Page 4A
OPINION
East Oregonian
Thursday, May 18, 2017
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 Office Manager
MIKE JENSEN
Production Manager
OUR VIEW
They’re coming to
Umatilla County
It may be arriving in fits and
We’re glad they’ve made the
starts, but after a long and unusually effort to invite the world at large to
frigid winter, summer is nearly here. visit our town, and now we must be
It’s just what Pendleton needs.
ready to do our part.
We can pick up an idea or two
Tourism isn’t strictly a fair-weather
this weekend when the Pendleton
business, but around these parts the
Underground Tours come alive.
clear skies and warm nights are the
Each year, the tour brings in
perfect environment to welcome
volunteer actors to play the parts of
visitors from all over.
Pendleton’s denizens
Travel Oregon
of yore throughout
estimates that tourists
spent $137 million in
The eclipse is a the underground
They
Umatilla County in
rare cosmic gift labyrinth.
dress and playact the
2016 on things like
hotels, restaurants,
to Pendleton. characters and put on
a show, which sells
recreation and retail,
out every year.
which is enough to
Keeping that approach in mind,
support about 2,400 jobs and $1.5
businesses and citizens should
million in local taxes. Much of that
remember that we’re all part of the
is centered in Pendleton.
tourist experience. It doesn’t mean
And the city is getting notice
we all must dress in turn-of-the-
statewide. At the 2016 Travel and
century garb and pretend we’re still
Tourism Industry Achievement
living on the frontier to put on a
Awards last week, Pat Beard of
show for spectators, but it does mean
Travel Pendleton took home the
we are aware that first impressions
Oregon Tourism Leadership Award
and the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute are important. Every point of contact
matters. We have the potential to
in Mission took the Gene Leon
Memorial Award, given to a tourism- turn one-time visitors, drawn by a
big event, into regular guests.
related activity that focuses on
Businesses of course take on
Oregon’s natural beauty and outdoor
much of the point-of-contact burden
recreation.
but also have the most to gain.
Building off these successes, this
summer will see four massive events Adding summer hours and staying
open on weekends is key to letting
pass through the city, starting with
the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest on tourists see everything the city has
to offer.
July 15, Pendleton Bike Week the
The eclipse is a rare cosmic
following weekend, the solar eclipse
gift to Pendleton. There is nothing
on August 21 and, of course, the
otherwise remarkable about the
Pendleton Round-Up on the second
weekend, but we have the potential
full week of September.
to make new fans of travelers
While the eclipse is a one-off
passing through to get a perfect view
happy coincidence and the
of the phenomenon just to our south.
Round-Up is a volunteer-driven
Resources will be taxed in Grant and
spectacle developed over more
Baker counties, but as visitors come
than a century, the music fest and
back this way we can offer them
motorcycle rally and other events,
the Pendleton experience — which
like Oktoberfest, are more recent
creations by forward thinking locals. cannot be eclipsed.
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
Give churches freedom of speech,
but why freedom from taxation?
The Des Moines (Iowa) Register
I
t’s not clear what Lyndon Johnson
was thinking in 1954. The then-U.S.
senator introduced an amendment to
a bill that prevented some tax-exempt
organizations, including churches, from
engaging in political campaign activity.
Congress adopted it without debate.
Lawmakers later strengthened the ban.
Courts have upheld it.
None of this means the statute makes
sense. There is certainly a case to be
made that free speech rights should not
be tied to tax status for any organization.
And Congress can certainly vote to
change the law if it chooses.
But President Donald Trump is still
figuring out how this “branches of
government” idea works.
Last week he signed an executive
order he said would free churches from
restraints imposed by the law. Seeking to
garner as much attention as possible, the
signing was staged in the Rose Garden
with activists, faith leaders and nuns.
They were serenaded by a string quartet.
The order will “prevent the Johnson
Amendment from interfering with
your First Amendment rights,” Trump
declared.
Well, no it won’t. The executive order
does essentially nothing. In fact, groups
preparing to sue over what they expected
the document to contain said there was
no need after they saw the final version.
The American Civil Liberties Union
called the order “an elaborate photo-op
with no discernible policy outcome.”
Even conservative groups recognized it
as little more than a “gesture.”
Then again, the amendment is little
more than a gesture. It is essentially
meaningless because it is not enforced.
Some religious leaders have
intentionally flouted the provision in law,
trying to draw attention to themselves
annually on “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.”
They tell their congregation which
political candidates to support and face
no consequences from the Internal
Revenue Service.
“We record our sermons, as have
many several thousands of pastors, and
then send their sermons to the IRS in
hopes of provoking a lawsuit. But we
have not been successful,” a California
pastor told CNN last year.
The IRS could take action. It could
revoke the preferential tax status of
churches. But it doesn’t. After being
starved by Congress for several years,
it doesn’t have the staff. It also likely
doesn’t have the stomach for the certain
political backlash. And the IRS may not
even know some churches exist, as they
are not required to apply for tax-exempt
status and are generally not required to
file annual forms with the agency.
A 2014 report from the Government
Accountability Office noted budget cuts
at the IRS have led to “a steady decrease
in the number of charitable organizations
examined.” In 2011, the examination rate
was 0.81 percent; in 2013, it fell to 0.71
percent, lower than the examination rate
for other types of taxpayers, including
individuals and corporations.
Translation: Pretty much anyone can
open a “church,” avoid taxation and
engage in political activities with no
fear of repercussions. And with pressure
from the president to leave these entities
alone, the IRS is even less likely to
scrutinize them.
The question Trump should be
asking: Why are churches exempt from
taxation in the first place? That could
spur the larger conversation this country
needs to have about reforming the entire,
antiquated federal statute on tax-exempt
status. Use of the exemption has run
amok.
About 1.6 million organizations,
including about 400,000 religious
entities, do not pay taxes. That drives
up the federal deficit, hurts local
governments and forces the rest of us
to pay more to compensate. Among the
activities our additional tax contributions
support: politicking pastors who proudly
and loudly violate federal law.
Washington policymakers should
ensure everyone has freedom of speech,
but revisit who gets freedom from
taxation.
On Capitol Hill, growing frustration
with FBI secrecy about Russia probe
C
alls for a special prosecutor to
statement.
investigate the Russia-Trump
“I very much appreciate what
affair have multiplied in the
you’ve said,” Feinstein said to Grassley.
days since President Trump fired
“And it’s very accurate ...”
FBI director James Comey. Almost
A short time later, a Republican aide
invariably, Democrats and others
explained that Grassley was deeply
concerned by last week’s events.
calling for a prosecutor say such a step
“We’ve seen an uptick in speculation
is needed to “get to the bottom” of the
matter.
about what has or hasn’t happened,” the
Byron
Yet there is still uncertainty among
aide said, “and what has or has not been
York
the public about whether anything lies
found — and that’s not helpful if it is
Comment
at the bottom of the Russia-Trump
speculation not based on anything other
controversy. Is there a crime down
than rumor or anything factual.”
there? No one seems to know. The reason is
Now, others on Capitol Hill are expressing
simple: The FBI, which has been investigating
similar concerns. “It’s hard to do oversight,
alleged ties between Trump campaign figures
especially on counter-intelligence matters, with
and Russia for ten months, won’t say.
so little information,” said a Senate Republican
To question after question; not just from the Sunday. “That’s been true for months.”
press, but from lawmakers with a constitutional
“There is a counter-intelligence
responsibility to oversee the
investigation focused on
FBI, the Justice Department,
Russia, but the media and
and the intelligence agencies
the Democrats conflate that
— answers have been withheld
with there being a criminal
on the grounds that they are
investigation focused on
classified, or the subject of an
Trump,” added a House
ongoing investigation, or both.
Republican. “The FBI has fed
“I can’t answer that,”
into this by being coy.”
said Comey on many, many
“Coy” is an understatement.
occasions during oversight
The result of the dozens of
hearings on the Russia affair.
questions left unanswered by
“My answer would
Comey, Yates, Clapper, and
require me to reveal classified
others is that the public — and,
information, and so I can’t
to a lesser extent, lawmakers
answer that,” said former acting
themselves — don’t know the
attorney general Sally Yates in
basics of the Russia-Trump
the same setting.
matter.
“I can’t comment on that,” said former
But what to do? Classified information
intelligence chief James Clapper.
is still classified information. Ongoing
Now, as the Russia-Trump controversy
investigations are conducted in secrecy (except,
festers, there are signs of growing impatience
of course, for leaks). How can Congress pry
with the secrecy. Some lawmakers — among
information out of the agencies?
them the Republican chairman and the
“Congress can always coerce the FBI,” said
Democratic ranking member of the Senate
former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in an
Judiciary Committee — are pushing the FBI
email exchange Sunday. “Power of the purse.
and other agencies involved to let Congress
Change the law.”
know what they are doing. In particular,
“Senators can make it an issue in the
lawmakers want to see evidence — if there
confirmation process for a new FBI director,”
is any — to show why the investigation is
the House Republican quoted earlier said.
focusing not just on Russian misdeeds —
Maybe so. Right now, though, it appears
there’s no doubt there are plenty of those to
that bipartisan pressure, like that coming
investigate — but on Trump campaign figures,
from Grassley and Feinstein, might help get
and possibly on the president himself.
information out. Does all of the information the
On Friday, Judiciary Committee chairman
FBI and other agencies have classified actually
Charles Grassley and ranking Democrat
need to be classified? Can nothing more be
Dianne Feinstein sent a letter to FBI acting
made public? Republicans and Democrats in
director Andrew McCabe and Deputy Attorney the House and Senate could push hard on those
General Rod Rosenstein demanding briefings
questions.
on the latest in the Russia investigation. The
In addition, Grassley and Feinstein
last paragraph of the letter indicated that the
want the FBI to brief every member of the
senators’ patience is running thin. “Please
Judiciary Committee, not just the chairman
contact (staff) by 5:00 p.m. today to schedule
and ranking member. Just as a practical
the briefings,” Grassley and Feinstein wrote.
matter — multiplying the number of people
“Thank you for your immediate attention to
on the committee who know the facts by 10
these important matters.”
— that will certainly make it more likely that
Not by tomorrow, not by Monday, not by
information will get out.
the end of the week. Grassley and Feinstein
If nothing changes, the country could be
wanted a response by 5:00 p.m. on the day of
facing months and months of accusations
the letter. Given that the power of both parties
without voters knowing their basis in fact — or
is behind the request, they will most likely get
lack of basis in fact. Meanwhile, the FBI and
what they want.
other agencies could remain “coy” while
The day before, on Thursday, Grassley
Democrats seek to create the impression in
and Feinstein made news when they
the public’s mind that Trump and his aides
strongly suggested that Comey told them
colluded with Russia to throw the 2016
President Trump is not under investigation
election. If the Trump team did that, the public
in the Russia matter. In a public committee
needs to know. If they didn’t, the public needs
meeting, Grassley said that when Trump
to know that, too. Soon.
said recently he had been informed he is not
■
under investigation, “Sen. Feinstein and I
Byron York is chief political correspondent
heard nothing that contradicted the president’s
for The Washington Examiner.
As the
Russia-Trump
controversy
festers, there
are signs
of growing
impatience
with secrecy.
YOUR VIEWS
Hermiston still needs
some sprucing up
In the 19 years I’ve lived in Hermiston I
have to give credit to the city for making great
strides in making our community a place that
people would be proud to call home. However,
the continued lack of concern by some local
businesses along [Highway] 395 concerning
their outside appearance is disturbing.
I, for one, will not bring my patronage nor
encourage anyone I know to do so, to a place
of business that hasn’t the good business sense
to know that outside appearance is akin to
making a very important first impression for
the customer to feel comfortable enough to
walk in the door. This is especially true when
it comes to a restaurant. I can only imagine
what your kitchen looks like if you care so
little about what the customer first sees when
driving into your establishments.
Pull some weeds, buy some Roundup,
mow the lawn! It doesn’t take that much of an
effort to bring in more business and to add to
the aesthetics of our growing city.
David Gracia
Hermiston
Department of Corrections
should release inmate early
I am asking that the Department of
Corrections finally show some compassion
for an inmate.
There is an inmate that was transfered to
another prison/jail as he is getting out in two
weeks. I am asking that this man, Ed Barlow,
be released early as his father has to have a
quadruple bypass as soon as possible. He needs
to be with his mother and father at this time.
The Department of Corrections and the law
very rarely show compassion or feelings to the
inmates, but this man is due to get out June
2 and his father must have this surgery soon.
Come on DOC, show us that you have a heart
somewhere.
Barbara Dickerson
Milton-Freewater