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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, January 2, 2015 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Tip of the hat; kick in the pants A tip of the hat to any kind folks who did a good deed this holiday season. on their bill at Denny’s restaurant in Pendleton. That tip went to Sarah Stevens, a waitress who was struggling to pay her December rent while also trying to give her three children a good Christmas. Stevens told an East Oregonian reporter who tracked her down that the tip could not have come at a better time, and she was grateful to the family who left it to her. After we reported the story, Stevens’ tale went viral. According to our Facebook stats it was viewed by more than 122,000 people, making it one of our most popular social media posts ever. That’s nice to see. Because we know plane crashes and political scandals and war in the Middle East are top of mind for most readers. And rightfully so. But it’s important to tell the story of small, good things, too. It’s those little gestures, charities and kindness that keep us going and give us the Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of Publisher Kathryn Brown, Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, and Opinion Page Editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. OTHER VIEWS An Uber compromise The Oregonian U ber’s decision to break into the Portland market certainly cost the controversial ride-sharing company PR points that it didn’t have to spare. But challenging the city for failing to adapt its taxi regulations to allow for new competitors like Uber has quickly paid off. In the two weeks that Uber drivers started picking up Portlanders using Uber’s mobile-phone app, the then reached a compromise with Uber, moving through the stages of grief with Mayor Charlie Hales has set up a task force to study and develop changes that would allow Uber and similar app-based ride-sharing companies to legally operate in Portland. He and City Commissioner Steve Novick even pledged to issue a temporary license if the city can’t meet an April 9 deadline for approving changes. Uber, reviled just a couple weeks ago for its arrogance and greed, now has a path to legitimacy. This could and should have happened months ago. Uber’s interest in Portland has been clear for more than a year — and ownership groups — not by the drivers who must pay a weekly amount to the companies for the opportunity to drive a licensed taxi. In this case, by waiting to take action, the city’s pride took a hit. But that’s a small price to pay. The city would have to acknowledge the changing reality at some point. It’s preferable that happen before lawsuit whose outcome is uncertain. And Hales and Novick did win a concession from Uber to withdraw from Portland for three months. The retreat, while helping the city save face, is a smart move for Uber as well — it may smooth over relations with those Portlanders who were put off by the San Francisco- based startup’s “my way or the highway” arrogance. Most important, the compromise gives clear Uber, reviled just a couple weeks ago for its arrogance and greed, now has a path to legitimacy. service rolled out in the suburbs around Portland. But the city’s response, even in November, has been a noncommittal “we’ll look into it” with Novick saying he would appoint a task force, but never setting a timeline for review. Uber aside, there are plenty of reasons to look at the taxi system. The city itself acknowledges its “private for- hire” regulations are “antiquated.” Data showed a persistent demand for taxis that was going unmet. And the current system isn’t helping taxi drivers much — a 2012 study conducted by the city showed drivers were making only $6.22 an hour on average. That’s partially because the 460 taxi licenses in the city are held by six taxi to-do list — and when it needs to be done. The priority in the next few months is to look at what kinds of safety requirements the city should insist upon, said Josh Alpert, Hales’ director of strategic initiatives. That could include requiring vehicle inspections, a minimum level of driver’s insurance coverage and thorough background checks. With Uber in so many cities, Portland task-force members can evaluate how other cities are managing Uber, Lyft and other such companies. The path to get to a peaceful co- existence between taxis and Uber-like competitors won’t be easy. Expect a free-for-all of sorts in which the city will ease restrictions on its taxis in order to get a very real market-based view of problems and solutions, Alpert said. But considering that the regulatory framework is “so antiquated now, I’m not sure it can get worse,” he said. It probably can. But in any event, it may be a necessary headache in order framework that has ignored competition and technology for too long. The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. OTHER VIEWS Will Obama defy Congress over Gitmo prisoners? P resident Obama has long advocated closing the U.S. terrorist prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He likely would have done it long ago, had Congress not stopped him. Now, however, Obama is not in the mood to abide by anything Congress says. And he is again talking about closing Guantanamo. The result could be an ugly and single issue that we will face” in trying to close Guantanamo. “These are people who, in effect, remain at war with the United States,” the president said. Granted, it is not a good thing that there are prisoners whom the United States must keep behind bars for life without ever charging or trying them. Byron But that is just one of the baleful effects York of the war on terror. The question is, Comment where should those prisoners be held? Obama, the constitutional law and lawmakers of both parties. But professor, appears to believe there is some magic way to bring them into the United and simply use his executive authority to States, put them in the civilian justice system, release a prisoner here, a prisoner there, until and never grant them the basic constitutional Guantanamo is very nearly rights of charge and trial. empty — all done without Who would be comfortable any meaningful debate. with that? Meanwhile, as he has It seems obvious that done with immigration, the best place for such the environment and Cuba, prisoners is somewhere Obama will essentially dare outside the United States. Congress to do anything If such detentions have to about it. It’s all part of exist — and they do, for the new executive-action this small group — it just so presidency. happens there is a prison at Back in 2010, when the an American facility in Cuba House and Senate were still that is perfect for the job. controlled by Democrats, That’s what bipartisan huge bipartisan majorities majorities of Congress have opposed Obama’s plan said over and over again. to close Guantanamo and Nevertheless, Obama wants transfer its inmates to the to act on his own. “I’m going United States. A defense to be doing everything I can spending bill passed to close (Guantanamo),” the unanimously by the Senate in December 2010 president told CNN recently. “It is contrary to barred the president from spending any funds to our values and it is wildly expensive.” transfer inmates to the United States or to close Obama conceded that “there’s going to be the prison. a certain irreducible number that are going to That prohibition remains. The latest spending be really hard cases, because, you know, we bill, the so-called “CRomnibus,” forbids know they’ve done something wrong and they spending for any transfers to the United States or any effort to house Guantanamo prisoners in the evidence in a traditional Article Three court. this country. You know, so we’re going to have to wrestle But Congress has not barred Obama from with that.” transferring Guantanamo inmates to other parts The president can wrestle all he wants, but of the world. So far, Obama has released 96 prisoners and is preparing to free more of the inside the United States without charge or trial remaining 132 detainees. that is, in Obama’s words, “consistent with our Just recently, the president released four values.” The best way to deal with those cases is Afghans who had been held almost since to keep them in Guantanamo until they die. Guantanamo opened in 2002. While some The New York Times recently reported that estimates suggest one-third of released inmates the administration hopes that “if it can shrink the inmate population to below 100, Congress will administration argues that the recidivism rate is revoke a law that bars the transfer of detainees falling. into the country.” That was unlikely when Whatever the case, Obama will soon face Democrats controlled Congress, and it is more an essentially unsolvable problem. Of the unlikely with Republicans in charge. The only 132 remaining inmates, there is a hard core of perhaps 40 or 50 who, because of the nature of way around Congress and the law. their terrorist activity and their detentions, the Whatever the president does, he can’t change United States will never charge with crimes, will the fact that Guantanamo is the best answer to a never put on trial and will never release. In a May 21, 2009, speech at the National Archives outlining detainee policy, Obama Byron York is chief political correspondent admitted that those inmates present “the toughest for The Washington Examiner. The president can wrestle all he wants, but he’s not going to find a way to imprison inmates inside the United States without charge or trial.
