Page 4A
OPINION
East Oregonian
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
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
Rent control
for Oregon is
a fool’s bargain
Oregon House Speaker Tina
South of us, in San Francisco,
Kotek threw red meat to her
lies one of the most unfortunate
Portland constituents by proposing
conundrums, born of rent control.
legislation to create rent control.
Writing in Willamette Week last
Portland rents have escalated as the
June, Aaron Mesh explored the
city has become one of the nation’s
San Francisco example. “Many
most desirable locations. Kotek
landlords either evict tenants or keep
extended her rent control proposal
apartments empty,” wrote Mesh.
beyond Portland’s
“Roughly one in
boundaries,
12 housing units in
to all Oregon
Rent control will San Francisco sit
communities.
according
generate a huge vacant,
to the U.S. Census
Rent control is
now prohibited in
Bureau.”
bureaucracy
Oregon statute.
Of San Francisco,
and is fraught Tim Duy of the
America’s
on-again, off-again
of
with unintended University
experience with
Oregon economics
consequences. department asked:
rent control began
during World War II
“Has that really been
housing shortages.
effective at solving
With almost 70 years of history in
their problems? No. You think
various cities such as New York,
you’re helping people, but you are
rent control has generated enormous constraining the stock of affordable
economic study and literature.
housing.”
Retired Portland State University
For Speaker Kotek to propose rent
Professor John Walker said: “The
control for all Oregon communities
shelves of literature on rent control
is an especially ridiculous concept.
are bigger than the Astoria Public
Asking the Oregon Legislature
Library.”
to embark on consideration of
rent control is a fool’s bargain. If
Of rent control, one can say
this comes to serious legislative
two things: it will generate a huge
committee discussion, we hope
bureaucracy and it is fraught with
that economists from Oregon’s
unintended consequences that are
universities will enlighten the
not what hard-pressed tenants hope
statehouse.
for.
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
John’s gospel of Trump’s illegitimacy
n Friday, the Georgia
In fact, one of Trump’s five
congressman, civil rights
deferments was in 1965, the same
icon and Donald Trump
year as the Selma marches and
inauguration-boycotter John
“Bloody Sunday,” during which
Lewis told NBC’s Chuck Todd
Lewis was struck so violently by a
something that I believe millions
state trooper wielding a billy club
of Americans are thinking.
that Lewis’ skull was fractured.
“I don’t see this president-elect
Coincidentally, Trump finally
as a legitimate president,” Lewis
received
his permanent exemption
Charles
said. “I think the Russians
M. Blow from the draft, a 4-F status, in the
participated in helping this man
year before he and his father were
Comment
get elected. And they helped
sued by the Department of Justice
destroy the candidacy of Hillary
for violating the Fair Housing Act
Clinton.”
of 1968 — one of the many justice issues
The release of the clip in which
Lewis championed.
Lewis made his stark assessment came
As The New York Times noted at the
on the same day that the FBI director,
time: “The government contended that
James Comey, and other intelligence
Trump Management had refused to rent
officials provided a classified briefing to
or negotiate rentals ‘because of race and
members of the House, no doubt divulging color.’ It also charged that the company
information to which we mere mortals
had required different rental terms and
are not privy. After the meeting, Rep.
conditions because of race and that it had
Maxine Waters of California blasted: “It’s
misrepresented to blacks that apartments
classified and we can’t tell you anything.
were not available.”
All I can tell you is the FBI director has no
Let’s be clear: Donald Trump doesn’t
credibility!”
even deserve to stand in John Lewis’
It would be easy to simply claim that
shadow. The spectacular obscenity of
emotions are running high or that partisan
Trump’s comment is incomparable and
pain is abnormally acute. But I continue
deeply repulsive.
to argue, strenuously and adamantly, that
And furthermore, I don’t find what
to simply see the extraordinary events
Lewis said about Trump’s illegitimacy to
unfolding before us as purely ideological
be outrageous, or off the mark in the least.
blinds us to the very real concern that our
I guess for me, it comes down to a
sovereignty has been compromised.
rather profound semantic question: Does
Trump, the president-elect tweet
“legitimate” refer here to the meaning in
stormer, couldn’t let this go, particularly
law or principle?
Lewis’ assessment.
It is true that Donald Trump is, by
Early on Saturday morning, Trump
all measures of the law, the legitimate
shot back at Lewis in possibly one of the
president-elect and will legitimately be
most ill-advised political social media
inaugurated our 45th president on Friday,
moments I can recall, publishing two
no matter how much it pains me to write
tweets that together read: “Congressman
that or pains you to read it.
John Lewis should spend more time on
But there is another way of considering
fixing and helping his district, which is
legitimacy, another test that his election
in horrible shape and falling apart (not
doesn’t meet: That is when legitimacy
to mention crime infested) rather than
is defined as “conforming to recognized
falsely complaining about the election
principles or accepted rules and
results. All talk, talk, talk — no action or
standards.”
results. Sad!”
Here, Lewis and his fellow believers
Stop and think about what you just
are on solid footing. Trump has bucked
read: A lecher attacking a legend; a man
our conventions; his life is rife with
of moral depravity attacking a man of
percolating conflicts; Comey outrageously
moral certitude; an intellectual weakling
threw a wrench in the works with his
attacking a warrior for justice. This on
meaningless, last-minute letter about
Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, no less.
Clinton’s email (which is now, quite
Trump attacks Lewis as, “All talk, talk, rightly, being investigated); and the
talk — no action”; Lewis, who repeatedly
intelligence community has determined
thrust his body unto the breach for justice,
with high confidence that Russia interfered
who was arrested, beaten and terrorized,
in our election in an effort to hurt Clinton
including during the time that young
and help Trump, their desired candidate.
Trump was at his well-heeled schools,
■
receiving draft deferments from the
Charles M. Blow has been a New York
Vietnam War.
Times Op-Ed columnist since 2008.
O
OTHER VIEWS
Trump and pony show
s a professional skeptic, I’m
not get elected?
going to remain doubtful that
Watch. Trump mentioned that
Donald Trump has been a
over the weekend he was offered a $2
willing Russian tool, masterfully serving
billion deal with Dubai, which sounds
the needs of a dangerous American
like a bribe. Don’t worry, the Trump
adversary. I’m not going to buy all
organization will not do deals abroad
the sordid details of “that crap,” as
while he’s president, he said. But he
the president-elect called intelligence
will be making decisions that can fatten
reports of his being compromised
Timothy his own family holdings at home, and
by nasty people operating out of the
he will be conducting foreign policy
Egan
Kremlin.
with countries where the Trumps have
Comment
I’m going to believe Donald Trump,
business entanglements.
for now, which is more than
“This is not a blind
he ever did for the graceful
trust,” said Walter Shaub,
president soon to exit.
the director of the Office of
Trump has been a garbage
Government Ethics. “It’s not
conveyor belt, passing along
even close.”
every bit of half-fermented
Watch. When Russia
slop that came his way. “An
preys on a defenseless
extremely credible source
neighbor, or Trump allows
has called my office and told
Vladimir Putin, a man Sen.
me that Barack Obama’s
John McCain called “a thug,
birth certificate is a fraud,” he
a murderer, a killer and a
tweeted in 2012, to cite one
KGB agent,” to commit war
lie among thousands.
crimes without consequence,
I’m going to believe this
we’ll have something to talk
same Donald Trump who
about. Will Rex Tillerson, the
urged Russia to interfere
former Exxon Mobil chief
with an American election,
picked to be secretary of
because to believe otherwise, without irrefutable state, earn his Order of Friendship Award from
evidence, is a pretty damn horrific thing to
Putin, or act like the top diplomat of a nation
imagine. It would mean that in a week, the
long committed to defending human rights?
Russians will have installed a stooge — and
Watch. When Trump’s only real
done it with the right wing of this country
infrastructure program is a wall along the
cheering them on.
Mexican border, saddling taxpayers with a bill
I’m going to follow the advice an old
that could exceed $50 billion with no discernible
journalism hand gave me when I started out
economic benefit at home, then he must answer
at City Hall: pay more attention to what a
for something far more consequential than his
politician does than to what he says. In that
opinion of the acting skills of Meryl Streep.
sense, Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway was
Watch. When the executive puts his signature
half-right when she urged people to largely
to real policies. First up is likely to be the
ignore “what’s come out of his mouth.”
Obamacare repeal, which would give a huge tax
His tweets are a diversion, many of them
cut to the wealthiest Americans. The 400 highest
celebrity-on-celebrity drivel without a dust mite taxpayers would each get a break of about $7
of dignity. They move markets, and ignite news
million, on average. Soon to follow, gutting the
cycles — an addictive power for an insecure
estate tax, which could benefit his Cabinet and
man. His Trump Tower perp walks, showing off his family by upward of $9 billion total.
the latest poor soul to kiss the king’s ring, reveal
Watch. When that same Cabinet, heavy on
little but the everyday nourishment needs of a
billionaires and people with no government
narcissist.
experience goes to work. In the inner circle,
In the combustible Wednesday news
Trump’s national security adviser will be Lt.
conference, the skills of a talented charlatan
Gen. Michael Flynn, who was paid to give a
were on display. Trump is a terrific showman,
speech by RT, the Kremlin’s main propaganda
and the press was no match. He belittled,
outlet for English-language television.
bragged, dodged, told a half-dozen half-truths.
Watch for a counterweight of sanity, the
His motto should be: stay unclassy! He said
nominee for defense secretary, retired Marine
he could run the country and his business at
Corps Gen. James Mattis. On Thursday, he
the same time. And judging by the paper-thin
broke with Trump, saying the United States
conflict-of-interest wall he set up, he probably
must confront Putin and should try to make
will.
the Iran nuclear deal work. You know we’re in
His tax returns could reveal many of those
trouble when the only reasonable voice during a
opportunities to enrich himself from the Oval
week of capital chaos is a man whose nickname
Office. But he refuses to release this vital
is Mad Dog.
information. He never answered two essential
■
questions of the transition: What will he replace
Timothy Egan worked for 18 years as a
Obamacare with? And, did anyone in his
writer for The New York Times, first as the
campaign have contact with Russian operatives
Pacific Northwest correspondent, then as a
working to ensure that Hillary Clinton would
national enterprise reporter.
A
I’m going to
believe Donald
Trump, for now,
which is more
than he ever did
for the graceful
president soon
to exit.
YOUR VIEWS
Communities must be vigilant
to animal neglect, abuse
Regarding East Oregonian Jan. 10 article:
“Investigation finds dead, malnourished
cattle/”
We’re in near total disbelief that these
animals were allowed to be abused to this
degree. It’s obvious that the owner wouldn’t
or couldn’t take care of them properly for
some time before they were actually reported,
but how many people witnessed the starving
things and did nothing about it? The address
listed was South Edwards and Columbia
roads, two main thoroughfares east of
Hermiston.
The article stated that a caller had seen
the dead animals from Columbia. Ehen
the authorities got there 14 were dead, one
more calf had to be put down, and 15 were
so malnourished they could not be moved
safely. How long had the cattle been in bad
shape before somebody finally called? That’s
a lot of pain and agony that could have been
averted because nobody “wanted to get
involved.”
Surely this terrible travesty had been an
ongoing thing for quite some time, maybe
for months when the growing season came
to a close and the animals ran out of grass.
Apparently they didn’t get the feed they so
desperately needed to live, especially in the
cold weather we’ve had lately, and was their
water frozen, or did they have any? Why
didn’t the owner do something with his cattle
when it became apparent that he couldn’t care
for them properly? It makes no sense at all
from a humane or economic standpoint. Isn’t
Northwest Sale Yard less than 20 miles away?
And what about the owner’s friends,
family or neighbors? Where were they while
these animals were starving to death? Cattle
are pretty vocal animals when something
is wrong and we’re fairly sure that these
animals at some time before they became too
emaciated and sick had vocalized they plight
collectively that could have been heard for a
half mile or more. Are the people who were
aware of the condition of these animals that
were dying a slow and agonizing death just
as guilty of animal abuse as their owner? We
think they are.
Greg and Diane Elliott
Pilot Rock
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.