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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, March 20, 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 Tip of the hat to East Oregonian paper carrier Mindi Sell, ZKRPD\ KDYHVDYHGDOLIHHDUO\7XHVGD\PRUQLQJ 6HOOKDVGHOLYHUHGIRUWKHEOIRUPRUHWKDQ¿YH\HDUV6KHVDLGVKHJHWV WRNQRZKHUFXVWRPHUVSUHWW\ZHOODQGORRNVRXWIRUWKHLUSURSHUW\6KHJHWV PDGZKHQVRPHRQHRQKHUURXWHJRHVRQ YDFDWLRQZLWKRXWZDUQLQJKHU¿UVW 6HOOZDVGHOLYHULQJLQWKHZHHKRXUV of the morning Tuesday in Pendleton’s 6XQ5LGJH5HWLUHPHQW&RPPXQLW\ZKHQ she noticed something amiss. The lights ZHUHRQLQWKHGXSOH[DSDUWPHQWRIDQ elderly customer, and at least one day’s PDLOZDVVWLFNLQJRXWRIWKHPDLOER[ 6HOONQHZVRPHWKLQJZDVQ¶WULJKW VRVKHTXLFNO\ZHQWWR6XQ5LGJH employees and had them check on the ZRPDQLQVLGH7KH\IRXQGWKHUHVLGHQW KDGIDOOHQDQGEURNHQKHUKLS6XQGD\QLJKWDQGKDGEHHQVXIIHULQJVLQFH 7KH\FDOOHGDQGJRWWKHZRPDQLPPHGLDWHO\WRDKRVSLWDO&KHHUVWR DOOZKRSLWFKHGLQKHOSWKHZRPDQLQQHHGHVSHFLDOO\RXUSDO0LQGL A tip of the hat to Hermiston police Chief Jason Edmiston for being upfront about the gang connection in the death of Alonso Madrigal earlier this month. 0DGULJDOZDVVKRWWRGHDWKQHDUKLVYHKLFOHRXWVLGHWKHWK6WUHHW 0DUNHWRQWKHQLJKWRI0DUFK(GPLVWRQVDLG0DGULJDOZDVQRWDJDQJ PHPEHUKLPVHOIEXWZDVNLOOHGE\JDQJ PHPEHUV ³:HEHOLHYHWKRVHSHUVRQVUHVSRQVLEOH IRUWKHGHDWKRI$ORQVRDUHDI¿OLDWHGZLWK DJDQJRUJDQJV´(GPLVWRQVDLGSODLQO\ :HDSSUHFLDWHWKHKRQHVW\,QWKHSDVW VRPHODZHQIRUFHPHQWLQWKHDUHDKDYH EHHQUHOXFWDQWWREHXSIURQWDERXWWKH gang community and culture, especially around the area of Hermiston and Umatilla. 1RWKHFLWLHVDQGWKHLUHQYLURQV GRQRWKDYHDVHULRXVJDQJSUREOHP especially compared to cities like Los $QJHOHVDQGHYHQ<DNLPD%XWWKH\GRKDYHDEXUJHRQLQJRQHDQGLW¶VJRLQJ to take all hands on deck to keep the gangs under control and the cities as VDIHDVWKH\DUHQRZ &RPPXQLFDWLQJKRQHVWO\ZLWKWKHFRPPXQLW\LVRQHRIWKHNH\V WRNHHSLQJQHLJKERUKRRGVIUHHRIVXFKQHJDWLYHLQÀXHQFH:HKRSHLW continues. A kick in the pants to those who don’t agree with holiday decorations for Pendleton’s downtown statues. 7KHRQVODXJKWRIIHHGEDFNRQRXU )DFHERRNSDJHVHHPHGWRERLOGRZQWR WZRLQFRQJUXHQWVFKRROVRIWKRXJKW VWDWXHVDUHDGXPEZDVWHRIPRQH\DQG GHFRUDWLQJWKHPLVGHVHFUDWLRQRID KRO\REMHFW 2EYLRXVO\LWFDQ¶WEHERWKZD\V$QG ZHWKLQNFRPPXQLW\DUWOLNHWKDWVKRXOG EHDSSUHFLDWHGEXWQRWZRUVKLSHG 6XUHQRRQHVKRXOGYDQGDOL]HD JUDYHVWRQHRUWKH9LHWQDP0HPRULDO 7KDW¶VLQDSSURSULDWH%XWDEURQ]H RQDFLW\VLGHZDONLVPHDQWWRWHDFKYLVLWRUVRIRXUKLVWRU\DQGPDNHWKH FRPPXQLW\DPRUHLQWHUHVWLQJSODFH$OWKRXJKEURQ]HUHSURGXFWLRQVRI SKRWRJUDSKVPDNHIRUSUHWW\ERULQJDUWWKH\GRDWOHDVWJLYHWKHFRPPXQLW\ VRPHWKLQJWRFRQVLGHUDQGSOD\ZLWK 7RGRWKHMREWKHVWDWXHVZHUHLQWHQGHGWRGRWKH\QHHGWREHH[SUHVVLRQV RIWKH3HQGOHWRQFXOWXUHDQGDHVWKHWLF:HWKLQNDKXPRURXVRXW¿WHYHU\ RQFHLQDZKLOHLVVRPHWKLQJWRZHOFRPHUDWKHUWKDQDWWDFN 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 $ZDURI2EDPD¶VRZQPDNLQJ T he White House and some 'HPRFUDWVIURP3UHVLGHQW2EDPD 'HPRFUDWVDUHOLYLGRYHU RQGRZQKDYHFRQGHPQHGWKH&RWWRQ FRQJUHVVLRQDO5HSXEOLFDQ OHWWHU6RPHRIWKHOHVVGLVFLSOLQHG DWWHPSWVWRFLUFXPYHQW3UHVLGHQW DPRQJWKHPKDYHFDOOHG&RWWRQDQG 2EDPD¶VDXWKRULW\WRPDNHDQXFOHDU KLVFROOHDJXHV³WUDLWRUV´ DUPVGHDOZLWK,UDQ7KH\KDYHDULJKW %XWUHPHPEHUZKDWSUHFHGHG WREHDQJU\²EXWQRWWREHVXUSULVHG WKH5HSXEOLFDQV¶DFWLRQ$QXPEHU 7KHUH¶VDZDUJRLQJRQEHWZHHQ RIVHQDWRUVOHGE\5HSXEOLFDQ6HQ WKHH[HFXWLYHDQGOHJLVODWLYHEUDQFKHV %RE&RUNHUKDYHEHHQZRUNLQJRQ Byron LQZKLFK2EDPDKDVVKRZQFRQWHPSW legislation to require congressional York IRU&RQJUHVV¶FRQVWLWXWLRQDOSRZHUV DSSURYDOIRUDQ\,UDQGHDO³7KH Comment DQGQRZLQUHVSRQVH&RQJUHVVLV legislation is a response to the VKRZLQJFRQWHPSWIRUWKHSUHVLGHQW¶V administration’s intention not to seek FRQVWLWXWLRQDOSRZHUV,W¶VDQXQIRUWXQDWH DSSURYDORUUHYLHZIURP&RQJUHVVIRUWKH VLWXDWLRQEXWLW¶VZKDW2EDPDKDVZURXJKW DJUHHPHQWZLWK,UDQGHVSLWHDORQJKLVWRU\ 7KHODWHVWGHYHORSPHQWLVDQRSHQOHWWHU of Congress playing a role in international WR,UDQLDQOHDGHUVZULWWHQE\*236HQ7RP DJUHHPHQWVZKLFKKDVSURYLGHGDGGHG &RWWRQ5$UNDQGVLJQHGE\RWKHU6HQDWH OHJLWLPDF\DQGORQJHYLW\WRPDQ\RIWKHVH 5HSXEOLFDQV5HOHDVHG0RQGD\PRUQLQJWKH DFFRUGV´QRWHVRQH*23DLGH OHWWHUUHPLQGV,UDQWKDW2EDPDLVQHJRWLDWLQJ The White House response to Corker’s ZLWKWKHPRQKLVRZQ LQLWLDWLYHZDVVZLIW³,IWKLV ZLWKRXWWKHIRUPDODSSURYDO ELOOLVVHQWWRWKHSUHVLGHQW or support of Congress. KHZLOOYHWRLW´VDLGD 2EDPDLVQRWSXUVXLQJD 1DWLRQDO6HFXULW\&RXQFLO WUHDW\ZKLFKZRXOGKDYH VSRNHVZRPDQ WREHDJUHHGWRE\WKH 1RZWKHSUHVLGHQW¶V 6HQDWHRUDMRLQWH[HFXWLYH supporters interpret Cotton’s congressional agreement, letter as the latest in a long ZKLFKZRXOGDOVRUHTXLUH OLQHRI5HSXEOLFDQRXWUDJHV &RQJUHVV¶DSSURYDO GLUHFWHGDJDLQVW2EDPD ³:HZLOOFRQVLGHUDQ\ ³,W¶VVDIHWRVD\WKDWQR agreement regarding your president in modern times QXFOHDUZHDSRQVSURJUDP has had his legitimacy WKDWLVQRWDSSURYHGE\WKH TXHVWLRQHGE\WKHRSSRVLWLRQ Congress as nothing more SDUW\DVPXFKDV%DUDFN WKDQDQH[HFXWLYHDJUHHPHQW 2EDPD´VD\VWKHOLEHUDO EHWZHHQ3UHVLGHQW2EDPD ZULWHU3DXO:DOGPDQ³%XW DQG$\DWROODK.KDPHQHL´ DVKLVWHUPLQRI¿FHHQWHUV WKH5HSXEOLFDQVHQDWRUV LWV¿QDOSKDVH5HSXEOLFDQV ZULWH³7KHQH[WSUHVLGHQW DUHHPEDUNLQJRQDQHQWLUHO\ FRXOGUHYRNHVXFKDQ QHZHQWHUSULVH7KH\KDYH H[HFXWLYHDJUHHPHQWZLWKWKHVWURNHRIDSHQ GHFLGHGWKDWDVORQJDVKHKROGVWKHRI¿FHRI and future Congresses could modify the terms the presidency, it’s no longer necessary to RIWKHDJUHHPHQWDWDQ\WLPH´ UHVSHFWWKHRI¿FHLWVHOI´ Just in case there’s any confusion, the Actually, things are much simpler than that. 5HSXEOLFDQVUHPLQG,UDQWKDWWKHQH[W86 7LPHDIWHUWLPH2EDPDKDVWROG&RQJUHVVWR SUHVLGHQWZLOOEHLQDXJXUDWHGLQ-DQXDU\ JRWRKHOO1RZ&RQJUHVVLVWHOOLQJ2EDPD DERXWPRQWKVIURPQRZZKLOHDWOHDVW WRJRWRKHOO,W¶VDQHQWLUHO\SUHGLFWDEOH VRPHRIWKH*23VHQDWRUVZKRVLJQHGWKH GHYHORSPHQW OHWWHUZLOOUHPDLQLQRI¿FHIRUPDQ\\HDUVWR 2IFRXUVHLWLVVWLOODEDGWKLQJ,WLVQRW come. JRRGWRLQYLWHDIRUHLJQOHDGHUWRDGGUHVV The Cotton letter comes on the heels of &RQJUHVVLQDFDPSDLJQDJDLQVWWKH86 +RXVH6SHDNHU-RKQ%RHKQHU¶VGHFLVLRQ SUHVLGHQW,WLVQRWJRRGWRXQGHUPLQHWKH WRLQYLWH,VUDHOL3ULPH0LQLVWHU%HQMDPLQ president’s authority to conduct foreign 1HWDQ\DKXWRDGGUHVV&RQJUHVVLQZKDW SROLF\%XWLW¶VQRWDJRRGWKLQJWRXQGHUPLQH DPRXQWHGWRDQH[WHQGHGDWWDFNRQ2EDPD¶V &RQJUHVV¶DXWKRULW\WRPDNHODZVHLWKHU$QG ,UDQQHJRWLDWLRQV WRWKUHDWHQHYHQPRUHXQGHUPLQLQJLQWKH ,WVKRXOGJRZLWKRXWVD\LQJWKDWWKHUHDVRQ IXWXUHDV2EDPDKDVGRQH 5HSXEOLFDQVDUHGRLQJWKHVHWKLQJVLVEHFDXVH ,W¶VWRREDGIRU2EDPDWKDWKHFRXOGQ¶W WKH\DUHGHHSO\FRQFHUQHGDERXWDSRVVLEOH SHUVXDGH&RQJUHVVWRGRHYHU\WKLQJKH ,UDQGHDO%XWDQRWKHUUHDVRQWKH\¶UHDFWLQJLV ZDQWHG7KDWGLGQRWJLYHKLPWKHULJKW EHFDXVHWKH\FDQ2Q,UDQDQGEHIRUHWKDWRQ to encroach on Congress’s constitutional immigration, healthcare, and other matters, authority. 2EDPDKDVSXVKHGKLVH[HFXWLYHDXWKRULW\ 1RZ&RQJUHVVLVSXVKLQJEDFN,W¶VD EH\RQGLWVSURSHUOLPLWVRQWKHÀLPV\ VKDPHLW¶VFRPHWRWKLVEXWWKDW¶VWKHZD\ pretense that he is entitled to act unilaterally if WKLQJVZRUN &RQJUHVVGRHVQRWSDVVELOOVKHZDQWV&RXOG Ŷ anyone fail to anticipate that in response Byron York is chief political correspondent &RQJUHVVZRXOGVWUHWFKLWVRZQDXWKRULW\WRR" for The Washington Examiner. Time after time, Obama has told Congress to go to hell. Now Congress is telling Obama to go to hell. It’s an entirely predicatable development. YOUR VIEWS No transparency in council’s airport decision The East Oregonian ran this headline RQ-DQ³3HQGOHWRQRI¿FLDOVZDQWWR RSHQXSFRPPXQLFDWLRQLQQHZ\HDU´ The EO stated that “Mayor Phillip Houk VDLGKHZDQWV3HQGOHWRQWREHNQRZQ DVDWUDQVSDUHQWFLW\WKDWZRUNVZLWKLWV UHVLGHQWVDQGFRXQFLOZRPDQ-DQH+LOO said the council may need to consider QHZZD\VRIFRPPXQLFDWLQJWRDFKLHYH WKRVHJRDOV´ /HW¶VVHHKRZWKHPD\RUWKHFLW\ FRXQFLODQG-DQH+LOOKDYHEHHQ transparent so far this year. 7RGD\ZHGLVFRYHUHGWKDWWKH UHVROXWLRQWRDSSURYHDPLOOLRQ ¿QDQFLDOSDFNDJHIRUWKHGURQHSURJUDP ZDVSDVVHGDW7XHVGD\QLJKW¶VFLW\ council meeting despite the fact that the UHVROXWLRQZDVQRWOLVWHGRQWKHDJHQGD &RUEHWWZDQWHGWRFRQVLGHULWDWDVSHFLDO PHHWLQJEXW-DQH+LOOLQVLVWHGRQWKH YRWHGXHWR.DWH%URZQ¶VYLVLWODWHUWKLV ZHHN -DQH+LOOXVHGWRPDNHKHUOLYLQJ VFKPRR]LQJZLWKSROLWLFLDQV6KH HVFRUWHG.LW]KDEHU¶V)LUVW/DG\WRWKH Olney Housing Project and to the drone VLWHDWWKHDLUSRUW1RZVKHPD\KDYH WKHUDUHRSSRUWXQLW\WRHVFRUWRXUQHZ JRYHUQRUDQGWKH)LUVW*HQWOHPDQWR WKHDLUSRUWDQGGLVFRYHUKRZPXFK LQFRPHWKHGURQHEXVLQHVVKDVEURXJKW Pendleton. As usual, the city council emphasized WKDWWKHH[SHQGLWXUHZLOOEHWDNHQFDUH RIE\JUDQWV$FORVHUHDGLQJUHYHDOVWKDW there are contingencies that may result in WKHFLW\KDYLQJWRSD\EDFNWKHPRQH\ RIWKHJUDQWEHFRPHVDORDQ LIWKHSURMHFWGRHVQ¶WGHYHORSMREV ZLOOEHDVWUDLJKWORDQWRWKH FLW\ZKLFKKDVDOUHDG\VSHQWWD[SD\HU PRQH\RQWKHDERUWLYH$LUSRUW,QGXVWULDO 3DUNDQG3HDNZLWKQRWKLQJWRVKRZ IRULWVLQYHVWPHQW &KULVPDQDQG+RXNKDYHFRQWLQXDOO\ FRPSDUHG3HDNZLWK,QVLWXD successful drone production company in +RRG5LYHU,QVLWXKDVHPSOR\HHV ZKRPDNHDQDYHUDJHRI7KH\ IDLOWRPHQWLRQWKDW,QVLWXGHSHQGVRQ Pentagon contracts and makes products VXFKDVODVHUVLJKWVIRUVQLSHUULÀHV Here is the EOUHSRUWRQWKH¿UVW 3HDNWHVWÀLJKW³7KHGURQHODXQFKHG DQGODQGHGWZLFHEHIRUHWKHSLORW3HDN 7HFKQLFDO6HUYLFHV9LFH3UHVLGHQW %ULDQ3UDQJHGHWHUPLQHGWKDWLWZDVWRR ZLQG\WRFRPSOHWHLWVLQWHQGHGPLVVLRQ of scanning a crop for heat signatures. 7KHµUDQJH¶LQWKLVFDVHZDVDQHPSW\ ¿HOGDFURVVIURPWKHLQWHUVHFWLRQRI 6KDIHUDQG0F&RUPPDFKURDGVRXWVLGH 3HQGOHWRQ´ Jerry Cronin Pendleton LETTERS POLICY The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. Be heard! Comment online at eastoregonian.com or find us on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
