actually live. improve its understanding of serious own suicide threats were a loud and rather than helps state budgets. depression, brain diseases in general, clear warning siren. and how our institutions might better A genuine advance of the modern safeguard individuals in the grips of age is we now understand that re- By DAVID BROOKS ZKR VXUYLYHG WKH 1D]L 7ROODNVHQ FRQWLQXHV crisis. sponsible discussion of suicide does New York Times News Service “I have always admired death camps, a predom- Helped by retired Wyoming police not increase the risk. Silence and pre- those goal-oriented, stub- inant quality she noticed RI¿FHU1RUPDQ7XWWRQWKH%DUQKDUW tending an illness might get better if born, successful, deter- few weeks ago, I asked was generosity. family is prodding the county to take a we simply ignore it aren’t effective. mined individuals; they “Perhaps,” she con- readers to send in essays closer look at how Clatsop Behavioral It’s clear what we all must do if some- make things happen, and cludes, “the mission is the world would be lost +HDOWKFDUHKDQGOHGWKLVVSHFL¿FFDVH one we love shows signs of suicidal describing their purpose in life not a mission at all. ... without them.” But, he ex- Everywhere there are tiny, 7XWWRQLVFRUUHFWLQVWDWLQJWKDWSDWLHQW thoughts — listen, show you care, be and how they found it. plains, he has always had A few thousand submitted con- seemingly inconsequen- FRQ¿GHQWLDOLW\VKRXOGQRWVHUYHDVD direct but non confrontational in ask- a “small font purpose.” tial circumstances that, if permanent “cloak of invisibility” for ing about feelings and plans and seek tributions, and many essays are on- explored, provide mean- “I can say it worked David agency actions. Meaningful oversight SURIHVVLRQDO DVVLVWDQFH 7KH VDPH line. for me. I know it sounds ing” and chances to be Brooks requires, at a minimum, that the coun- goes for local society as a whole — I’ll write more about the lessons generous and kind. Spiri- so Midwest, but it’s been ty insist on a process of professional this is a subject that warrants ongoing they shared in the weeks ahead, but tual and emotional growth happens ZRQGHUIXO , KDYH D WHUUL¿F ZLIH kids, friends from grade school and in microscopic increments. and independent case review to audit discussion and active efforts to im- one common theme surprised me. high school, college, army, friends I expected most contributors Kim Spencer writes, “I used whether procedures were followed prove our response. would follow the commence- to be one of the solid ones — one locally, and sometimes, best of all, and whether those procedures need to CBH operates a 24-hour crisis in- ment-speech clichés of our of the people whose purpose was horses, dogs, and cats. Finally, I be changed. tervention program that tries to assist high-achieving culture: dream big; FOHDUO\GH¿QHGDQGXQGHUVWRRG0\ have a small industrial business that 1RQH RI WKLV VKRXOG SUHVXSSRVH people at imminent risk of suicide. set ambitious goals; try to change purpose was seeing patients and , VWDUWHG DQG KDYH UXQ IRU \HDUV the world. In fact, a surprising num- ‘saving lives.’ I have melted into based on what I now identify as prin- that CBH or the county did anything 7KHFULVLVOLQHLV ber of people found their purpose WKHLQEHWZHHQVSDFHVWKRXJK1RZ ciples of ‘Pope Francis capitalism.’” Hans Pitsch wrote: “At age 85, by going the other way, by pursuing my purpose is simply to be the per- the small, happy life. son ... who can pick up the phone the question of meaning in my life (OL]DEHWK<RXQJ RQFH KHDUG WKH DQG JLYH \RX PLQXWHV LQ \RXU LVXUJHQW7KHTXHVWLRQRIWKHSXU story of a man who was asked by time of crisis. I can give it to you pose of my life is another matter. a journalist to show his most pre- today and again in a few days. ... I World War II and life in general cious possession. can edit your letter. have taught me that outcomes from 7KH PDQ <RXQJ ... I can listen to our actions or inactions are often Spiritual wrote, “was proud you complain about totally unpredictable and random.” He adds, “I am thankful to be and excited to show your co-worker. ... and the journalist the I can look you in alive. I have a responsibility to my- gift he had been be- emotional the eye and give self and those around me to give queathed. A banged you a few dollars meaning to my life from day to day. I growth in the parking lot. I enjoy my family (not all of them) and W PD\ VXSHU¿FLDOO\ VHHP OLNH CDC shipments of live anthrax up tin pot he kept carefully wrapped not upset if you the shrinking number of old friends. the plot of a end-of-the-world EDFWHULDLQDQG´ happens in am in cloth as though cry. I am no longer <RXXVHWKHWHUPµRUJDQL]LQJIUDPH¶ movie — for more than a year the ³7KLV VHHPV WR EH D SUREOHP LW ZDV IUDJLOH 7KH microscopic drowning, so I can in one’s life. I am not sure if I want U.S. Army accidentally shipped a that happens pretty regularly.” journalist was con- KHOSNHHS\RXDÀRDW to be framed by an organizing princi- deadly disease from a Utah labora- ³7KHUH DUH DSSUR[LPDWHO\ fused, what made increments. with a little boost. ple, but if there is one thing that keeps tory to nine other states and South 86 ODERUDWRULHV DXWKRUL]HG this dingy old pot so 1RW DOO RI WKH WLPH me focused, it’s the garden. Lots of Korea. to work with fully active, fully vir- YDOXDEOH"µ7KHPHVVDJH¶WKHIULHQG but every once in a while, until you plants died during the harsh winter, In such a movie or a Stephen ulent, biological weapons agents. UHSOLHG 7KH PHVVDJH ZDV µZH GR ¿QGRWKHUSHRSOHWRKHOSRUDGLIIHU but, amazingly, the clematises and QRW DOO KDYH WR VKLQH¶ 7KLV VWRU\ ent way to swim. It is no skin off my the roses are back, and lettuce, spin- King novel, the pathogen would 7KLVQXPEHULVWRRODUJHE\DIDFWRU resonated deeply. In that moment back; it is easy for me.” ach and tomatoes are thriving in the have jumped the fence and started RIWR´ I was able to relieve myself of the 7HUHQFH - 7ROODNVHQ ZURWH QHZJUHHQKRXVH7KHZHHSLQJFKHUU\ rampaging through the innocent ci- • “Oversight is critical in im- need to do something important, that his purpose became clear- tree in front of the house succumbed YLOLDQ SRSXODWLRQ7KDQNIXOO\ UHDO proving biosafety and ensuring from which I would reap praise and er once he began to recognize the to old age. I still have to plant a new life was more forgiving. But we that high-containment laboratories EH UHZDUGHG ZLWK IXO¿OOPHQW 0\ ³GHFLVLRQ WUDS´ ³7KLV WUDS LV DQ tree this year.” 7KLV VFDOH RI SXUSRVH LV QRW IRU amazingly consistent phenomena can’t always count on such good comply with regulations. However, vision cleared.” <RXQJFRQWLQXHV³,KDYHDOZD\V whereby ‘big’ decisions turn out to everyone, but there is something luck. our work has found that aspects wanted to be effortlessly kind. I have much less impact on a life as beautiful and concrete and well-pro- Live anthrax like that sent of the current oversight programs wanted to raise children who were a whole than the myriad of small portioned about tending that size of a garden. around the nation by the Army is … depend on entities’ monitoring kind.” She notes that among those VHHPLQJO\LQVLJQL¿FDQWRQHV´ highly dangerous, but not conta- themselves and reporting incidents gious in a traditional sense, so this to the regulators.” particular blunder between March 7KH ZRUOG LV IXOO RI ELRORJL DQGWKLV$SULOZDVQHYHUFD cal dangers, both man-made and • 86 5HS 6X]DQQH %RQDPLFL + 6DOHP 25 3KRQH (PDLOVHQEHWV\MRKQ pable of igniting a widespread pan- spontaneously appearing in nature. (D)5D\EXUQ+2%:DVKLQJ :HE ZZZOHJVWDWH VRQ#VWDWHRUXV :HE ZZZEHWV\ demic. But the U.S. military and Germ researchers and the agencies WRQ '& 3KRQH RUXVZLWW (PDLO UHSEUDGZLWW# MRKQVRQFRP'LVWULFW2I¿FH32%R[ 56FDSSRRVH253KRQH its international allies and foes are that fund them argue, with justi- )D[ 'LVWULFW state.or.us RI¿ FH 6: 0LOOLNDQ :D\ • 6WDWH 5HS 'HERUDK %RRQH )D[$VWRULD also stewards of numerous germs ¿FDWLRQ ZH PXVW ZRUN WR XQGHU 6XLWH %HDYHUWRQ 25 (D)&RXUW6W1(+6D RI¿FHSKRQH that would be able to spread from stand and develop rapid responses 3KRQH)D[ OHP 25 3KRQH • 3RUWRI$VWRULD: Executive Di- person to person. to these potential disasters. :HEERQDPLFLKRXVHJRY (PDLO UHSGHERUDK ERRQH# UHFWRU3LHU6XLWH$VWRULD • 86 6HQ -HII 0HUNOH\ ': VWDWHRUXV'LVWULFWRI¿FH32%R[ 25 3KRQH 7KH DOZD\VYDOXDEOH Guardian Slipshod procedures and lack of newspaper provides frightening adequate oversight raise the pros- +DUW 6HQDWH 2I¿FH %XLOGLQJ &DQQRQ %HDFK 25 (PDLODGPLQ#SRUWRIDVWRULDFRP • &ODWVRS &RXQW\ %RDUG RI context to the anthrax mistakes. pect of our own defensive efforts :DVKLQJWRQ '& 3KRQH 3KRQH :HE ZZZ :HE ZZZPHUNOH\ OHJVWDWHRUXVERRQH &RPPLVVLRQHUV FR &RXQW\ 0DQ Quoting experts: turning on us and igniting a plague. senate.gov • 6WDWH 6HQ %HWV\ -RKQVRQ ': DJHU ([FKDQJH 6W 6XLWH ³7KHLQFLGHQWLQYROYHGH[DFW 7KLVLVDQRQJRLQJGH¿FLHQF\LQXU • 6WDWH 5HS %UDG :LWW ': 6WDWH &DSLWRO &RXUW 6W 1( $VWRULD253KRQH ly the same chain of errors as the gent need of serious intervention. 6WDWH&DSLWRO&RXUW6WUHHW1( 66DOHP257HOHSKRQH By PAUL KRUGMAN New York Times News Service A What did we miss? T Recent suicide raises many questions for the community 7KHSXUVXLWRIDVPDOOKDSS\OLIH A Anthrax goof gives real pause for alarm I Lack of real oversight could put many in danger Where to write