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OPINION
East Oregonian
Friday, November 11, 2016
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 Office Manager
MIKE JENSEN
Production Manager
OUR VIEW
Tip of the hat;
kick in the pants
A kick in the pants to Americans in Portland and elsewhere who are
protesting the election of Donald Trump.
We are cynical of the president-elect’s abilities, but he won the election
fair and square. The protesters yelling and
demonstrating in the streets are the same ones
who would be turning up their noses at people
who would be protesting a victory by Hillary
Clinon. On the flip side, those scoffing at
the protesters and telling them to quit crying
and accept the results are the same ones who
promised to “take up arms” if Clinton won the
White House.
It’s all sour winners and sore losers. The talk of liberal enclaves across
America seceding from the union is ridiculous — as it always is in the
emotional few days following a hard-fought election.
Trump is as abnormal a president as we’ve ever had, and there are lots of
fights to be had once he takes control and we find out if he will do anything
that he said he would. But elections are how we choose who gets to make
those decisions and Trump won that round.
A tip of the hat to Marlina Avila Serratos, who is likely Irrigon’s first
Hispanic city councilor.
Oh, and she’s also 18 years old. And still in high school.
Avila Serratos ran unopposed for the open
position, and will take her seat in January.
She has an amazing life story, having to live
without her mother who was deported to Mexico
when Marlina was just 12. That helped Marlina
grow up quick, become comfortable with hard work
and responsibility, and spur her toward a possible
career in nursing.
And along the way she wanted to be involved
in her community. In a city like Irrigon, which has a difficult time keeping
council seats filled, there was space for Marlina. And for a city in which
roughly 1 in 3 residents are Hispanic, it’s long overdue for there to be a
voice and perspective from that community on the council.
We welcome Marlina to the wonderful world of local politics and wish
her well.
A tip of the hat to the myriad Veterans Day events taking place across
Umatilla and Morrow counties, as well as the countless respects that will be
paid both publicly and privately this weekend.
The national holiday celebrates all military
veterans who served our country during times of war
and peace. Especially now, as Iraq, Afghanistan and
Vietnam veterans are in vulnerable stages of their
lives, we owe them a debt of gratitude and continued
vigilance to their health and happiness.
Take some time today or this weekend to thank a
family member, friend or neighbor who served.
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
Trump must pivot to governance
Milwaukee (Wisc.) Journal Sentinel
D
onald Trump will be the next
president, and, “We owe him
an open mind and a chance to
lead,” Hillary Clinton said in a gracious
concession speech Wednesday morning.
The former secretary of state is right:
We do owe that to the president-elect.
We owe it even more to the millions of
enthusiastic supporters who went to his
rallies and then to the polls on Tuesday.
They delivered Trump an epochal
victory that also gave Republicans
control of both houses of Congress and
the ability to fill at least one vacancy on
the Supreme Court. It happened because
the New York real estate developer and
celebrity won a bet that his behavior
would be judged by the standards of
a reality television star rather than by
those of a presidential candidate.
Trump wrote a Hollywood ending to
his 17-month journey by winning a clear
Electoral College victory, taking states
that weren’t thought to be in contention.
That included Wisconsin, where Trump
lost the Republican primary in April.
It was the first time a Republican had
carried the state since President Ronald
Reagan did so in 1984.
But after running the most divisive
presidential campaign in memory, after
disparaging Muslims, Hispanics and
women, and dividing to conquer, Trump
now must do something that seems
entirely counterintuitive for a man with
such a wide authoritarian streak.
He must be president for all of us,
and not just the Breitbart wing of the
Republican Party.
How will he do it? What will he do?
Those are questions that citizens of this
country are asking. Those are questions
that people across the globe are asking.
There were encouraging signs in his
acceptance speech early Wednesday
morning that Trump wants unity.
“Now it’s time for America to bind
the wounds of division,” he said. “To
all Republicans and Democrats and
independents across this nation, I say it
is time for us to come together as one
united people.”
Trump talked briefly about rebuilding
the country and putting people back
to work in the process. That may be
something both parties can support at a
time when roads, bridges and airports
around the country are in need of repair.
But can a campaign won with anger
and grievance lead to a presidency
governed by confidence and optimism?
With Trump’s victory, the wave of
nationalism that swept through Europe
and Great Britain has come to America.
As a result, this nation may be more
inclined to look inward and less inclined
to lead in the world. Americans may
want that. But there are risks of a foreign
policy of withdrawal or one that deploys
American power inconsistently, or
worse, incoherently.
“I want to tell the world community
that while we will always put America’s
interests first, we will deal fairly with
everyone, with everyone — all people
and all other nations,” Trump said. “We
will seek common ground, not hostility;
partnership, not conflict.”
In her speech, Clinton seemed
to be warning Trump to uphold the
constitutional rights of all Americans,
not only the rights of those who
supported him. She also summoned her
followers to remain competitors in the
fight over ideas. “This loss hurts. But
please, never stop believing that fighting
for what’s right is worth it,” she said.
That fight will continue apace no
matter what Trump does or what Clinton
says, but he and Clinton both took
small steps in their speeches to start the
process of unifying the nation.
Trump has surprised before, and
the biggest surprise of all was how he
inspired so many millions of people to
vote for him. We hope he exceeds our
expectations.
The nation needs him to succeed and
for the government to function.
Many Americans voted for change on
Tuesday. Now, we will see just what sort
of change they have wrought.
OTHER VIEWS
Ten-step program for Trump trauma
W
ell, wow. We’ve got a
or bargaining chips. Anything could go
president-elect who a great
either way.
many Americans regard
While that’s not necessarily
as the spawn of Satan. A dimwitted,
calming, it’s better than assuming
meanspirited spawn embodying the
he actually believes all the stuff he
nation’s worst flaws, failings and
says. What kind of program could he
nightmares.
really, really get his heart and soul
But on the lighter side ...
behind? The only thing I can imagine
The question today is how to deal
is a multitrillion-dollar Donald Trump
Gail
with the reality of Donald Trump,
Collins Historic Biggest Ever Infrastructure
next president of the United States.
and 50-State Golf Course Building
Comment
Remember, we’re doing this for your
Program.
mental health, not his.
7) About the election results: Don’t
The bottom line is to presume the best
let people tell you that the vote proves half the
while preparing for the worst. “They killed
American population is racist. There’s another
us but they ain’t whooped
reasonable explanation for
us yet,” said Tim Kaine,
Trump’s victory. In most
channeling Faulkner in one
presidential elections, people
of the losing team’s biggest
decide between change and
applause lines.
continuity. Hillary Clinton
Forget about moving
was running to continue
abroad. Of course it sounds
the Obama legacy. After a
tempting, but you’d be
president serves two terms,
surprised how many countries
Americans generally vote for
are unenthusiastic about
change, and the other party’s
acquiring new former-
nominee.
American citizens. The
Yeah, I know — those
Canadians will just keep
people yelling the N-word or
telling you about their terrific, sensible, well-
“Sieg heil!” at the rallies. But if you dwell on
adjusted young prime minister. Plus there’s
them, you’re not going to want to go out of
that terrible housing bubble in New Zealand.
the house anymore. Think of it as basically
Let’s get more practical. Here goes:
a change/no change election. Plus some
A 10-Step Program for Adjusting to
deplorables rattling around the basket.
President-Elect Donald Trump
8) We ought to give anybody a second
1) Start with a night of heavy drinking.
chance, even if it’s Donald Trump. “We now
Already done that? Good, you’re on your way. are all rooting for his success,” said President
2) Acknowledge that Donald Trump is not
Barack Obama. Really, you do not want to
crazy. Obviously, he has been known to act
be one of those people like, um, Omarosa
crazy in public. But if you met him at a private Manigault, Trump’s director of African-
social occasion you would probably find him
American outreach, who told a reporter on
to be a fairly pleasant person.
election night that when it came to enemies,
I say that as someone who once got a letter “Mr. Trump has a long memory and we’re
from Trump telling me I had the face of a
keeping a list.”
dog. But the next time I saw him at a lunch
Now that’s the kind of attitude that might
meeting he was fine. Told interesting jokes
come in handy if you’re a repeat contestant
about how much money he got for product
on a cheesy reality show like “The Celebrity
placement on his TV show. Obviously, this
Apprentice.” But obviously that has nothing
isn’t the equivalent of “Theodore Roosevelt
to do with being chief executive of the United
reincarnated.” But we’re trying to work with
States.
what we have here.
9) Try to think about some of the other
3) Trump has the attention span of a gnat,
election results on Tuesday that were more
but if he appoints reasonable and intelligent
positive. Some states passed new gun control
people to his Cabinet, the government could
initiatives. Others raised the minimum wage,
run OK.
and several legalized recreational marijuana.
It will be easy to tell if this is not going to
Which will definitely come in handy over the
happen: Attorney General Rudy Giuliani.
next few years.
4) Ditto with foreign affairs. Trump has
10) At Thanksgiving, if your family keeps
seemed pretty hands-off when it comes
trying to trade Trump insults, redirect the
to international involvement, so perhaps
conversation to that great Chicago Cubs World
with the right advisers, he might take a
Series win.
moderate approach that would disappoint the
It may be a hard meal to get through, but
Republican hawks.
remind yourself that a couple of days later, our
Tip-off that this one’s a non-starter:
president-elect is scheduled to take the witness
Secretary of State Newt Gingrich.
stand in a Trump University fraud trial.
5) If you’re worried about social issues,
There’s always a silver lining.
remember that until fairly recently, Trump was
■
a rather liberal Manhattanite.
Gail Collins joined The New York Times
But just in case, you might want to write
in 1995 as a member of the editorial board
out a large check to Planned Parenthood.
and later as an Op-Ed columnist. In 2001 she
6) When it comes to big domestic policy
became the first woman ever appointed editor
questions, to Trump they’re just applause lines of the Times’s editorial page.
The question
today is how
to deal with
the reality of
Donald Trump.
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.