Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 30, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Thursday, July 30, 2015 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Ride the wave RIFRXFKVXU¿QJ I have long been a host on URWJXWLQWKHMRKQ+XQGUHGV FRXFKVXU¿QJFRPDQRQOLQH RIPHQSOD\HGFDUGVLQDQ FRPPXQLW\ZKHUH\RXVKDUH DWPRVSKHUHRIVPRNHDQG VRPHHPSW\VSDFHLQ\RXU VSLWRRQV,WZDVWKHHQGRIP\ UHVLGHQFH²DJXHVWEHGURRP TXHVWIRUDQLGHDOEDU´ or an extra couch or a little :HKDGDQLGHDOWLPHWKHUH ÀRRUVSDFH²IRUYLVLWRUV PRUHWKDQ\HDUVDIWHU SDVVLQJWKURXJK\RXUFLW\ .HURXDFKDGVZXQJWKURXJK Tim It’s the direct ancestor Trainor WKRVHVDORRQGRRUV RIFRPSDQLHVOLNH$LUEQE ,VWD\HGLQWRXFKZLWKWKH Comment /\IWDQGHYHQ8EHUZKLFK 6ZHGHVDQGHDUOLHUWKLV\HDU DUHXSVHWWLQJWKHHFRQRPLF WKH\HPDLOHGWRVD\WKH\ DSSOHFDUWDQGFDXVLQJJRYHUQPHQW ZRXOGEHRQFHDJDLQURDGWULSSLQJ WRUHWKLQNZKDWDFWXDOO\FRQVWLWXWHV DFURVVWKH86$1RZLVDJRRGWLPH ³EXVLQHVV´7KHGLIIHUHQFHZLWK WRUHPLQG\RXUVHOIKRZJUHDWLWLV FRXFKVXU¿QJLVWKDWQRPRQH\ WREH6ZHGLVK)LUVWWKHUHDUHWKRVH LVH[FKDQJHG,WUHOLHVVROHO\RQ JUHDWJHQHV6HFRQGO\WKHUHLVWKH DQHFRQRP\RINLQGQHVVDQG IDFWWKDW\RXJHWPRQWKVDQGPRQWKV VRPHWLPHVWKH RIYDFDWLRQHDFK DGGHGSHUNRID \HDUQRPDWWHUZKDW You quickly VPDOOVZHHWVXSSOLHG MRE\RXKROG E\\RXUJXHVW<RX 6RWKH\ÀHZLQWR learn that every %RVWRQDQGKHDGHG TXLFNO\OHDUQWKDW place that HYHU\SODFHWKDW ZHVWYLVLWLQJQRWDV PDWWHUVKDVWKHLU strangers requesting matters has RZQJUHDWGHVVHUW VSDFHYLDDZHEVLWH their own great EXWDVROGSDOV7KH\ <HDUVDJRD FRXSOHIURP6ZHGHQ PDGH3HQGOHWRQ dessert. MRLQHGPHIRUD DQGJRWDTXLFNWRXU ZHHNHQGLQ%XWWH EHIRUHZHKHDGHG 0RQWDQDZKHUH, RIIZLWKIULHQGVWR WKHQOLYHG:HKLWDOOWKHEHVWWRXULVW WKH(ONKRUQ0RXQWDLQV:HKLNHG VSRWVLQDQRQWRXULVWWRZQ&RUQLVK DQGFOLPEHGDQGPDGHWLPHIRU SDVWLHVDQGSRUNFKRSVDQGZLFKHV GDQFLQJVKXIÀHERDUGDQGIULHG IRUOXQFKHVDQGGLQQHUVDWWKH3HNLQ IRRGDWDURDGVLGHEDULQ+DLQHVD 1RRGOH3DUORU²SRVVLEO\WKHROGHVW WUXHVOLFHRI$PHULFDQD7RRVRRQ &KLQHVHUHVWDXUDQWLQ$PHULFDDQG WKH\ZHUHRIIKHDGLQJWRZDUG WKHSODFHZKHUHNHQRZDVLQYHQWHG &UDWHU/DNHDQGWKHQGRZQWR6DQ :HKDGODWHQLJKWVKRWVRI6OLYRYLW] )UDQFLVFRRQWKHLUZD\WRHYHQWXDO DWWKH00ZKLFKXOWLPDWH GHSDUWXUHLQ/RV$QJHOHV GUXQNDUG-DFN.HURXDFFDOOHGWKH )URP/$;WKH\À\DQGGULYH ³LGHDOEDU´ EDFNWRWKHLUKRPHVLQ9l[M|²D +HZURWHDERXWLWLQ(VTXLUH FLW\,NQRZQRWKLQJDERXWRWKHUWKDQ PDJD]LQHLQ WKH\KDYHWDVW\FRRNLHV ³,WZDV6XQGD\QLJKW,KDG ,W¶VDOOWKDQNVWRWKHRIWGHULGHG KRSHGWKHVDORRQVZRXOGVWD\ ,QWHUQHW)RUDOORILWVDELOLW\WR RSHQORQJHQRXJKIRUPHWRVHH GHKXPDQL]HFRPPXQLFDWLRQ WKHP7KH\QHYHUHYHQFORVHG HQWUHSUHQHXUVKDYHFUHDWHG ,QDJUHDWROGWLPHVDORRQ,KDGD FRPPXQLWLHVZKHUHSHRSOHIURP JLDQWEHHU2QWKHZDOOZDVDELJ across the globe can be introduced to HOHFWULFVLJQERDUGÀDVKLQJJDPEOLQJ RQHDQRWKHUDQGVSXUUHGWRZDUGUHDO QXPEHUV:KDWFKDUDFWHUVLQ FRQQHFWLRQ7KDWKDVLWVSHUNV WKHUHROGSURVSHFWRUVJDPEOHUV Ŷ Tim Trainor is the opinion page ZKRUHVPLQHUV,QGLDQVFRZER\V editor of the East Oregonian. His travel WREDFFRFKHZLQJEXVLQHVVPHQ habits are a smörgåsbord. *URXSVRIVXOOHQ,QGLDQVGUDQN 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 2QO\WKHEHJLQQLQJRIGHEDWH on GMO labeling in Oregon The (Eugene) Register-Guard $IWHU WKH QDUURZ GHIHDW RI 2UHJRQ %DOORW0HDVXUHODVW\HDULWVHHPHGD IRUHJRQH FRQFOXVLRQ WKDW WKH LQLWLDWLYH¶V VXSSRUWHUV ZRXOG UHWXUQ ZLWK DQRWKHU SURSRVDOWRUHTXLUHWKHODEHOLQJRIIRRGV FRQWDLQLQJ JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGL¿HG RUJDQ LVPVRU*02V 'HVSLWHDUHFRUGPLOOLRQVSHQWE\ DJULEXVLQHVV JLDQWV WKH PHDVXUH ORVW E\ YRWHV ² SHUFHQW \HV SHUFHQW QR ,W ZDV WKH FORVHVW YRWH RQ D VWDWHZLGH EDOORW PHDVXUH LQ PRUH WKDQ KDOIDFHQWXU\ 0HDVXUH ¶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¿HOGVDQG QRQ*02¿HOGVDVZHOODVVFKRROVDQG KRVSLWDOV 2UHJRQ¶V-DFNVRQ&RXQW\DSSURYHGD PHDVXUHEDQQLQJ*02FURSVLQD PRYHWKDWSURPSWHGWKHVWDWH/HJLVODWXUH WR EDU RWKHU FRXQWLHV IURP DGRSWLQJ VLPLODU EDQV 6XSSRUWHUV RI +5 GHQ\ WKH ELOO ZRXOG DSSO\ WR DQ\WKLQJ RWKHUWKDQODEHOLQJ The debate over GMOs is hardly a QHZ RQH *02V KDYH KDG D JURZLQJ SUHVHQFHLQWKHQDWLRQ¶VIRRGVXSSO\IRU WZR GHFDGHV $ERXW SHUFHQW RI WKH FRUQ VR\EHDQV DQG FRWWRQ JURZQ LQ WKH 86LVJHQHWLFDOO\HQJLQHHUHGWRUHTXLUH OHVVZDWHURUWREHOHVVYXOQHUDEOHWRSHVWV 7KH $PHULFDQ $VVRFLDWLRQ IRU WKH $GYDQFHPHQW RI 6FLHQFH WKH$PHULFDQ 0HGLFDO $VVRFLDWLRQ WKH :RUOG +HDOWK 2UJDQL]DWLRQ DQG WKH 86 JRYHUQPHQW have all declared that the GMOs currently RQWKHPDUNHWDUHVDIHIRUFRQVXPSWLRQ %XW VXFK DVVXUDQFHV KDYHQ¶W VWRSSHG PDQ\FRQVXPHUVIURPZDQWLQJWRNQRZ ZKDWWKH\¶UHHDWLQJDQGWKH\KDYHHYHU\ ULJKWWRGHPDQGJUHDWHUWUDQVSDUHQF\E\ WKH IRRG LQGXVWU\ DERXW ZKDW¶V LQ WKHLU IRRGZKHWKHULW¶VKRUPRQHVRUDQWLELRWLFV RUWUDQVIDWV²RU*02V &ULWLFVTXHVWLRQWKHYDOLGLW\RIVDIHW\ VWXGLHV FRQGXFWHG RQ *02V 7KH\ DUH DOVR FDXWLRXV DERXW ZKDW GLUHFWLRQV JHQHWLFHQJLQHHUVZLOOWDNHLQWKHIXWXUH DVQHZDQGPRUHH[RWLFJHQHVDUHLQVHUWHG LQWR IRRGV WR LQFUHDVH JURZWK UDWHV enhance disease and drought resistance, ERRVWQXWULWLRQDOFRQWHQWDGGÀDYRUDQG SURYLGHRWKHUFKDUDFWHULVWLFV 6L[W\IRXU FRXQWULHV DOUHDG\ UHTXLUH *02 LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ IRRG ODEHOV DQG &RQJUHVV VKRXOG QRW EDU VWDWHV DQG FRPPXQLWLHVIURPGRLQJWKHVDPH 7KH 6HQDWH VKRXOG UHMHFW +5 $QG LI WKH\ SDVV WKLV ELOO 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPDVKRXOGYHWRLWDQGPDNHJRRGRQ KLVSOHGJHRQWKHFDPSDLJQWUDLOLQ ZKHQKHSURPLVHG³:H¶OOOHWIRONVNQRZ ZKHWKHU WKHLU IRRG KDV EHHQ JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGL¿HG´ OTHER VIEWS =RPELHVDJDLQVW0HGLFDUH M HGLFDUHWXUQVWKLVZHHN DUJXHLQVWHDGLVWKDWWKHSURJUDPDV and it has been a very good ZHNQRZLWLVXQDIIRUGDEOH²WKDW KDOIFHQWXU\%HIRUHWKH ZHPXVWGHVWUR\WKHV\VWHPLQRUGHU SURJUDPZHQWLQWRHIIHFW5RQDOG WRVDYHLWWKDWDV%XVKSXWLWZH 5HDJDQZDUQHGWKDWLWZRXOGGHVWUR\ PXVW³PRYHWRDQHZV\VWHPWKDW $PHULFDQIUHHGRPLWGLGQ¶WDVIDU DOORZVVHQLRUVWRKDYHVRPHWKLQJ DVDQ\RQHFDQWHOO:KDWLWGLGGR — because they’re not going to have ZDVSURYLGHDKXJHLPSURYHPHQWLQ DQ\WKLQJ´$QGWKHQHZV\VWHPWKH\ ¿QDQFLDOVHFXULW\IRUVHQLRUVDQGWKHLU usually advocate is, as I said, vouchers Paul IDPLOLHVDQGLQPDQ\FDVHVLWKDV Krugman WKDWFDQEHDSSOLHGWRWKHSXUFKDVHRI OLWHUDOO\EHHQDOLIHVDYHUDVZHOO SULYDWHLQVXUDQFH Comment %XWWKHULJKWKDVQHYHUDEDQGRQHG 7KHXQGHUO\LQJSUHPLVHKHUHLVWKDW LWVGUHDPRINLOOLQJWKHSURJUDP6R 0HGLFDUHDVZHNQRZLWLVLQFDSDEOH LW¶VUHDOO\QRVXUSULVHWKDW-HE%XVKUHFHQWO\ RIFRQWUROOLQJFRVWVWKDWRQO\WKHRQO\ZD\WR GHFODUHGWKDWZKLOHKHZDQWVWROHWWKRVH NHHSKHDOWKFDUHDIIRUGDEOHJRLQJIRUZDUGLVWR DOUHDG\RQ0HGLFDUHNHHSWKHLUEHQH¿WV³:H UHO\RQWKHPDJLFRISULYDWL]DWLRQ QHHGWR¿JXUHRXWDZD\WRSKDVHRXWWKLV 1RZWKLVZDVDOZD\VDGXELRXVFODLP SURJUDPIRURWKHUV´ ,W¶VWUXHWKDWIRUPRVWRI0HGLFDUH¶VKLVWRU\ :KDWLVVRPHZKDWVXUSULVLQJKRZHYHULV LWVVSHQGLQJKDVJURZQIDVWHUWKDQWKH WKHDUJXPHQWKHFKRVHWRXVHZKLFKPLJKW HFRQRP\DVDZKROH²EXWWKLVLVWUXHRI KDYHVRXQGHGSODXVLEOH¿YH\HDUVDJREXW KHDOWKVSHQGLQJLQJHQHUDO,QIDFW0HGLFDUH QRZORRNVFRPSOHWHO\RXW FRVWVSHUEHQH¿FLDU\ RIWRXFK,QWKLVDVLQRWKHU KDYHFRQVLVWHQWO\JURZQ VSKHUHV%XVKRIWHQVHHPV PRUHVORZO\WKDQSULYDWH OLNHD5LS9DQ:LQNOHZKR LQVXUDQFHSUHPLXPV VOHSWWKURXJKHYHU\WKLQJ suggesting that Medicare WKDWKDVKDSSHQHGVLQFH LVLIDQ\WKLQJEHWWHUWKDQ KHOHIWWKHJRYHUQRU¶V SULYDWHLQVXUHUVDWFRVW RI¿FH²DIWHUDOOKH¶VVWLOO FRQWURO)XUWKHUPRUH ERDVWLQJDERXW)ORULGD¶V RWKHUZHDOWK\FRXQWULHV KRXVLQJEXEEOHERRP ZLWKJRYHUQPHQWSURYLGHG $FWXDOO\EHIRUH,JHWWR KHDOWKLQVXUDQFHVSHQG %XVK¶VDUJXPHQW,JXHVV, PXFKOHVVWKDQZHGRDJDLQ QHHGWRDFNQRZOHGJHWKDW VXJJHVWLQJWKDW0HGLFDUH D%XVKVSRNHVPDQFODLPV W\SHSURJUDPVFDQLQGHHG WKDWWKHFDQGLGDWHZDVQ¶W FRQWUROFRVWV DFWXDOO\FDOOLQJIRUDQHQG 6WLOOFRQVHUYDWLYHV WR0HGLFDUHKHZDVMXVWWDONLQJDERXWWKLQJV VFRIIHGDWWKHFRVWFRQWUROPHDVXUHVLQFOXGHG OLNHUDLVLQJWKHDJHRIHOLJLELOLW\7KHUHDUH LQWKH$IIRUGDEOH&DUH$FWLQVLVWLQJWKDW WZRWKLQJVWRVD\DERXWWKLVFODLP)LUVWLW¶V QRWKLQJVKRUWRISULYDWL]DWLRQZRXOGZRUN FOHDUO\IDOVHLQFRQWH[W%XVKZDVREYLRXVO\ $QGWKHQDIXQQ\WKLQJKDSSHQHGWKH WDONLQJDERXWFRQYHUWLQJ0HGLFDUHLQWRD DFW¶VSDVVDJHZDVLPPHGLDWHO\IROORZHGE\ YRXFKHUV\VWHPDORQJWKHOLQHVSURSRVHGE\ DQXQSUHFHGHQWHGSDXVHLQ0HGLFDUHFRVW 3DXO5\DQ JURZWK,QGHHG0HGLFDUHVSHQGLQJNHHSV $QGVHFRQGZKLOHUDLVLQJWKH0HGLFDUH FRPLQJLQHYHUIXUWKHUEHORZH[SHFWDWLRQV DJHKDVORQJEHHQDIDYRULWHLGHDRI WRDQH[WHQWWKDWKDVUHYROXWLRQL]HGRXUYLHZV :DVKLQJWRQ¶V9HU\6HULRXV3HRSOHDFRXSOHRI DERXWWKHVXVWDLQDELOLW\RIWKHSURJUDPDQGRI \HDUVDJRWKH&RQJUHVVLRQDO%XGJHW2I¿FHGLG JRYHUQPHQWVSHQGLQJDVDZKROH DFDUHIXOVWXG\DQGGLVFRYHUHGWKDWLWZRXOG 5LJKWQRZLVLQRWKHUZRUGVDYHU\RGG KDUGO\VDYHDQ\PRQH\7KDWLVDWWKLVSRLQW WLPHWREHJRLQJRQDERXWWKHLPSRVVLELOLW\ UDLVLQJWKH0HGLFDUHDJHLVD]RPELHLGHD RISUHVHUYLQJ0HGLFDUHDSURJUDPZKRVH ZKLFKVKRXOGKDYHEHHQNLOOHGE\DQDO\VLV ¿QDQFHVZLOOEHVWUDLQHGE\DQDJLQJ DQGHYLGHQFHEXWLVVWLOORXWWKHUHHDWLQJVRPH SRSXODWLRQEXWQRORQJHUORRNGLVDVWURXV2QH SHRSOH¶VEUDLQV FDQRQO\JXHVVWKDW%XVKLVXQDZDUHRIDOO %XWWKHQ%XVK¶VUHDODUJXPHQWDVRSSRVHG this, that he’s living inside the conservative WRKLVFDPSDLJQ¶VODPHDWWHPSWDWDUHZULWHLV LQIRUPDWLRQEXEEOHZKRVHLPSHUYLRXVVKLHOG MXVWDELJJHU]RPELH EORFNVDOOSRVLWLYHQHZVDERXWKHDOWKUHIRUP 7KHUHDOUHDVRQFRQVHUYDWLYHVZDQWWRGR 0HDQZKLOHZKDWWKHUHVWRIXVQHHGWR DZD\ZLWK0HGLFDUHKDVDOZD\VEHHQSROLWLFDO NQRZLVWKDW0HGLFDUHDWVWLOOORRNVYHU\ ,W¶VWKHYHU\LGHDRIWKHJRYHUQPHQWSURYLGLQJ JRRG,WQHHGVWRNHHSZRUNLQJRQFRVWVLWZLOO DXQLYHUVDOVDIHW\QHWWKDWWKH\KDWHDQGWKH\ QHHGVRPHDGGLWLRQDOUHVRXUFHVEXWLWORRNV KDWHLWHYHQPRUHZKHQVXFKSURJUDPVDUH HPLQHQWO\VXVWDLQDEOH7KHRQO\UHDOWKUHDWLW VXFFHVVIXO%XWZKHQWKH\PDNHWKHLUFDVHWR IDFHVLVWKDWRIDWWDFNE\ULJKWZLQJ]RPELHV WKHSXEOLFWKH\XVXDOO\VK\DZD\IURPPDNLQJ Ŷ their real case, and have even, incredibly, Paul Krugman joined The New York Times VRPHWLPHVSRVHGDVWKHSURJUDP¶VGHIHQGHUV in 1999 as a columnist on the Op-Ed Page DJDLQVWOLEHUDOVDQGWKHLUGHDWKSDQHOV and continues as professor of Economics and :KDW0HGLFDUH¶VZRXOGEHNLOOHUVXVXDOO\ International Affairs at Princeton University. Right now is a very odd time to be going on about the impossibility of preserving Medicare. 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
