Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Wednesday, February 3, 2016 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JENNINE PERKINSON TIM TRAINOR Advertising Director Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Time to speak for commercial ¿sKing Last week included one of the coming weeks. VLJQDWXUHHYHQWVRQWKH3DFL¿F The differences between all these Northwest’s annual calendar: the numbers may come as a surprise VHWWLQJRIVSULQJ¿VKLQJVHDVRQVRQ to those who don’t pay attention the Columbia River. WR&ROXPELD¿VKLQJLVVXHV)URP The forecast the rhetoric of for the important those who oppose spring chinook run FRPPHUFLDO¿VKLQJ If we want is about 300,000 to you might suppose the irst taste the river’s mouth, gillnetters were about 28 percent swallowing up a vast of Paciic fewer than last year proportion of the Northwest but more than the salmon run. In fact, 10-year average of this rather typical spring to remain in year, 285,000. Forecasts mainstream are one thing gillnetters will part of our and reality quite harvest perhaps culture and half of 1 percent of another, but there is the run. And that’s a good chance that economy, we if they’re lucky ¿VKHUPHQDQGWKH need to continue — accidentally businesses that rely catching too many on them will have a speaking up ¿VKIURPDUXQ fun few weeks from for commercial protected by the March 1 to April 9. Species The initial ishing families. Endangered Act sometimes allocation is 7,515 drastically curtails ¿VKIRUUHFUHDWLRQDO even this sort of ¿VKHUPHQEHORZ conservative season. Bonneville Dam, 1,222 for the It’s no wonder consumers have mainstream non-tribal commercial to pay so much for a precious meal ¿VKHU\DQGIRUVHOHFWDUHD FRPPHUFLDO¿VKHULHV*LOOQHWWHUVZLOO of our homegrown spring chinook JHWWZRGD\VRI¿VKLQJ²WHQWDWLYHO\ VDOPRQ,IZHZDQWWKLV¿UVWWDVWHRI 3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVWVSULQJWRUHPDLQ March 29 and April 5. part of our culture and economy, we This also is a good time to note need to continue speaking up for that in 2015 sea lions killed 8,500 spring chinook salmon in the tailrace FRPPHUFLDO¿VKLQJIDPLOLHVZKRSXW Columbia salmon on our tables. just below Bonneville, and many Sensible salmon management more in the relatively unobserved 140-plus miles between the dam and UHTXLUHVDOO¿VKHUPHQWRZRUN together — along with tribes, river the river’s mouth. managers, conservationists, leaded Smart beasts that they are, it is widely anticipated they will again be leaders and others — to continue rebuilding runs. showing up in the river in force in 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 Nothing short about this session The (Eugene) Register-Guard V oters amended the Oregon Constitution six years ago to require annual legislative sessions, and the new calendar has evolved quickly. The 35-day sessions in even-numbered years were expected to be codas to the 160-day odd-year sessions — lawmakers ZRXOG¿QHWXQHWKHEXGJHWGHDOZLWK a few unanticipated problems and go home. But the short session that convened Monday will deal with some meaty issues, and some thorny ones. Part of the increasingly substantive role is a product of the initiative process. By this time of year, it becomes possible to discern the most consequential ballot measures likely to be considered in the November general election. The February session offers lawmakers their last opportunity to act as shortstop, approving substitutes for initiative proposals or referring to the ballot alternative measures of their own. Democrats also feel a need to take advantage of their control of the gover- QRU¶VRI¿FHDQGWKHLUVWURQJPDMRULWLHVLQ both the House and Senate. Their position is likely to be no stronger in 2017, and could be weaker — which adds an element of urgency to items on the party’s agenda. Those factors combine to bring forward the issue of an increase in Oregon’s minimum wage. A big increase would have consequences for workers, EXVLQHVVHVJRYHUQPHQWVDQGQRQSUR¿W organizations — consequences that would vary by economic sector and geographic region. A hurry-up legislative session will not have time for the hearings, committee reviews and debate the issue deserves. But unless the Legislature approves some sort of minimum wage increase, an initiative for a larger and more disruptive increase is likely to be on the ballot in November. Gov. Kate Brown has called for a two-tier increase that would be phased in more slowly than initiative sponsors propose. Similarly, an initiative is headed for the ballot that would impose a 2.5 percent gross receipts tax on sales by corporations in excess of $25 million a year. The tax would raise an estimated $5.6 billion per biennium — a potential game-changer for Oregon schools and other public services. But the effects would inevitably include higher prices for retail goods, utilities, fuel and services. The Legislature may try to devise a corporate tax increase that would have fewer regressive effects. Another tax proposal that is certain to arise would double the state’s hotel- motel tax to 2 percent. The $17 million in annual revenue from the current tax is used to promote Oregon tourism. Revenue from the increased tax would be used to provide $25 million in support for the 2021 world track championships in Eugene. Another complex issue before the Legislature will be Oregon’s shortage of affordable housing. The shortage has been worsening since the recession of 2008, with construction lagging behind demand by about 40 percent. Housing prices in Portland, in particular, have been rising faster than in all but a few of the nation’s markets. The Legislature will discuss proposals to allow local governments to require that new housing developments include a certain percentage of units for lower-income buyers or renters. Crafting such rules in ways that don’t discourage housing FRQVWUXFWLRQZLOOEHDGLI¿FXOWWDVNLQWKH short session. An even more complicated and far-reaching issue is climate change. In the 2015 session, a California-style proposal for a cap-and-trade program for the state’s primary sources of carbon emissions was set aside in favor of new standards to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. The cap-and-trade proposal, which rewards large emissions reductions at the expense of those who fail to scale back emissions, will be reintroduced in the session that opens Monday, but whether ODZPDNHUVZLOO¿QGWLPHWRFRQVLGHULWLV an open question. One possibility would be to scrap the clean fuels standard, which has become mired in partisan politics, in favor of the cap-and-trade program, which would achieve the same goals. The minimum wage, corporate taxes, lodging taxes, housing, climate change — that’s a lot of heavy lifting. Other contentious issues, such as a SURSRVDOWRDOORZSROLFHWRUHPRYH¿UH- arms from the homes of people who are under temporary restraining orders, could be added to the list. And Republicans are demanding that the Legislature act to improve education funding, protect open school enrollment, provide investment incentives for small businesses and begin to prepare for increased pension and Medicaid expenses. It will be a busy 35 days. The notion that even-year legislative sessions would be concerned with tying up loose ends has been left behind. OTHER VIEWS The manners war D onald Trump was inducted improper and imposes an invisible into the World Wrestling social power on society. Entertainment Hall of Fame Trump smashed through that and in 2013. He’d been involved with created a riveting spectacle. He insulted professional wrestling for more than a people’s looks. He stereotyped vast TXDUWHUFHQWXU\$W¿UVWKLVLQWHUHVWZDV groups of people — Mexicans and on the business side, because so many Muslims. He hinted at menstruation. of the events were held at his hotels. He called members of the establishment But then he got involved in the story morons, idiots and losers. He bragged David lines, appearing in the ring as an actual Brooks and boasted without cessation. character. Social inequality is always felt Comment His greatest moment came in 2007 more acutely than economic inequality. with the pay-per-view series called Trump rose up on behalf of people “Battle of the Billionaires,” when he verbally who felt looked down upon, made them went up against the WWE’s chief executive, feel vindicated and represented and turned Vince McMahon. The feud started when Trump social conduct on its head. He led a one-man interrupted McMahon on Fan Appreciation linguistic revolution. Night and upstaged him by raining thousands The cultural element of this revolution was of dollars in cash down on the crowd in the based on his complete rejection of the feminist arena. It continued with a transformation. Over the verbal barrage and proxy past few decades, at least in match, and ended with a respectable society, there has triumphant Trump shaving been a shift in the way men McMahon’s head in the and women are supposed to middle of the ring. behave. Blatant machismo I mention this because has been condemned and the thing I’ve found most female empowerment surprising in this presidential celebrated. campaign is the way the But Trump was nation’s crisis of political unabashedly masculine. His authority has produced machismo is still the lingua a hunger for masculine franca of pro wrestling, cage spectacle. ¿JKWLQJDQGVRPHDFWLRQ This is an anxious and movies. angry nation. Many people have lost faith His candidacy is an implied critique of the in institutions and the nation’s leadership. feminization of America — that the country Many feel powerless, in decline and adrift. has become too soft, too nice, too lacking in old-fashioned male authority. Trump responded Somewhere in his marketer’s brain Donald with ridiculous aggression every time his Trump intuited that manners are more authority was questioned. When John McCain important than laws and that if you want to attacked him, Trump responded, “He’s not a assault the established powers you have to war hero.” DVVDXOWWKHLUPDQQHUV¿UVW+LVFDPSDLJQKDV Every time Trump was challenged on been one long exercise in taking the “low,” or anything, he was compelled by his code to proletarian, manners of professional wrestling GRXEOHGRZQWKHFRQIURQWDWLRQDQG¿UHEDFN and interjecting them into the “respectable” He shoved aside his early competitor Jeb arena of presidential politics. Bush, who was raised to be a gentleman, the By shifting the cultural language Trump embodiment of exactly that code Trump was initiated a new type of culture war, really a upending. manners war. He seemed fresh, authentic and When he was praised by one of the world’s resonant to a lot of people who felt alienated most venomous thugs, Vladimir Putin, he had from the way elites govern, talk and behave. the canniness to embrace the praise and lavish Professional wrestling generates intense it back — a response that would have violated interest and drama through relentless HYHU\¿EHURIDUHVSHFWDEOHSHUVRQ¶VERG\ confrontation. Everybody knows it’s fake at I still don’t think the spectacle is going some level, but it is perceived as fake and real at the same time (sort of like politics). The story to carry Trump to the White House or even the nomination. But I do think this has been lines are Manichaean — good takes on evil, ZLQQHUVWDNHRQIDLOXUHV7KHDXGLHQFHV¿HUFHO\ a period in which many silent segments of identify with different characters. What matters society have found their voices, often in is not so much who wins or loses, or whether shocking and impolite ways. you are good or evil, but the aggressiveness The next president will have to respect by which you wage each mano-a-mano these voices, understand their grievances and confrontation. channel what is legitimate in their concerns in 7UXPSEURXJKWWKLVVW\OHRQVWDJHDWWKH¿UVW deferential ways, reminding everyone from all Republican debate, and a thousand taboos were classes that we are one nation, one people, with smashed all at once. In respectable politics, one fate. as in respectable society, there is a certain Ŷ FRGHRIUH¿QHPHQW,WLVWKURXJKWKLVFRGHWKDW David Brooks became a New York Times WKHHGXFDWHGFODVVGH¿QHVZKDW¶VSURSHUDQG Op-Ed columnist in September 2003. This is an anxious and angry nation. Many have lost faith in institutions and leadership. YOUR VIEWS Rumors of coal’s demise are grossly exaggerated People and special interest groups continue arguing the demise of coal. Yes, prices in the industry have struggled over the last several years due to over-regulation and stringent efforts by this administration to alter America’s energy portfolio. But it is far-fetched thinking at best to theorize coal’s disappearance from U.S. and global energy use. A recent article in the East Oregonian attempts to paint this picture, stringing together questionable facts and logic to argue to readers the demise of coal exports and consumption in places like East Asia. But these facts do not match the whole deck of cards. Countries like India and China, if anything, are increasing imports and domestic use of coal because they understand it is cheap, plentiful, and dependable. It has the ability to deliver electricity to their explosive populations which are largely impoverished. This means advancements in technology, health care, and local economies. A Wall Street Journal article in 2014 put it best by stating, “Analysts expect the [U.S.] H[SRUWPDUNHWWREHSUR¿WDEOHLQWKHORQJ term, saying coal will remain the dominant fuel source globally in spite of environmental concerns.” The writing in this instance is on the wall: demand for coal will only increase over time. As such, the U.S. can — and should — step up to meet this need and position itself as an energy leader. Ken Taylor Prineville ProSosed +ermiston ¿re district targets rural residents Who are you rural residents surrounding Hermiston? From what I’ve read, you all ZDQWWRSD\PRUHWD[HVIRUHQKDQFHG¿UH and emergency services. Please, introduce yourselves, I would like to meet you. My phone number is 541-289-0762. You are welcome to call if you don’t want the enhanced services, also. The Hermiston City Council, the county FRPPLVVLRQDQGWKH¿UHFKLHIDUH³DOOLQ´RQ WKLVSURSRVDOWRFRPELQH¿UHGLVWULFWVFRVWLQJ (only) rural residents more taxes. From my perspective, Hermiston has outgrown its ability to provide necessary services. If this growth can’t support itself, then the leaders are inept. Personally, I don’t buy this sham of theirs, that it’s only for our own good and they know what we need out here. Apparently, they have scratched their heads and pondered how to get more revenue. So, let’s just jump outside the city limits and plunder the dispersed rural minority. This scheme is actually promoted as more services within the city and no tax increase. *R¿JXUH Rod Triplett Hermiston
