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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION (DVW2UHJRQLDQ 7KXUVGD\$SULO 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 Pardon the dust When a business is ready to 1RERG\OLNHVWRVLWLQWUDI¿F expand or remodel, but wants to (if that’s what you want to call it) keep customers coming in during while one employee in an orange the project, it will often hang a sign jacket works on a road while four RWKHUVVXSHUYLVH$QGVHHLQJDQROG on the front door that reads “Pardon our dust,” promising the end product building torn down to be replaced with a new one can will be worth the strong emotions short period of ugly Construction — stir from those who inconvenience. Hermiston might while certainly remember way back consider temporarily a hassle — is when. painting that logo But as on its water tower any business a sign that while the new brand understands, if Hermiston is a you’re not moving LVEHLQJ¿QDOL]HG You can’t pass you’re growing town. forward, from one side of dying. The growing town to the other pains and mess of without seeing signs of growth. the process can be frustrating, but The new hotel going up downtown, the end product is worth it. featured on today’s front page, is Hermiston has shown a rising quickly. Oregon Department willingness to embrace such change, of Transportation crews are at work and that has been a large part of its day and night on intersections and VXFFHVV7KHWRZQ¶VKLVWRU\LV¿OOHG sidewalks up and down Highway with dramatic changes, from the 395. McDonalds, the fast food staple construction of McNary Dam to the of town, is undergoing a remodel boom of irrigated agriculture to the that will expand its footprint at the storage and destruction of chemical county’s busiest intersection. weapons at the Umatilla Chemical That’s not to mention the Depot. Every shift in the economy new homes going up in multiple was capitalized on, which led to the subdivisions, the Eastern Oregon fast growth. Trade and Event Center taking form So, please, pardon the dust. south of town, the Ranch & Home Remember that the temporary store slated for construction by the WUDI¿FVORZGRZQLVJRLQJWRPDNH Wal-Mart Distribution Center or the Hermiston more accessible to senior center soon to be built next to everyone, the noisy construction the library. sites will lead to more places to eat, When the dust settles, the town shop and stay, and the demolition of will have a different look and feel. old buildings can be part of a healthy $QGWKDW¶VDJRRGWKLQJ cycle of rebirth. 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 Economic outlook of state depends on where in Oregon you live greater housing opportunity. It was disconcerting to hear Brown, ov. Kate Brown is right. Oregon’s during a question-and-answer period after her speech to the Portland City economy is blossoming ... if you Club, say that tax reform should include live in the right areas. ensuring that out-of-state corporations “I am pleased that, on the whole, 2UHJRQKDVWXUQHGDFRUQHURQWKH*UHDW pay their fair share. ³)DLUVKDUH´VRXQGVJRRGHVSHFLDOO\ 5HFHVVLRQ´%URZQVDLG)ULGD\LQKHU following the Panama Papers revelations second State of the State address. “But that recovery has been slower across our DERXWJOREDOLQYHVWRUVVWDVKLQJSUR¿WVLQ low-tax havens. FRXQWLHVZLWKVRPHUXUDOFRXQWLHV But “fair share” is in the eye of the struggling with unemployment as high beholder. Oregon’s November ballot DVRUSHUFHQW is expected to include a union-backed “The key to continuing to grow the initiative to substantially boost taxes on economy in every corner of our state is some out-of-state corporations doing Oregon’s small businesses.” business in Oregon. That proposal Her attention to small businesses is already has had a deleterious effect. much appreciated. More than half of the $QGWKHLURQ\RIWKDWWD[SURSRVDOLV Oregon workforce is employed in small WKDWEDFNHUVSURPRWHLWVH[SHFWHG businesses. billion revenue as a way to fund more $QGLWLVDVWDWHOLNHPDQ\RWKHUV state services. If Oregon voters dampen that is heavily reliant for tens of the economy by approving the measure, thousands of jobs on out-of-state WKRVHVHUYLFHVGH¿QLWHO\ZLOOEHQHHGHG companies that have chosen to locate *RYHUQPHQWJURZVLQWLPHVRIQHHG some operations in Oregon. Those In contrast, a robust economy lessens the companies range from fast-food IUDQFKLVHVWKDWJLYH\RXWKVWKHLU¿UVWMREV need for government services. Tom McCall, the legendary governor to high-income software developers. whom Brown quoted in her speech Consequently, the actual key to )ULGD\XQGHUVWRRGWKDW.QRZQWRGD\ sustaining and widening Oregon’s for protecting the environment, he also economic growth is to align the state’s cannily marketed the state’s economy. tax, political and environmental policies His successors also recognized that with the state’s economic goals. But Oregon’s policymakers seem to be doing Oregon’s quality of life depended on its being a business-friendly state. almost everything they can to deter %URZQKDVGRQHDORWGXULQJKHU¿UVW business development. That is curious, year-plus as governor. She had reason to because at the same time they are highlighting Oregon’s desperate need for be optimistic. But storm clouds not only affordable housing. It should be obvious: are on the horizon, but they have been raining on much of Oregon far too long. More family-wage jobs would mean The (Salem) Statesman Journal * ,V*23KHDGHGIRULWV RZQ%XVKY*RUH" I t’s now likely Republicans vote is the single most important factor are headed toward a contested in the Republican primary and caucus convention in July. But they might system be headed toward more than that — the Some states award delegates party could be on its way to an internal winner-take-all — that is, to the winner version of the 2000 election, the race of the popular vote. Other states award in which the candidate who lost the delegates winner-take-all to the winner popular vote won the presidency, of the popular vote in congressional leaving injured feelings and diminished districts, with an additional number of Byron faith in the legitimacy of the electoral delegates going to the winner of the York system. statewide popular vote. Other states Comment $QGLWFRXOGEHZRUVHWKDQWKDW award delegates proportionally, with the The 2000 winner of the popular vote, most going to the winner of the popular $O*RUHORVWWKHSUHVLGHQF\ vote, either in districts or because of the constitutional statewide. structure under which $OORIWKRVHDOORFDWLRQ electors, not popular vote methods are based primarily totals, determine who enters on the popular vote. It is the the White House. Seeing the foundation of the primary SRSXODUYRWHORVHU*HRUJH and caucus system. W. Bush, win the election Republicans have not was unfortunate — it recently had to face the hadn’t happened since the prospect of a popular WKFHQWXU\²EXWLWZDV vote winner losing the VSHFL¿FDOO\SURYLGHGIRULQ QRPLQDWLRQ,Q0LWW the Constitution. Democrats 5RPQH\ZRQ unhappily accepted the result primary and caucus votes because they accepted the to second-place Rick Constitution as the bedrock 6DQWRUXP¶V,Q of our system of government. 2008, John McCain won In an intra-party YRWHVWR5RPQH\¶V 5HSXEOLFDQ¿JKWRQWKH 7KHUHZDVQR other hand, the winner of question who won. WKHQRPLQDWLRQFRXOG Democrats in 2008 be determined not by the IDFHGDPXFKPRUHGLI¿FXOW Constitution but by rules situation, when Barack written by party activists and Obama and Hillary Clinton insiders the week before the ran neck-and-neck in the *23FRQYHQWLRQ,IWKRVH popular vote. In the end, rules can be reasonably Obama played Democratic viewed as unfair, they Party rules much more won’t command the fundamental respect and craftily than Clinton, and won the delegate race. FRQVHQVXVRIDFRQVWLWXWLRQDOSURYLVLRQ$QGWKH But he also came out ahead in the popular resulting nominee won’t command that respect, vote. By one count, Obama narrowly either. ZRQ²UHDOO\QDUURZO\E\YRWHVRXW There’s no guarantee it will happen. of 35 million cast — while by another count, Right now, the popular vote leader, Donald including vote estimates from some caucus 7UXPSLVDOVRWKHGHOHJDWHOHDGHU$FFRUGLQJ VWDWHV2EDPDZRQE\ to RealClearPolitics, through the Wisconsin Both were narrow, narrow victories, but SULPDU\7UXPSKDVZRQYRWHVWR7HG victories nonetheless. Still, being close in the &UX]¶V7UXPSOHDGVWKHGHOHJDWH popular vote gave Clinton a powerful argument UDFHZLWKWR&UX]¶V<HVWKHUHDUH as she stayed in the Democratic race. When complicated ways to count delegates, but VKHVDLGVKHZDV³SURXGWRKDYHSXWPLOOLRQ Trump still has a substantial lead.) cracks in the highest glass ceiling,” she wasn’t Even with losses over the weekend in talking about delegates. Colorado’s delegate selection, it’s possible Now, Republicans could be headed toward 7UXPSZLOOZLQWKHGHOHJDWHVUHTXLUHGWR an end in which the popular vote loser becomes clinch the nomination before the convention. the party’s nominee. Many Republicans If he did that, he would certainly be the undoubtedly have no problem with that. They vote leader, too. It’s far less likely — actually, are fond of pointing out that we live in a almost impossible — for Cruz to hit the republic, not a democracy. That the rules are the delegate mark before Cleveland. But if he UXOHV$QGWKDWWKH)RXQGHUVGLGQ¶WPXFKOLNH could pull it off, in addition to his delegate- democracy. convention efforts, it could only be by There are counter-arguments for all — we collecting many, many more votes than Trump live in a representative democracy, the rules are in the remaining big contests. FKDQJHDEOHDQGWKHWUHQGLQWKHSDVW\HDUV The more likely scenario is that Trump KDVEHHQWRPDNH$PHULFDQHOHFWRUDOSUDFWLFHV will go to the convention leading in delegates more democratic. But don’t expect any of the and the popular vote. The delegate totals will arguments to be settled. change on multiple ballots. The popular vote Donald Trump will spend the next few days, ZRQ¶WWKHUHZLOOEHQRPRUHWRZLQ$QGDW and perhaps weeks, railing about the unfairness WKLVSRLQWLWVHHPVGLI¿FXOWIRU&UX]WRRYHUWDNH of the system. Of course he’s doing it out of 7UXPS¶VYRWHOHDG6RLWVHHPV self-interest. But his campaign has raised a possible that, should Cruz become the nominee, healthy question for debate: How representative he would do so as the popular vote loser. of the voters should a party’s nomination Of course, winning the popular vote over a process be? series of primaries and caucuses is not the same Ŷ as winning the general election popular vote on Byron York is chief political correspondent a single election day. But winning the popular for The Washington Examiner. In an intra-party Republican fight, the winner of the nomination could be determined not by the constitution, but by rules written by party activists and insiders the week before the GOP convention. YOUR VIEWS Letter proves existence of village idiots I compliment Mr. Kishpaugh’s OHWWHUWRWKHHGLWRUFRQ¿UPLQJ$O Plute’s comments concerning the “village idiots.” Bob Ehmann Pendleton Emergency measures hurt rural Oregon It is time for those of us in rural Oregon to take responsibility and charge of our needs. We have stood by and waited too long for Salem to take notice of the difference in rural and urban communities. They have continuously ignored our pleas to help stabilize funding in counties dependent upon our natural resources for county funding, yet they push for clean energy reforms that are not proven to be cost effective, and will roll out by 2025. To add insult to injury, they classify them as emergency measures, to take effect immediately, and push them through the short legislation session. Do they not understand the word emergency? Where was the $2 billion that would have given rural counties the ability to provide basic public safety services to its citizens, and saved nearby jurisdictions from VDFUL¿FLQJWKHLURZQSXEOLFVDIHW\ concerns and dollars? Why did ZHQRWVHHWKH3(56¿QDQFLDO time bomb addressed? This will ¿QDQFLDOO\DIIHFWHYHU\FLW\FRXQW\ state agency (and yes, that means taxpayer), as they scramble to fund PERS liabilities now, not 2025. Could it be because their own pocketbooks are at stake? It is time for a grassroots movement to bring local control back to local communities. We can begin by reclaiming 50 percent of lottery funds being taken from our local counties currently going into a “honeypot” in Salem. We need to show Salem that rural Oregon has a voice, and demand it be heard. It is time. Valerie Lovelace Grants Pass Primmer the choice for Pendleton council This letter is in support of Dale Primmer for the Pendleton City Council, Ward 3 position. Dale Primmer is someone we have known for many years, both personally and professionally. <RXZRQ¶W¿QGDPDQRIJUHDWHU character, work ethic, judgment or humor than Dale Primmer. 'DOHLV¿UVWDQGIRUHPRVWD family man, and because his family is so important to him, he is passionate about the place he and his family have chosen to live, here in Pendleton. Dale will live his life here, and he cares deeply about the quality of life in our small town. Dale is not one to sit back and criticize, but rather likes to become LQYROYHGDQGKHOSLQÀXHQFH decisions. His intelligent mind can easily identify a problem DQGXQGHUVWDQGWKH¿QDQFLDO implications of decisions made. He is a skilled leader who can gather people together to work toward solutions and develop a vision for the future. There have been times we have differed with Dale in some of our politics, but there has always been open conversation and a willingness on his part to “reach across the aisle” and listen to another point of view. Dale is a man of integrity, and without hesitation, we believe he would help steer the citizens of Pendleton toward a healthy future. Mark and Marla Royal Pendleton 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 resi- dence 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.
