OPINION
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017
Founded in 1873
DAVID F. PERO, Publisher & Editor
JIM VAN NOSTRAND, Managing Editor
JEREMY FELDMAN, Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Congress should
do its job and
protect Dreamers
L
ast week, Donald Trump rescinded Deferred Action
for Childhood Arrivals , an Obama-era policy that gave
short-term relief to about 800,000 residents who ille-
gally entered the United States as children.
Nicknamed “Dreamers,” those young people temporar-
ily protected by DACA are among the most widely supported
groups of illegal immigrants in the country. According to most
recent surveys, 75 percent to 80 percent of Americans approve
of keeping them in the U.S., either via some sort of avenue to
citizenship or under special government protection from depor-
tation. After all, these are children who arrived here without
really having a choice, have known no other home and have
committed no crimes while in this country.
Still, there are immigration hardliners who won’t budge, and
those 20 percent to 25 percent of Americans and their represen-
tatives have stopped any meaningful immigration reform from
being enacted, even on a lay up like the Dreamers.
For decades our national legislative bodies have failed in
their duties. In order to protect their own hides from that vocal
minority, members of those bodies have disregarded the will
of a large majority of Americans. And in covering their own
behinds, those c ongressmen are hanging Americans — and
should-be Americans — out to dry.
This country has long needed comprehensive immigration
reform, but Congress hasn’t got it done. This country has long
needed massive infrastructure investment, but Congress hasn’t
got it done. This country has long needed comprehensive tax
reform, but don’t hold your breath.
This puts presidents in a poor position. Being a constitu-
tional law scholar, Barack Obama admitted that his DACA pro-
gram was on shaky legal ground from the beginning. He made
no bones about that, but felt he had no other choice because
Congress had abdicated its duties by doing nothing and leaving
a critical problem festering and unresolved.
President Trump asserted last week that DACA was sure
to be challenged in court — and it would likely fall. Perhaps
he is right. But the announcement of his decision was nearly
universally panned by c ongressmen both Republican and
Democratic. Yet how hypocritical of them. They are the peo-
ple who can solve this mess, yet they choose to criticize rather
than create.
A wide majority of Americans want to protect Dreamers.
Congress should do its job and create a reasonable, legal sys-
tem for doing so. Then get on to the next problem on the list.
Military spouses also
serve our country
T
oday’s edition of Coast Weekend includes a story about a
new book highlighting military spouses.
“Behind the Scenes: Tales of Military Spouses Making
a Difference” includes a segment on Stacey Benson, a skilled
photographer and graphic designer who moved to Astoria this
summer.
Her husband, a former special forces soldier, is a law enforce-
ment specialist who has just been assigned to the Coast Guard
c utter Steadfast, which is homeported here.
Our culture has evolved to the point where people of all polit-
ical stripes fi nd common ground acknowledging the contribu-
tion of the outstanding men and women who serve in our Armed
Forces.
But these brave people would not be able to serve their
country with confi dence without the support of their families
who keep the home fi res burning while they are away on their
missions.
However, Benson and the others featured in the book aren’t
content to just do that. They make a difference advocating for
veterans, helping other spouses and serving in key capacities in
their communities. Benson, for example, works for the Semper
Fi Fund, a registered charity that aids injured veterans in their
transition to civilian life.
Astoria takes great pride in being a Coast Guard city. Having
dedicated, well-trained professionals to protect mariners on
our perilous coast with daily acts of valor is something we all
appreciate. And having the service here on the North Coast has
enriched our community with leadership for decades.
But along with these men and women in uniform come their
spouses and their families. Mindful of the positive example that
Benson and others in the book offer us, we are delighted to offer
all service spouses our grateful thanks.
They serve our country, too.
GUEST COLUMN
Shape plans to cut
carbon emissions for
coastal communities
cents/gallon of gas) could fund transformative
investments in a cleaner economy. But the Alliance
has proposed to raise the tax as much as 7 percent
annually whenever emissions exceed goals. Other
bundant fi sheries are Ilwaco’s lifeblood,
states are achieving — and beating — emis-
so I take an interest in reducing the car-
sions targets with low carbon prices. Why not
bon emissions that undercut the ocean’s
Washington? Recommendations: Limit the tax to
ability to produce seafood. I own a charter fi shing
$15 for at least fi ve years. Cap later price hikes at
operation and currently serve as mayor of
the rate of local wage increases by county.
Ilwaco .
• Protect rural communities.
Why do I care? Overheated river water
Because we lack Seattle’s density, wealth
killed half the sockeye salmon returning
and infrastructure, some criteria in the
to the Columbia River in 2015. That year
Alliance proposal could exclude us.
a warm-water “blob” in the ocean helped
Recommendations: Make sure carbon
fuel an algae bloom that fouled some of
revenues help rural people drive down our
our main fi sheries with a neurotoxin called
fuel bills . Reserve 25 percent of carbon
Mike
domoic acid. It caused job-destroying
revenues for rural areas. Allow rural
Cassinelli
closures of Dungeness crab fi shing. It shut
projects that use fossil fuels if they reduce
the razor clam harvest that draws hundreds
emissions. Wherever labor standards gov-
of thousands of visitors to Washington’s
ern investments, use average local wages
coast.
by county.
The risks and damages just keep
• Fund projects to improve fuel effi -
mounting. Ilwaco’s biggest private
ciency in both vehicles and commercial
employer is a fi sh plant that relies on city
marine vessels. Transportation produces
water from a forested watershed. Logging
nearly half of Washington’s carbon emis-
Brad Warren sions. We need investment guidelines that
and climate change could destabilize our
water supply.
make improvements affordable, not unat-
A citizens’ initiative is being drafted that could
tainable. Recommendations: Use simple, cheap
help Washingtonians prosper and cut carbon pol-
“input and output” measures to confi rm emission
lution. The measure needs improvement to reduce
reductions in transport (instead of picking winners
emissions enough and to fi t rural realities. But the
by defi ning “verifi ed” technologies). Fuel purchase
proposition wending toward ballots in 2018 stands
records, fuel fl ow meters and biannual emission
a decent chance of passing.
tests might work.
The Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy pro-
• Don’t isolate Washington. The Alliance has
posal would raise about $1.2 billion a year initially proposed to prohibit investments to reduce any
and reinvest the money to reduce pollution, ease
emissions that occur outside the state. This disad-
climate impacts, and mitigate inequitable impacts
vantages residents who buy fuel at home but burn
of carbon pricing. A few percent of revenues are
much of it out of state (including fi shermen). It will
reserved to aid workers who could lose their jobs
also impair efforts to link arms across borders to
if big polluters close shop and energy-intensive
meet this big, shared challenge. Recommendations:
businesses costs rise. Administrative expenses are
Explicitly permit investments that reduce
capped at 5 percent . For the balance, the Alliance
emissions from vessels or vehicles owned by
promises 70 percent for clean energy and 30 per-
Washington individuals or entities, regardless of
cent for water and forest projects.
whether those emissions occur within the state.
Carbon revenues might help us protect Ilwaco’s
These are just a few ideas to refi ne the
water supply. They could help build an effi cient
Alliance’s plan to work for fi shery-dependent com-
cold storage, saving the cost and emissions from
munities like ours. The Alliance has made a decent
trucking our tuna all the way to Bellingham and
start tackling a problem that matters to all of us, but
back. With some adjustments, this plan has poten-
they have their own priorities. Now it’s up to the
tial. Suggestions:
rest of us to help shape that plan into a solution we
• Achieve Washington’s g reenhouse g as
can support (and live with). Time is short. Probably
targets. An initial model forecast indicates that the by the end of October, the window will close to
Alliance plan (as previewed in 2017’s H.R. 1646)
adjust initiative language. How to get involved?
would fall short of state emission targets. Why
Join the Working Group on Seafood and Energy,
shoot to miss? Recommendation: Model emissions which helped me learn enough to speak up.
outcomes and adjust the proposed investment
Mike Cassinelli is the mayor of Ilwaco, Wash-
priorities (and complementary rules) until the plan
ington. Brad Warren is senior adviser to the Work-
can deliver.
ing Group on Seafood and Energy, a trade orga-
• Keep costs low. The proposed starting price
nization representing the seafood industry, coastal
of $15 per metric ton of carbon dioxide (13.5
communities and fi shery-dependent tribes.
By MIKE CASSINELLI
and BRAD WARREN
Special to The Daily Astorian
A
EO Media Group/File Photo
Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Co. is a major processor
of Dungeness crab.