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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
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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
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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,
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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,
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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
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with others operated by states and
state hatchery practices should be
tribes, are mainly responsible for
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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
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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
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Experience shows industrial
technology and career education classes
encourage students to stay in school
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education. If the student has just one
class they excel in, it will help them see
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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oldest person to become president
was a story there about a socialist
(Reagan was 69; Clinton would be a
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.