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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, April 3, 2015 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW 7LSRIWKHKDW NLFNLQWKHSDQWV $NLFNLQWKHSDQWVWR8PDWLOOD&RXQW\UHVLGHQWVZKRDUHRQFHDJDLQ DPRQJWKHOHDVWKHDOWK\LQWKHVWDWH It feels like we unload this kick every year, but the county continues to struggle in the bottom rungs of the state when it comes to health rankings. 7KLV\HDUZH¿QLVKHGWK0RUHWKDQDWKLUGRIXVDUHREHVHDQGPRUHWKDQ a quarter don’t exercise. Teen birth rates are almost double the state average and the percentage of uninsured residents is high, too. 0RUURZ&RXQW\GLGPXFKEHWWHU¿QLVKLQJDVWKHWHQWKKHDOWKLHVW%XWLW has solvable problems that it still hasn’t overcome, including a smoking rate RISHUFHQWPXFKKLJKHUWKDQWKHSHUFHQWVWDWHUDWH Why do we in northeast Oregon struggle in these metrics? We like to think of rural areas as more active and in shape — we’re out building and rebuilding fence until the sun JRHVGRZQKXQWLQJDQG¿VKLQJRQWKH weekends and eating tomatoes from the garden all summer long. Unfortunately, for many of us that is an outdated stereotype. Some of it has to do with a lack of health care advisors and specialists, and a lack of healthy food options when the watermelons and local greens aren’t ripe. Also, it is no surprise that many of Oregon’s most unhealthy counties have large American Indian populations — Klamath took the top spot. Large percentages of tribal populations across the West have health issues that have not been seriously tackled. Now is the time to do so. %XWRYHUDOOLWZLOOWDNHDFXOWXUDOFKDQJHWKDWDOORIXVQHHGWREXFNOH down on. So let’s make it a summer plan to walk more and drive less, throw out those cigarettes for good, wear our seatbelts and cut down on red meat. Then we’ll live up to our handsome cowboy and cowgirl mystique. If a good percentage of the county takes up our challenge and Umatilla &RXQW\VKRUHVXSVRPHRIRXUXQKHDOWK\KDELWVZH¶UHKDSS\WRWXUQDURXQG and let you return the kick next year. In fact, start training now (High knees! High knees!) and we look forward to being on the receiving end of a powerful wallop come next spring. $WLSRIWKHKDWWRRXUSDOVRQWKH3HQGOHWRQ0RXQWHG%DQGZKR ZHUHQDPHGJUDQGPDUVKDOVRIWKH:HVWZDUG+R3DUDGH <RXZRXOGEHKDUGSUHVVHGWR¿QGDQ\RQHVWUHHWVLGHLQ6HSWHPEHUZKR doesn’t think those drummers and woodwinders and brass blowers are anything less than the optimal highlight RIDKLJKOLJKW¿OOHGSDUDGH They were making music on the streets of Pendleton as early as 1911, but disbanded for more than 50 years in the middle of the century. They got back in the swing in 1985 and have been merrymaking every year since. The dozens of bandmembers come from all walks of life and from towns DQGFLWLHVDFURVVWKH3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVW They even tour the region, playing at rodeos and fairs and parades and spreading the good name of the Pendleton Round-Up. They deserve the grand marshal accolade as one of the authentic aspects of Pendleton Round-Up week. Now, play yourselves out! 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 Public should have access to police body cameras (Medford) Mail Tribune Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would standardize the use of ERG\FDPHUDVZRUQE\SROLFHRI¿FHUV and strictly limit the public release of the video recordings. Those limits are reasonable for the most part, but when a recording involves the use of force by DQRI¿FHUWKHSUHVXPSWLRQVKRXOGEHWR release the video, not restrict it. Police use of deadly force against citizens, armed and unarmed, is an issue of growing concern, and lawmakers across the country are grappling with how to respond to those concerns while DOORZLQJODZHQIRUFHPHQWRI¿FHUVWRGR their jobs and protecting the public at WKHVDPHWLPH0DQ\SROLFHGHSDUWPHQWV KDYHUHVSRQGHGE\HTXLSSLQJRI¿FHUV with body cameras that take video recordings of their interactions with suspects and others. The Oregon measure, House %LOOGRHVQRWUHTXLUHSROLFH departments to use the cameras, but sets out guidelines if they choose to do so. Among other things, departments using cameras would have to require the camera to be turned on as soon DVDQRI¿FHUKDGSUREDEOHFDXVHRU reasonable suspicion that a crime had been committed and leave it on until the police action was complete, and retain the recordings for at least six months. +%ZRXOGH[HPSWWKH recordings from disclosure under public records laws except in two narrow instances: If the recording was part of a court proceeding or if it involved the XVHRIIRUFHE\DQRI¿FHUDQGWKHSXEOLF interest required its release. Elements of court proceedings already are public records, and ought to remain so. The desire to protect the privacy of individuals who interact with police is understandable, and most of the recordings likely would be of little interest to anyone not directly involved. %XWDQ\WLPHDQRI¿FHUXVHVIRUFH especially when injury or death results, releasing the recording should be presumed to be in the public interest, not subject to the discretion of the department. There is already an exemption for records involving active police investigations, and that would certainly apply when the use of force is being LQYHVWLJDWHG%XWRQFHWKHLQYHVWLJDWLRQ concludes, the recording should be released. We would add a third instance when a recording should be a public record: ZKHQDFRPSODLQWLV¿OHGDJDLQVW DQRI¿FHUDOOHJLQJZURQJGRLQJRU misconduct, even if the matter does not become a court case. The public has a OHJLWLPDWHLQWHUHVWLQKRZSROLFHRI¿FHUV conduct themselves on the job, and anyone questioning that conduct should be able to request a video recording of it. Just as trust in government is strengthened when government records are available to the public, trust in law enforcement will be improved if recordings of police conduct are not hidden from public view. 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. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. OTHER VIEWS -HE%XVKZDVTXLHWZKHQ it counted on Obamacare F RUPDQ\FRQVHUYDWLYHVWKH¿JKW RI¿FH+HZDVIRFXVHGRQEXVLQHVV´ against Obamacare has been 2QHSDUWRI%XVK¶VEXVLQHVV WKHGH¿QLQJEDWWOHRI3UHVLGHQW was a lucrative seat on the board of Obama’s years in the White House. directors of the hospital giant Tenet For them, and probably a majority +HDOWKFDUH%XVKMRLQHGWKHFRPSDQ\ RIWKH5HSXEOLFDQEDVH¿JKWLQJ¿UVW DIWHUOHDYLQJWKHJRYHUQRU¶VRI¿FH against the passage of the Affordable and was paid more than $2 million &DUH$FWDQGODWHUSUHVVLQJWRUHSHDO for his services between 2007 and it have been so important because: A) last year, when he resigned to run for Byron they strongly oppose the substance of president. Tenet strongly supported the York WKHODZDQG%WKH\VHHRSSRVLWLRQWR SDVVDJHRI2EDPDFDUHDQGKDVSUR¿WHG Comment Obamacare as the best way to resist enormously from it. the president’s overall expansion of ,DVNHG0LOOHUZKHWKHU%XVK¶V government. near-silence on Obamacare was the result That the struggle has so far been a losing of his place on the Tenet board. “Absolutely one has not changed the fact that conservatives QRW´0LOOHUVDLG³+HIRUFHIXOO\DGYRFDWHG require their presidential candidates to have against it in board meetings, to the point that it VROLGDQWL2EDPDFDUHERQD¿GHV bubbled up in public. When asked about it, he Recently a well-known conservative was very clear that he was in opposition to it.” activist, recalling the GOP effort to stop the :KDW0LOOHUPHDQWE\³EXEEOHGXSLQ $IIRUGDEOH&DUH$FWLQDQGDVNHG public” was a line in a New York Times :KHUHZDV-HE%XVK", article in 2014 — years don’t remember him being after Obamacare became there when we were doing law — which reported: everything we could to “Tenet’s chief executive, derail Obamacare. 7UHYRU)HWWHUVDLG0U%XVK “A big vulnerability had made no secret of his for the governor, when objections to the health the debates start, is to care overhaul at company remind us again, where PHHWLQJV%XW)HWWHU were you during the battle VXJJHVWHGWKDW0U%XVK over Obamacare?” noted understood the difference WKDWDFWLYLVW*DU\%DXHU between ‘personal views of the conservative group and what is best for the American Values. “I don’t recall much (from FRPSDQ\¶0U)HWWHUSUHGLFWVWKDWLQWKH him) during those years. I don’t think not $IIRUGDEOH&DUH$FWZLOOGHOLYHUXSWR being a veteran of those wars is a plus for Gov. million in new earnings for Tenet.” %XVK´ %XVKGLGQRWUHPDLQVLOHQWIRUHYHU2Q %DXHULVEDVLFDOO\ULJKW,QDQGHDUO\ 0DUFK²WKHGD\DIWHU2EDPDFDUH¿QDOO\ 2010, as Obamacare made its troubled way RI¿FLDOO\SDVVHGWKH+RXVHDQG6HQDWHDQG WKURXJK&RQJUHVV%XVK²DUHVSHFWHGIRUPHU headed to the president’s desk for signature two-term Republican governor of Florida with ²%XVKVSRNHRXWIRUFHIXOO\DJDLQVWWKH solid conservative credentials — remained new law. Appearing on Fox News, he called mostly silent about the biggest public policy Obamacare a “major overreach” and a “huge ¿JKWLQDJHQHUDWLRQ new entitlement” and a “massive tax increase” %XVKVWDWHPHQWVWKDWHYHQWDQJHQWLDOO\ that would “play out in the future by giving WRXFKHGRQWKH$IIRUGDEOH&DUH$FWZHUHIHZ up our own freedom and put it in the hands DQGIDUEHWZHHQ,Q0DUFKIRUH[DPSOH of government.” With the 2010 elections DVWKHEDWWOHZDVMXVWEHJLQQLQJ%XVKSHQQHG DSSURDFKLQJ%XVKSUHGLFWHG³DPDVVLYH an op-ed calling for conservatives to be the uprising against this government takeover of “loyal opposition” in the face of far-reaching our lives.” Democratic initiatives. He added: “Simply It was a tough, far-ranging indictment — opposing the massive encroachment of delivered the day after the bill had been safely government into health care won’t solve the passed into law. problem of affordability of health insurance /DWHULQ%XVKFDPSDLJQHGUDLVHG for many Americans.” money for, or endorsed several Republican $FRXSOHRIPRQWKVODWHULQ0D\ candidates who advocated repealing ZKHQ%XVKMRLQHGIHOORZ5HSXEOLFDQV(ULF 2EDPDFDUH²DPRQJWKHP-LP'H0LQW &DQWRUDQG0LWW5RPQH\RQD³OLVWHQLQJWRXU´ Pat Toomey, Rand Paul, Rob Portman, Raul %XVKVDLG³,W¶VWLPHIRUXVWROLVWHQ¿UVWWR /DEUDGRU%ULDQ6DQGRYDO-RKQ.DVLFK0DU\ learn a little bit, to upgrade our message a little Fallin, Nikki Haley, Scott Walker, and others, bit and to not be nostalgic about the past. You DFFRUGLQJWR0LOOHU can’t beat something with nothing, and the 0RUHUHFHQWO\DVDSUHVLGHQWLDOUXQKDV other side has something. I don’t like it, but QHDUHG%XVKKDVVKDUSHQHGKLVFULWLTXHRI they have it and we have to be respectful and Obamacare. In a late 2013 appearance on mindful of that.” $%&KHFDOOHGWKHKHDOWKODZ³ÀDZHGWR That’s pretty much it for 2009 and early its core.” This month, in Iowa, he called it a DVWKHKHDOWKFDUHEDWWOHUDJHGRQ&DSLWRO “monstrosity.” Hill. %XWWKDWLVQRZ%DFNZKHQLWZDVDOORQ ³+HZDVQ¶WLQ&RQJUHVV´%XVKVSRNHVPDQ the line, and Republicans were gathering 7LP0LOOHUVDLGZKHQ,DVNHGZKDWWKH their forces in a desperate attempt to stop former governor was doing in 2009 as far as 2EDPDFDUH-HE%XVKPRVWO\KHOGKLVWRQJXH Obamacare was concerned. “He did not have Ŷ a very big footprint as a guy on the cable news Byron York is chief political correspondent circuit in the years after he left the governor’s for The Washington Examiner. In a desperate attempt to stop Obamacare, Jeb Bush mostly held his tongue. YOUR VIEWS Still plenty of questions about 7UDQV3DFL¿F3DUWQHUVKLS A few days ago there was a letter to WKHHGLWRUVXSSRUWLQJWKH7UDQV3DFL¿F Partnership. Our own Senator Wyden is a key vote on the fast track for this bill. I have a couple of questions whose answers must be considered before the vote on TPP. If the TPP is going to be so good for the regular people in Oregon and elsewhere, why is the text of the bill a state secret? In my experience, when government works in secret, the voters better watch out. Why should we put such a comprehensive bill on the “fast track”? Seems to me that a bill of this much impact should be considered carefully, not just pushed through. Why are the large corporations giving so much money to get this bill passed if it is good for you and me? Why did Senator Wyden recently hold a fundraiser where he took several very large contributions from corporations while considering TPP, a bill that looks like it will EHQH¿WWKHP"7KLVORRNVOLNHEULEHU\WRPH and it probably is. Why is so little of the text of this bill dedicated to the trade agreement while so much is dedicated to its enforcement which, by the way, sets up a separate judiciary that trumps local, state and national laws passed by the people? It is logical and sensible to fully explore the possibilities of new legislation, especially when it is deemed as important as the TPP. The above questions are some of the thoughtful questions that should be answered before this bill is passed and signed into law. The discussion of this bill has been done in secret and, except for the parts that have thankfully leaked out, we have had little opportunity to question it. You wouldn’t buy a car behind a curtain without examining it so why pass a bill that is so secret we can’t know what is in it? A pig in a poke is what you’ll get. ,UD:KLWH Pendleton