Page 4A
OPINION
East Oregonian
Friday, August 21, 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
7LSRIWKHKDWWRWKHZLOGODQG¿UH¿JKWHUVwho are taking enormous
risks to battle the blazes burning across the West, and especially those
working here in Eastern Oregon.
The Canyon Creek Complex, which we have a dispatch from in today’s
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Dozens of homes have been destroyed and
hundreds more remain in danger. Defending
them — and the human life that surrounds
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and others were injured earlier this week at
the site of an inferno burning near Twisp,
Washington.
Thus far, there have been no fatalities or
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and we hope that remains the case for the rest
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who are on the lines are overworked and undermanned, and the job they
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We appreciate their bravery, and the long hours of hard work it takes to
keep us safe and our livelihoods sound. And we know that work takes place
far from hot showers, feather mattresses, WiFi signals and the other comforts
of home.
A thank you and a hat tip is the least we can offer them.
A kick in the pants to the goons who caused the closure of one of the
best attractions in Astoria, one of our favorite coast towns.
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public. Our sister paper The Daily Astorian¿UVWUHSRUWHGWKHVWRU\ZKLFK
quickly went viral and engendered all
sorts of consternation from readers.
The home has always been in private
hands. When the 1985 movie became
a cult classic, the home became an
accidental attraction smack dab in the
middle of a residential neighborhood.
The decision by the Goonies house’s
owner to begin actively discouraging
visitors is unfortunately understandable.
Sandi Preston wanted a comfortable
home but an increasing number of obnoxious — and sometimes violent —
visitors made living in the home a headache.
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have been a sort of slight brush with an Oregon celebrity, a fun thing to
mention in conversations with family and friends. In no way could she
have imagined what it would be like to try living in a house that is itself a
celebrity. It must be a like having the high school sweetheart you married
become a movie star — with all paparazzi, but none of the money.
We’re sad that the estimated 1,500 tourists visiting the house each day
made living in the house unbearable. But if there’s one thing we know:
Goonies never die. We suspect the legend of Chester Copperpot will live on,
house open to the public or not.
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
PERS remains a headache
The (Eugene) Register-Guard
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Public Employee Retirement System
are simple: If more money goes out,
more must come in — and if less money
comes from one source, more must
come from another.
Similar principles govern the politics
of the pension system: If nothing is
done to control the cost of PERS, public
frustration will be directed at other
targets.
State and local governments will see
both types of cause-and-effect sequence
soon. The courts and the pension
system’s actuaries have delivered a
double whammy that will increase
the cost of PERS by $1.7 billion per
biennium starting in 2017. To soften the
blow, the initial cost will be reduced,
resulting in even larger increases later
on. As pension costs soak up revenues,
public resentment will rise: Voters
won’t be easily persuaded to pay more
for public services if they have reason
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every tax dollar.
So far, Gov. Kate Brown and the
Legislature have responded to this threat
with a shrug of resignation. The attitude
seems to be that nothing can be done:
The 2013 Legislature passed a package
of PERS changes, but in May the
Oregon Supreme Court tossed most out,
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after the effective date of the legislation
can be altered. That decision will add
$790 million to the cost of PERS in the
2017 biennium, and an additional $250
million in subsequent biennia.
The biggest change at issue in the
court case illustrates the toxic potential
of PERS as a political issue. The 2013
Legislature reduced annual cost-of-living
increases from 2 percent to 1.25 percent
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of less than $60,000 a year, and to 0.15
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To most Oregonians, a $60,000 pension
with COLA sounds like something
from a dream world. Even the average
PERS pension of $29,602 looks rich to
someone with no pension at all.
More than 70 percent of those
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investments. The rest must come from
employers, meaning state and local
governments and the taxpayers who
support them.
A small change, compounded over
time and applied to Oregon’s $70 billion
in pension funds investments, has large
effects. A slightly lower rate of return
means employers will need to increase
their contributions by $760 million
per biennium starting in 2017. That’s
money that will not hire public-health
nurses, reduce class sizes or pave roads.
And it will be paid by Oregonians
whose own investments, if they have
any, will be subject to the same market
conditions that led the PERS actuaries to
recommend more modest expectations
of future returns.
Public resentment over these rising
costs is sure to build, but would be
contained somewhat if Oregonians were
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everything within its power to lighten
the PERS burden. A basis for such
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money left on the table, deepening the
hole for state and local governments to
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that the Legislature has exhausted all
options for controlling PERS costs.
Paying close attention to PERS is
not just a matter of saving money, vital
though that is. It’s a matter of preserving
public support for government. With
big increases in PERS costs coming
soon, people will be given reason to
believe that pensions are more important
than the services that state and local
governments provide. Brown and the
Legislature must do what they can to
keep a corrosive and divisive cynicism
from taking hold — even if little can be
done, evidence of a sincere interest in
reducing pension costs would be helpful.
It would show those Oregonians who
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someone is on their side.
OTHER VIEWS
Jeb Bush and the dangers
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to make at the Reagan Library. Then,
foreign policy address, delivered
two days later, Bush doubled down
last week at the Reagan Library, on
during a national-security forum in
the classic Republican interpretation of
Davenport, Iowa, insisting that “taking
the war in Iraq.
out Saddam Hussein turned out to be
Yes, mistakes were made at the
a pretty good deal” and that post-surge
beginning, Bush conceded, but
Iraq was “fragile but secure.”
what really matters is that the surge
That Bush even chose to focus
succeeded in 2007-2008 and that
a much-ballyhooed foreign policy
Byron
President George W. Bush handed
address on Iraq is notable.
York
over a peaceful Iraq to Barack Obama
In fact, the two most memorable
Comment
and Hillary Clinton the next year. Then
foreign policy moments of the
Obama and Clinton screwed it all up.
Bush campaign were both about his
“No leader or policymaker involved will
brother’s war — the Reagan Library speech
claim to have gotten everything right in
and his painful inability to say whether he
the region, Iraq especially,” Bush began, in
would have invaded Iraq, knowing what he
one of the leading understatements of the
knows now.
campaign so far. But in spite of “failures of
“I think Iraq is a much bigger problem for
intelligence and military setbacks” in Iraq,
Bush than for other candidates, and Bush’s
Bush continued, “one moment stands out ...
team seems to recognize that,” says a strategist
as the turning point we had all been waiting
for a rival Republican campaign. “He could
for.” That was the “brilliant,
have given a speech about
heroic” surge, which “turned
China or Russia or some
events toward victory.”
other hot spot — but the
The Iraq War was won.
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Then came Obama and
the decisions made by his
Clinton, and events turned
brother in Iraq.”
toward disaster. Their
“I think it’s the wrong
“premature withdrawal” of
decision by Jeb to go and
U.S. troops from Iraq was
re-litigate the Iraq War,”
a “fatal error” that allowed
rival Chris Christie told
the Islamic State and Iran
radio host Laura Ingraham
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recently. “It makes no sense
Now, all hell has broken
for us as a party. We know
loose.
what the answer to that
The bumper-sticker
question is; we should just
version of Bush’s
move on to the other issues
interpretation is:
that are of real concern.
“IRAQ? BLAME THE
“Common sense will tell
DEMOCRATS.” A lot of Republicans believe \RXWKDWWKLVLVQRWD¿JKWZHZDQWWRKDYH
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again,” Christie said.
go along if Iraq becomes a major issue in the
Of course, that’s easier for Christie
2016 campaign.
and other Bush opponents than for Bush
Yes, the surge was a great success. But no
himself. Christie entered the national political
matter how much they want to celebrate it,
conversation in 2009, Marco Rubio and Scott
Republicans have learned: You don’t score a
Walker in 2010, Ted Cruz in 2012. Most of
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War decisions had been argued and re-argued.
The doctor who saves a patient through
They can treat Iraq and the Islamic State as an
heroic means after nearly causing his death
issue to address going forward — not looking
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backward.
receive praise and acclaim for saving the
None of this is particularly fair to Jeb
patient’s life. That’s especially true if the
Bush, who did not invade Iraq. But because
patient will require years of care to recover
of his family, Bush seems somehow driven to
from the incident.
re-argue the war.
To press the analogy a bit, say another
“If Jeb Bush is the nominee, that allows
doctor comes in and decides that long-term
Hillary Clinton to turn this conversation
care is no longer necessary. He stops it, and
into the Bush foreign policy versus the
the patient again sinks into crisis. Who is to
Clinton foreign policy,” Ingraham said in
blame then? Most people would probably
that interview with Christie. “I don’t think
say both, but the second doctor’s error is in
that’s going to be a winning dialogue for the
failing to deal with the damage done by the
Republicans.”
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BLAME THE DEMOCRATS” won’t work.
Byron York is chief political correspondent
And yet that is the case Jeb Bush attempted for The Washington Examiner.
Republicans
have learned:
You don’t
score a lot of
points for fixing
something you
messed up in the
first place.
YOUR VIEWS
Marijuana debate is more
emotional than practical
Umatilla County Commissioner Bill
Elfering made some astute comments
regarding the county’s tentative marijuana ban
(East Oregonian, Aug. 11). The committee,
formed to study the use of medical marijuana
dispensaries and make recommendations to
the County Board of Commissioners, are
citizens who know how to draft a proposal and
who are willing to enforce regulations within
the limits of the law.
Members of the committee have taken
hours to study this issue. They realize they
are dealing with a very sensitive issue that
can and will affect citizens of the county, city,
and those (police) who must deal with their
decision.
In some ways, the issue regarding the
establishment of retail marijuana stores and
medical marijuana dispensaries is more
emotional than practical. The committee
members have received information from
Washington and Colorado regarding their
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selling the product. Apparently the money is
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to ease the headaches.
The committee’s recommendation to the
county commissioners that the drug not be
sold in Umatilla County for recreational or
medical purposes is commendable. Can it be
enforced?
Commissioner George Murdock and his
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people of Umatilla County. Their decisions are
not always appreciated.
It’s more fun to go horseback riding.
Horses stay sober and they don’t like
marijuana or Pendleton Whisky, even if some
of us do!
LETTERS POLICY
Dorys C. Grover
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. 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.