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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Thursday, February 18, 2016 OTHER VIEWS Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JENNINE PERKINSON TIM TRAINOR Advertising Director Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW It’s a judicial choice, not a litmus test by GOP activists. The prospect of U.S. Supreme Court Justice a President Donald Trump or Ted Antonin Scalia’s death Saturday threw another hen into the fox house Cruz naming a key member of the Supreme Court is of 21st-century likely to increase American politics, giving our political As conservative voter interest in ZKRJHWVWR¿OOWKLV class an unexpected as he was, vacancy. Imagine QHZWKLQJWR¿JKW Trump vetting about during an Scalia was potential court already tempestuous conirmed 98-0 members for their election year. views on Although by the Senate. favorable prisoner torture, or theoretically above Cruz requiring a new politics, the Supreme justice who comports with his idea Court wields incredible power to that the U.S. adhere to conservative shape and warp national laws and Southern Baptist doctrine. policies. Appointed for life by the As conservative as he was, Scalia president with the Senate’s advice ZDVFRQ¿UPHGE\WKH6HQDWH and consent, justices are supposed No Democrats opposed him, despite to stay above the fray. The court is, his politics, because our Constitution in essence, the nation’s thermostat, and traditions give the sitting relying on the Constitution to president authority to appoint who moderate the gyrations of elected he or she wishes, so long as they are politicians. TXDOL¿HG In keeping with their strategy Current senate leadership VLQFHRIUHÀH[LYHO\WU\LQJWR seriously errs in turning this block President Barack Obama at appointment into a political litmus every turn, Senate Republicans — test on the president, who won in and the party’s slate of presidential 2012 with a 5 million vote majority. contenders — immediately insisted 2EDPDVKRXOGDSSRLQWDTXDOL¿HG on leaving the now-vacant Supreme rational jurist. The Senate should Court seat empty until after Jan. 20, give this person a fair hearing. 2017, when a new president takes Beyond this, as we have observed RI¿FH in the past, it is time for this president By so doing, Senate Republicans (and all presidents) to make Supreme are effectively turning 2016 into an Court appointments from the West. election for both the presidency and The court is dominated by a narrow the Supreme Court. This is unlikely and elite East Coast demographic. to rebound in their favor. Most ,WVPHPEHUVKLSVKRXOGUHÀHFWWKH American voters are not driven by nation’s geographical diversity. the idealogical purity tests applied 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 The end of occupation The (Eugene) Register-Guard O regonians breathed a sigh of relief when the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge ¿QDOO\HQGHGSHDFHIXOO\7KXUVGD\ with about the best outcome under the circumstances — no more violence. There were no real winners, only losers. From both an environmental and human viewpoint, it was a disaster. A man died and, regardless of how one feels about his politics, it was a needless loss of a human life. From a law enforcement point of view, the killing of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum left an indelible stain on an otherwise successful operation. The occupiers prevented refuge staff from doing their jobs, putting work, research and habitat at risk. Just how much damage was done, whether the effects will be long-term and how much it will cost to clean up the mess won’t be known until the refuge employees can get in to do a thorough assessment. No one has yet totaled the local, state and federal law enforcement costs accrued over the last six weeks due to the occupation, but these costs will be borne by taxpayers. The heaviest burden has fallen on the people of Harney and surrounding counties, whose lives were disrupted beyond belief. They were frightened and angered by the occupiers and now have to put their lives and communities back together, including repairing fractured relationships. Dwight and Steven Hammond, the father and son ranchers whose imprisonment was used by the occupiers as an excuse to seize the refuge, are no better off — and may be worse. There was some sympathy in Oregon for the men, who after serving prison terms for burning federal land were sent back under mandatory minimum sentencing laws. A number of people, including the judge who originally sentenced them to shorter terms, felt the Hammonds were treated unfairly and hoped they might receive a presidential pardon or other reprieve. The occupiers, who don’t appear to have consulted the Hammonds before barging into Oregon, have likely diminished the chances of that happening. 7KHFKDQFHRIDJRYHUQPHQWRI¿FLDO or agency doing anything that would allow the occupiers to claim victory, emboldening others, is slim. The occupiers themselves, led by Ammon Bundy of Idaho, have done themselves no favors. Many now sit in jail, facing federal charges. Bundy had been looking for a likely target to stage a protest for some time before the Hammonds crossed his radar screen. His decision to target Oregon was WKH¿UVWRIDVHULHVRISRRUFKRLFHV He didn’t notice that Oregonians do not like outsiders coming in and telling them what to do. He also badly misread the nature of eastern Oregon conservatism, which is imbued with a love of country, respect for law enforcement and love of their heritage and Oregon’s outdoors. While the Bundy-ites did receive some initial support for drawing attention to ranchers’ issues, most people distanced themselves after becoming uncomfortable with Bundy’s tactics and philosophy. The occupiers’ harassment of local ODZHQIRUFHPHQWRI¿FHUVDQGWKHLU families, trashing of the refuge, and blatant contempt for the rule of law had more in common with the anarchists of the radical left than with the people of eastern Oregon. As the occupation wore on, the lengthy criminal records of a number of the occupiers also came to light, further tarnishing the group’s image. The occupiers also badly misjudged the amount of outside support they could expect to receive. From wild tales of sympathetic members of the military who would be parachuting in during the early stage of the occupation, to increasingly desperate calls asking for thousands of supporters to converge on Harney County, the group found its national army of supporters was a fantasy. “Where are the people?” one anguished occupier asked. The answer: This vast army of militant supporters existed only in the occupiers’ minds, PDJQL¿HGE\WKHHFKRFKDPEHURIWKH radical rightwing websites they favored. With the leaders of the occupation now sitting in jail, the ongoing drama has ended. Probably the closest thing to satisfaction that anyone can claim is felt by law enforcement agencies, whose patient approach was vindicated. Now, it is left to Oregonians to clean up the mess left by the intruders, and hope that their experience will discourage any further circuses. GOP Iraq battle shines new spotlight on Jeb Bush weakness I As the son and brother of t’s entirely reasonable to say the presidents, Bush’s very presence in the war in Iraq was a disaster. Maybe Republican race is extraordinary. He you disagree, or maybe you think began the campaign with a dynastic that’s too harsh, but it’s an arguable problem, noted by his mother, who, in proposition. SUDLVHG-HE¶VTXDOL¿FDWLRQVEXW To Jeb Bush, though, it’s an attack on said of the 2016 race, “There are other his family, and therefore out of bounds. SHRSOHRXWWKHUHWKDWDUHYHU\TXDOL¿HG When Donald Trump attacked and we’ve had enough Bushes.” the war as a “big fat mistake” during Byron As the race has progressed, the the recent debate in South Carolina, York PDQ\GLI¿FXOWLHVRIWKH%XVKFDPSDLJQ and went on to say that “they” — the Comment drew attention away from the dynastic George W. Bush administration — lied problem. But it is still there. about weapons of mass destruction, Jeb And Bush’s family ties apparently make it took it personally. GLI¿FXOWLIQRWLPSRVVLEOHIRU-HEWRJUDSSOH “I am sick and tired of him going after my with a question like the war in Iraq, which, family,” Bush said as Trump stood nearby. given the situation with ISIS, Syria and the The Iraq war affected a lot of Americans. rest of the Middle East, More than 1 million U.S. remains a serious issue in military men and women the presidential campaign. served in Iraq after the What’s odd is that 2003 invasion. A total of George W. Bush, who 4,495 died, while 32,223 started the Iraq war, has were wounded. Their delved deeply and painfully families were affected. Their into its origin and impact. communities were affected. “The reality was that I had And, of course, all Americans sent American troops into have an interest in a war’s combat based in large part success and the furtherance on intelligence that proved of U.S. national interest. false,” W wrote in his memoir. “I had a In other words, the effects of the Iraq war sickening feeling every time I thought about it. H[WHQGIDUEH\RQGWKHFRQ¿QHVRIWKH%XVK I still do.” family. But Jeb Bush, in public at least, takes In addition, George W. Bush has spent an attack on the war as an attack on his mom thousands of hours with veterans and military and his dad and his brother. When Trump families. And he has not tried to shield himself struck, here is what Bush said in response: “I am sick and tired of him going after when some are angry. my family. My dad is the greatest man alive, In her own book, former White House in my mind. And while Donald Trump was press secretary Dana Perino told the story of building a reality TV show, my brother was accompanying Bush, as president, to a military building a security apparatus to keep us safe. hospital, where he met a grief-stricken woman And I’m proud of what he did. And (Trump) whose son was dying of war wounds: has had the gall to go after my mother. Look, I “She yelled at the president, wanting to won the lottery when I was born 63 years ago, know why it was her child and not his who lay looked up, and I saw my mom. My mom is the in that hospital bed. strongest woman I know.” “Her husband tried to calm her and I Some of that is simply non sequitur — one noticed the president wasn’t in a hurry to man says the war was a mistake, and the other leave — he tried offering comfort but then just answers that his mother is a great woman. But stood and took it, like he expected and needed Bush’s words, more than anything, showed that to hear the anguish, to try to soak up some of he is unable to separate momentous national her suffering if he could.” events, or at least this particular momentous On the trip back to the White House, the national event, from his own familial bonds. presidential entourage was silent, until Bush A few seconds later, Marco Rubio, whose ¿QDOO\VDLG³7KDWPDPDVXUHZDVPDGDWPH father and brother were not president of the And I don’t blame her a bit.” United States, gave a more concise and focused But that’s George W. Bush. Jeb Bush defense of the George W. Bush administration certainly knows the intensity of the feelings than Jeb did. involved — he has sometimes talked of, as And the next day, Jeb did it again. His governor of Florida, comforting the families campaign sent out an email headlined “Donald of Floridians killed in Iraq. But in this crossed a line.” Did he mean Trump had campaign, Jeb repels attacks on the war as wrongly attacked the war? No, he meant Trump assaults on family. had attacked his family: 7KHOHJDF\RI,UDTLVGLI¿FXOW5HSXEOLFDQV “Friend — Last night, Donald Trump came have mostly refrained from debating it after my family yet again. But I told him I was amongst themselves, at least in public. But sick and tired of it, and put him in his place. Trump has changed that. And in the process “But even I was surprised to hear him attack KHKDVUHYHDOHGWKHGHHSHVWÀDZVLQ-HE my brother, George W. Bush, over 9/11. Bush’s presidential candidacy. “Donald showed once more he cannot be Ŷ the Republican Party’s nominee. Byron York is chief political correspondent “Here is the truth: George kept us safe.” for The Washington Examiner. The effects of the Iraq war extend far beyond the conines of the Bush family. YOUR VIEWS Minimum wage increase will hurt small businesses Ranchers no longer have free access to open range My small business employs 20 people in the $10 to $15 per hour range, with over 2,400 hours worked per month. The $3 per hour increase will cost me $7,200 per month, or $86,400 per year. Some say I can pass the increase on to customers, but my prices are controlled by YHQGRUVDQGWKH,QWHUQHW7KHSUR¿WLVJRQH the service I provide is gone. The space I occupy will be vacant. I suppose I could let four employees go and drop my contribution to the medical plan, which will hurt my remaining employees. I could reduce the amount of donations to the community. These are tough choices. The proposed wage increase directly impacts me and my employees. The proposed minimum wage hike is nothing more than a tax that will hurt a select group of businesses and employees. My story is not uncommon and it will be replayed throughout the state. I hope the people in Salem can come up with a plan the more evenly distributes the pain associated with the objective of a more just society. What used to be called “Open Range” under the individual states’ jurisdiction has been pulled under federal control such as the Department of Interior, and subjected to land management — BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. The ranchers who used the free land and water as open range were fenced out from both to protect the natural resources, and are now even restricted in some cases to access to water on their own land by the EPA. When the farmers and ranchers complained they were shut down, and came to realize they didn’t have a forum to voice their opinion. They are now being told by Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement that their livestock was fouling the water and destroying wildlife. The farmers and ranchers have tried to assemble many protests, from such peaceable protests as massive convoy caravans to music like the Woodstock Festival to gain the general population’s ear, but they were easily labeled as law breakers, terrorists, militants, occupiers and armed troublemakers. 1RZZHKDYHVWDWHRI¿FLDOVVWHSSLQJ on the Tenth Amendment to agree with the federal government’s actions, and being labeled as terrorists without regard to their Second Amendment rights. David Pietka, Portland Frank Vincent, 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. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include a daytime phone number. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.
