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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, April 10, 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 the people who showed up and made the case for stopping the decoration of Pendleton statues, most notably that of Jackson Sundown. Deep down, we’re not sure we agree with them or the council decision. %XWZHDUHPXFKPRUHSOHDVHGWKDWSHRSOHJRWLQYROYHGLQORFDOSROLWLFV made their position known and got what they wanted from city government than we are disappointed that a little harmless fun is now off the table. Despite the admirable desire to be culturally sensitive, we struggle to get past the fact that art shouldn’t come with such narrow laws and rules. $QGDUW¿QDQFHGE\WKHSHRSOHVKRXOG spur interaction and consideration, even SOD\IXOQHVV7KRVHDUHWKHEHQH¿WVZH preach when we try to support and H[SDQGSXEOLFDUWSURMHFWV Except, of course, that nobody in Pendleton sees the Main Street statues as art. They are viewed as a municipal SURMHFWZKLFKLVZK\FLW\FRXQFLOKDV gotten so much guff over erecting them while the city’s infrastructure remains in substandard condition. They were admittedly built with the sole goal of spurring commerce, and there is nothing more antithetical to art than that. So the anti-decorators are right. Think of the statues from here on out OLNHWKHZDVWHZDWHUSODQWRUDGHSDUWPHQWDO¿OLQJFDELQHW²KDQGVRIIFLW\ property. 5HVLGHQWVZLOOMXVWKDYHWRJREDFNWRZKDWWKH\ZHUHGRLQJEHIRUHWKLV ODWHVWÀDSLJQRULQJWKHVWDWXHVFRPSOHWHO\ A tip of the future hat to the people who will stand up and make their position known Saturday at the Joint Committee on Ways and Means in Boardman. We hope that this newly revived civic voice continues this coming weekend and lots of people show up and speak. Sure, the name is daunting. Think of it as an open door to the Legislative ÀRRU%HFDXVHWKLVLVQ¶WMXVWVLWWLQJDURXQGOLVWHQLQJWRVWDWHOHJLVODWRUVGLYY\ up dollars and cents. This is an opportunity to testify. To talk directly to state VHQDWRUVDQGUHSUHVHQWDWLYHVLQFOXGLQJORFDOUHSUHVHQWDWLYHV*UHJ6PLWK 5+HSSQHUDQG%LOO+DQVHOO5$WKHQD Whatever is top of your mind: gun background check bills, forest plans, statue decoration, the culture of state government, all the good things happening in Eastern Oregon, the need to raise the speed limit or the need to keep the speed limit the same. :HNQRZ²SXEOLFVSHDNLQJLVPRVW everyone’s worst fear. Stepping up to the PLFURSKRQHDQGDGGUHVVLQJQRWMXVWD legislative committee but your neighbors DQGIULHQGVLVDVFDU\WKLQJ%XWWDNH DIHZPLQXWHVEHIRUHKDQGWRMRWGRZQ your thoughts. Read them out loud. Try them out on a family member (who’s used to hearing you rant anyway). Whatever you have to say, some important people will be listening. You don’t get that chance very often so don’t miss it. 7KHPHHWLQJLVDWWKH6$*(&HQWHULQ%RDUGPDQ6DWXUGD\DWDQG is expected to last two hours. You’ll be back in time to mow the lawn. 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. YOUR VIEWS Marine predators should EHNLOOHGWRSURWHFW¿VK When I view pictures of sea lions massing at the mouth of the Columbia River waiting for the return of salmon and steelhead, I have to ask myself: Why? In May of 1955, I was part of D¿HOGELRORJ\WULSIURP*DULEDOGL Oregon to Astoria. During that day-long study we observed zero seals, zero sea lions, one Caspian tern, zero pelicans and a few double-crested cormorants. $VD¿VKHULHVELRORJ\PDMRU,IHOW pretty good. The errors of my thinking were brought to my attention when our professor stated there were only a few thousand seals and sea lions on the West Coast and when a population fell this low the potential for extinction is very real. I buy that. In 1972 Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It stated that all species and population stocks of marine mammals are in danger of extinction or depletion due to human activities and they should not be permitted to diminish below an optimum sustainable population and measures should be taken to protect essential habitats. An estimated population of 300,000 sea lions does not represent a population in danger of extinction. Starving sea lion and seal pups washing up on the shore in record numbers does represent a population that has exceeded the carrying capacity of their habitat. A 2014 study done on the survival of endangered salmon and steelhead stocks in the Columbia River found that 45 percent RI¿VKWDJJHGDWWKHPRXWKRIWKHULYHU DQGDIWHUDFFRXQWLQJIRU¿VKFDXJKWE\ ¿VKHUPHQIDLOHGWRUHDFK%RQQHYLOOH 145 miles upriver. It is believed that WKHVHPLVVLQJ¿VKZHUHWDNHQE\VHD lions and seals in the river. Allowing 45 percent of endangered salmon and steelhead to be eaten by seals and sea lions when the population of sea lions has expanded well beyond the numbers that will remove them from any danger of extinction would seemingly amount to a violation of the Endangered Species Act. The National Marine Fisheries Service administers both of these acts. This may account for all of the “hand wringing” they are seemingly doing. 7KH³*UHDWHVW*HQHUDWLRQ´ZHUHQRW VRFRQÀLFWHG7KH\VKRWWKHPZKLFK resulted in very few seal and sea lions being observed in the river until the 1980s. Lets face it, we have a unique situation in the Columbia River and if we don’t manage the predators we are going to lose most of the listed stocks. OTHER VIEWS O’Malley target of Clinton machine R ecently, a representative from the puts a scare into the sure-thing front-runner. Hillary Clinton camp delivered “You can go back decades,” says a message to Martin O’Malley, the Democrat. “There has always the former Maryland governor been a moment in the Democratic preparing to challenge Clinton for the primary in which the overwhelming, 2016 Democratic nomination. conventional, odds-on establishment I have some good news and some favorite was vulnerable to an outsider bad news, the messenger said. challenge.” What’s the good news? asked While that is truer of some years O’Malley. than others, there is a pretty long list Byron The good news is we’re taking you RILQVXUJHQWV²+RZDUG'HDQ%LOO York seriously, the messenger answered. %UDGOH\-HUU\%URZQDQGRWKHUV² Comment And the bad news is ... we’re taking who created some nervous moments you seriously. for the leading candidate. In 2008, of The undertone of threat was unmistakable, FRXUVHWKHRXWVLGHU%DUDFN2EDPDGLGDORW but anyone who takes on Clintonworld has more than that. And the odds-on favorite he to expect that. And indeed, pro-O’Malley WRSSOHGWKHQMXVWKDSSHQVWREHWKHRGGVRQ 'HPRFUDWV²WKHUHDUHVRPH²DUHQRWDW favorite now. all surprised by the tone. “They are the most 3) The press wants a primary. Republicans petty, vengeful people out there,” says one can complain that the media is in the tank for Democrat of the Clinton organization. Hillary, but there seems little doubt that many “They hold a grudge for decades. I don’t voices in the press would like to see an actual think he (O’Malley) expected them to contest for the Democratic nomination. The welcome him with a fruit basket.” Boston Globe, for example, recently begged And Clintonworld has reason to be Sen. Elizabeth Warren to run. concerned. Yes, Hillary’s “Democrats would be lead is huge, and yes, making a big mistake if she is at this point the they let Hillary Clinton presumptive Democratic coast to the presidential QRPLQHH%XWWKHUHDUH nomination without real already emerging signs opposition,” the paper that the coronation might editorialized. The fact that not go as planned. some key voices in the It’s early yet, but press won’t take Warren’s O’Malley’s recent “no” for an answer is GHFODUDWLRQ²³7KH an indication the Fourth presidency of the United — Martin O’Malley, (VWDWHZRXOGOLNHD¿JKW States is not some crown Maryland Governor, And if Warren stays out, to be passed between two they’ll talk up any other possible challenger for credible challenger. IDPLOLHV´²LVSUREDEO\ 2016 Democratic nomination the best line of the O’Malley is more campaign so far. If you than credible. He has the took a poll to gauge public credentials of a two-term opinion on that turn of phrase, approval would governor and the ability to position himself to likely be very, very high. the progressive left of Clinton. On Wall Street, “It was a very effective line,” says another /*%7LVVXHVLPPLJUDWLRQWUDGH²RQWKRVH 'HPRFUDW³$QGLW¶VWKH¿UVWWLPHKH¶VWDNHQD and more, O’Malley can credibly cast himself VZLQJ²KH¶VDOZD\VGHIHUUHGLQWKHSDVW´ as more progressive than Hillary. No more. O’Malley is acting like a real ³+LOODU\DQG%LOO&OLQWRQKDYHEHHQWKLFN candidate now, traveling, hiring staff and as thieves with Wall Street,” says a pro- fashioning a message. Democratic insiders O’Malley Democrat. “She was very close point to three factors that could help O’Malley ZLWKWKH¿QDQFLDOLQGXVWU\DQGVKHGHSHQGVRQ them for money.” turn a non-race into a race. Years after the economic meltdown, many 1) Even when she has the nomination on the left are still angry that none of the big race to herself, Clinton rarely rises above Wall Street players was punished, and it hurts 60 percent with Democrats. (In the Clinton to be associated with those players. RealClearPolitics average of polls, she is “This is a really, really, really big issue FXUUHQWO\MXVWXQGHUSHUFHQW ZLWKSURJUHVVLYHV²WKDWWKHUHZDVQR “There is one-third to 40 percent of the accountability for Wall Street,” says the Democratic electorate that wants a primary Democrat. race,” notes the second Democrat. “Even in The planets are aligning for a real D¿HOGZKHUHVKHGRHVQ¶WKDYHDQRSSRQHQW +LOODU\GRHVQ¶WJHWDERYHSHUFHQW´7KHMRE Democratic race. That doesn’t mean Clinton will lose (although anything can happen), but of O’Malley, or any other Clinton challenger, is to connect with that 35 percent to 40 percent it does mean there will be no smooth, easy path to the crown. of Democrats who are hoping for a Clinton Ŷ opponent. Byron York is chief political correspondent 2) The history of Democratic primary for The Washington Examiner. battles is that an insurgent almost always “The presidency of the United States is not some crown to be passed between families.” Carlisle Harrison Hermiston Walden comes through again on rural funding It is great news that Congressman *UHJ:DOGHQKDVGHOLYHUHGIRUXVDJDLQ by securing much needed funding for schools and law enforcement agencies. This money is like a life preserver for so many rural communities. Now a permanent solution to this issue is needed, so counties don’t need to ask the federal government for a handout every few years. Congressman Walden has been leading the way. He and Congressman Peter DeFazio have been working to boost timber production on federal lands to provide certain revenue for our schools, roads, and sheriffs. His bipartisan plan has passed the House twice, but the Senate never voted on it under the leadership of Harry Reid (which is why the counties need emergency funding again). 7KDQN\RX*UHJ:DOGHQIRU working to bring sanity to federal forest policy. I hope that Senators in ERWKSDUWLHVZLOOMRLQKLPLQ¿QGLQJD permanent solution to this issue. Evan Bryan Wallowa Lake, Ore. 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.
