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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 2017)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017 FRIDAY EXCHANGE Get U.S. back rump is building war not peace, not education, not school lunches, not Medic- aid for the folks down the street. Trump is the worst thing that has happened to this coun- try, and in the 50 days on the throne, has destroyed many of our freedoms and hopes. Those values that the rest of the world looks to us for an example of how things can be are fad- ing. No Sesame Street? We must fight or per- ish. Contact your senator, your legislator, your mother, your neighbor, your old boyfriend, your cranky uncle. This must stop. This is not 1938 Ger- many, is it? I want my country back. MARY TANGUAY WEBB Astoria T President Joe King? he notion that our pres- ident’s false accusa- tions and statements could be “jokes,” and not taken seri- ously, is absurd. This behav- ior is contrary to our collective desire of honesty and faith in our elected representatives, our government. In my opinion these unfounded statements are clearly intended to incite Mr. Trump’s political base. They are a national disgrace that must not be ignored. I call on my fellow citizens to step up your game and speak out. Find a channel to express your opinion. CLAYTON RICE Warrenton T Budget must be cut ’m really getting sick of the national media, as well as the local media, ranting and raving about national bud- get cuts. They allowed the last president to never send a bud- get to Congress in eight years, thus running the country on extending resolutions — driv- ing our national debt to about double, without any over- sight of what all of the previ- ous presidents had built up — without a word of objection. So, what has built up must be driven down before our coun- try has a financial meltdown. There is fat everywhere, including the Coast Guard and Social Security. Some on Social Security have collected as much as 100 percent every year, more than they contrib- uted. Our local media would have you believe that the Coast Guard wouldn’t exist if they are cut. I’m sure that negoti- ations can be made to lessen the cut. And, some Coast Guard stations should be eliminated. Just look at what has been downsized here in Astoria: Point Adams Life Boat Station was closed; Coast Guard Base Tongue Point, that worked on buoys, was closed or down- sized, and three buoy tenders in Astoria became one; the Port Security unit Astoria was closed in 1960; and the U.S. Navy closed Tongue Point in 1963-1964. Obamacare is a disaster. I have friends paying between $700 to $1,500 a month now under Obamacare. I’m under Medicare, which approves about 10 percent of the bill for payment on whatever we have done. It is no wonder that doc- tors and hospitals have begun to refuse taking on new Medi- care patients. Wake up America, the national debt has to be cut and yes, we all have to suf- fer. We’ve lived off the fat far too long. If we do nothing, we could have a financial situa- tion like Germany after World War II — our money could become worthless. Is that what you want? ROBERT JACOBSON Astoria I Art, not bombs e are grateful to be liv- ing in Astoria, which is rich in artists, writers, musi- cians, actors, etc. And, accord- ing to Americans for the Arts, the nonprofit arts industry (museums, theater and dance companies, performing arts centers, orchestras, arts coun- cils and others) generates $22.3 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues annually — a yield well beyond their collective $4 billion in arts allocations. Because the National Endowment for the Arts sup- W A supporter of Warrenton, always love Warrenton. I love the people I have met and the politics; I even love the Eighth Street “dam” (FYI, it’s a tide gate, not a dam). I hate to step away from something I’ve enjoyed nearly half of my adult life, but my business and personal finances dictate that I have to make this decision. I will miss my Monday morning coffee meetings, and countless work sessions with my fellow commission- ers, where we envisioned the future. I learned a lot during the last dozen I ports artistic excellence and improves access to the arts by granting funds to nonprofit arts organizations, I call on our federal officials to support an increase in funding for the NEA beyond its 1993 fund- ing level of $174 million. That funding figure equals $290 million in today’s dollars. Our schools need more arts education. Schools, especially those struggling, can retain their best teachers by becom- ing incubators for creativity and innovation; places where students want to learn, and teachers want to teach. Stu- dents with an education rich in the arts have better grade point averages, score better on stan- dardized tests in reading and math, and have lower dropout rates — findings that cut across all socio-economic categories. Congress and state edu- cation leaders should support strong arts education programs in order for local school lead- ers to include the arts in all dis- ciplines (dance, theater, music, visual and media arts) in their curriculum. Some of the greatest cul- tural assets of our country are in our rural communities. Rural economic development should be strengthened to help these communities promote the richness of their heritage, and assist local artists with their entrepreneurship. Across the country, the role of the arts as an economic engine is growing in accep- tance and strength. I call on all lawmakers to support fund- ing and policies at the fed- eral level that would recog- nize the growth potential and direct benefits of encouraging cities and states to strategically invest in the arts in order to drive economic development. Art, not bombs — let’s create not destroy. LaREE JOHNSON Astoria McCarthyism? he Seifers’ March 10 let- ter catalogues allegations against Russia and Vladimir Putin characteristic of the “lib- eral” media during the height- ening new Cold War with Rus- sia (“Affairs of state”). The charges are characteristic of a dangerous new McCarthyism. There is no evidence of “Russian aggression.” The two tiny states, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, illegally claimed by Georgia, chose to protect them- selves from Georgian absorp- tion in 2008 by joining Rus- sia. The Ukraine fracas began in an illegal Neo-Nazi led coup against a legitimate gov- ernment. It was an act of U.S. sponsored “regime change,” piloted by the neoconserva- tive National Endowment for Democracy. The Crimea has harbored Russia’s sole warm-water port for centuries, anchoring Rus- sia’s fleet. Western Ukraini- ans had supported the Nazis in World War II, when the USSR lost some 28 million peo- ple to the Third Reich. Rather than live under a new fascism, Crimea’s 97 percent Russian population voted in a referen- dum, legal under international law, to rejoin Russia. Rus- sia never invaded Ukraine to take Crimea. Nor has Russia invaded Ukraine on behalf of the ethnic Russian population of the eastern Donbass region, seeking separation from Kiev. In the matter of the 2016 election, Princeton Russian Studies scholar, Stephen Cohen states: “CIA allegations of Rus- sian hacking are wholly unsub- stantiated. Best evidence shows that inside sources leaked embarrassing DNC informa- tion to WikiLeaks, which then exposed it.” Cohen also points out that a “cautious” Putin T years from five city managers and sev- eral more department heads that each brought different strengths to the job. I saw a new wastewater treatment plant and water reservoir get built, the emergence of a strong retail hub along U.S. Highway 101, and some long- awaited improvements to our marinas. I loved being part of an effort to help folks solve problems. That made the donation of my time worthwhile. I will still be involved with my city, because achieving the goals that would hardly wish to meddle in the American election in favor of an “erratic” Trump. Trump’s “lavish praise” of Putin, merely complimented the Russian leader’s high intel- ligence and 86 percent home approval rating. Cohen points out that Franklin D. Roos- evelt said more complimentary things about Stalin, and Nixon about Brezhnev. The meet- ing of Michael Flynn with the Russian ambassador was also nothing out of the ordinary for an incoming National Secu- rity chairman. And the sole evidence of Trump’s business deals with Russians had to do with U.S. condos. The New Cold War is U.S. manufactured, and dangerously reckless. As there is little to no high level communication between the U.S. and Russia, in the face of NATO’s prov- ocations and missiles on the Russian border, the Union of Concerned Scientists views the chances of nuclear war now as higher than in the Cuban Mis- sile Crisis. STEPHEN BERK Astoria Studying Oregon am a fourth-grade student in North Carolina. In fourth grade, we do state reports, and I have chosen your state. I am very excited to learn about the great state of Oregon as I work on my report. Most of the information that we get for our reports will be from books and websites. We also like to get informa- tion from people who live in the state, too. This is why I am writing. I am hoping people will be willing to send me some items to help me learn more about the best things in Oregon. I could be things like postcards, maps, pictures, souvenirs, gen- eral information, newspa- per articles or any other items that would be useful. You can mail the items to: Brooke Bur- towski, Mrs. Dodd’s Class, Charlotte Latin School, 9502 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28277. BROOKE BURTOWSKI Charlotte, North Carolina I we established at the beginning of the year are extremely important to me. However, I will be doing it in a differ- ent capacity, as I focus on what’s best for my family’s future at this time. I will not say this is the end to public service for me; I will always remain a supporter of this community. Thanks for letting me be your mayor. MARK KUJALA Mayor of Warrenton Hammond hill is a fake Matterhorn; but we have Coxcomb Hill, with its breathtaking views of the magnificent Columbia River, Youngs River, the Lewis and Clark River, Youngs Bay and our glorious forests, as far as the eye can see. Then, If you really want to get “high,” as suggested by “Mr. Gearhart,” you can climb to the top of the Astoria Col- umn and launch a balsa wood glider. A place like this can only be found in Astoria. LARRY ALLEN Astoria Support NPV he National Popular Vote (NPV) ensures a major- ity wins by making all votes equal. Opponents say it disfa- vors small states, but 94 per- cent of campaigning occurs in 12 “swing atates,” ignoring the majority of small states like Oregon. Rural states are less diverse than urban ones, instead of rural, do opponents really mean white? Like slavery times, there’s no penalty for voter suppression. Arkansas, with a 54.3 percent voter turn- out, has the same electoral vote as if 100 percent turned out. The NPV makes voter suppression cost state’s influ- ence creating an incentive to, gasp, encourage people to vote. Counting minority party votes encourages voter turn out. Wyoming voters would T have the same representation as Californian voters. Cam- paigns will have to refocus on forgotten voters, giving us more influence, not less. Until 1824, the electoral vote of each U.S. House dis- trict was cast for the candidate they chose, often resulting in an alternative election in the U.S. House, where Wyoming and the Dakotas could outvote California, Texas and New York combined. After 1824, without complaint, voters in 48 states gave up district rights to vote against the majority, and no one under an NPV will complain that the loser of the vote should win. It’s irrational to believe that Oregon’s elec- toral votes should be cast for the candidate chosen by Ore- gon voters. So that the candi- date with less votes can win the presidential election, like in 2000 and 2016. Now our Legislature is con- sidering NPV. Please contact Sen. Lee Beyer 503-986-1706 and Sen. Arnie Roblan at 503- 986-1705, and ask them to vote for SB823 that enacts the NPV like 11 other states have, and against the “poison pill” bill SB825. They’re the two sena- tors on the Senate Rules Com- mittee that can kill the poison pill bill in committee. If all votes were equal in the beginning, white, male, pro-slavery representatives wouldn’t have gotten elected, and slavery would’ve been abolished without the Civil 7A War. If Native Americans’ votes counted, there would’ve been no trail of tears, and if all votes counted equally in 2016, there would be no President Donald Trump. THEODORE THOMAS Astoria Farewell to Astoria ow, hard to believe it’s been 25 years. Even as we are excited to leave for a new chapter in our lives for our home in Coronado, Califor- nia, we are going to miss Asto- ria so much. Our list of what we are thankful for is exten- sive: wonderful neighbors who were always there for us, good friends and co-workers, teach- ers who made such an impact on our kids’ lives and incredi- ble community members who taught us how a small town works together. We’ve enjoyed the many opportunities to sing — at the Liberty, the Lund House, church and various concerts and events — and the perfor- mances of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” were especially memorable. We will miss the Riverwalk, good restaurants, viewing beautiful sunsets from our front window and eating really fresh salmon. We have fond memories of even noisy sea lions and one-way streets. The view from the Column, the sound of the trolley, fog horns at night — especially on New Year’s Eve — geese fly- ing and honking overhead … we could go on and on. We originally came here for our beautiful Victorian house we call “The Big Blue.” The Holmes family lived in it for 70 years, the Collins family for 26 years, and now we leave after 25 years. We know that new legacies will continue to be formed in this historic home. Astoria has been an amaz- ing place to raise our children, as well as grow in our own maturity and experiences. For all this, we say a huge thank you and farewell — we will forever hold Astoria in our hearts. KEITH and GENNY BUTENSHON Astoria W 4,500 kids thank you for protecting our river and making learning outdoors possible! Overlooked he Friday, March 17 Let- ters to the Editor section in The Daily Astorian had two disparaging letters regarding Astoria as a tourist destination. The fella from Gearhart appar- ently has hated Astoria for over 50 years because of “panhan- dlers” and “potheads” (“Tourist destination?”), and the woman from Astoria thinks the town is wonderful, but is embarrassed by the east end “lady” figure and the fact that the downtown has too many “shops of alter- native health and recreation” and far too many breweries (“Inviting trouble?”). Neither letter mentioned the fact that Astoria also has the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the trolley, the Fla- vel mansion and museum, the docking station for the Coast Guard cutters, the Riverwalk, the Oregon Film Museum, the Astoria Bridge, the River Pilots’ station, the Clatsop County Heritage Museum, the Garden of Surging Waves, the Liberty Theater, the East and West Mooring basins, the Asto- ria Music Festival, the Astoria Regatta Festival and parade, the Fisher Poets Gathering and the May and September arrival of cruise ships. Astoria is a real live town, with real live people. If you want to visit a place where everyone lives in a fantasy world, go to Disneyland, where they have a Main Street void of panhandlers, pot shops and breweries and their highest T Anchor QEA • Bank of the Cascades • Bass IT BergerABAM • Brown and Caldwell City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services CMTS, Inc. • David Evans & Associates, Inc. EPSON Portland, Inc. ESA | Environmental Science Associates ETEC, LLC • Georgia-Pacific, Camas Mill GreenWorks PC • GSI Water Solutions, Inc. Kern & Thompson, LLC • Kiewit Corporation Lane Powell PC • LKE Corporation • Metro Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc. • Neil Kelly NW Natural • Otak, Inc. • Port of Portland Port of Camas-Washougal • Portland General Electric Wieden+Kennedy • Winkler Development Corporation Wolf Water Resources, Inc. w w w. e s t u a r y p a r t n e r s h i p. o r g
