November 26, 2003
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Portland Observer
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Death Warrant for Medicare
Backroom deals give nod to special interests
from Front
The often-cited EPA Long Term
2 Enhanced Surface Water Protec­
tion Rule, currently in the 9()-day
comment period, does not mandate
the covering or burying of our res­
ervoirs. For Portland, the new rule
is all about Cryptosporidium, a mi­
croscopic parasite.
For unfiltered water supplies like
Portland, crypto levels are on aver­
age 10 times lower than the average
level in filtered systems, but the
proposed rule would require every
unfiltered system to provide addi­
tional treatment, no matter how pure
its source of water. This rule should
be challenged.
Portland, like New York City,
holds a waiver to an earlier EPA
requirement to filter its source wa­
ter. New York performs twice-
monthly monitoring. We are cer­
tain that, if monitored, our source
water would be found to have lower
crypto levels than New York’s.
Monitoring would be cheaper than
the treatment plant at Bull Run and
its corollary, burial o f Portland’s
open reservoirs.
The options to burying the reser­
voirs include treatment at the outlet,
temporarily bypassing the reservoirs,
refurbishing the existing reservoirs,
and real-time monitoring.
A small treatment plant could be
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P ortland O bserver
An expensive plan for put the historic Mt. Tabor reservoirs
underground is drawing fire from area residents.
built at the outlet of one or more
reservoirs, sized for average daily
Bow. Outlet treatment includes ul­
traviolet light, a cheap technology
that can defeat Cryptosporidium,
viruses and anthrax.
Other outlet treatment options
include ozone and reverse osmo­
sis, which is used by the U.S. mili­
tary to purify water for troops in the
field.
The city expects to spend more
than $2(X) million on the reservoirs
proposal, including $ 16.8 million to
move the maintenance yard near
Southeast 64lh and Division and
construct a new road into the park
to accommodate the heavy equip­
ment needed to demolish the old
reservoirs and construct the new
buried tanks.
W e feel that Portland should
independently evaluate alterna­
tives to this project. Reservoir
replacem ent as planned, will irre­
vocably dam age significant his-
toric resources, including the
cultural fabric o f a m ajor park
and com m unity.
Portland should apply for an
extension to its source water treat­
ment waiver, it should fight the
arbitrary proposals to require un­
filtered and uncovered systems to
be treated no matter ho w pure the i r
source of water is, and if the rule is
not changed, consider treatment
at the outlet.
Please contact the mayor, city
council members. Congressman
Earl Blumenauer, Senators Ron
Wyden and Gordon Smith, as well
as those who may fill these posi­
tions in the upcoming elections.
Let them know that you want the
city to pursue a more acceptable
option for our reservoirs.
Floy Jones is a member o f
Friends o f the Reservoirs. The
group invites area residents to
learn more on their website at
friendsofreservoirs. org.
“I fear that the House has signed the death
Early Saturday morning, Democrats voted
warrant
for M edicare,” said Charles B. Rangel,
against the Republicans’ M edicare prescription
D-NY,
ranking
Democrat on the Com m ittee on
drug bill because it does not control the rising
costs o f prescription drugs, privatizes M edicare W ays and Means.
One A merican out o f every eight is 65 years
and will result in nearly three million retirees
or older. In addition, more than 3.6 million A fri­
losing their existing health care coverage.
At approximately 3 a.m. Saturday, House can A m ericans are enrolled in Medicare.
The bill passed by House Republicans would
Republicans brought their M edicare bill to the
House floor. For a record three hours. D em o­ take effect in 2006. It prohibits M edicare from
crats won the vote by a count of 218-216, but negotiating lower drug prices and blocks re­
Republicans refused to officially end the vote. importation o f U.S. drugs from other countries at
Republican leaders twisted arms, made back low er prices. In addition, up to 6.4 m illion o f the
room deals for special interests
and got several of their m em ­
Wc
bers to change their votes. The
bill was approved by a vote of
220 to 215.
“For three hours tonight, the
seniors o f A merica won the vote
on M edicare prescription drug
coverage. But then this vote
was stolen from us by the Re­
publicans," House Democratic
Leader Nancy Pelosi said. “But
- Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md,
A m erica’s seniors will not be
chalrof the Congressional Black Caucus
fooled. They know this is not the
beginning o f a real prescription
drug benefit under M edicare. They know this is poorest M edicare beneficiaries will get less drug
the beginning of the end o f Medicare, as we coverage than they have now. M illions o f seniors
know it. Democrats and seniors will not stop will see their M edicare prem ium s rise if they
fighting for a defined, affordable prescription refuse to give up their doctor and join an HMO.
“The A merican people will see what C on­
drug benefit that is guaranteed under M edicare.”
“I am saddened that on an issue which both gress has done and they’re confused,” Rep.
parties agreed was a top priority, we continue to Rangel said. “They see M edicare as one o f the
remain so di vided,” said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, greatest successes ever, and they are right. It has
D-Md, chair o f the Congressional Black Caucus. allow ed seniors to live longer and better. So if it
“We had an opportunity, a golden opportunity, to a in ’t broken, w hy are we enacting radical
deliver to A m erica’s seniors a com prehensive changes?”
More than 210 organizations opposed the bill
prescription drug benefit through Medicare. “Un­
fortunately, what the Republicans want us to saying that it would dism antle the program se­
niors have know and trusted for nearly 40 years.
deliver to seniors is a bad bill o f goods.”
had an opportunity, a golden
opportunity, to deliver to America's
seniors a comprehensive prescription
drug benefit through Medicare.
Unfortunately, what the Republicans
want us to deliver to seniors is a bad
bill o f goods.
Michael Deserves Due Process
R ev . J esse L. J ackson S r .
The allegations of child mo­
le sta tio n ch a rg es b ro u g h t
against Michael Jackson are
very serious and regardless of
the outcome, there will be no
winners in this case.
In times such as this it is
important that we allow the ju ­
dicial system to take its course
tried in acourt of law, not in the court of public opinion.
Pundits will spin, newspapers will run banner head­
lines; but the bottom line is, we cannot know what
really took place and speculation serves no purpose.
I am pleased that M ichael and his attorney ap ­
pear to be cooperating with law enforcem ent offi­
cials as any dram a or delay only feeds the frenzy.
However, already we have grave concerns about
how the Santa Barbara District A ttorney’s Office is
bv
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handling this case.
Over the course of 12 hours, the S heriff s Depart­
ment served a search warrant on Jackson’s Santa
Barbara residence involving over 70 law enforcement
officers - some in flak jackets - accompanied by doc­
tors and an ambulance. This is overkill.
Furthermore, at a press conference to announce
that charges would be filed, District Attorney Thomas
W. Sneddon Jr. proceeded to make several jokes
which were completely inappropriate. There is noth­
ing funny about this case. Law enforcement must do
their job in a manner befitting the serious allegations
in this case.
In closing, Michael deserves due process; the
newsrooms should remain objective and the global
community must not hasten to judgment.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is a long time civil rights
advocate and founder and president o f the Rainbow/
PUSH Coalition.
J o s f .M e n I n R e c o v e r y
Presents?
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Saturday December 6th, 2003 6pm-10pm.
Food, Raffle and Entertainment
Featuring: Black Notes
Also Staring Da Final Chapter
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For More Information Contact: Michael B. @ 503-267-3192
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