OPINION
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Founded in 1873
HEIDI WRIGHT, Interim Publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND, Editor
JEREMY FELDMAN, Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
Water
under
the bridge
Compiled by Bob Duke
From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers
GUEST COLUMN
Johnson
Amendment
is worth saving
Hugh McKenna
On Monday afternoon at the South Jetty at Fort Stevens State
Park four people enjoyed playing in a pool of foam created by
waves breaking over the jetty as Mother Nature showed its power.
10 years ago this week — 2007
Thousands living at the North Coast were powerless for a time today as
a heavy storm rocked the region. High winds caused hazardous driving con-
ditions, and there were warnings to residents and visitors to stay out of the
dangerous surf.
Trees fell on powerlines and emergency crews were kept hopping around
Clatsop and Pacific counties.
The worst report of damage came from Gearhart where the roof was
blown off the Gearhart Fire Station. Gearhart Fire Chief Bill Eddy was out
on a call and unavailable for comment as the edition went to press.
Powerful wind gusts continued to pummel the north Oregon and south-
west Washington coast today, as a very strong Pacific frontal system moved
through the area. Cape Meares and Clatsop Spit were slammed by gusts as
high as 84 mph, the National Weather Service in Portland reported. A 77–
mph gust hit Toke Point in Washington.
The North Coast woke up to a less blustery day today, with the
prospect of sunshine — although the Columbia River and Pacific
Ocean were still hazardous.
Power crews worked throughout a stormy Monday to restore
electricity to thousands of homes and businesses.
Because outages were still widespread on the central Long
Beach Peninsula, all Ocean Beach School District schools, includ-
ing Ilwaco Middle and High schools, were closed today.
Pacific County Emergency Manager Stephanie Fritts said res-
idents in areas north of 227th Street in the Klipsan Beach area
may be without power for as long as the next 48 hours while crews
from the Pacific County Public Utility District No. 2 work to
repair a downed transmission line.
50 years ago — 1967
Saturday morning, a flash of color, a star spangled, red-and-white striped,
unfurled above the tree tops and white tower at the Clatsop County Histor-
ical Museum as the American Legion dedicated the flag pole they installed
on the grounds.
OLYMPIA — Opponents of proposed water quality standards
urged today that water temperature restrictions for the Columbia
River be eased to avoid adverse effects on nuclear operations at
the Hanford Atomic Works.
First use of the Port of Astoria’s new $30,000 electrically operated steel
barge loading ramp is expected Sunday.
The new ramp has been installed on Pier 3. “Bugs” were being worked out
Friday to have it in operating condition Sunday when the Norwegian motor-
ship Hoyanger will call to discharge 130 tons of general cargo for Portland.
The cargo is to be trans-shipped via Western Transportation Co. barge to
Portland.
75 years ago — 1942
Recent losses of men from the fishing industry into the armed
services resulted in a meeting this forenoon of representatives
from both union and packers to work out some agreement on
requests for deferrals of skilled employees.
It was pointed out that the fishing industry would be seriously
handicapped if many more men in skilled positions enter the ser-
vice, since replacements cannot be readily trained for many of the
men nor can the jobs be filled by women.
The canneries will ask deferment for bona fide fishermen who
were in the trade before Dec. 7, but no blanket deferments will be
asked. Neither will deferments be asked for men unless they work
in essential industry during the seasons when they cannot fish and
return to fishing at their usual times with the reopening of sea-
son. No deferments will be asked for boat-pullers. It is expected
that boat captains will ask deferments for those of their men, such
as engineers, who are irreplaceable on tuna or drag boats fishing
offshore.
The latest unusual take of the city’s parking meter machines on display at
the City Hall today is a bronze locket piece, the size of a dime, evidently of
some worth at least as a keepsake. For the time being, the locket will go into
the two year’s accumulation of odd coins, tokens, slugs and metal washers,
kept by City Treasurer Oswald Gustafson.
Ralph R. Bateson of Seaside was arrested Nov. 15 on a charge
of driving 35 mph in the dim-out zone. He will appear for hear-
ing on Nov. 21.
Roscoe L. Shreve, of Portland, was arrested on Nov. 14 for
driving in the dim-out zone with improper lights. He was released
on $12.50 bail.
By BILL VAN NOSTRAN
For The Daily Astorian
A
s an ordained minister, I have a regu-
lar weekly podium from which I can
preach. But today, I am writing as a
concerned citizen.
The Supreme Court bestowed First
Amendment rights upon corporations and
other policy action organizations through their
Citizens United ruling, allowing companies to
financially participate in political campaigns
without the requirement to either identify
member contributors or adhere to reasonable
and worthwhile monetary limits. And due in
large part to the well-choreographed, deflec-
tion and denial tactics by some congressional
beneficiaries of that ruling, our democracy —
originally “for and by the American people”
— is now rapidly becoming an oligarchy “for
and by PACs and businesses,” where those
who can easily afford it buy influence in order
to dictate election outcomes.
But the power granted through the Cit-
izens United ruling does not appear to be
enough. Nestled dangerously within the latest
proposed tax reform bill comes a provision
that will both serve to exacerbate the prob-
lem of dark money in politics and, at the same
time, breach a Jeffersonian tenet separating
church and state. Proponents have included in
their draft legislation repeal of the 1954 John-
son Amendment which prevents churches
and other nonprofit, religious institutions
from campaigning — from their pulpits or
newsletters — either for or against issues or
candidates.
Under threat of forfeiture of their 501(c)
(3) tax-advantaged status, religious institu-
tions have been prohibited from advocating
for or against ballot issues or office seekers,
and from accepting “public” dollars to fund
“private” passions. And, under the present
law, governments and businesses have been
prohibited from asserting undue or manipula-
tive influence on not-for-profit, religious ser-
vice providers and within places previously
reserved for worship. The Johnson Amend-
ment has worked well to keep these interests
separate for more than 60 years.
By and large, I believe there has been a
general adherence to the advocacy restric-
tions, and pastors have regulated themselves:
1) out of respect for the law, and 2) out of fear
of being so politically vulnerable. However,
a notable few — religious universities; some
megachurch and mainline preachers; as well
as outspoken tax-exempt executives – have
already stepped over that line. And many of
those are now among the president’s advisors,
regular attendees at his prayer breakfasts and,
undoubtedly, eagerly awaiting legal validation
to keep up their efforts.
Except in rare and egregious instances, the
IRS has either been unable or unwilling to
enforce the separation the Johnson Amend-
ment requires. But, rollback of this important
ordinance altogether could serve to cloud dis-
tinct differences in purpose between the reli-
gious and secular, encourage mobilization of
“the faithful” for political action, and permit
ideologues and corporations to buy church
influence and receive yearly tax deductions
for politically-motivated but “charitable” con-
tributions, nonetheless.
My great fear is that, along with negotiat-
ing naming rights (imagine if you will: Char-
ter church, Safeco synagogue, Target temple,
Walmart window, Koch cry room, or Halli-
burton hall), such “dark” donations in church
offering plates will come with equally great
expectations. Just as so many Americans have
grown weary of lobbyists compromising con-
gressional resolve and their influence thwart-
ing any significant or meaningful lawmak-
ing, I expect to see agenda-setting by these
same corporate donors to begin compromis-
ing church or religious missions and mes-
sages, and threatening our reasons for doing
and being, as well.
Concerned candidates and motivated vot-
ers have aligned — both for the Johnson
Amendment and against Citizens United —
and religious leaders have joined institutions
and nonprofits across the country to oppose
such irresponsible legislation. And yet, mem-
bers of Congress, who have in the past, misin-
terpreted or mischaracterized the “mandates”
they have received, either do not hear (or will
not hear) the dissent being communicated
now by “We, the people.” And their deafness,
on this critical church-state separation issue,
will have disastrous consequences.
Bill Van Nostran serves as pastor at First
Presbyterian — “The Yellow Church” on the
corner of 11th and Grand Avenue in Astoria.
The 1954 Johnson Amendment is a Jeffersonian tenet that separates church and state.
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