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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Thursday, April 21, 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 Ode to PGG Pendleton Grain Growers, an of last week’s release. Eastern Oregon institution since But we can mark this moment in 1930, may not last another month. history. It will be an ignoble end to a If PGG is to be no more, it marks co-op that helped build Umatilla a tremendous loss for the region — County farmers into some of and for Pendleton in particular. the world’s most productive and Over much of the last century, prosperous. hundreds of It’s also an Pendletonians used indictment of poor the co-op to rise The longer management, up in the ranks the co-op is in of business and dishonest or at the very least politics. Pendleton business, the incompetent Grain Growers ¿nancial appraisals more money it could always be and a failure to counted on to is losing. adapt to a changing support good causes world. Pendleton in the area. They Grain Growers were a cultural refused to confront its problems until touchstone and a sense of pride for it was too late. And now it is. the area’s farming community. PGG’s 1,079 voting members will It’s clear that pride in PGG has have the ¿nal say about what will been eroding for decades. Last happen to the co-op on May 2. At harvest season, farmers made it least two-thirds of all votes will be known that they had lost faith in required to dissolve the organization the co-op, unloading and selling a and start divvying up the assets. If majority of their grain elsewhere. the members do not vote to dissolve, The agriculture industry is the co-op would likely still fold and changing rapidly — it’s among the members would be less likely to last to become mostly mechanized. recoup their equity, according to a The future farm will look vastly letter from PGG. different than Old MacDonald’s. Costs are too high, revenue is too There will be drones and laptops low. The longer PGG is in business, and soil sensors, but not as many the more money it is losing. laborers. The East Oregonian continues The collapse of PGG is a to dig into the reasons for PGG’s reminder that looking forward, precipitous collapse. We are not not looking back, is the only way ready to publish them yet, but have to keep your feet in an always- been working for months in advance changing world. 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 Liquor laws don’t need mixing The Oregonian E ver notice how some bad ideas refuse to die? Take, for example, the initiative being bandied about again by the large grocery retailers to grab some of the state’s lucrative market in alcoholic spirits. We wrote back in December 2013 that this is a bad idea. Consider what happened with the liquor industry in Washington state when it let large grocers into the business in 2011. Since opening liquor sales to large grocers there, prices have gone up, while availability of variety and the number of independent sales outlets have shrunk. All that would probably be ¿ne in any other economic scenario. But Oregon makes a lot of tax dollars from the state controlled industry. For the latest biennium, liquor sales topped $1 billion for the ¿rst time ever. The result was more than $435 million in tax revenue to be divvied between the state and local governments, and toward mental health and addiction treatment services. The latest initiative wants to eliminate the state’s role in liquor distribution and turn the industry private. Then, the idea is that state lawmakers would simply establish a new liquor tax to replace the revenue lost when the state is out of the business. But there’s no guarantee that would happen. There’s also no guarantee that prices wouldn’t rise precipitously once the market shakes out the smaller operators, just as what happened up north. And perhaps the biggest concern for the consumer (besides the prices increases) and small spirits producer is loss of shelf space. Oregon’s rich diversity in small craft brewers and distillers survive because the state- operated system makes sure they have equal access to shelf space. But large retailers survive on volume and what sells best. That means there’s a high likelihood that your favorite small batch brewer or distiller may get crowded off the shelf. Fact is that the current system is working. Liquor prices are consistent throughout the state; revenues continue to grow and help us all; and small, private distributors are free to grow their businesses as they see ¿t. If you don’t believe that, visit the Beverage Barn in Bandon on U.S. Highway 101. Proof enough that Oregon’s liquor industry is doing ¿ne just as it is. No way to elect a president W lines between us. The online behavior ith Donald Trump’s and of the Bernie Bros is a great example, Hillary Clinton’s victories but it’s hardly the only one. in New York, we’re one Additionally, the precise unfolding furious contest closer to the end of this of the Republican and Democratic races spectacle. But we’ve known for a while this time around, along with complaints now where we’re headed, and it isn’t from the candidates themselves, has anyplace good. exposed the undemocratic quirks and American voters are displeased with mess of the process: the peculiarity of the candidates they’ve been given. Frank caucuses; the seduction of delegates They’re disengaged from the process Bruni and superdelegates; closed versus that winnows the ¿eld. Comment open primaries; states that are winner- And that process disregards the take-all as opposed to states that are political center, erodes common ground winner-take-most; the possibility of a brokered and leaves us with a government that can’t convention at which an interloper could be build the necessary consensus for, let alone crowned. implement, sensible action in To prevail, a candidate regard to taxes, to infrastructure, to doesn’t even have to persuade immigration, to guns, to just about an especially large share of the anything. electorate, given how splintered Make America great again? and detached voters are. In an We need to start by making it important commentary published functional. in The Hill on Monday, the This election has certainly been Democratic pollster and strategist extraordinary for its characters, Mark Penn extrapolated from but it’s equally remarkable for its Trump’s and Clinton’s vote tallies to note that, context, one of profound, paralyzing sourness. in his estimation, “We now have a system in A poll released by NBC News and The which it takes just 10 million votes out of 321 Wall Street Journal on Sunday showed that 68 million people to seize one of the two coveted percent of American voters couldn’t imagine nominations.” themselves casting a vote in the general “The result,” he wrote, “is a democracy that election for Trump, while 61 percent said the is veering off course, increasingly reÀecting same about Ted Cruz and 58 percent about the will of powerful activist groups and the Clinton. political extremes.” Would-be nominees A much, much higher percentage of voters needn’t worry much about the roughly 40 viewed each of these three unfavorably than percent of Americans who at least technically favorably. “Unpopularity Contest” was the consider themselves independents — a group headline on the story on the NBC News that’s grown over the last decade — or the 60 website, which rightly asked how well any percent who say that a third political party is president of such polarizing effect would be needed. able to govern. No, these candidates “can just double down We’ve had such presidents (and candidates) on elements of their base,” Penn observed. before. And pessimism isn’t new. “Rather than bring the country together, they But there have been developments and demonize their opponents to hype turnout differences in 2016 that may well be making among select groups, targeted by race, religion the situation worse. or ethnicity.” The media, for one. This election isn’t Penn suggested several smart reforms to being covered so much as marketed, by news increase voters’ participation and sense of organizations whose desperation for eyeballs investment, including the abolition of caucuses has turned many of them into drama queens. and a rotation of the order in which states Each new poll is a major scoop. There are vote, so that Iowa, New Hampshire and South countdown clocks for events as humdrum as Carolina don’t always get such outsize sway. candidate town halls. Debates are teased with I wish we could also ¿nd a way to shorten ominous soundtracks and photographs better these presidential campaigns signi¿cantly, so be¿tting prize¿ghts. that they’re not such a soul-draining, throat- When you treat a campaign as if it were an ravaging turnoff to almost anyone who’s not an athletic competition, you turn it into more of epic narcissist or mired in politics to the point a blood sport than it already is. And when you of no return. breathlessly promote it the way you would a Then maybe we’d look up one of these hit TV show’s season ¿nale, it becomes just years and be choosing among the greater of another piece of theater. Neither approach encourages sober-minded engagement. goods, not the lesser of evils, and the victor Nor does the manner in which so many would be left, physically and ideologically, voters use the Internet in general and social with a voice that still carries. media in particular, to curate and wallow in Ŷ echo chambers that amplify their prejudices, Frank Bruni has been an Op-Ed columnist exacerbate their tribalism and widen the fault for The New York Times since June 2011. We need to make America functional. 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. YOUR VIEWS Vote Lindsay for Morrow County judge Morrow County deserves a judge that has energy, vision, and passion. The candidate needs experience in working with our local businesses, communities, families and schools. Most importantly, the person needs to share our values. Melissa Lindsay embodies all of these traits, and that is why my wife Sherri and I could not be prouder to support her for Morrow County Judge. Melissa was born and raised in Morrow County. She is a woman of hard work and strong values. With over 25 years of ¿nance, banking and private sector experience, she understands what it means to operate a business. She and her family can often be seen volunteering and promoting our county throughout the region at various events. However, Melissa’s passion is only outperformed by her energy. She has a “can-do” attitude and works to bring partners together to ¿nd solutions. Whether you live in Boardman, Heppner, Ione, Irrigon, Lexington or outside of town, I can guarantee you that Melissa will put all of her energy into serving you and your family. Please join my family, along with citizens, business leaders, and elected of¿cials across the county, in voting Melissa Lindsay for Morrow County Judge. Rep. Greg Smith Heppner Marks best choice left in Ward 1 council race This letter is in reference to the May election for the Pendleton City Council Ward 1 seat and my support of Becky Marks in that race. You will see three names on the ballot; however only two are running for the seat. Renee Caubisons decided to not continue to pursue the seat for personal reasons. She would have been an excellent choice; however, with the incumbent Beck Marks in the race, she has earned my respect to serve another term. Becky is always prepared for meetings and willing to share her thoughts in order to move the city forward. Her constituency is one that needs to be represented and Becky does that well. Please vote Becky Marks for Ward 1 in the Pendleton City Council race. Phillip W. Houk, mayor Pendleton Primmer a good choice for Pendleton council I have known Dale Primmer for 16 years. As sheriff and in past positions, I’ve worked with Dale in my law enforcement duties going back nearly two decades. I know him to be committed, honest, ethical and hard-working in his efforts. I’ve also known him to have the ability to get along well with a broad section of personalities. Dale and his family are long- term Eastern Oregon residents and are committed to the success of the city of Pendleton and Umatilla County. I know that Dale brings a temperament and skill set that Pendleton would bene¿t from. Please join me in supporting Dale Primmer for Pendleton City Council Ward 3. Terry L. Rowan, Umatilla County Sheriff Pendleton Fairley will make good addition to city council Please join me in voting for Scott Fairley for Pendleton City Council, Ward 2. For four years I worked with Scott on the Pendleton Planning Commission and saw ¿rst-hand his ability to build consensus and bring positive change to our city. Included among his strengths is his role as the Greater Eastern Oregon Regional Solutions Coordinator representing Umatilla and six other Eastern Oregon counties to address local and regional concerns. In this role, Scott is responsible for covering a wide range of regional economic development interests important to Pendleton. An example of his effectiveness was Scott’s role to bring together local and legislative stakeholders to secure over $1 million in state funding to demolish the buildings of the former Eastern Oregon Training and Blue Mountain Recovery Centers, which had been abandoned by the state, and transferring the property to the city for industrial and housing needs. I urge your vote for positive, creative leadership. Vote Scott Fairley for Pendleton City Council. Chuck Wood Pendleton Dig deep to understand city budgets Mr. Kishpaugh is correct in his condemnation of the oligarchs playing hide the money so they can do what they want, but he is wrong in relying on the oligarchs to tell him where the money is. For instance, the city budget running this year (2015-16) shows budgeted wage increases of $50,000 in ¿nance (to fund a $6,000 increase), and $50,000 in engineering (to fund a $6,000 increase), among other padding, and permanent increases in employees of one in police and three in ¿re departments for the same city population. The city central services (read overall administration) spends almost $3.5 million (total property taxes are $5.1 million). If you want to ¿nd where the city money is, you must follow David Brooks’ admonition: “Dogged work is the prerequisite to success.” Bob Ehmann, Pendleton
