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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 13, 2017)
OPINION 6A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 2017 Founded in 1873 DAVID F. PERO, Publisher & Editor LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager JEREMY FELDMAN, Circulation Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager OUR VIEW GUEST COLUMN AP Photo/Don Ryan Gov. Kate Brown, shown here in Salem in January, is facing a defin- ing moment as the legislative session enters its final weeks. A definining test of leadership for our governor ov. Kate Brown faces a legacy-defining challenge as the Legislature enters its final weeks: standing up to pub- lic-employee unions and her other traditional supporters. The success or failure of this year’s legislative session may well hinge on the Democratic governor’s willingness to defy the unions and other prospective supporters of her 2018 re-election bid. Brown deserves credit for criticizing the strong-arm tactics of Service Employees International Union Local 503 last week, as well as for prodding the business community toward compromises on tax and budget issues. But, publicly at least, she was a late- comer to the debate. This becomes a defining test of Brown’s leadership. Taking a seat at the political table is insufficient. Demanding action by oth- ers is inadequate. Can — and will — she emerge as a determined, decisive and effective leader? Much of Oregon’s economic future is at stake. The Legislature is struggling to improve the state’s transportation system, reform state spending, better stabilize the pension system and adequately fund state services. And never before in a legislative session have all those big issues been so intertwined, as state Sen. Betsy Johnson and other veteran legislators have noted. And that complexity emboldens partisans who threaten to thwart progress on all issues if they don’t get their way on one issue. The prime example arose last week. The SEIU threatened to sink the Legislature’s transportation-infrastructure package unless lawmakers also increased taxes on businesses to pay for state ser- vices. Brown aptly described that as cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. It is unconscionable that unions and the business community learned little from last fall’s bitter defeat of Measure 97, which would have instituted a gross receipts tax — a form of sales tax — on corporations. Neither side has shown much willingness to compromise. Brown is more pragmatic. So is the state Senate. But Brown must persuasively stand up to those union lead- ers and House Democrats who insist on passage of a corporate tax increase or they’ll torpedo the transportation package. Hearings began today on the latest corporate tax proposal from House Speaker Tina Kotek and Sen. Mark Hass, but there aren’t enough It is not votes for it to pass the Senate. A more easy to realistic compromise is needed. And Brown must stand up to those stand up to Democrats, including Kotek, who are longtime unwilling to modify the controversial low-carbon fuel standards. friends Republicans have demanded some and allies, assurances on controlling the pro- gram’s costs. That is a reasonable especially condition for their supporting the when transportation package. counting Furthermore, Brown must stand up to unions and Democratic legislators on their who will accept only tepid changes future in the Public Employees Retirement System. political Lawmakers recently unveiled a support. PERS cost-sharing proposal. The concept is good; but as currently designed, any savings easily could be undone in the collective bar- gaining process. It is not easy to stand up to longtime friends and allies, espe- cially when counting on their future political support. But that is what Oregonians sometimes need from their gov- ernors. Tom McCall did that on environmental issues. Vic Atiyeh did that on taxes. Now it’s Kate Brown’s turn. G A courtly night in the nation’s capital By DON HASKELL Special to The Daily Astorian he first time I wore a tuxedo and held an adult beverage in a conference room of the U.S. Supreme Court was 35 years ago. The second time was earlier this month. I wore the same tuxedo, but held a glass of wine instead of bourbon. The occasion was the cock- tail hour during activities of the Supreme Court Historical Society, which I joined over 40 years ago while I still practiced law in down- town Chicago. Annual meetings of the soci- ety are always black-tie affairs held in nonpublic areas of the per- fectly symmetrical Roman tem- ple-styled Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. The building was designed to show the law’s majestic authority and power in a democracy. And its design and con- struction in the 1930s and 1940s does that in spades. The neoclas- sical-style building is encased in gleaming white Vermont marble that almost blinds with luminos- ity in the sunshine. Its tall pillars around the main entry, its imposing steps and solid bronze doors are meant to awe, if not to intimidate. But they appeared to do both to the tourists I saw. The business meeting of the court’s historical arm preceded cocktails and dinner. The meeting, also black tie, was well attended and filled all the seats in the court- room where the nine justices hear oral arguments. As does the entire building, the courtroom exudes power and awe with the room’s massive pillars of white marble, royal red draperies, 20-foot ornate ceiling, and a slightly raised bench for the justices. Immediately in front of the bench are the lawyers’ tables. And surprisingly close to the justices is a lectern where ner- vous lawyers are grilled by the jus- tices about the law and facts of the cases the lawyers bring to them. After too-long speeches by the historical society’s officials and a perfunctory election of officers, Chief Justice John Roberts, stand- ing by the lectern, handed one of two small marble blocks to mem- bers who had given extra effort to the society. After each recognized member had their picture taken with the Chief Justice — both holding the small block of marble — the member promptly handed T the marble block back to the Chief Justice. The society’s president had explained earlier to the group that “the real” marble engraved blocks were not yet finished. Thus, it became necessary to use a faux memento so that members honored that evening could have their pic- ture properly taken shaking hands with the Chief Justice. And she also explained that two marble blocks were available in case a member absentmindedly carried one away after the photo was taken. To me, a highlight of the dinner was the lack of speeches. After all, it was promoted by the court as a social occasion. But the lack of speeches was still a pleasant surprise. When the meeting adjourned, the cocktail hour began in the large east and west conference rooms of the Supreme Court. The large rooms, equivalent in size and decor, are across a wide mar- ble hall from each other, and are designed for social and busi- ness gatherings of the court. Their walls are covered with gorgeous dark oak paneling, and the rooms’ 20-foot high gold-leafed ceilings make the rooms look especially distinguished. And most notewor- thy are the large portraits of all of the Supreme Court chief justices who’ve held the office since Amer- ica’s founding. Both conference rooms open onto their own inner courtyards, replete with trees, benches and fountains. But the white mar- ble walls were noticeably dull in appearance due to lack of sunlight. A memorable end to the eve- ning was the fancy dinner held in the main reception room of the Supreme Court building — the Great Hall. This awe-inspiring room is huge, with marble walls and floor and massive marble pil- lars around all sides of the room. The Great Hall was designed as the grand approach to the courtroom at one end of the hall. But it’s also large enough to comfortably hold 26 tables of 10 guests each. The dinner began with raised glasses and a most respectful toast “to the President of the United States.” No one did anything dis- respectful to President Donald Trump, as seems to be the thing to do these days by so many folks who are still disgruntled by the election. And the dinner ended with a tear-provoking rendition of “America the Beautiful,” sung by a highly professional vocalist. As an interesting and touch- ing three-generation sidelight, the vocalist was accompanied on the piano by her mother. And the sing- er’s 12-year-old daughter turned the pages of the music her grand- mother played for her mother! To me, a highlight of the din- ner was the lack of speeches. After all, it was promoted by the court as a social occasion. But the lack of speeches was still a pleasant sur- prise I hadn’t remembered from the first time Carol and I attended the dinner 35 years ago. Before we arrived, I thought Neil Gorsuch, the newest justice, was going to attract the most atten- tion. But his absence was the most noticeable thing about him. The most noticed justice was the only woman justice who attended, Jus- tice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a tiny, hunched over and remarkably frail-looking woman. I find it so sad the political situation is such today that it makes Justice Gins- burg, a year younger than me at 84, feel herself unable to experience the joys and freedom retirement would bring to her in her remain- ing years. The only cloud over the whole affair was the distance Carol and I — both in our 80s and both in formal attire, and she in ill-fit- ting shoes — had to walk to find a taxi back to the hotel. But that cloud quickly dissipates when we remember how we saw the third branch of our federal govern- ment up so close in a social set- ting where everybody, including Supreme Court justices, were as congenial and as down to earth as Oregonians are. Don Haskell, a retired attorney who served on the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, lives in Astoria. WHERE TO WRITE • U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D): 2338 Rayburn HOB, Washing- ton, D.C., 20515. Phone: 202- 225- 0855. Fax 202-225-9497. District office: 12725 SW Millikan Way, Suite 220, Beaverton, OR 97005. Phone: 503-469-6010. Fax 503-326- 5066. Web: bonamici.house. gov/ • U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D): 313 Hart Senate Office Building, Wash- ington, D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224- 3753. Web: www.merkley.senate.gov • U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D): 221 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Web: www.wyden. senate.gov • State Rep. Brad Witt (D): State Capitol, 900 Court Street N.E., H-373, Salem, OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1431. Web: www.leg.state. or.us/witt/ Email: rep.bradwitt@ state.or.us • State Rep. Deborah Boone (D): 900 Court St. N.E., H-481, Salem, OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1432. Email: rep.deborah boone@state. or.us District office: P.O. Box 928, Cannon Beach, OR 97110. Phone: 503-986-1432. Web: www.leg.state. or.us/ boone/ • State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D): State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E., S-314, Salem, OR 97301. Telephone: 503-986-1716. Email: sen.betsy john- son@state.or.us Web: www.betsy- johnson.com District Office: P.O. Box R, Scappoose, OR 97056. Phone: 503-543-4046. Fax: 503-543-5296. Astoria office phone: 503-338-1280. • Port of Astoria: Executive Director, 10 Pier 1 Suite 308, Asto- ria, OR 97103. Phone: 503-741-3300. Email: admin@portofastoria.com • Clatsop County Board of Com- missioners: c/o County Manager, 800 Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria, OR 97103. Phone: 503-325-1000.
