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
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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
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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
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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
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especially those who gave the ultimate
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When the sun comes out and
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.