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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Trump has stood up
for our country
f it wasn’t so serious, it would be funny.
Why is it that when former President Barack
Obama used Facebook to get personal data, lib-
erals cheered, they said he was so smart. It was
a marvelous time to be alive.
Then came President Donald Trump; he used
the same tactic, and liberals went wild. They
called for a good old fashioned lynching. They
wanted to see his blood run in the streets.
President Trump has stood up for our coun-
try, our citizens, and most importantly, our econ-
omy. He’s lowered taxes, eliminated some busi-
ness-killing regulations, and liberals still want
his blood.
They say only the rich will benefit from
lower taxes. Nancy Pelosi said $1,000 is
crumbs. Really, Nancy? A thousand dollars is
a lot of money to me. Besides, how many jobs
have been created by the tax cuts?
Bill Clinton had how many affairs while in
office? The true number will never be known,
but the ones we do know about boggles my
mind. My morals say one affair is too many. My
kids know better than to cheat on their spouses.
Trump is accused of cheating, and every
news source talks about it on a daily basis. The
only thing you heard when Clinton did it was
crickets from the news outlets. Except Fox
News.
It’s time to open your eyes people. Join me,
help me make Clatsop County great again.
JIM HOFFMAN
Chairman, Clatsop County Republicans
Gearhart
I
Protect our voting rights
’m appalled that Oregon Secretary of State
Dennis Richardson, a Republican, wants
to limit election information provided by his
office in a blatant attempt to limit voting by
Oregon’s 820,000 registered non-affiliated vot-
ers (“IPO opens primary to unaffiliated, but
they must request ballot,” The Daily Astorian,
April 4).
He would probably be more comfortable in
other states, like Kansas and Mississippi, where
officials boast about disenfranchising voters,
and thereby weakening democracy. He certainly
doesn’t belong in Oregon, nor should he be run-
ning our state’s elections.
He evidently agrees with the Republican
Party’s nationwide work to erect new obstacles
to voting. He is apparently willing to abandon
all the principles of democracy and representa-
tive government that elected him. Perhaps he’s
forgotten that voters elected him to strengthen
our democracy, to improve access to voting, to
guarantee honest elections, and to encourage
citizen engagement in politics.
All Oregonians deserve to have a secretary
of state who actually believes in the beauty and
power of elections.
I encourage readers to contact Mr. Richard-
son at 900 Court Street N.E., Capitol Room 136,
Salem OR 97310-0722, or call 503-986-1523,
or email oregon.sos@oregon.gov
If he believes he can limit voting options for
non-affiliated voters to serve his own or another
political agenda, then that means he might try to
limit everyone’s voting rights.
LAURIE CAPLAN
Astoria
I
Vote Orr for state
representative
am writing this letter to endorse candidate
John Orr for state House District 32. I have
known John for over 20 years, and have always
found him to be honest and a straight shooter.
He will not tell you one thing and do something
different, and will listen to all points of view.
I believe his values on compassion and fair-
ness to be important, but his stances on protect-
ing the environment, and restoring corporate
taxes to their 1980 levels, and closing loopholes,
are what brought my attention to his candidacy.
John is passionate about affordable housing
and improving the quality of schools, human
services, and infrastructure. Not everyone in
this world has the right to vote, so by all means
when it is your opportunity, I urge you to exer-
cise your right … and I hope you’ll vote John
Orr for Oregon House District 32.
NEAL CUMMINGS
Astoria
I
Keep internet free
and affordable
ov. Kate Brown has signed the state’s
recently passed net neutrality bill into law,
HB 4155, prohibiting certain public bodies
from contracting with Internet Service Provid-
ers (ISPs) that engage in certain network man-
agement activities based on paid prioritization
and content blocking.
This is a workaround for the Federal Com-
munications Commission’s repeal of net neu-
trality laws, preventing ISPs from throttling
G
content, keeping the internet free and fair.
Due to the FCC’s provision keeping states
from creating their own net neutrality laws,
it will most likely be legally challenged in
court, where the future of net neutrality will be
decided.
I now urge Oregonians to support HB 4155
and the preservation of net neutrality, keeping
the internet free and affordable to all.
NICHOLAS SCHAELLING
Astoria
Opioid epidemic
in Clatsop County
rom 2001 to 2010, Clatsop County ranked
highest out of 25 counties in Oregon with
the most deaths caused by opioid drugs per
100,000 people. From 2011 to 2017, we have
ranked fourth in the state behind Multnomah,
Lincoln and Tillamook counties.
Why is this epidemic occurring right now
in our community? It might be that opioids are
way too easy to get ahold of. It also could be
that we aren’t educating ourselves enough about
the dangers of these opioids.
Let’s be honest, there is no single answer
to fixing this crazy unfortunate problem going
on in this county. The deaths to these drugs are
becoming more and more consistent through the
years, it’s starting to feel like a norm … that is
not good.
In order to beat this epidemic we, as the
strong and tight community that we publicize
we are, must come together, and figure it out,
and get everyone involved, instead of trying to
figure it out in little groups.
We are a great community of people. Let’s
start acting like it.
REECE HUNT
Knappa
F
Sexual assault awareness in
Astoria
very 98 seconds, someone in the U.S. age
12 and older is sexually assaulted. Accord-
ing to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Net-
work (RAINN), one in every six American
women are victims of sexual assault; for Amer-
ican men, that number is one out of every 33.
I’m writing this letter to bring attention to
Astoria’s support for Sexual Assault Awareness
Month. Astoria has publicly displayed support,
showing the Astoria Column lit up in teal, as
well as The Harbor hosting a candlelight vigil
and walk on Tuesday.
Our small town has shown large amounts of
acknowledgment and support for all victims of
sexual assault. We have shown support to those
of all ages, gender identities, and sexual orien-
tations. This excites me greatly, as a young res-
ident of this town — seeing the way we have
evolved makes me excited for the future, and I
can’t wait to see where the next few years take
Astoria.
SOPHIA HANSEN
Knappa
E
Please practice
bathroom etiquette
et’s talk bathroom etiquette. First off, some
background. I work in fast food. OK, now
let’s talk about some simple things you should
do when you use public restrooms.
If you are going to pee standing, please lift
the seat. Now if that’s too much of a bother, at
least clean the seat with the toilet paper after you
are done.
If that was too much for you, the least you
can do is remember to flush the toilet, and if
for some reason that still is too much, just wash
your hands. We don’t need anyone getting sick
over your inability to practice basic bathroom
etiquette.
KEENAN GEBHART
Astoria
L
Lights needed at
Astoria skate park
ave you ever tried skateboarding in the
dark? It’s really not that fun. The Astoria
skate park is a relatively good skate park, but
there is definitely room for improvement. One
thing that would be very nice to have at the
skate park is lights. At night it is pretty much
impossible to skate there, because you can’t see
what you’re doing, or where you’re going.
It would also be nice if the skate park was
expanded, because all it is now is basically one
big bowl, and not everyone can skate transi-
tion, so some more street-type obstacles would
be nice. The expansion and addition of lights
would be pretty awesome to see, and would
make a lot of skateboarders happy.
NOAH GANNAWAY
Astoria
H
ote Orr for House District 32 I am voting
for John Orr for state representative in Dis-
trict 32. When I was a Court Appointed Spe-
cial Advocate (CASA) volunteer 15 years ago, I
would see John in court representing foster chil-
dren, and he impressed me with his attention to
detail, integrity, dedication, and compassion.
My deceased wife, Jackie Taylor, served
eight years in the House of Representatives,
so I am aware that all of the above mentioned
attributes are a necessity to being a good
representative.
Talk to this man, and get to know him. He
will make a good representative.
NELSON TAYLOR
Astoria
V
Vote Ogden for
labor commissioner
regon voters should pay close attention
to the May primary election for commis-
sioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries
(BOLI). A very important choice will be made
in this nonpartisan race.
I hope voters will support Lou Ogden. Lou
has been mayor of the city of Tualatin for the
O
last 24 years. His balanced and fair leadership
has brought business and industrial develop-
ment, providing thousands of jobs and over
$1 billion of investment by the private sector.
He wants to lead BOLI as the driver for
skills training and apprenticeship programs
that will put employees into living-wage jobs,
and provide high school graduates an alter-
native to college. Lou is an insurance broker,
farmer, husband and father. He has the vision,
experience, and proven record of leadership
necessary for the job.
GARY WILHELMS
Portland
The plastic islands
ccording to the World Epidemic forums,
we dump a garbage truck worth of gar-
bage into our oceans every minute, and we
should be ashamed of it. One hundred thou-
sand sea animals, and millions of seabirds,
die each year because of the garbage we dump
into our oceans.
Think about it as a cycle: We dump toxic
waste into our oceans, fish eat that waste, and
we eat the fish. We are killing ourselves off,
so if you don’t want to do it for the animals,
clean this waste for yourself.
The garbage patches have increased a hun-
dred-fold since the 1970s. If we don’t turn
that around now, we might never be able to.
We are the cause of the dying fish, and even-
tually we will be the cause of extinction in
our oceans.
We will be the reason bears and wolves
don’t have fish to eat, and we will be the rea-
son all animals will die. In the end, we will be
the reason we die.
LEVI CHRISTIE
Astoria
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Teenagers allowed
to have opinions
am tired of hearing about Tide Pods. I keep
hearing adults talk about the Tide Pod chal-
lenge as a way to delegitimize the thoughts,
opinions, and efforts of teenagers because a
couple of people decided to put a Tide Pod in
their mouth. Eighty-six teenagers, total, have
had injuries, out of an estimated 41,731,233
teenagers that live in the U.S. That’s 0.0002
percent of the population. Of the 10 deaths in
the last five years from Tide Pods, two were
toddlers and six were adults with cognitive
impairments. Not one from the “challenge.”
In the 1990s a hyperventilation challenge
went around, killing 82 people, and in the
1940s people were swallowing live gold-
fish. We are not the first generation to do stu-
pid challenges for the sake of fitting in. Stop
treating us like we are. Kids doing dumb
things has been around forever, the difference
is you had no way of documenting it. Teenag-
ers are allowed to have opinions. If you don’t
like them, come up with a better argument.
ALYSSA WHITE
Astoria
I
WHERE TO WRITE
• U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D): 439 Cannon House
Office Building, Washington, 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 Build-
ing, Washington, 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, Can-
non 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 johnson@state.or.us Web: www.betsyjohn-
son.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,
Astoria, OR 97103. Phone: 503-741-3300. Email: admin@por-
tofastoria.com
• Clatsop County Board of Commissioners: c/o County
Manager, 800 Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria, OR 97103.
Phone: 503-325-1000.