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OPINION
East Oregonian
Saturday, September 16, 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
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OUR VIEW
Bounds and
determined
It’s exciting to think that a
that you never intended to allow
Hermiston High School graduate
our longstanding process to play
with strong Eastern Oregon
out. Instead, you have demonstrated
connections could soon be sitting on that you were only interested in
the powerful, San Francisco-based
our input if we were willing to
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
preapprove your preferred nominees
Ryan Bounds’
... disregarding this
nomination to that
Oregon tradition
No majority
court by President
returns us to the
Donald Trump
days of nepotism
lasts forever.
brings with it a
patronage
Political parties and
dash of hometown
that harmed our
pride, but also a
and placed
change judicial courts
belief that Bounds
unfit judges on the
nomination rules bench.”
might be a more
knowledgeable
The reason
at their own peril. home-state
judge on issues
that matter to rural
senators have
Americans.
blue-slip power is so they can
easily scuttle extremist choices, and
His résumé leaves nothing to
force those who nominate judges
be desired. After graduating from
to choose candidates that garner
Hermiston he earned degrees
bipartisan support.
from Stanford and Yale, practiced
Recently, however, the blue slips
commercial law in Portland, then
are being used in a hyper-partisan
took jobs with the U.S. Department
manner. That was the case when
of Justice and served as special
Republicans stopped Democratic
assistant to the President for
nominees while Obama held
domestic policy, then became a
office — and the tables have
federal prosecutor. He is currently
the Assistant United States Attorney turned now. Democrats, despite
Republican obstructionism, kept
for the District of Oregon.
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), the rule in place. Republicans now
want to narrow the rule, so their
wrote in an op-ed in this newspaper
appointments (especially of circuit
that Bounds’ “commitment to
court judges) are harder to derail. It’s
the rule of law, liberty and self-
government are, in my mind, beyond the same type of rule that allowed
question.” For the notoriously liberal Republicans to stop Merrick Garland
from having a hearing for a seat on
West Coast court, he’s the kind of
the Supreme Court, which the GOP
voice we expect would add some
sidestepped to instead confirm Neil
balance.
Gorsuch.
However, Oregon’s two senators
“My personal view is that the
(both Democrats) announced that
blue slip, with regard to circuit
they would try to block Bounds’
court appointments, ought to simply
nomination, “or any other nominee
be a notification of how you’re
that has not been selected through
going to vote, not the opportunity
our judicial process.” Jeff Merkley
to blackball,” U.S. Sen. Mitch
and Ron Wyden have threatened
McConnell (R—Ky.) told The New
to not turn in their “blue slip” and
York Times earlier this week.
scuttle the nomination.
The push is toward even more
First, what the heck is a “blue
extreme, politicized judges. Either
slip?”
side changes the rules at their own
According to beltway paper The
peril — no majority lasts forever
Hill, “blue slips” are not an in-the-
and what may be to your short-term
books Senate rule, but more of a
benefit could be to your (and the
longstanding tradition enforced by
nation’s) long-term detriment.
the Judiciary Committee chairman.
Bounds is eminently qualified for
The blue slips — actual slips of
the Ninth Circuit. But no nominee
blue-colored paper — allow home-
state senators to sign off on a judicial for such an important post should
nominee before the committee holds just be tapped on the shoulder and
shown their seat. Let Bounds be
a nomination hearing.
judged by a customary bipartisan
By not returning the paper, those
nominating committee, have his
same home-state senators can block
résumé and judicial decision making
any nominee they please.
tested and analyzed. That way, when
In a letter to White House
he does make it to the Ninth Circuit
Counsel Don McGahn on Sept.
Court, he will bring public trust to
7, Merkley and Wyden wrote
the judiciary.
“unfortunately it is now apparent
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
Donald Trump has changed
his mind — a heck of a lot
W
ow, Donald Trump really is
A while back, National Economic
all over the place.
Council Director Gary Cohn promised
On Tuesday he had dinner
a detailed version would be done “by
with a few moderate Democrats and
the end of the summer.” I guess if you
completely retooled his tax policy
wanted to be stupendously technical,
before dessert. This is the man who
that could mean they’ve still got until
is having such a famous fling with
next week, when the autumnal equinox
occurs as the sun crosses the celestial
the minority leaders, Chuck Schumer
equator. Perhaps the president will
and Nancy Pelosi, that they no longer
Gail
need identifying. Really, “Chuck and
Collins watch it happen, shielding his eyes
with a new two-page bill.
Nancy” are as famous as Beyoncé and
Comment
It’s ironic that an administration
Jay-Z. Victoria and Albert. Antony and
so money-centric has so many inept
Cleopatra.
Cabinet members handling financial policy.
But about the tax policy dinner. The
Democratic senators described their discussion Even in a group full of negative star power,
as so harmonious it sounded ... kind of boring. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin stands
out. Last week, when the
“Very collegial and very
Republicans were angrily
businesslike,” Sen. Heidi
reacting to the Trump-
Heitkamp of North Dakota
Democrat deal on raising
said on a radio interview
the debt limit, he asked
back home with talk
show host Joel Heitkamp.
the irate legislators to do it
(Yes, they’re siblings.
“for me.” This plea went
North Dakota is a very
over well in the sense that
small state. Only 750,000
nobody actually pummeled
people. Yet as many
Mnuchin with tomatoes.
senators as California or
Still, Trump is ready to
New York. Do you think
roll. Details, schmeetails.
that’s fair? Never mind, I
“With Irma and Harvey
digress.)
devastation, Tax Cuts
Democrats have been
and Tax Reform is
demanding that no tax
needed more than ever
cuts go to the wealthy,
before,” he tweeted. “Go
and over beef medallions,
Congress, go!” Negative
Trump gave the impression
thinkers pointed out that
that was exactly what he wanted, too. Sen.
the hurricane devastation required federal
Joe Manchin of West Virginia reported that
spending, not revenue reduction. Also that “is
“the president was adamant from the get-go:
needed” was grammatically ... tragic.
‘This is not a tax cut for the rich, and I repeat
Plus, again, the no-plan thing. “It’s really
that, this will not be a tax cut for me or any
important for people to understand — the
rich people.’ That kind of started off the
administration is urging Congress to vote
conversation and it went pretty good from
fast on a proposal that doesn’t exist,” said
there.”
Howard Gleckman of the Tax Policy Center.
Now Manchin and Heitkamp are two of
The center made a rather heroic effort to
the most conservative senators from their
figure out what the consequences would be if
party. But still, this seems like an awful lot
you cobbled a proposal out of all the tax stuff
of agreeing. Trump has spent the last month
Trump has mentioned, and concluded it would
howling about the need to cut the corporate
add about $8 trillion to the national debt over
tax rate in half, and he’s been adamant about
the next 10 years.
getting rid of the estate tax, which is imposed
There’s really a plus side to all this
only on inheritances of more than $5 million.
craziness. It’s better to have a president who
Do you think he’s changed his mind? That
flips around like a jumping bean to one who
the Democrats misheard? That the spinach
has a disciplined, well-thought-out strategy
was spiked with hallucinogens?
for handing corporate America and hedge
No, on Wednesday Trump not only ditched fund owners more tax breaks. You don’t
his tax-cuts-for-the-wealthy plans, he claimed
want all that much consistency when you’ve
the rich might take a hit. “If they have to go
got a chief executive whose recent triumph
higher they’ll go higher,” he told a bipartisan
in regulatory reform was to roll back the
congressional group with the adorable name
requirement that new highways be protected
of the Problem Solvers Caucus. This seemed
against flooding — 10 days before the first
like good news except for the part about the
hurricane.
president appearing to be sort of off his rocker.
And of course there are people like Wyden
The only actual written-down Trump tax
who dreamed of doing something useful and
plan is a one-pager that includes what Sen.
bipartisan this term, and all the chaos makes
Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat
them feel sad and hopeless.
on the Finance Committee, calls a new
Still, things could be worse. Pass the
“lunar-crater-size loophole” on income for the biscuits.
wealthy. Plus the corporate tax cuts and the
■
estate tax repeal.
Gail Collins joined The New York Times
Hard to know when there will be
in 1995 as a member of the editorial board
something more substantial, with all this
and later as an Op-Ed columnist. In 2001 she
presidential hopping around. The Republicans became the first woman ever appointed editor
claim they’ll have a real tax bill done soon.
of the Times’s editorial page.
The only actual
written-down
Trump tax plan
is a one-pager
that includes what
Sen. Ron Wyden
calls a new
“lunar-crater-size
loophole.”
YOUR VIEWS
Since EOTEC is a success,
board won’t ask for money
Old George Anderson is at it again.
He’s just not happy despite the success of
the county fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo.
A complaint about the begging? Why,
that “begging for charity” was probably
instrumental in making the event the success
it was. George just can’t stand a little
constructive criticism. Shame on the East
Oregonian for being so “silly” and Larry
Marks for their one-sided articles. Though
the construction schedule was tight after the
initial squabbling, I think most everyone
knew, when push came to shove, the fair
and rodeo would be a success.
The questions now are about the next 51
weeks, and when George will be sending
those letters to the city of Hermiston and
Umatilla County commissioners boasting
that additional city and county funding will
no longer be required to support EOTEC.
What with that state-of-the-art construction,
it’s nice to know they won’t be needing
that maintenance man after all. Perhaps it’s
George that’s being a little “silly.”
Kudos to city councilors Dale, the seed
spitter, Primmer and Paul Chalmers for
requesting the long overdue accounting
of the huge sums spent by the Pendleton
Development Commission. Until now, there
has been no method to rate the success
or failure of the Urban Renewal District
program. Since the PDC is considering an
extension of the program past the 2023, a
rating program only seems prudent. Perhaps
in the future, the “Pearl District” mentality
of the past will be tempered with a little
common sense.
While some think political speeches are
the way to rally the people, our EO paper
boy’s display of spirit in the campaign to
celebrate the Fourth of July in the manner
intended is proof that deeds are more
effective than words. The fireworks will
return. Congratulations to a job well done,
and my pick for Pendleton’s “First Citizen”
award.
Rick Rohde
Pendleton
Walden’s blind obedience
to Republican party politics
Walden’s blind obedience to Trump and
party is having devastating effects on the
people and the environment in our state.
But he is getting paid handsomely for it.
According to Open Secrets, $1,003,881.
He has voted to repeal the Affordable
Care Act. He has voted for health care
that is available, only if one can afford
it. He is generously supported by
Insurance companies. Big Pharma, health
professionals, HMO’s, hospitals and nursing
homes. He is for medical savings accounts.
That is fine if you are wealthy, otherwise you
die because you can’t pay. Donations from
these organizations: $650,856.
He pushes Trump’s EPA program of
slashing the EPA by one third of the budget,
this means no bees, no food, toxic Pacific
Garbage Patch, no marine life, dirty energy,
no solar and no health protections for water
and air to the tune of $610,989 in donations
from electric and telephone utilities, gas and
oil, law firms, lobbyists and accountants.
We need to support someone with goals
that fulfill the needs of our people, get
someone that will represent us not the rich or
corporations that are only interested in their
bottom line. Walden does not support low
cost television advertising to candidates who
agree to voluntary campaign spending limits.
It is obvious why.
Shirley R. Hatlestad
Rogue River, Ore.
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 newspa-
per reserves the right to withhold 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. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or
email editor@eastoregonian.com.