OPINION
4A
Founded in 1873
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
Resisting the revisionists:
A irst step with NATO
By CHARLES
KRAUTHAMMER
Washington Post Writers Group
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager
Can we trust
Union Paciic?
Wyden and Merkley stand
up to the railroads
T
here was a time in America when railroads were a sov-
ereign power — close to being a fourth branch of gov-
ernment. Through their enormous land grants and economic
clout, they made and broke communities in the 19th century,
and they held sway in Washington, D.C.
the
National
Even today railroads have accident,
the power to hold communi- Transportation Safety Board
did not investigate, because
ties and regions hostage.
In the wake of June’s oil there were no injuries or
train derailment at Mosier, it fatalities. Union Paciic con-
is encouraging to see Oregon ducted its own investigation
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and and identiied loose links
Jeff Merkley standing up to between rails and ties.
Wyden offered a useful
the railroads. The senators
last week introduced legisla- observation about the UP
tion that would call for man- investigation. Having rail-
datory investigation of oil roads investigate their own
train derailments.
accidents is like “Colonel
The
Mandate
Oil Sanders guarding the chicken
Spill Investigations and coop,” the senator said.
Emergency Rules (MOSIER)
America’s freight railroad
Act of 2016 calls on the network is essential to our
National
Transportation transportation economy. But
Safety Board to investigate railroads historically have
oil train derailments and shown they sometimes can-
gives the Federal Railroad not be trusted with commu-
Administration the author- nity health and welfare. That
ity to put a moratorium on oil is an especially important
trains until the investigations factor as giant oil unit trains
are complete.
move through places such as
Following the Mosier the Columbia River Gorge.
Few excuses
not to vote
One more attempt to make
Oregon’s innovation universal
O
regon has led the way
in eliminating cum-
bersome and overly restric-
tive processes for getting
citizens registered to vote.
Versions of the state’s auto-
matic voter registration sys-
tem ought to be extended
nationwide.
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden
and Jeff Merkley and U.S.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer have
introduced legislation to
compel states to move to
vote by mail.
Oregon’s
homegrown
system of voting by mail
deserves universal adoption.
We should make it as conve-
nient as possible for people
to exercise a citizens’ right,
not erect an obstacle course
in their path that discourages
all but the most engaged
from participating.
Any election-related inno-
vation brings meaningless
chatter about the potential
for introducing fraud into
the process. Disenfranchised
felons and noncitizens
might, under this theory,
slip a vote in for someone
who they perceive as being
more amenable to their con-
cerns. Such a worry is quaint
to the point of nearly being
amusing.
Meanwhile, it remains to
be seen whether Oregon’s
most recent innovation —
nearly universal voter regis-
tration — will make a differ-
ence in voter turnout or who
gets elected. The choice by
political parties to restrict
who votes in partisan pri-
mary elections means that
unafiliated voters are left
on the sidelines at that vital
stage in the process. Only
18.7 percent of automati-
cally registered voters turned
in ballots in the Oregon
May primary, well below
the overall voter turnout of
53.7 percent, while 76 per-
cent of automatically regis-
tered voters that month were
unafiliated, The Oregonian
reported.
Keeping people from vot-
ing is a key way in which
elections are rigged by the
powerful and the politi-
cal consultants who do their
bidding. Voting in suficient
numbers is the main way
that citizens have a sense of
control over their destiny. In
Oregon at least, there remain
very few excuses not to vote.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JULY 18, 2016
W
ASHINGTON — “The
most signiicant rein-
forcement of our collective
defense any time since the Cold
War,” President Barack Obama
called it. A bit of an exaggera-
tion, perhaps, but it was still an
achievement: Last week’s NATO
summit in Warsaw ordered the
deployment of troops to Eastern
Europe, the alliance’s most
serious response yet to Russia’s
aggression and provocations on
its western frontier.
The post-Ukraine economic sanc-
tions have been weak; the declama-
tory denunciations, a mere embar-
rassment. They’ve only encouraged
further reckless Russian behavior —
the buzzing of U.S. ships, intrusions
into European waters, threats to the
Baltic States.
NATO will now deploy four bat-
talions to front-line states. In Estonia,
they will be led by Britain; in Lithua-
nia, by Germany; in Latvia, by Canada;
in Poland, by the United States. Not
nearly enough, and not permanently
based, but nonetheless signiicant.
In the unlikely event of a Rus-
sian invasion of any of those territo-
ries, these troops are to act as a trip-
wire, triggering a full-scale war with
NATO. It’s the kind of coldblooded
deterrent that kept the peace in Europe
during the Cold War and keeps it now
along the DMZ in Korea.
In the more likely event of a “lit-
tle green men” takeover attempt in,
say, Estonia (about 25 percent ethni-
cally Russian), the sort of disguised
slow-motion invasion that Vladi-
mir Putin pulled off in Crimea, the
NATO deployments might be enough
to thwart the aggression and call in
reinforcements.
The message to Putin
President Obama’s cher-
is clear: Yes, you’ve taken
ished Russian “reset,”
parts of Georgia and
instilling backbone in
Ukraine. But they’re not
NATO and resisting Putin
NATO. That territory is
are signiicant strategic
sacred — or so we say.
achievements. It leaves a
This is a welcome devel-
marker for Obama’s suc-
opment for the Balts, who
cessor, reassures the East
are wondering whether
Europeans and will make
they really did achieve
Putin think twice about
irreversible independence
repeating Ukraine in the
Charles
when the West won the
Baltics.
Krauthammer
Cold War. Their appre-
However, the Western
hension is grounded in
order remains challenged
Putin
NATO’s laccid response
by the other two members
to Putin’s aggressive
of the troika of authoritar-
was
revanchism, particularly
ian expansionists: China
in Ukraine. Obama still Brexit’s
and Iran. Their provoca-
won’t provide Ukraine
tions proceed unabated.
with even defensive weap-
Indeed, the next test for
big
onry. This follows years of
the United States is Chi-
American accommodation winner.
na’s furious denunciation
of Putin, from canceling a
of the decision handed
Polish-Czech missile defense system down Tuesday by the Permanent
to, most recently, openly acquiescing Court of Arbitration in The Hague —
to Russia’s seizure of a dominant role a blistering, sweeping and unanimous
in Syria.
rejection of China’s territorial claims
And what are the East Europe- and military buildup in the South
ans to think when they hear the pre- China Sea.
sumptive presidential candidate of
Without American action, how-
the party of Reagan speaking dismis- ever, The Hague’s verdict is a dead
sively of NATO and suggesting a pos- letter. Lecturing other great pow-
sible American exit?
ers about adherence to “international
The NATO action takes on even norms” is ine. But the Paciic Rim
greater signiicance because of the nations are anxious to see whether we
timing, coming just two weeks after will actually do something.
Brexit. Britain’s withdrawal threat-
Regarding Iran, we certainly
ens the future of the other major pillar won’t. Our abject appeasement con-
of Western integration and solidarity, tinues, from ignoring Tehran’s serial
the European Union. NATO shows violations of the nuclear agreement
that it is holding fast and that the vital (the latest: intensiied efforts to
instrument of Western cohesion and obtain illegal nuclear technology in
joint action will henceforth be almost Germany) to the administration act-
entirely trans-Atlantic — meaning, ing as a kind of Chamber of Com-
under American leadership.
merce to facilitate the sale of about
The EU, even if it doesn’t dis- 100 Boeing jetliners to a regime that
solve, will now inevitably turn routinely uses civilian aircraft for
inward as it spends years working military transport (particularly in
out its new communal arrangements Syria).
with and without Britain. Putin was
The troop deployments to Eastern
Brexit’s big winner. Any fracturing of Europe are a good irst step in push-
the Western alliance presents oppor- ing back against the rising revisionist
tunities to play one member against powers. But a irst step, however wel-
another. He can only be disappointed come, 7 1/2 years into a presidency, is
to see NATO step up and step in.
a melancholy reminder of what might
After the humiliating collapse of have been.
Cartwright Pump Track a
community celebration
By SUE CODY
For The Daily Astorian
M
ountain bikers rejoice!
There is a new pump
track for bicycle enthusiasts
near Seaside’s Cartwright Park.
“Years ago, Cartwright Park
was just a bunch of blackberries
and a phone booth where people
made their deals,” said Seaside
Mayor Don Larson.
Now, the new pump track is
adjacent to a park that already
has a picnic shelter, swing sets,
restrooms and play structures. “The
pump track is a real neat addition,”
Larson said.
A pump track, which opened
Saturday, is a looping bike track
with bumps and berms where bik-
ers can “pump” their body up and
down, creating momentum without
pedaling over the bumps.
“Pump tracks are gathering
places for the community,” said
Chris Quackenbush, a North Coast
Trail Alliance member. “Riding the
track gets kids and adults off their
phones and computers for great
exercise outdoors.”
“The pump track idea came as
a stepping stone to promote more
bike riding in the community,” said
Morgan Soller, one of the driving
members of trail alliance.
“We came up with a location that
we thought would accommodate a
bike track on city property,” said
Quackenbush. The location is in an
area easily accessible by bicycle.
After developing a basic track
design for the space, the trail alli-
ance approached the Seaside Parks
Advisory Committee with the idea.
Seaside Public Works Director
Dale McDowell was impressed with
the meeting. “The presentation fea-
tured members from ages 7 to 70,
who explained to the board with
photographs and concept drawings
how they would like to develop the
space.”
“It was an unsightly space near
the park that was simply lat ground
breeding invasive species,” said
Quackenbush of the space behind
the Seaside School District Admin-
istration Building.
After talking to Kiwanis, which
Sue Cody/Submitted Photo
River Quackenbush catches some air while riding on the new pump
track in Seaside.
‘Pump tracks are great exercise
and a chance for kids and older
people to improve their bike
skills.’
Morgan Soller
one of the driving members of trail alliance
has adopted Cartwright Park, a
neighborhood survey, redesigns
and more presentations to Seaside’s
Planning Commission and the City
Council, the project was approved
at the end of April.
“The Seaside City Council is
pleased to see this group of men
doing something upbeat for their
kids, families and visitors,” Larson
said.
Brush clearing, rock loading,
sifting through materials to pack
into the curved surface of the track
were all tasks that were accom-
plished by the trail alliance and
community volunteers. Materials
and supplies were donated by All
Rents, Keith Keranen Excavating,
Teevin & Fischer Quarry, Erickson
Excavating, Osburn/Olson LLC,
Angelina’s Pizza, Seaside Coffee
House, Fairweather Press, Terra-
Com Web Design. Northwest Coast
Trails Coalition donated funds for
the sign.
Volunteers spent many hours
building, packing and reining the
track. “Moving tons of rock by hand
was back-breaking,” Soller said.
“Pump tracks are great exercise
and a chance for kids and older peo-
ple to improve their bike skills,”
said Soller.
McDowell said he likes the idea
of families participating in outdoor
activities together. “More experi-
enced riders can teach younger rid-
ers how to ride the track, bring-
ing the community and neighbors
together.
“I have witnessed irsthand the
use of the pump track — especially
young children on their bicycles —
they are having a blast. I feel this is
a great asset to our park system and
to our community.”
Sue Cody is communications
lead for Way to Wellville in Clatsop
County. She is also a former dep-
uty managing editor of The Daily
Astorian.