Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, August 5, 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 Tip of the hat; kick in the pants A tip of the hat to our wildland ireighters, who responded quickly to the Weigh Station Fire near Meacham and are currently ighting big blazes across the West. The Weigh Station Fire’s location had both pros and cons. Alongside a major interstate, it allowed for easy access. But that also meant that possibilities of disruption and destruction were high. Crews wrangled the ire for much of Saturday and started to wrest control earlier this week. It was no easy job and we appreciate the work to keep the most- traveled section of the Blue Mountains as safe and as healthy as can be. Although this ire season has thus far much more subdued than last, wildland crews have plenty of headaches on their hands right now. The ire burning near Unity continues to grow, spurred by high winds, and the 176,000 ire near Yakima is the largest in the Northwest. That ire, called Range 12, is the culprit for much of the smoke in the Hermiston area. And in addition to all the big ires, there have been plenty of little lare-ups that have tested both wildland and local municipal crews. Echo ireighters returning to their station, exhausted from ighting another ire all night, saw lames near Sno-Road Winery and the Umatilla River. Their sharp eyes and quick response likely saved acres of cropland, and similar stories have taken place from Boardman to Pendleton and places in between. A kick in the pants to SeaPort Airlines for more public relations problems that threaten the long-term health of the company. The airline has been honest about their past problems, which ran them into bankruptcy, and has said that it is now improved and back on solid ground. But revelations from the past (see the most recent on page 1A today), continue to hamper the company and its public image. Although each light was completed safely, the FAA alleges the company skipped or did not document required inspections. A bad look indeed that will surely cost them customers and conidence. Pendleton needs its airport and Eastern Oregon needs it too, but it is not tied to SeaPort longterm. The contract between the airline and the airport expires December 31. Until then, SeaPort can’t afford any more mistakes. 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 A big Western power grid Los Angeles Times G ov. Jerry Brown doesn’t shy away from big solutions to the problems that ail California. A multibillion-dollar bullet train to transport Californians from north to south. Two giant tunnels beneath the Sacramento-San-Joaquin Delta to help move precious water around the state. The most aggressive climate change laws in the nation. His latest ambitious undertaking is to build a regional electricity market linking utilities in 11 Western states into a massive electrical grid that could make power more reliable, less expensive and greener. This giant grid would allow California to sell the excess solar power it expects to generate in coming years to states such as Utah to help them kick their coal-burning habits. The big skies over the American West would be clearer and cleaner. Everyone wins, at least that’s the pitch. It’s a promising idea that energy experts say is the best-option future for the currently power-balkanized West. But this grand plan is still so new that it’s not yet fully thought out — which is a problem because it has been moving forward at breakneck speed despite warnings to slow down. It’s been barely a year since the regional power market idea surfaced in Senate Bill 350, the landmark climate change law mandating that 50 percent of California’s power come from renewable sources by 2030. Among other things, the bill directed the quasi-governmental agency that manages the low of electricity through most of the state to study the feasibility of developing a regional market for electricity. The study was released this month, showing modest beneits in the form of slightly lower electricity rates and cleaner air. But even before the study was released, pressure was building to get approval for the next step before the Legislature adjourns the session next month. Whoa. Compared with the glacial movement of most massive government projects, this one is moving at the speed of light. So fast that many people, including some lawmakers, some consumer groups that focus on utilities, and the Sierra Club feel that their questions have been brushed aside. For instance, what does it mean for California to disband Cal-ISO and replace it with a regional commission that would include representatives from states that don’t share California’s strict carbon-reducing goals? Would partnering with the coal-heavy utility PaciiCorp, which serves Utah, Wyoming and other Western states, truly result in that utility reducing its coal portfolio — or would it provide markets and incentives for PaciiCorp to continue producing dirty power, as some fear? Are the other states in the region on board with California’s grand plan? Answers must be forthcoming before the Legislature approves dissolving Cal-ISO and replacing it with a regional board to oversee the new grid. PaciiCorp, which serves much of Utah, and parts of Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California, and which derives about 60 percent of its power from coal, would be added to the grid under the proposal. But PaciiCorp executives say they will not be able to partner with the California utilities without approval from regulators in the states they serve. And those states have indicated they won’t participate if California runs the operation on its own. Reasonable, but what’s the guarantee that if California gives up some control of its transmission grid it might not end up undermining its own climate change policy? As of yet, there isn’t one. The big grid idea might ultimately be one of the great legacies of Brown’s fourth and inal term. It could be great for air quality and for ratepayers — if it’s done right. But there’s no reason to rush into it. California is still on track to reach the required 50 percent of renewable power by 2030, though a regional market might make it a cheaper to get there. Other states have already shown interest in joining the regional market once California gets it going. But there’s every reason to move deliberately, starting with fact that Californians are still skeptical of state lawmakers’ ability to make wise power policy after the electricity crisis of 2000. Slamming through a proposal that many informed people feel has not been properly vetted won’t improve the public’s trust. Khan, Trump and the debate over Muslim immigration in which a border wall violates the here’s a sensation building over Constitution. the Democratic convention speech of Khizr Khan, a Khan did not mention deportations, Pakistani-born Virginia lawyer whose but regardless of exactly where son Humayun was killed in action Trump’s illegal immigrant proposal while serving as a captain in the U.S. stands at the moment, there is nothing Army in Iraq in 2004. unconstitutional about deporting In seven minutes on the national people who are in the United States stage, Khan, a naturalized U.S. citizen illegally. Byron who came to this country in 1980, As far as a Muslim ban is York excoriated Trump for proposals to concerned, Trump has recently Comment build a wall along the Mexican border amended his proposal to focus and to temporarily ban the entry of on immigration from countries foreign Muslims into the U.S. “compromised by terrorism.” But assume “Let me ask you: Have you even read the that Khan was addressing Trump’s original, United States Constitution?” Khan said to more extensive, proposal: a temporary ban Trump. “I will gladly lend you my copy. In on foreign Muslims from entering the United this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and States. By telling Trump to “look for the ‘equal protection of law.’” words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law’” Even before Khan’s speech ended, in the Constitution, Khan was suggesting that Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans began the ban would violate the 14th Amendment. to issue rhapsodic praise on social media and This is the relevant portion of that amendment: elsewhere. Video of the speech went viral, “All persons born or naturalized in the along with commentary that it was the best United States, and subject to the jurisdiction of the convention, the most moving, the most thereof, are citizens of the United States and powerful, the most devastating to Trump, and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall so on. Khan, who ended with an exhortation make or enforce any law which shall abridge to vote for Hillary Clinton, became an instant the privileges or immunities of citizens of the star of the campaign. United States; nor shall any State deprive any At the same time, some Trump supporters person of life, liberty, or property, without stirred outrage with foolish attacks on Khan. due process of law; nor deny to any person Ann Coulter tweeted, “You know what this within its jurisdiction the equal protection of convention really needed? An angry Muslim the laws.” with a thick accent like Fareed Zakaria.” The The text makes clear that its protections American Family Association’s Sandy Rios apply to “all persons born or naturalized” in said Khan’s loyalty to the U.S. is in question. the U.S.; persons “subject to the jurisdiction Then Trump himself downplayed the Khans’ thereof”; and persons “within its jurisdiction.” sacriice in an interview with ABC News. None refers to foreign persons in foreign With a few obvious differences, the uproar countries. Pakistanis in Pakistan, to take bears some resemblance to a white-hot one example, regardless of religion, do controversy more than a decade ago involving not have U.S. constitutional rights. As far Cindy Sheehan, a California woman whose as “liberty,” the other word mentioned by son Casey was killed in 2004 while serving in Khan, is concerned, the Constitution says the U.S. Army in Iraq. the government may not deprive someone of Sheehan became a media sensation when liberty without due process of law, which of she attacked President George W. Bush over course means the government may deprive the war. Opponents of the war immediately someone of liberty with due process of law. took up her cause in their protests, and It may be that building a wall, deporting Sheehan became, for a while, ubiquitous in illegal immigrants, and temporarily banning media reports of opposition to Bush and the the entry of foreign Muslims are all terrible war. policies. But among the Democrats and Some Republican Bush supporters anti-Trump Republicans touting Khan’s (including Coulter) stirred outrage with performance there appears to be a belief that if foolish attacks on Sheehan, although in something is a terrible policy, it must also be those pre-Twitter days there were fewer unconstitutional. That’s not necessarily so. opportunities for a single comment to go viral. It should be noted, though, that Trump’s Now, with Khan, the parents of another son proposals are not unconstitutional according killed in Iraq are in the middle of a national to the way the Supreme Court has interpreted storm. But this one is over immigration. Like the law for the last 225 years. If a President Cindy Sheehan, as the father of an American Trump acted on his proposals and was soldier killed in action, Khizr Khan has challenged in court — as he certainly would standing to do what he is doing. Those who be — there would always be the possibility disagree with him should never belittle his that the justices might make up some new sacriice or impugn his motives. But they can reading of the Constitutional to invalidate the challenge his argument. president’s actions. Khan’s brief speech wasn’t a inely detailed The Khans represent a small group. case. But he suggested that Trump’s Muslim Humayun Khan was one of just 14 Muslim- ban and Mexican border wall proposals are Americans (the number was compiled by the unconstitutional. Speciically, Khan cited House Homeland Security Committee) among the words “liberty” and “equal protection of the 6,885 U.S. troops who have died in Iraq the law” in suggesting that Trump’s policies and Afghanistan. But his parents’ anguish is violate the Constitution. very real and their story very powerful. And it It’s hard to know what Khan meant by will undoubtedly be used against Trump many suggesting a wall on the Mexican border times between now and November. would be unconstitutional. Perhaps it would ■ be a bad idea, or it wouldn’t work as Trump Byron York is chief political correspondent claims it would, but there’s simply no sense for The Washington Examiner. T 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.
