Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 11, 2016)
OPINION 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016 GUEST COLUMN Founded in 1873 Older Americans Act poised to return STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager Fighting for press freedom ... again KH)LUVW$PHQGPHQWLVH[SOLFLWDERXWZKHUHWKHSUHVV¿WV in the orbit of government. The amendment states that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of the press. In Printers and Press must always be watched. Freedom: The Ideology of After more than 200 years of Early American Journalism, American government, that Jeffrey A. Smith writes that is no less true. The opportu- by the time the Constitution nities for misfeasance and was written, Americans had malfeasance are just as rife. As our story indicates, known 200 years of an unbri- dled press that was free to the apparent genesis of the criticize its rulers. That, says Arizona House’s new security Smith, is where the First measure is an Arizona news- Amendment came from. paper’s investigation that It is perhaps a leap from revealed the Arizona House the Constitution to what’s VSHDNHU ZDV YLRODWLQJ ¿QDQ- going on in Arizona. But cial rules that apply to a gov- the Arizona House of HUQPHQWRI¿FLDOFDPSDLJQLQJ Representatives’ demand for IRURI¿FH The House speaker has extensive background checks on reporters before giving used a recent incident in the them access to the House House chamber as his excuse is at odds with where the to apply background checks SUHVV KLVWRULFDOO\ KDV ¿W LQ on reporters. This is a step in the wrong its always contentious rela- tionship with government. direction. While we in the See “Arizona House restricts press will object to what journalists who reject check” the Arizona House and its speaker intend to do, there on Page 5A today. Inherent in the First is another, more important Amendment and in what remedy. We must do our jobs early Americans, such as effectively and not be intim- Thomas Jefferson, expressed idated by barriers thrown up is the notion that government by those in political power. T Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici believes the Astoria Senior Center and others like it show the benefits of social programs for seniors. From left: Larry Miller, director of the Senior Center, John Ryan, Mayor Arline Lamear, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Councilor Drew Herzig and Yvonne McCann, take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Astoria Senior Center in February. At home in Oregon, I have seen 9LFWLPV RI HOGHU ¿QDQFLDO DEXVH ORVH how OAA programs help seniors an estimated $2.9 billion a year, which remain connected to their communi- sometimes includes their entire life ties and avoid costlier long-term care. savings. We should do all we can to W¶VEHHQ¿YH\HDUVVLQFHWKH¿UVW Many homebound seniors receive make sure older adults are not robbed baby boomers turned 65, and their only hot meal of the day from of their resources or denied the dignity programs like the OAA-funded they deserve. each day 10,000 more Americans Meals on Wheels, and the volunteers But like any compromise, my col- reach that age. who deliver these meals may provide OHDJXHVDQG,PDGHVDFUL¿FHVLQRUGHU ,W KDV DOVR EHHQ ¿YH \HDUV the only chance for social interaction. to move this legislation closer to the since Congress allowed the Older I’ve packaged and delivered meals ¿QLVK OLQH :H ZLOO QHHG WR FRQWLQXH to modernize OAA pro- Americans Act (OAA) to expire. to older adults and have seen how important that JUDPV WR UHÀHFW WKH A Senate bill to reauthorize the act contact is, especially for There are increasing diversity passed the U.S. House in March. those in isolated or rural more than among older adults, and in particular work As the population of older adults areas. Recently I joined 6 million to remove barriers that continues to increase and Americans live longer lives, our nation’s policies hundreds of seniors to prevent older adults — victims including LGBT elders celebrate the reopening need to keep pace. The growing need to have effective of the newly renovated older individuals of elder and programs that help seniors live with Astoria Senior Center. from diverse racial and dignity is why I recently took a lead This vibrant community ethnic backgrounds — abuse role in helping the House improve and hub, and others like it from fully accessing the every pass an updated Older Americans Act. in my district, show the programs that keep them Originally a part of President Lyn- WUHPHQGRXV EHQH¿WV RI healthy and engaged in year. don Johnson’s War on Poverty, the —and need for—social their communities. OAA funds programs that provide ser- programs for our seniors. The passage of the The new and bipartisan Older ELOOLQWKH+RXVHLVVLJQL¿FDQWEHFDXVH vices to seniors in urban, suburban and rural communities throughout the Americans Act also increases fund- it shows a bipartisan commitment to country. The law supports nutritional ing for other programs to meet the seniors by members of Congress, but we and transportation services, in-home growing need for supportive services. have a lot more to do. I’m proud of what and legal assistance, protections against Importantly, this legislation takes sev- we’ve accomplished, and I will continue elder abuse and family caregiver sup- eral meaningful steps to combat elder working with my colleagues on both port. Taken together, Older Americans abuse. sides of the aisle to strengthen programs According to the Elder Justice for older Americans in the future. Act programs make it possible for mil- lions of older adults to remain indepen- Coalition, there are more than 6 mil- U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, dent and healthy, and to age with dig- lion victims of elder abuse every year D-Ore., has served in the House since — roughly 1 in 10 people over age 60. 2012. nity in their homes and communities. By U.S. Rep. SUZANNE BONAMICI For The Daily Astorian I $W¿VKHU\ODZ ‘Bernie Bro’ Sanders over the edge needs revamping F ishermen’s News is primarily a trade publi- cation for industry insiders, but every issue has articles that demonstrate how com- PHUFLDO ¿VKLQJ WRXFKHV DOO RXUOLYHVKHUHLQWKH¿VKLQJ ports of the Lower Columbia River. The April issue con- tains several noteworthy items: • This Wednesday is the 40th anniversary of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. Writing on behalf of the At-sea Processors Association, a col- umnist offers an enthusiastic opinion that the act sets the “gold standard” for U.S. and ZRUOG¿VKHULHV Magnuson-Stevens has brought economic bene- ¿WV ODUJHO\ E\ SXVKLQJ IRU- eign vessels out beyond the 200-mile U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. With UH¿QHPHQWVLQWKHDFW improved management of RYHU¿VKLQJ But it remains a disap- pointment in a variety of ways. This is perhaps most obvious on the East Coast, ZKHUH JURXQG¿VK VWRFNV are a small fraction of what they were in 1976. Fisheries on the West Coast, and the U.S. in general, continue to struggle. • Commenting on 2016 federal legislative priori- ties, two employees of the 3DFL¿F &RDVW )HGHUDWLRQ RI Fishermen’s Associations write of the need for a thor- ough revamp of Magnuson- Stevens. They argue that ³¿VKLQJ LV D EXVLQHVV WKDW depends entirely on the health of the environment.” As such, they highlight the need to manage factors like onshore pollution. It’s not fair, they argue, to penal- L]H ¿VKHUPHQ IRU IDFWRUV beyond their control. • On the pragmatic issue of maximizing the value of har- YHVWHG ¿VK E\ PDNLQJ VXUH they are fresh for consum- ers, Fishermen’s News edi- tor Chris Philips reports on a new hand-held device that can instantly tell how much shelf life is left in any par- WLFXODU¿VK7KLVZLOOUHZDUG ¿VKHUPHQZKRWDNHDSSURSUL- DWHVWHSVWRFRRO¿VKDQGNHHS them that way after harvest. Improving consumer con- ¿GHQFH ZLOO ERRVW VHDIRRG popularity and prices. These improvements will be good for all of us at the mouth of the Columbia. And then there was the table about big banks Wednesday’s rant about misses the point. Yet going on about big how Clinton is not “quali- ¿HG´WREHSUHVLGHQW rom the beginning, many and banks is pretty much all Sanders has done. On the What probably set that probably most liberal pol- rare occasions on which he off was a recent interview of icy wonks were skeptical about was asked for more detail, Sanders by the Daily News, Bernie Sanders. he didn’t seem to have any- in which he repeatedly seemed unable to respond On many major issues — includ- thing more to offer. And when pressed to go beyond ing the signature issues of his cam- this absence of substance beyond the slogans seems his usual slogans. Clinton, Paul SDLJQHVSHFLDOO\¿QDQFLDOUHIRUP² to be true of his positions asked about that interview, Krugman he seemed to go for easy slogans over across the board. was careful in her choice of hard thinking. And his political theory You could argue that words, suggesting that “he of change, his waving away of limits, policy details are unimportant as long hadn’t done his homework.” as a politician has the right values and But Sanders wasn’t careful at all, seemed utterly unrealistic. character. As it happens, I don’t agree. declaring that what he considers Clin- Some Sanders supporters For one thing, a politician’s policy spe- ton’s past sins, including her support responded angrily when these con- FL¿FVDUHRIWHQDYHU\LPSRUWDQWFOXH for trade agreements and her vote to cerns were raised, immediately accus- to his or her true character — I warned authorize the Iraq War — for which ing anyone expressing doubts about about George W. Bush’s mendacity she has apologized — make her totally their hero of being corrupt if not actu- back when most journalists were still XQ¿WIRURI¿FH This is really bad, on two levels. ally criminal. But intolerance and cul- portraying him as a bluff, honest fel- tishness from some of a candidate’s low, because I actually looked at his Holding people accountable for their supporters are one thing; what about tax proposals. For another, I consider a past is OK, but imposing a standard commitment to facing hard choices as of purity, in which any compromise or the candidate himself? Unfortunately, in the past few days opposed to taking the easy way out an misstep makes you the moral equiv- the answer has become all too clear: important value in itself. alent of the bad guys, isn’t. Abraham Sanders is starting to sound like his Lincoln didn’t meet that standard; nei- worst followers. Bernie is becoming a ther did FDR. Nor, for that matter, has The way Bernie Bro. Bernie Sanders (think guns). Let me illustrate the point about And the timing of the Sanders rant Sanders is issues by talking about bank reform. was truly astonishing. Given her large The easy slogan here is “Break up lead in delegates — based largely on campaigning the big banks.” It’s obvious why this the support of African-American vot- slogan is appealing from a political raises serious ers, who respond to her pragmatism point of view: Wall Street supplies because history tells them to distrust character and an excellent cast of villains. But extravagant promises — Clinton is were big banks really at the heart of strong favorite for the Democratic values issues. the WKH¿QDQFLDOFULVLVDQGZRXOGEUHDN- nomination. ing them up protect us from future Is Sanders positioning himself But in any case, the way Sanders is to join the “Bernie or bust” crowd, crises? Many analysts concluded years ago campaigning raises serious character walking away if he can’t pull off an that the answers to both questions were and values issues. extraordinary upset and possibly help- It’s one thing for the Sanders cam- ing put Donald Trump or Ted Cruz in no. Predatory lending was largely car- ried out by smaller, non-Wall Street paign to point to Hillary Clinton’s the White House? If not, what does he institutions like Countrywide Finan- Wall Street connections, which are think he’s doing? cial; the crisis itself was centered not real, although the question should be The Sanders campaign has brought on big banks but on “shadow banks” whether they have distorted her posi- out a lot of idealism and energy that like Lehman Brothers that weren’t tions, a case the campaign has never the progressive movement needs. QHFHVVDULO\WKDWELJ$QGWKH¿QDQFLDO even tried to make. But recent attacks It has also, however, brought out reform that President Barack Obama on Clinton as a tool of the fossil fuel a streak of petulant self-righteous- signed in 2010 made a real effort to industry are just plain dishonest and ness among some supporters. Has it address these problems. It could and speak of a campaign that has lost its brought out that streak in the candi- should be made stronger, but pounding ethical moorings. date, too? By PAUL KRUGMAN New York Times News Service F
