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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, May 29, 2015 OTHER VIEWS 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 kick in the pants to the Air Force decision not to conduct an F-15 À\RYHUDWWKH3HQGOHWRQ5RXQG8S 7KHLUSROLF\UHVWULFWVÀ\RYHUVWRQDWLRQDOVSRUWLQJHYHQWVDQGSDWULRWLF KROLGD\HYHQWV$IWHUWKHVHTXHVWHUÀ\RYHUVZHUHD[HGQDWLRQZLGHDVDZD\ to save money, but those restrictions are now being eased. We would argue that the Round-Up, while maybe not being a national sporting event or a solely patriotic event, is pretty darn close to both. So, rounding XSLWVKRXOGTXDOLI\IRUDÀ\RYHUZKLFK had long been a tradition at the esteemed rodeo. Our Congressional representatives have delivered their own kicks in the pants (which carry a little bit more oomph in Washington than ours), with senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representative Greg Walden each sending a letter to the Air Force, asking them to reconsider. We think that would be wise. Sure, there are many more people gathered in Autzen Stadium on a Saturday afternoon, but there is something about rodeo and the Round-Up WKDWVHHPFXVWRPPDGHIRUDÀ\RYHU$QGEHVLGHVWKHKRUVHVORYHLW $WLSRIWKHKDWWRHYHU\RQHZKRFHOHEUDWHG0HPRULDO'D\E\ UHPHPEHULQJ$PHULFDQVROGLHUVNLOOHGLQEDWWOH We don’t publish on Mondays, so it’s hard as a newspaper — especially the editorial page — to honor the real reasons for the day. We did, however, attend the Memorial Day observances at cemeteries in Pendleton and Hermiston, taking pictures and telling the stories we found there. One was of Helix teacher Lorin Kubishta, who spoke of WKHVDFUL¿FHVRISDVWJHQHUDWLRQV² especially those who gave the ultimate VDFUL¿FH,W¶VZRUWKUHPHPEHULQJ When the sun comes out and FDPS¿UHVDQGFDELQVEHFNRQIRUD long weekend, it’s easy to pull up stakes on responsibility and head for the regenerative hills. But spending Memorial Day in gratitude is the least we can do to remember the people who bequeathed us the country we know today. 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 Oregon should consider banning death penalty The (Eugene) Register-Guard Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts says he plans to veto a bill passed last week that would abolish his state’s death penalty, declaring “the Legislature is out of touch with Nebraskans.” It may be the governor, not state lawmakers, who is out of touch. In the state’s unicameral legislature, which has 49 state senators, it takes 30 votes to override a veto by the governor. Thirty-two senators voted in favor of ending the death penalty. That means Ricketts will have to persuade some lawmakers to change their minds if he wants to prevent Nebraska from becoming the 19th VWDWH²DQGWKH¿UVWUHGVWDWHLQUHFHQW years — to formally abolish the death penalty. Nebraska has been steadily moving away from the death penalty for years. The Legislature voted to ban executions in 1979, but the move fell prey to gubernatorial veto. A temporary moratorium in 1999 met a similar fate, and a proposed ban in 2007 failed by a single vote in the Legislature. Nearly a quarter century has passed since the state’s last execution. Nebraska’s Legislature is nonpartisan, but it is dominated by conservatives. Its support for ending the death SHQDOW\UHÀHFWVDJURZLQJVKLIWZLWKLQ the nation’s political right. While Republicans once defended capital punishment as a necessary deterrent, a growing number have begun supporting repeal for religious reasons, while others point to wrongful convictions and botched executions. Others cite it as a prime example of a wasteful government program. Executions have dropped to a two-decade low in the United States. 7KLUW\¿YHSHRSOHZHUHH[HFXWHGLQ 2014, compared with a peak of 98 just 15 years ago. In 43 states, no executions were carried out last year. So far, 18 states have abolished the death penalty. In Oregon, voters abolished the death penalty in 1914, reinstated it in 1920, repealed it in 1964 and reinstated it again in 1978. After the Oregon Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in 1981, voters approved a constitutionally proper version in 1984. Oregon carried out its last two executions in 1996 and 1997, during *RY-RKQ.LW]KDEHU¶V¿UVWWHUP²WKH VWDWH¶V¿UVWH[HFXWLRQVVLQFH6LQFH then there have been none, and three years ago Kitzhaber, saying he believed the death penalty has been unjustly administered and is morally wrong, declared a moratorium on executions as long as he remained governor. Gov. Kate Brown, who succeeded Kitzhaber following his resignation, says she intends keep the moratorium in place. It’s time for Oregon to have a long-overdue debate about the death penalty, a discussion that ideally leads WRDVWDWHZLGHYRWHWKDWFODUL¿HVZKHUH citizens stand on the issue. Bernie Sanders is Hillary’s leftward advance man I s Bernie Sanders pulling Hillary How to pay for a new, nearly Clinton to the Left? No, for the Obamacare-sized federal program? By same reason a canoe doesn’t pull an imposing a “speculation fee” on Wall aircraft carrier. Street. “Right now, you have people The Vermont socialist running who are becoming phenomenally in the Democratic presidential race wealthy by speculating in derivatives is currently at 7.4 percent in the and every other type of esoteric RealClearPolitics average of national instrument that they can,” Sanders said polls, versus Clinton’s 64.2 percent. recently on CNN. “People are getting Byron Clinton is in fact moving leftward on very rich on Wall Street. We’re going York issues like immigration, gay marriage, to impose what exists in dozens of Comment inequality and more, but it’s not because countries around the world, a modest tax she’s feeling the heat from a little- on the transference of large amounts of known competitor. stock.” Still, Sanders is staking out a role as the Would Clinton go the full Sanders and forward scout of the Democratic Left, going advocate free tuition for all? Probably not, but it public with wish list plans to make the federal would not be a surprise if, now that Sanders has government even more massive, even more gotten the more radical idea out there, Clinton expensive, and even more intrusive. In the moves a bit further left than some expected. absence of Elizabeth Warren, who many There’s no penalty. To cite one completely of the most progressive Democrats would XQVFLHQWL¿FH[DPSOHDQHZIRFXVJURXSRI have preferred, Sanders is broadening the 10 Iowa Democrats, put together by Purple conversation in what is sometimes called the Strategies and Bloomberg Politics, found Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. Democratic voters not at all concerned about Just look at something Clinton’s move to the left — known among progressives in fact, wanting more. as “debt-free college.” The “She’s getting my idea is that all young people support,” said a Democrat deserve a government named Bill. “She’s moved to guarantee that they can the left on a couple of issues graduate from college without I really care about.” debt, a result accomplished “I think she’s looked at either by outright grants or as kind of a centrist,” added cheap loans. a group member named Clinton is moving toward Charlie. “But I think she’s the idea. Earlier this month, going to have to move to the her campaign manager, left a little bit. I mean, it’s Robby Mook, thrilled either going to be that, or progressives when he said it’s going to be Scott Walker in a TV interview that “what ... destroying America’s voters are looking for in this unions.” election is someone who’s News reports stressed going to be a champion one of the focus group’s for everyday people — for awkward moments — when young people, that’s debt-free Democrats said they admired college.” Clinton’s experience but were unable to name Then, during a campaign stop in Iowa this even a single accomplishment as secretary of week, Clinton herself said, “We have to deal state. But perhaps the bigger news from the with the indebtedness — to try to move toward session is that Clinton has virtually unlimited making college as debt-free as possible.” room to run on the left. Government-guaranteed debt-free college Right now, the only constraint on Clinton is a step beyond President Obama’s free is what will pass with voters in the general community college program. But this week, election. And she appears to believe the Obama Sanders trumped them all with two new bills years have moved things considerably leftward — the “College for All Act” and its companion, of where they were in 2008. This week, the “The Inclusive Prosperity Act of 2015” — that Washington Post reported that Clinton’s would eliminate undergraduate tuition at all approach “is a bet that social and demographic public colleges and universities. shifts mean that no left-leaning position Clinton Under Sanders’ plan, college would be free takes now would be likely to hurt her in making for all, everywhere, paid for by the government her case to moderate and independent voters in in a program Sanders estimates would cost the general election next year.” taxpayers more than $70 billion a year, or Given that, Bernie Sanders’ role is not so somewhere around $750 billion over the next much to pull Clinton to the left as to show her decade. how far she can go. Sanders would also dramatically cheapen Ŷ college loans for other college expenses and for Byron York is chief political correspondent those who do not attend tuition-free institutions. for The Washington Examiner. Sanders is going public with wish list plans to make the federal government even more massive, even more expensive and even more instrusive. YOUR VIEWS Odor ordinance will spark boom in air freshener industry I congratulate Peter Walters for igniting an unprecedented response to his satirical letter regarding the absurdity of an odor law in Pendleton. It received national recognition because no one has ever had the courage to write an essay revolving around the PDORGRURXVFKDUDFWHULVWLFRIÀDWXOHQFH Despite the emphasis on humor, Peter’s intent was to draw attention to the city council’s focus on the odor of marijuana rather than make decisions that are more relevant to our town’s progress. Kudos to Jane Hill for having the courage to vote against this madness. When I read that the amendment also addresses the issue of keeping marijuana grow sites hidden from public view, I had a “Eureka!” moment. As a result of Proposition 91, residents in Oregon will be able to grow their own plants so I foresee a boom in fencing businesses. However, I think there is a window of opportunity to sell an accessory for marijuana growers. I will purchase cases of “Car Freshener 50101 Little Tree Air Freshener-Royal Pine.” You see them hanging on rear view mirrors placed there by drivers thinking that this will keep a cop from discovering if you’ve been smoking grass in your vehicle. When I drive around Pendleton, I’ve noticed that some people never take down their Christmas lights that hang from the roofs of their homes. This gave me the idea of marketing my new product, “Odor No More.” I hate to divulge my secret but I welcome competitors. Let the market determine my VXFFHVV,ZLOOSXUFKDVH¿VKLQJOLQHDQGDWWDFK air fresheners to hook clip connector swivels every six inches. A grower will only have to tell me the length of the fence and I will deliver and install their order for “Odor No More.” Perhaps this brainstorm will motivate the city council to make a decision regarding medical marijuana as well as explaining how the cost of living in Pendleton will increase dramatically by raising utility costs, permit fees, taxes on property frontage and other equally loathsome solutions to address the issue of street maintenance. However, I have one recommendation that serves two purposes. The city can give away ÀRZHUVHHGVWKDWFDQEHSODQWHGLQSRWKROHVDV SDUWRIRXUFLW\¶VEHDXWL¿FDWLRQSURJUDP7KH plants will also alert drivers to drive around the pot holes and avoid a visit to Les Schwab for a front end alignment. LETTERS POLICY Jerry Cronin Pendleton 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. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.
