Page 4A
OPINION
East Oregonian
Friday, August 14, 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 tip of the hat to getting some use out of Pendleton’s Christian
Science church, the beautiful but long-vacant building at the intersection of
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This week, participants in the Pendleton Rock & Roll Camp — which
is celebrating its 10th year — had recording
classes and instrument workshops in the grand
old facility that now sits mostly empty.
It was great to see one of the neatest
buildings in Pendleton — both for its
architecture and its location — getting some
use. The community and the building’s owners
both have a lot to gain if that happens more
often, and we hope it does.
So while Rock & Roll Camp is just a
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there are plans to use the space more often.
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those rock camp students will come back some Saturday night as a paying
concert-goer or musician, injecting some after-hours life to the old church.
A tip of the hat to the Pilot Rock City Council for making the shrewd
decision of not wading too deep into the tangled web that is social media.
A city employee was concerned about some false information about the
city’s police force that appeared on a private Facebook page, and asked
if staff should correct the post. After a good
discussion, the council took no action. Which is
the right move.
If you’ve been on Facebook, Twitter or any
other user-generated website, you know there’s
a lot of slanted information, and quite a few
outright lies. It’s tempting to play the role of
moderator, but it’s a game a city cannot win.
Correcting misinformation on someone
else’s Facebook page is akin to intentionally
eavesdropping on a party conversation, then
butting in when you hear something false. At best it draws dirty looks, at
worst a war of words.
Instead, towns should use their own portals to the web — city websites,
Facebook pages, etc. — to post clear information and answer questions.
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
Debate a ‘good circus,’
but real issues at stake
Think about listening to Donald
Trump for eight years!
Trump is still leading in the GOP
polls, and if the party doesn’t consider
him seriously he may open a third
party and split the Republican vote. We
may not agree with his rhetoric but he
deserves the respect of his colleagues in
this weird pursuit of one of our nation’s
most demanding positions.
It is apparent some voters agree
with Trump’s ideology and believe
he expresses opinions on issues other
presidential candidates shy away from
for fear of losing votes. Trump has raised
issues that need stronger support but
some (on women) do get a little bizarre.
If he continues to get top headlines
in the news and polls we need to pay
attention to his “free speech” even if we
disagree with him.
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is unfortunate. I thought she was fair
but I did have an underlying sense of
hostility from FOX hosts. I never watch
FOX so I should not judge them. I
thought the debate was a good circus. I
admire Carly Fiorina for her professional
performance.
I am puzzled by the comment Jeb
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debate when they both said they “had
fun last night.” The whole debate should
have been more professional. Persons
seeking the presidency of the United
States should not view the position as
entertainment, although I have to admit,
it recently has been a “comedy of errors.”
So listen up, voters, to what these
hopefuls really are saying.
Dorys C. Grover
Pendleton
Union sabotaging
Oregon’s export industry
Remember when President Reagan
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threatened a strike that would have
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severely impact the economy? It’s
too bad we don’t have that kind of
leadership today.
In the midst of predominant
presidential campaign news there is
little printed or televised coverage about
the reason for the devastating loss of
ocean-going container transportation at
the Port of Portland. However, for over
nine months labor negotiations between
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the International Longshoremen and
Warehouse Union at the Port of Portland
resulted in a deliberate work slowdown
during contract bargaining. Overseas
shipping companies weren’t able to load
or unload containers in a timely manner.
Incoming loaded vessels would sit idle
for days waiting to be unloaded at the
port as well as the increased wait for
ships to be loaded.
Consequently, the Port of Portland
lost Hanjin Shipping Company that
handled around 80 percent of Terminal
6’s business and the only line taking
Oregon and other Northwest goods
straight to their biggest overseas
customers, primarily in Asia. The other
major European shipper, Hapag-Loyd,
also canceled Portland stops. During
2014, an estimated $21 billion of goods
was exported from Oregon alone.
Now Oregon shippers will pay an
estimated $500-$1,000 per container to
send products to Seattle or Tacoma ports
that are said to be already congested.
Just think of the thousands of dollars lost
to the state’s economy, the unsustainable
cost to producers and the resulting loss
of market share due to higher priced
consumer goods and slower delivery.
This shipping problem is also shared by
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means to transport goods down river on
the way to overseas markets.
The West Coast ILWU workers
average about $35 per hour. Add the
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becomes around $44 per hour. The
workers doubtless have reasons for
contract deliberations including their
claim of mismanagement by the port
manager. Considering the blow to
the economy of the entire Northwest,
especially the huge agriculture sector,
I wonder if those union workers
consider it worth it — and are they in
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that they have a substantially decreased
work load? It’s one thing for unions to
honestly negotiate wages and conditions
that have merit, but to deliberately
sabotage an industry, that seems
traitorous.
In midst of Trump mess,
GOP shines at RedState
I
t’s likely the Donald Trump
“People ask me, every time I go to
melodrama is the only news
a campaign event, what do you think
you’ve heard from the RedState
the most important topic we face?”
Gathering of conservatives in Atlanta.
Huckabee said. “I think they want me
But something unusual happened
to limit it to one. I say that’s like asking
here, and it had nothing to do with
me which wing of the airplane is most
Trump.
important — the one on the left, or the
A parade of Republican
one on the right?” Huckabee explained
presidential candidates marched
that, for him, one wing is “the economy,
Byron
through — Chris Christie, Rick
jobs, getting America moving again,”
York
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while the other is “national security,
Comment
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making sure this country is
Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Jeb
safe.”
Bush, Scott Walker — and
Who else? Bobby Jindal
not one of them bombed.
was a hit — funny, focused,
Not one underwhelmed,
with an at-times touching
disappointed, or mailed
emphasis on his family’s
it in. Instead, the GOP
immigrant story. The
hopefuls were sharp,
Louisiana governor’s parents
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came to the United States
as the embarrassments
from India knowing virtually
of the latest Trump
nothing about their new
controversy threatened to
country and worked hard to
overshadow it all.
become Americans from day
Why were they so
one.
good? Here’s a theory:
“We need to insist on
The candidates prepared
assimilation,” Jindal told
like crazy for the recent
the crowd. “Immigration
Cleveland debate, honing
without assimilation is
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invasion. We must not let
the most effective way to
that happen in America.”
express their positions.
Carly Fiorina followed up
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on her breakthrough debate
never used — there was no
performance with the kind of
time, given the constraints
speech that has been winning
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supporters one-by-one for
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the last several months. Chris
of making a mistake in front of the huge
Christie was entertaining and substantive,
Fox News audience. But in Atlanta, with all
pleasing the crowd by openly discussing the
that preparation, and with more time — and
rift between the Chamber of Commerce, once
without the crushing pressure and nerves of
a strong ally, and conservatives on issues like
the debate — they let go with their newly-
immigration and crony capitalism. Rick Perry
polished best stuff.
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Ted Cruz staffers privately complain that
Rubio. They all impressed.
when he gives a knockout speech, it’s often
The news was, in other words, relentlessly
dismissed because Ted Cruz is expected to
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give a knockout speech. That’s just what he
rounding into campaign shape. A group of
did in Atlanta. The Texas senator focused
candidates younger, more energetic, more
on a theme of conservative authenticity
passionate, and more focused on the future
— attacking the Republican congressional
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leadership in Washington — that deeply
The bottom line is that the RedState
resonated with the RedStaters. They rewarded gathering illustrated the degree to which
him with multiple standing ovations.
Trump’s antics, and the wall-to-wall media
It might seem odd to say that a crowd that
coverage they inevitably attract, are like
could appreciate Cruz so much would also,
an eclipse casting a shadow over all the
just an hour and a half later, give a warm
good things happening in the Republican
reception to Bush. But that’s what happened
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when the former Florida governor delivered
Republicans should try to force Trump out of
a solid, policy-packed speech that at the same
the race; given the increasingly out-of-control
time gave off an air of energy, passion, and
feel of Trump’s campaign, the problem will
liveliness. Before Bush spoke, some in the
likely work itself out in coming weeks. But
audience had thought about booing him. When it is to say there is a lot good happening in
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the Republican presidential campaign, and
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someday Republicans will be able to see it,
a good-humored speech that sent the clear
clearly and without the distraction that is
message that, while he still feels strongly
Donald Trump.
about the social issues that characterized his
Ŷ
2008 campaign, this time the economy and
Byron York is chief political correspondent
national security are tops.
for The Washington Examiner.
The news was
good: a field
of remarkably
talented
candidates
... a group
younger, more
energetic, more
passionate, and
more focused
on the future
than the geriatric
Democratic field.
Merlyn Robinson
Heppner
Wolf pack requests new tunes
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ODFW for their decision not to try to
kill us. Our pack had a recent bout with
tapeworms that killed little Woolsley, so
we are not up to full pack strength right
now.
The noise box in our area is playing
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it be possible to change that to Justin
Bieber? The pups seem to like him for
some ungodly reason. Please keep up the
good work.
A Wolf, packmaster
(as told to Mike Mehren, recently
appointed wolf docent, Hermiston)
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.