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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Thursday, October 6, 2016 OTHER VIEWS Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor MARISSA WILLIAMS Regional Advertising Director MARCY ROSENBERG Circulation Manager JANNA HEIMGARTNER Business Ofice Manager MIKE JENSEN Production Manager OUR VIEW We’re not clowning around All clowns are creepy, everybody force and when many Americans knows that. are connected to an online web of But we’re a newspaper — not a people they don’t really know or Stephen King novel — and we’re care about. It’s an age when the old not going to write about made-up “telephone game” can be magniied things that give people the heebie- to a worldwide audience, and when jeebies. the context of photos and videos can And we’re not the only media be morphed and hidden. company who has come to its senses Media companies, lailing to — if belatedly — about perpetuating keep up with the times, try to report this hoax. on these “memes of Mark Hanrahan, a the moment” that KREM 2 television lash through the We’re a anchor in Spokane, social media sphere. newspaper, Last month it was posted an opinion piece this week titled: “Let’s the Frog,” a not a Stephen “Pepe stop giving clowns sad-eyed poorly drawn so much attention.” that media King novel. cartoon Hanrahan said the organizations now outlet “will only report wrongly label as racist. on credible ‘creepy clown’ threats This month it’s these dumb clowns. that are being actively investigated.” And in trying to report about what We’ll do the same. people are seeing on their Facebook Because this is clearly a media or Instagram page, respectable and social media-driven hoax media organizations lend credence to that has been blown wildly out of what is not a newsworthy fad. proportion. Police departments in Hermiston Reports of clowns have popped and Pendleton lent their own kind up in dozens of states, and of credence to the issue too, posting “journalists” have dutifully reported with their tongue-in-cheek on on each supposed sighting and thus Facebook, or allocating resources helped spawn the next one. to deal with completely illogical The only fact that really matters, rumors that “creepy clowns” were however: There have been many going to terrorize schools. Now more people charged with passing those departments will have to false reports to police about clowns deal with the fallout, as the scanner than clowns have been charged crackles with more “sightings.” with crimes, or been the victim of a We’re not going to play the game crime. Quite simply: The reports are and perpetuate the myth. untrue, the rumors are untrue, the Sure, it’s possible that someone threats are unfounded. dressed as a clown could commit Untruths presented as facts is a heinous crime, or even a the problem of the moment — this misdemeanor. If that happens, we’ll age when valuable internet clicks report it. But we’re not going to are earned by shocking and cause panic for no reason, and we’re entertaining an online audience, not going to promote a sort of mass when viral marketing is a powerful hysteria. 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 Disguised sales tax would harm Oregon The Yamhill Valley News-Register W hat’s the good of working to increase graduation rates, only to send newly minted alumni out into a job market devastated by Measure 97? Why invest in expanded services to seniors, only to force them into paying more at the gas stations, grocery stores and pharmacies under this disguised sales tax? And how can we promise $3 billion a biennium in new revenue would be spent on “public early childhood and K-12 education, health care, and services for senior citizens,” as the measure’s union sponsors claim, when it would actually feed a general fund Oregon politicians can allocate any way they wish? These are questions voters must consider when making their decision on 97, easily this election’s most contentious ballot measure. For the sake of Oregon, we are conident that would persuade them to join us in voting no. The deceptively titled Oregon Business Tax Increase Initiative, created and inanced by organized labor, would exact a 2.5 percent tax on C corporation gross sales exceeding $25 million. Yes, sales, not income, thus serving to punish two elements of the economy disproportionately — consumers and high-volume, low-margin retailers, such as grocery stores. Backers claim the tax would be largely limited to greedy out-of-state corporate goliaths, whose CEOs are capable of jetting off to exclusive island retreats any time they wish. In fact, it would also hit homegrown retailers like Wilco and Bi-Mart, who aren’t capable of simply brushing it off, as Walmart might. What’s more, manufacturers, distributors and retailers would each build the increase into their price structure and pass it on to the maximum extent possible. Given the multiplier effect, the consumer would end up bearing a big portion of the burden in the end. A report released in May by the nonpartisan Legislative Revenue Ofice estimated Measure 97 would cost the average Oregonian $600 a year, or $2,400 a year for a family of four. It estimated public-sector job gains at 18,000, dwarfed by private- sector job losses predicted at 38,000. A counter study, commissioned by Measure 97 supporters, estimates a loss of 17,000 private-sector jobs and gain of 30,000 public-sector jobs. But even that scenario has a downside, as it would further stress a public employee retirement system already facing a $22 billion shortfall. The timing for a record-breaking, tradition-defying sales tax couldn’t be worse, as Oregon has enjoyed two straight years of strong economic growth. It is inally approaching a full recovery from the Great Recession, and Measure 97 would toss a grenade into that. If enacted, Measure 97 would surely dominate the upcoming Legislative session. Petitions for relief and pleas for funding would trigger endless debate. There are too many pressing needs in our state for our elected oficials to get bogged down in such a political quagmire. We have no quarrel with the premise that corporate America is getting a free ride in Oregon, and that needs to end. Putting the best face on it, perhaps the current proposal could serve as a framework for a better-conceived measure to address that inequity. Enacting an Oregon sales tax promises to create a lot more harm and havoc than good. Ominous signs for Trump in post-debate poll A new Fox News national poll in the four-way race and a signiicant suggests Donald Trump suffered real change in the two-way. It’s not clear damage in his irst debate with Hillary which is more meaningful. Clinton — not just losing the debate, But other numbers are clearly but sliding in some key measures of ominous for Trump. voter conidence in his ability to serve Before the debate, Trump had a 51 as president. percent to 44 percent lead when Fox Compared to the same poll’s results asked likely voters who would best before the debate, Clinton’s standing handle the economy. After the debate, Byron improved relative to Trump’s in three Trump’s lead was down to 49 percent York to 47 percent — a seven-point lead cut important areas: which candidate Comment to a two-point lead. would best handle the economy, Before the debate, Fox found 59 which candidate has the temperament percent of likely voters said Clinton had the to serve as president and which candidate is temperament to serve as president; after the honest and trustworthy. debate, the number went First, the overall to 67 percent. Trump’s numbers. In the poll, temperament number conducted last Tuesday, stayed nearly the same, 38 Wednesday, and Thursday, percent before the debate to 58 percent of likely voters 37 percent after. Clinton’s said Clinton won the debate, 21-point pre-debate lead versus just 19 percent who on the question became a said Trump won, 11 percent 30-point post-debate lead. who said it was a tie, and 12 Before the debate, 39 percent who said they didn’t percent of Fox respondents know. That’s three times as said Trump is honest and many voters who thought trustworthy. After the debate, that number fell Clinton won as thought Trump won. to 31 percent. Clinton’s honest and trustworthy Democrats, by a 91 percent to 4 percent rating remained virtually the same: 34 percent margin, thought Clinton was the victor. before the debate versus 35 percent after the Republicans, by a 35 percent to 26 percent debate. That’s a nine-point net change. Before margin, thought Trump won. (Nineteen the debate, more likely voters saw Trump as percent of Republicans thought it was a tie.) Among independents, Clinton won by a 46-22 honest and trustworthy than saw Clinton as honest and trustworthy. Post-debate, it’s the margin. other way around. So voters think Clinton won, which is the The debate didn’t change likely voters’ same result as other polls in recent days. But views on Clinton’s email problem or Trump’s the larger question is what effect, if any, the tax returns. debate had on the overall course of the race. There have been a lot of polls, In the horse race, Fox found Clinton leading Trump among likely voters 43 percent methodologically sound and otherwise, since to 40 percent in a four-way contest, with Gary Monday’s presidential debate. But it takes a while for the effect of a debate to percolate Johnson at eight percent and Jill Stein at four through the electorate. Voters who watched the percent. In the last Fox poll, taken September debate think about what they’ve seen, discuss 11-14, Clinton led Trump by 41 percent to 40 it with family and friends, and watch and read percent in the four-day race, with Johnson at news coverage. Voters who didn’t watch form eight percent and Stein and three percent. The Fox pollsters found more change in the opinions from coverage and word of mouth. It all takes a few days. head-to-head race among likely voters, with Now the irst real effects of the debate are Clinton now leading Trump 49 percent to 44 percent. In the pre-debate Fox poll, Trump led becoming clear. And they are not good news for Donald Trump. Clinton 46 percent to 45 percent — so that’s ■ a six-point net change before and after the Byron York is chief political correspondent debate. for The Washington Examiner. So there has been an insigniicant change Trump suffered real damage in his irst debate with Hillary Clinton. YOUR VIEWS Eastern Oregon delegate proud to support Clinton As a longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton, I was honored to represent Eastern Oregon as a Hillary delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in 2008. I feel just as strongly now, in supporting her, as I did then. She is the right person at the right time to serve as our president and commander in chief. Having known her for so long, I know she has the intelligence, experience and wisdom to serve as president. Likewise, I know that she is an ethical person who knows wrong from right, and she will make wise decisions based on her strong Christian faith. Unfortunately, the Republican Party has put forth a candidate who is completely unqualiied and without the temperament or demeanor to serve as our president. As a retired teacher and principal, I questions how we could ever put forth Donald Trump as a role model to our children, should he be elected president. The childish name-calling he has shown for the last year and a half would be an embarrassment for the American people. Students in any school at which I was principal would be sent to the ofice for disciplining were they to call people names in the way he does. Hillary Clinton is the candidate who has the intelligence, background and integrity to serve as our president from the day she is elected. Don’t embarrass our country! Elect Hillary Clinton our president. Jack Lorts, vice chair, Wheeler County Democrats former mayor retired Superintendent of Schools Fossil Chicago’s hellish conditions an American tragedy As has so often been the case over the past 100 to 120 years, Americans these days are hearing a great many homicide-related horror stories from the savage streets of Chicago. The metropolis that in days long ago gave us the 1886 “Haymarket Riots” and Al Capone’s gruesome “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” in 1929 is managing to shock the rest of the world in 2016 with what seems like a virtually limitless spate of youth gang killings. Perhaps, rather than “Windy City,” the place ought to be nicknamed “Bloody City.” Even as Los Angeles and New York City manage to keep their levels of deadly violence in check, Chicago keeps getting worse. Associated Press reporter Don Babwin is perfectly right to term what is taking place in mid-America’s largest metropolis the “Chicago slaughter.” Ninety-one people were slain there in August alone, and thus far in 2016 more people have been murdered in Chicago than in Los Angeles and New York City combined. For all practical purposes, sad it is to say, violent crime in Chicago is out of control and stands as a major public health emergency. It is dificult to escape the conclusion that the city of Chicago’s “powers that be” have simply given up trying to bring the situation under control. They’ve washed their hands of it, one suspects, and have effectively consigned certain neighborhoods to the sort of earthly “perdition” they’ve largely brought on themselves. It is extremely hard to see at this juncture what measures would halt the massacre. It has taken on a grim life of its own. Chicago’s homicide problem is akin to warfare. Chicago has always had a huge amount of potential, but this potential has been stunted by the city’s propensity for violence and social chaos. Public safety concerns act as a drag on the Chicago economy. Chicago could be an earthly paradise. It has plenty of material resources. Instead, in many of its neighborhoods, conditions are downright hellish. Frank W. Goheen Vancouver, Wash. LETTERS POLICY The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.
