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.