Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 2017)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Tuesday, May 30, 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 The cost of war, both at home and abroad On Monday we honored those that fought in World War II, Korea and Vietnam are passing away, we who made the ultimate sacrifice will be paying tribute to modern — giving their life because their American warriors for the next half country sent them to war. century or more. Americans answer the call. Generation after generation, the urge President Ulysses S. Grant — as to serve our nation draws excellent good a general as the U.S. ever people into military service. They had — said, “There never was a defend us from foreign threats, time when, in my opinion, some protect vital interests around the way could not be found to prevent world, and gain the drawing of the unique experiences sword.” Our sad and job skills that What we honor drumbeat of wars strengthen the U.S. in the 20th and 21st on Memorial once they return to centuries informs civilian life. that we are still Day is selfless us too far away from Living here as service to the learning this lesson. we do in small But war is not communities and country. the true subject rural areas, we for Memorial Day. take special pride We honor the personal sacrifices in personally knowing servicemen that men and women have made and women. Spring high school graduation ceremonies often include in the name of our nation and its Constitution in many forms. news about local kids making the We were reminded of the ongoing leap into becoming adult women and men by joining the armed forces. We struggle Friday night, as complete then follow their accomplishments strangers came to the aid of two and adventures on their parents’ Muslim women on the Portland Facebook pages and in printed news MAX being harassed by an angry items. It is among the signature and misguided man, a self-described experiences of small-town life sociopath and white supremacist. to encounter young people we Two of the men who stepped witnessed growing up — perhaps forward — a 53-year-old Army playing on the basketball court veteran and a 23-year-old recent — now returned on leave from a college graduate — were stabbed to death standing between the knife- military assignment someplace far wielding attacker and the women. away. They paid dearly, as did their These relationships between families, for standing without civilians and active-service hesitation for the American promise. personnel are some of the strongest What we honor on Memorial Day glue holding the nation together. It is fundamental to the essential national is selfless service to the country. DNA of the U.S. that we respect and But if this day is to be anything but an excuse for a day off from work, appreciate our fellow citizens who we must put meat on the bones of man the guard posts of democracy. otherwise empty promises. There was a time when Congress History teaches the danger faced and the White House contained many veterans. They had personally by powerful nations where the majority of the citizenry no longer witnessed the horrible cost of war, remembers the hardship and realities in the form of friends shot down faced by its defenders. It becomes before their eyes. Because there is no draft, there are now few veterans far too easy to expend their lives for meager pay to achieve too little, then among our nation’s top leadership bring them home and forget them. — nor do many of their children Repairing the disconnect serve in the armed forces. War has between decision-makers and these become something they send other sacrifices is essential to the long- Americans’ children to do. And in term survival of America’s great all fairness, fewer U.S. citizens in experiment in democracy. Honoring general have close kinfolk in the life is the best payment we can line of fire. Most of us, though, in every station of life share a deep and make to the dead. Meanwhile, genuine respect sincere appreciation for our honored for America’s war dead is best war dead. translated into remembering living Since the awful events of Sept. veterans and tending to their needs. 11, 2001, it is generally reported Memorial Day is only the start, not that more than 5,000 U.S. service the finish, of recognizing the debt personnel have died. More than we owe to veterans. Truly honoring 50,000 have been physically them means embodying their values wounded. Many more suffer from and honor in our own lives every combat-related stress disorders. day of the year. So even though the generations OTHER VIEWS I 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. How not to fight Trump t is understandable that many people To some members of the Resistance in U.S. government are unhappy that this may sound like a brilliant approach. Donald Trump is the president of the It is not. First, as the dissenting opinion United States. It is also understandable rightly notes, it establishes a precedent that many people would contemplate that would further politicize an already- constitutional mechanisms that might partisan judiciary, by licensing judges remove him from that office. to constantly look beyond the law But so long as Trump remains the for excuses to rule against politicians president — and even those of us who (liberal or conservative) they dislike. Ross imagine 25th Amendment remedies Second, it effectively tells populist Douthat would be wise to bet on at least three politicians who flout norms on the Comment years and seven months more — then campaign trail that they needn’t bother ad hoc, partisan and extra-constitutional moderating once in office, because the attempts to strip him of normal presidential system has already decided that they can’t. powers are a very bad idea. So it doesn’t matter that Trump has shifted This is basically what we have in the his tone on Islam; it doesn’t matter that he 4th Circuit Court’s ruling striking down the spent the days before the ruling palling around administration’s controversial travel ban, which with Saudis like a Bush Republican. Once a seeks to temporarily restrict travel to the United deplorable, always a deplorable — a judgment States from six majority-Muslim countries — that’s likely to only confirm future populists in Sudan, Iran, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Somalia their antinomian and extralegal impulses. — that are either ruled by terror-sponsoring And not only future populists but this governments or in the throes of civil war. White House, which remains responsible for There are reasons to think this ban counterterrorism in an age when the most overbroad, counterproductive, damaging important terror threats are Islamist, and any to U.S. interests. But it is not a “Muslim move to safeguard Americans is likely to have ban” under any reasonable legal definition a disproportionate effect on Muslims. of the term, and on its face it looks entirely One of the things that Trump critics fear constitutional. As the 4th Circuit concedes, most is his possible response to a Manchester- the president has broad powers to restrict type terrorist attack (or something even the entry of noncitizens, and an executive worse). But rather than providing a check on order restricting travel from a specified set of future anti-terror overreach, the 4th Circuit’s terror-affected countries would normally easily overreaching opinion is likely to encourage it. pass muster. After all, if you tell the White House that But what is different in this case, the 4th it cannot do things that normal presidents are Circuit judges argue, is that Trump’s campaign- allowed to do because of Trump’s campaign- trail rhetoric about Islam, his wild promise to trail rhetoric, what incentive does the keep all Muslims out “until we know what’s White House have to work carefully within going on,” proves that this executive order is constitutional lines should ISIS or al-Qaida really motivated by a religious animus that strike? conflicts with the First Amendment’s religious- Instead, if the courts are automatically going freedom guarantee. to rule against Trump on any counterterrorism Of course, constitutional guarantees do issue that touches on Islam, the president may not normally apply to foreign nationals. But feel that he may as well prepare for war with allowing an immigration restriction motivated the judiciary, since tailoring his policies to fit by religious animus, the opinion argues, existing precedents is clearly just a waste. would create a strong likelihood that some There was a lot of loose talk about a “constitutional harm will redound to citizens” “constitutional crisis” in the wake of the as well. And this is enough, it concludes, firing of James Comey. But it’s easier to to make an order that only directly affects imagine the term applying, as it did in the foreigners a violation of every American days of Trump’s idol Andrew Jackson, to a Muslim’s First Amendment rights. direct clash between the White House and the The second half of the argument is a courts. remarkable constitutional bankshot. But it’s Trump’s flaws of temperament and the first half that’s most troubling, because character make such a clash dangerously it effectively creates what David French of likely. But so does a judicial activism that National Review — no Trump admirer — cuts down normal legal precedent in order to describes as a kind of “Trumplaw,” a set of go after him, and tries to pre-emptively strip restrictions on presidential action that only away his powers without any warrant save apply to Donald Trump. This president cannot self-righteousness. do things that would be perfectly legal if any ■ other president did them, under this standard, Ross Douthat joined The New York Times as because the courts will rule against his past an Op-Ed columnist in April 2009. Previously, demagogy rather than the policies themselves. he was a senior editor at The Atlantic. 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. YOUR VIEWS Leave Twitter to meadowlarks Let’s face it, if you wake up every morning and hear Trump trumpeting like a bull elephant, it shouldn’t surprise you. About seven o’clock the twitter begins. We have an angry president. But we may now have help. The Justice Department has appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to lead a federal investigation into allegations that Donald Trump’s campaign collaborated with Russia to sway the 2016 election that put him in the White House. The appointment is another shock-a-day event in Washington’s escalating saga. More chaos began with the firing of FBI Director James Comey, who was getting too close to the truth about Trump’s involvement with Russia, which Trump maintains is a hoax and partisan witch hunt. As special counsel, Mueller has the authority to oversee a federal investigation into Trump’s activities that will confirm whether or not there was collusion between Trump’s campaign and any foreign entity, especially Russia, and this includes any facts or information that may come from the investigation. Mueller, a former federal prosecutor at the Justice Department, was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who was connected with the firing of Comey. There are so many “big names” in all of this meddling of Russia’s influence, the average American citizen gets lost in the political shuffling. One point to keep in mind is: What’s going on between Trump and Putin? If Trump is found vulnerable (guilty) it is an obstruction of justice. To betray one’s nation and the American people is treason. One thing is certain: Trump gets mightily upset whenever the subject of his campaign’s possible connection with Russia’s interference in the election surfaces. We certainly don’t envy Mr. Mueller’s role in this important investigation which could damage our nation’s credibility in world affairs. I am a patriotic citizen and I support Mueller. All of this meddling has interfered with Congress and its duties. I like Senator Lindsay Graham’s speculation that Trump is probably glad to get out of town — and a lot of them are, too. Furthermore, my stocks are going down, and I, too, am a bit angry, but I don’t get up every morning twittering. I’m leaving that to Oregon’s state bird, the meadowlark. Dr. Dorys C. Grover Pendleton Federal financial support makes local project possible The recently approved omnibus bill supported by Oregon’s members of Congress — Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Jeff Merkley, and Congressman Greg Walden — maintains key community and economic funding through September 2017. Knowing that Congress is working to sustain these programs for Fiscal Year 2017 is a good sign for these programs’ continued funding in 2018, despite the President’s proposal to eliminate financing for these important programs. Why is this important? Eastern Oregon’s public infrastructure such as water, sewer and wastewater systems are aging and are in need of repair or replacement. The Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act — strongly supported by Senator Merkley — provides a source of funding to meet the infrastructure needs in Eastern Oregon. Other programs in the omnibus bill that support Eastern Oregon’s community and economic development in a variety of ways include: • Economic Development Administration contribution through investment in the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The CEDS process, led by EDA-designated Economic Development Districts such as the Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation, brings together local stakeholders to assess and plan for regional growth. This funding has created or retained 130 jobs annually within GEODC’s seven-county district; • The Community Development Block Grant to support infrastructure and housing; • FAA Contract Tower Program, which is vital to sustaining the city of Pendleton’s airport; and • USDA Rural Development funding that supports rural infrastructure, entrepreneurship and job creation. These programs, and many others, return tax dollars to communities that need them. GEODC will work hard to make sure they remain available here in GEODC’s seven- county Eastern Oregon District. Susan Christensen, executive director Greater Eastern Oregon Development
