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OPINION
East Oregonian
Tuesday, May 2, 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
Perdue is
welcome, but
late to the party
Sonny Perdue has been confirmed
by the Senate as secretary of
agriculture.
It’s long past time. President
Trump has not moved quickly
enough on key appointments
involved in timely issues important
to farmers and ranchers.
The former Georgia governor was
the last cabinet officer nominated by
Trump, and didn’t receive a hearing
before the Senate ag committee until
March 23.
“I think the president saved
the best for last,” Perdue quipped
to senators during the hearing.
The affable Perdue received the
appropriate chuckle from the panel
and gallery, but it was already
apparent that the nominee was
woefully late to the party.
Not only was he last invited to
the cabinet table, Perdue had not
been consulted on the Trump budget
proposal, released that morning,
that called for a 21 percent cut in
the USDA’s budget. Adding insult
to injury, some programs favored by
Perdue — organics and the farm-
to-school programs, for example
— received short shrift from the
White House.
This was not the administration’s
finest hour in the minds of many in
the ag community.
Perdue has a big stack on his
desk, and he won’t have a lot of
help right away to move things
along. None of the eight sub-cabinet
positions — the deputy and under
secretaries who manage various
agencies within the department
— have been appointed, let alone
vetted. Those first few staff meetings
are going to be lonely.
Also vacant are state-level
executive director appointees who
run the Farm Service Agency and
Rural Development.
During his confirmation hearings,
Perdue said he would like Congress
to establish a separate sub-cabinet
position within the USDA to deal
with trade issues. That’s an idea
OTHER VIEWS
Lessons from 100 days of Trump
H
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press File
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue
has much to do to catch up after
taking office this week.
former Secretary Tom Vilsack had
kicked around during his tenure but
never put forward.
Sounds like a good idea. There’s
no overstating how important trade
is to American farmers, particularly
to producers here in the Pacific
Northwest.
But here again Trump’s actions
have given producers pause.
During the campaign both Trump
and Secretary Clinton spoke out
against the proposed Trans-Pacific
Partnership.
The president quickly took the
United States out of the pact upon
taking office, favoring instead
stronger two-way deals with
Pacific trading partners. He has
also signaled a desire to renegotiate
the North American Free Trade
Agreement with Canada and
Mexico.
It’s too early to tell if any of this
will be good or bad for agriculture.
It’s all stymied because Robert
Lighthizer, Trump’s nominee to be
U.S. Trade Representative — our
country’s chief trade negotiator —
has been approved by the Senate
Finance Committee but has not yet
been scheduled for confirmation by
the full Senate.
We would like to see the president
move more quickly on issues vital
to U.S. agriculture. Filling the
vacancies at the USDA and making
more progress on trade would be
good first steps.
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.
LETTERS POLICY
The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public is-
sues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The
newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about indi-
vidual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens.
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ere are a dozen things we have
rules! The denizens of this swamp are
learned in President Donald
also like nothing previously seen in the
Trump’s first 100 days.
White House: One counterterrorism
1. Trump has had the worst
aide, Sebastian Gorka, founded an
beginning of any president since, oh,
extremist political party in Hungary
perhaps William Henry Harrison (who
and allegedly has ties (which he
died a month after his inauguration).
denies) to a Nazi-allied group there.
Trump has had no legislative triumphs,
7. Bless the American people:
and he has by far the lowest public
Scapegoating
and bigotry carry a
Nicholas
approval of any new president in
political
price.
Trump has demonized
Kristof some of the most
polling history. Large majorities say he
vulnerable people —
Comment
is not honest, does not keep promises
refugees and unauthorized immigrants
and does not care about ordinary
— but large majorities of Americans
people.
disapprove of his policies on immigration (57
2. Trump distinguishes himself in one
percent to 41 percent, according a CNN poll).
area: incompetence. The debacle of the
8. After initially tussling with allies like
travel ban was followed by the collapse of
Australia and Mexico, and apparently refusing
the Republican health care
to shake Angela Merkel’s
bill, and I doubt we’ll ever
hand for a photo, Trump has
see passage of a tax reform
partially adapted to reality on
package, a health bill or even a
foreign policy, abandoning his
major infrastructure spending
positions on two Chinas, on
bill. Trump has made no trips
China’s currency and on the
abroad (at this juncture, Barack
Iran nuclear program. He has
Obama had visited nine countries), and he has
replaced an awful national security adviser
fewer than half as many nominees confirmed
(Michael Flynn) with a good one (H.R.
for senior positions as Obama did at this point. McMaster) and now has a respectable national
3. New presidents typically grow into
security team.
the job, but Trump remains a bully and a
9. Perhaps the greatest single risk of a
charlatan. In my career, I’ve never known a
Trump presidency is what he calls a “major,
national politician as mendacious, ill informed, major conflict” erupting on the Korean
bombastic and dangerous as Trump. His
Peninsula. I don’t think this is likely, but it
tweets are as immature as ever, and The
would be cataclysmic. The problem is that
Washington Post calculates that he has issued
Trump’s existing policy won’t succeed in
452 false or misleading claims since assuming getting North Korea to give up its nuclear
office, churning them out at a rate of more
stockpile — and one can’t help worrying when
than one every six hours around the clock (no
two inexperienced and impulsive leaders face
wonder he seems so busy!).
off.
4. The opposition to Trump has been
10. Democrats should be careful to avoid
ineffective in reaching Trump voters, and he
Trump Derangement Syndrome. A survey
remains deeply popular with his base. Only 2
of Dartmouth students found that 45 percent
percent of Trump voters say they regret their
of Democrats would be uncomfortable
choice in November, and an ABC/Washington with a roommate of opposite political
Post poll suggested that if 2016 voters filled
views, compared with only 12 percent of
out their ballots today, Trump would be
Republicans. Meanwhile, the passions to block
elected by the popular vote as well as by the
conservative speakers at Middlebury and the
electoral vote. Even more people say that the
University of California, Berkeley, should also
Democratic Party is out of touch with ordinary give us pause: Liberalism mustn’t be illiberal.
voters than say the same of the Republican
11. Let’s avoid the temptation to chase
Party. Trump’s popularity among Republicans
the latest shiny thing. Focus on what’s truly
means that the liberal aim of removing Trump
important: health, tax and housing policy, the
by impeachment or the 25th Amendment is
allegations of collusion between the Trump
probably fantasy — and all this should prompt campaign and the Kremlin, the efforts to
some hard reflection among progressives.
undermine women’s health programs, and the
5. Trump systematically betrays his
effort to slash foreign aid just as 20 million
supporters. Elected in part on working-class
people face possible famine.
anger at elites, he keeps proposing giant tax
12. The Republic stands. Checks and
cuts for the rich financed by cutting health
balances have constrained Trump, courts
care for the needy, and his tax “plan” would
have blocked his travel ban, journalists
in effect borrow from China to reward
have provided oversight, and the public has
billionaires like himself. His “deregulation”
hounded members of Congress. Alarm that the
includes letting chemical companies peddle
U.S. might slip into a fascist dictatorship has
an insecticide, chlorpyrifos, linked to brain
diminished — but it’s a long three years and
damage in children.
nine months still ahead of us.
6. Trump has built a colossal swamp in
■
Washington, hiring lobbyists to craft policies
Nicholas Kristof grew up on a sheep and
governing the very companies that previously
cherry farm in Yamhill. S columnist for The
paid them. To cover up abuses, the White
New York Times since 2001, he won the
House issues secret waivers of its own ethics
Pulitzer Prize two times, in 1990 and 2006.
The Republic
stands.
YOUR VIEWS
Conserving riverside space
good for Pendleton
I am constantly amazed by newspaper
reporters and story writers. They write so
much — so fast — and yet the number
of errors is amazingly small. Not an easy
accomplishment.
Thank you Antonio Sierra for your
well-balanced story on the possible
development of land for building residences
below Northwest Seventh Street (April 22).
There is one error I think I should address.
Somehow, I was misquoted on an important
fact. I am supposed to have said, “(This is)
not for humanity because we don’t know
humanity, but for our kids.” But those are
not words that I would use, and it is the exact
opposite of what is true.
When my husband and I first became
interested in the future of the land on the
north side of the river it was for personal
reasons. We wanted to protect our own
property. We did not want an apartment or
condo to ruin our view of riverbank.
As I prepared to address the planning
commission in February 2016, and then
again in January of this year, I felt some
research was in order and only then began to
recognize what a valuable and truly precious
feature this river is. I now realize it’s about
so much more than protecting our view.
What was, in the beginning, only a
personal issue has now, indeed, become
an issue that involves “humanity.” It’s not
about me. It’s about the future of the people
of Pendleton. Since we moved here in 1972
I’ve grown to love this town, and I want it to
be the best it can be.
The potential development of the land in
question will be addressed at the advisory
committee for the Pendleton Development
Commission this Thursday — May 4. The 4
p.m. meeting is open to the public and will
be held at the city hall (upstairs from the
library). If this is something that matters to
you, please come to the meeting and, by your
presence, show the development commission
that we would like to see them change their
plan to shoehorn more residences into the
narrow strip of nature we now enjoy.
Peg Willis
Pendleton
Support Hermiston bond
to keep from busting at seems
I am writing in favor of the current
Hermiston school bond. All three of my
children attended Hermiston schools through
early 2000 and graduated from Hermiston
High. The district has only continued
to grow by leaps and bounds since their
graduation.
Two schools my children attended have
been torn down and rebuilt, which was
desperately needed. I remember them being
sent home one day from the old West Park
building because the heating system was
not working. The old Armand Larive was
an interesting structure also, and they all
attended class in modular classrooms even
back then.
Unfortunately in today’s world using
modular classrooms has become unsafe
and puts the students and teachers in those
buildings at more risk.
Currently there are 34 modular
classrooms in use across our elementary
campuses. At our district’s rate of growth,
it is anticipated that 56 modular classrooms
could be needed by 2023. The district is
literally busting at the seams.
When thinking how to vote on this
bond, consider the future and safety of this
community and our children. We want to
provide enough safe space to be a good
learning environment and promote giving
back to the community like so many
graduates have.
This community has been so supportive
of growth in the schools in the past and I
hope that continues with this bond. Please
vote yes on the upcoming school bond.
Vicki Horneck
Irrigon
Walden’s actions on health
care critical to the nation
I urge Congressman Greg Walden
to reject the latest extreme proposal in
Congress that would eliminate protections
for people with pre-existing conditions, as
well as undermine the guaranteed health
benefits that insurance companies should
provide.
This new proposal would allow insurance
companies to discriminate against women,
and charge sky-high prices for insurance,
simply because a woman had a pre-existing
condition. That pre-existing condition could
be anything from being pregnant to being a
domestic violence survivor.
Without these protections, one study
showed that a woman who was previously
pregnant could be charged more than
$17,000 a year for coverage. That is an
outrage.
Congress is also proposing to eliminate
the essential health benefits coverage
standards, which means that insurance
companies would no longer have to cover
things like maternity care, prescription
drugs and mental health. This would
disproportionately affect women. For
instance, approximately 13 million women
could stand to lose maternity coverage and
women are 40 percent more likely than men
to have mental health needs.
That is not real insurance. And that is not
what Walden promised.
The extreme bill also blocks patients from
getting preventive care, like birth control and
cancer screenings, from Planned Parenthood
health centers. Planned Parenthood serves
a critical role in our communities here in
Oregon, and losing access would cause a
healthcare disaster.
It is imperative that Walden oppose this
latest proposal in Congress. It is a matter of
life and death.
Constance L. George
Umatilla