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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Saturday, February 6, 2016 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JENNINE PERKINSON TIM TRAINOR Advertising Director Opinion Page Editor EO MEDIA GROUP East Oregonian • The Daily Astorian • Capital Press • Hermiston Herald Blue Mountain Eagle • Wallowa County Chieftain • Chinook Observer • Coast River Business Journal Oregon Coast Today • Coast Weekend • Seaside Signal • Cannon Beach Gazette Eastern Oregon Real Estate Guide • Eastern Oregon Marketplace • Coast Marketplace OnlyAg.com • FarmSeller.com • Seaside-Sun.com • NorthwestOpinions.com • DiscoverOurCoast.com MIKE FORRESTER STEVE FORRESTER KATHRYN B. BROWN Pendleton Chairman of the Board Astoria President Pendleton Secretary/Treasurer CORY BOLLINGER JEFF ROGERS Aberdeen, S.D. Director Indianapolis, Ind. Director OUR VIEW Leading by lawsuit is blunt instrument A pending lawsuit by an play a critical role in Columbia environmental group is the latest Basin salmon recovery by rebuilding challenge to federal salmon salmon populations while supporting and steelhead hatcheries on the ¿VKHULHV´VDLG3DXO/XPOH\ Columbia River, a executive director decades-old system of the Columbia that has also faced Hatcheries are a River Inter-Tribal some congressional Commission. vital lifeline for Fish scrutiny in recent “Lawsuits like these years. Although the economies could hurt salmon salmon propagation recovery efforts and of many practices do distract us from the merit ongoing bigger picture of communities. re-examination, working together defunding these to reform hatchery Mitchell Act hatcheries would be a practices.” serious mistake. Liz Hamilton, executive director The Wild Fish Conservancy, RIWKH1RUWKZHVW6SRUW¿VKLQJ a small advocacy group based Industry Association, pointed out in Duvall, Washington, argues that killing hatchery funding would the federal agencies that provide also mean loss of tens of millions of money for hatcheries haven’t funding dollars for conservation and coordinated their actions and aren’t recovery. in compliance with the Endangered The state of Washington’s Species Act. According to the WFC, separate move to designate some federal hatcheries harm “ESA-listed Columbia tributaries for wild species and their critical habits steelhead also generates some through a variety of mechanisms, concern in river communities, LQFOXGLQJIDFLOLW\HIIHFWV¿VK but is a far more deliberative plan removal activities, genetic and than the wholesale withdrawal of ecological interactions, harvest and funding WFC advocates for federal monitoring and evaluation.” hatcheries. The federal hatcheries, along 5H¿QHPHQWVLQIHGHUDODQG with others operated by states and state hatchery practices should be tribes, are mainly responsible for HQFRXUDJHG+RZHYHU¿VKHULHV maintaining salmon runs now that management by lawsuit is never a the river system is dammed. The good idea. result of compromises hammered In case you hadn’t heard, similar out between many parties, including “lawsuit by management” issues Columbia River treaty tribes, exist across Eastern Oregon, even hatcheries are a vital lifeline for the above the waterline. Our forests, economies of many communities, as our wildlife, and our communities ZHOODVWKH¿VKUXQVWKH\SURSDJDWH should demand science and and support. consensus-driven management “Carefully managed hatcheries decisions. 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 Vocational education making a local comeback The Jan. 13 East Oregonian article titled “Forging a strong future,” gave me encouragement that vocational education is, again, becoming a priority in Pendleton and Umatilla/Morrow counties. I have shared my feelings a number of times about the need to provide courses at the high school level which will meet the educational needs of all students. CTE classes like this, for both young men and women, accomplish VHYHUDOWKLQJVZKLFKEHQH¿WVRFLHW\ Experience shows industrial technology and career education classes encourage students to stay in school DQGWRVHHWKHEHQH¿WRIKLJKVFKRRO education. If the student has just one class they excel in, it will help them see DQGIHHODSXUSRVHWRDWWHQGDQG¿QLVK high school. Career and technology education classes enable students to come out of high school with marketable skills that helps them enter the trade industry at an entry-level position, and encourages them to go on for further training/education. The nation is at an all-time low in skilled, vocationally- trained men and women. 6LGHEHQH¿WVWR&7(FODVVHVDUHWKDW students learn to enjoy working with their hands, and to work safely within the various trades. Even if students choose not to further their education in this area, they have a basic, everyday knowledge of handling tools and around the house problem-solving skills. I say, keep up the good work Umatilla and Morrow school districts: Add more and more career and technology classes to high school curriculum. Continue to meet the needs of all students and America. Al Olson, Harris Junior Academy City of Pendleton needs transportation plan input On Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Pendleton Convention Center, the city of Pendleton and our consultant are holding an open house to allow for public review and input on our efforts thus far of our transportation plan update. The areas we are focusing on are future pedestrian, bicycle and transit improvements to make for a better Pendleton. We recognize that we have funding issues related to our street system and will continue to work on that important issue. We also recognize that we have to plan for our future. We must identify and prioritize projects WKDWEHQH¿WWKHFRPPXQLW\VRZKHQ funding is available, we can secure it and implement the projects. The goal of the open house is for the public to help us prioritize changes that can be made to the city’s pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure. Whether we focus on strengthening our local and regional transportation network (think Kayak and Let’er Bus) or add sidewalks to areas that are currently lacking — such as near schools, so children can walk in safe and SURWHFWHGSDWKV:HDUHDOVRGH¿QLQJ future off-system pathways for bikes and pedestrians using the existing levee system as a backbone, with connectivity to Grecian Heights Park, Community Park and along the Umatilla River to the mouth of Birch Creek. This plan update is meant to identify improvements and the open house will give people an opportunity to learn more about what this update is about, the changes that may occur, the areas we’re focusing on and prioritizing these potential future projects. I ask that you come, show your support, voice your concerns, ask questions, and, most importantly, be involved in this process to help create the vision for making Pendleton a more livable place for all members of our community. The more public involvement we get in this process, the better the outcome will be. That’s because we are working on behalf of our citizens and the improvements we make VKRXOGEHQH¿WWKHFRPPXQLW\DVZKROH LGHQWL¿HGE\WKHFLW\DQGSULRULWL]HGZLWK help from citizens. Haley Meisenholder RARE intern, Pendleton OTHER VIEWS Two questions for Bernie Sanders W hen Bernie Sanders won I also wonder if his age may be election as mayor of relevant here: Sanders would be Burlington, Vermont, in ZKHQKHWRRNRI¿FHE\IDUWKH ,FDOOHGKLVRI¿FHWRVHHLIWKHUH oldest person to become president was a story there about a socialist (Reagan was 69; Clinton would be a HOHFWHGRI¿FLDO,ZDVLQWHUQLQJDWThe slightly younger 69). Sanders now is Washington Post (I didn’t mention indefatigable, but people often slow the intern part!) and spoke at length down in their late 70s and their 80s. to some assistant who answered the Another reason for skepticism is Nicholas SKRQHLQWKHPD\RU¶VRI¿FH Kristof his congressional record. In 25 years I asked about Sanders’ plans, and in Congress, Sanders has been primary Comment the aide kept answering with “we” sponsor of just three bills that became — which I thought a nice glimpse law, and two were simply to rename RIFRQWDJLRXVRI¿FHVRFLDOLVP$IWHUKDOIDQ SRVWRI¿FHVLQ9HUPRQWKHGLGEHWWHUZLWK hour, I had enough to check with my editor, amendments. Clinton wasn’t particularly so I asked the aide’s name. “Oh,” he said a bit effective as a legislator, either, but to me sheepishly, “actually, I’m Bernie Sanders.” Sanders’ record suggests that his strength is as Sanders’ lack of political airs has helped a passionate advocate, not as a dealmaker who catapult him forward in the presidential race, gets results. RYHUFRPLQJDSRLQWGH¿FLWWRMXVWDERXW Can you get elected? Or would your tie Hillary Clinton in Iowa. He comes across nomination make a President Cruz more as winningly uncalculated: Other candidates likely? kiss babies; Sanders seems to fumble for a When voters are polled today about how baby’s “off” switch, so he they would vote in a general can tell you more about election, Sanders does inequality in America. Most pretty well. For example, politicos sweet-talk voters; he beats Ted Cruz in the he bellows at them. RealClearPolitics average, I admire Sanders’ while Clinton loses to passion, his relentless Cruz. But at this stage focus on inequality and that’s almost meaningless: his consistency. When he Republicans are blasting was sworn in as mayor Clinton while ignoring of Burlington, he declared: “The rich are Sanders. If he were the nominee, he would be getting richer, the poor are getting poorer savaged. and the millions of families in the middle are One particularly sobering item for Sanders gradually sliding out of the middle class and supporters: A Gallup poll last year asking into poverty.” That has remained his mantra voters what kind of person they would be across 35 years. And yet, I still have two unwilling to consider voting for. Six percent fundamental questions for Sanders: of Americans say they wouldn’t vote for a Can you translate your bold vision into Catholic, and 7 percent wouldn’t support a reality? black or a Jew. Some 24 percent wouldn’t On that, frankly, I’m skeptical. I’m for vote for a gay candidate, and more than a Medicare for All, but it won’t happen. And third would refuse to vote for a Muslim or an if it did, the Committee for a Responsible atheist. Federal Budget, a bipartisan group, found that However, the most objectionable kind of Sanders’ sums come up short by $3 trillion person by far was a socialist. Fifty percent of over a decade. Americans said they would be unwilling to Likewise, Sanders says he would prod consider voting for a socialist. America’s allies in the Middle East to lead Maybe Sanders could convince them that a the charge to defeat the Islamic State. Yes, “democratic socialist” isn’t exactly a socialist, but how? The United States has already been or maybe he could charm some voters into trying unsuccessfully to get these allies to do rethinking their beliefs. He has done just that more against ISIS. What new leverage does he very successfully in Vermont, a state where he bring? now wins elections by overwhelming margins, The Washington Post last month published and skeptics have been underestimating him a scathing editorial headlined “Bernie for 35 years. But if a Democratic nominee Sanders’s Fiction-Filled Campaign.” It derided starts off with half the voters unwilling to his “fantastical claims” and added: “Sanders consider someone like him, that’s a huge is not a brave truth-teller. He is a politician advantage for the Republican nominee. VHOOLQJKLVRZQEUDQGRI¿FWLRQ´ So can he accomplish his goals, and is he I think that’s too harsh, for Sanders panders electable? Lots of us admire Sanders and we less than other politicians (a very low bar), would like reassurance. and he has often staked out lonely positions Ŷ that turned out to be correct — such as his Nicholas Kristof grew up on a sheep and opposition to the Iraq War. But there remains cherry farm in Yamhill. Kristof, a columnist this open question of how he could achieve his for The New York Times since 2001, won the ambitious agenda. Pulitzer Prize two times. Most politicos sweet-talk voters; Sanders bellows at them. 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.
