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OPINION
East Oregonian
Wednesday, September 20, 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
OTHER VIEWS
Over DACA, an acute case
of Trump panic syndrome
Genna Martin /seattlepi.com via AP, File
In this Sept. 5 file photo, the Eagle Creek wildfire burns on the Oregon side
of the Columbia River Gorge near Cascade Locks.
Back to school, for
children and adults
and the destructive summers soon
You certainly noticed the change
to follow, Oregonians owe it to
in post-Round-Up weather: cool
themselves and their school-age
mornings and nights, gray and
children to be knowledgeable about
cloudy skies, and even some steady
forest and fire science. Tonight’s
sprinkles of rain. Add football back
presentation delivers
to television and
critical information.
local stadiums on
Another
Friday nights, and it
“Era of
opportunity to
becomes clear that
Megafires” is
learn via gripping
autumn has returned
to Eastern Oregon.
6:30 p.m. at the narrative, interviews
film is via Ken
We all know fall
Vert Auditorium, and
is the season when
Burns’ documentary
children and teachers
“The Vietnam War,”
Pendleton.
head back to class,
which debuted
but we recommend
Sunday on PBS.
adults take the opportunity to do their The 10-part, 18-hour documentary is
own learning as well. Luckily, there
getting rave reviews as an important
are local and national opportunities
dissection of how America entered
for all of us — no matter our age —
and became enmeshed in a war no
to continue to gather knowledge.
one wanted — a war that did so much
damage and impacted so many lives.
One local option is to attend
Directed by Burns and Lynn
“Era of Megafires” Wednesday at
Novick, it includes testimony from
6:30 p.m. at the Vert Auditorium,
Pendleton. This free multimedia
nearly 100 witnesses. And if you
presentation delivers critical
missed the first few episodes, you can
information and thoughtful discussion find them in their entirety on pbs.org.
on wildfires that have done so much
People who witnessed the war or
damage in Oregon and throughout the had loved ones changed by it can
West this summer. The presentation
benefit from viewing it through the
blends hard data with personal
lens of history and crisp editing.
stories, graphics and video clips about But those who are unaware of the
continuing effects of the war, its
the effects these fires have on the
landscape. It serves as a call to action effect on politics, culture and current
events, may be able to learn even
for local agencies and communities
more.
to boost fire resiliency while also
Tune in nightly, and help learn
returning fire to its natural role in the
from the mistakes of history, and
forest.
from the courage found therein.
Given this destructive summer,
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
We the people should celebrate
U.S. Constitution: 230 years
and still going strong
The Quincy (Il..) Herald-Whig
C
onstitution Day generally passes
with little fanfare each year. None
of the trappings of a major holiday
— fireworks displays, local and national
celebrations — is accorded to Sept. 17.
The Fourth of July, which celebrates
our Declaration of Independence,
receives considerable attention, as a
significant date in our nation’s history
certainly should. However, we wish there
was more celebration on the day devoted
to the U.S. Constitution.
Eleven years after the American
colonies declared their independence
from Great Britain, there was no
president, no Congress and no Supreme
Court. Then, on Sept. 17, 1787,
the delegates to the Constitutional
Convention met to sign the document
they had created.
“We the people ...” was more than
just the introductory phrase to that
remarkable document. It spelled out the
revolutionary idea that ultimate power
resides in this nation’s citizens, and not
its government.
In just over 4,000 words, the
Constitution set forth a new form of
government. A republic with three
co-equal branches of government was
formed to provide checks and balances
against abuses. The legislative branch
was created so that in one chamber the
representation was based on population,
while the other chamber offered every
state equal power.
Four more years would pass
before the first 10 amendments to the
Constitution spelled out personal and
individual rights. That landmark is noted
on Bill of Rights Day, Dec. 15. Other
amendments have been added as the
nation has grown and changed.
On the 230th anniversary of the
U.S. Constitution’s signing, the United
States is the pre-eminent world power
as much for its ideals as for its military
and economic might. Those ideals of
individual liberty, personal freedom and
the responsibilities of citizenship still
shine.
Most important, it is incumbent on
those who know this simple, yet powerful
document to pass along that knowledge
so that the Constitution will survive for
another two centuries. Its framers clearly
recognized that new threats to freedom
arise with each new generation.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the
signatories, hinted at the challenges
ahead when asked whether the
convention had decided on a republic or
a monarchy. “A republic, if you can keep
it,” Franklin said.
It is true that the U.S. Constitution has
guided and shaped this nation. But we,
the people, are the only ones who can
ensure that it remains the law of the land.
he entire politico-media complex
TRUE.”
had a nervous breakdown last
Meanwhile, as Twitter lit up, Pelosi
week over President Trump’s
sent a relatively subdued note to her
position on DACA.
House Democratic colleagues. At
the White House meeting, she said,
Lawmakers, journalists and activists
“We agreed to a plan to work out
jumped to all sorts of conclusions
an agreement to protect our nation’s
when Senate Minority Leader Charles
DREAMERs from deportation.”
Schumer and House Minority Leader
“Agreed to a plan to work out
Nancy Pelosi announced that over
Byron
an agreement.” That’s a classic
dinner at the White House on Sept. 13
York
Washington way of saying the parties
they reached an “agreement” with the
Comment
haven’t agreed on anything but agree
president over the future of 700,000
to keep talking in hopes of eventually
illegal immigrants in the Deferred
reaching an agreement. Beyond that weak
Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
formulation, Pelosi, in her note, did not claim
There was reason to be skeptical — after
the two sides had agreed on anything.
all, the story was coming from just one side.
That didn’t stop the ruckus. Nor did much
But skepticism was in short supply, and even
change when, the next
some of those who realized
morning, Trump made an
the information was sketchy
couldn’t keep themselves
attempt to quiet things down.
from speaking up. Some
“No deal was made last night
Trump supporters instantly
on DACA,” he tweeted.
assumed the president had
“Massive border security
sold them out. Some Trump
would have to be agreed to in
opponents instantly mocked
exchange for consent. Would
Trump supporters for ever
be subject to vote.”
believing his promises.
Seeking to mollify
Democrats wondered
supporters who saw him
what Schumer and Pelosi
caving to Schumer and
were doing with the hated
Pelosi, Trump added: “The
president.
WALL ... will continue to be built.”
Many spoke without enough knowledge
At the same time, Trump sounded
to draw any conclusions, or even early
positively Schumer-esque with another tweet
conclusions.
asking, “Does anybody really want to throw
The two parties most to blame were
out good, educated and accomplished young
Schumer/Pelosi and the Associated Press.
people who have jobs, some serving in the
After the White House dinner, the Democratic military? Really!” But even then, Trump
leaders released a statement saying of their
said “BIG border security” would have to
meeting with the president, “We agreed to
accompany legalization.
enshrine the protections of DACA into law
Later, more members of Congress chimed
quickly, and to work out a package of border
in with reminders that a DACA deal, if there
security, excluding the wall, that’s acceptable
is to be one, will be made by lawmakers, and
to both sides.”
not just the president. What Schumer and
A reasonable reader would conclude that
Pelosi and Trump laid out were positions in
the two sides had reached a deal on DACA,
a negotiation that will take place between
with just the border security measures to be
House, Senate and White House.
worked out later. But the AP took things a
But on the night of Sept. 13 and the
step further, suggesting a done deal. At 9:55
morning of the 14th, when hair was on fire
p.m. Sept. 13, the news agency tweeted:
across Washington and social media, there was
“BREAKING: Schumer, Pelosi announce deal no deal and nothing had been decided, except
with Trump to protect young immigrants; will that everyone said they wanted a deal, which
include border security, but no wall.”
is what negotiators always say.
That was ahead of where things actually
In other words, the whole episode changed
stood, but, coming from the AP, it was
pretty much nothing. Anyone who followed
instantly accepted as fact. All hell broke loose. Trump during the campaign knows he is
Writing on the basis of the AP tweet,
headed toward some sort of accommodation
Republican Rep. Steve King, an immigration
for DACA recipients. And anyone who
hawk, tweeted, “If AP is correct, Trump
follows the Trump administration and
base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and
Congress knows there will be showdowns on
disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is
Capitol Hill over the wall and other border
credible.
security and enforcement measures. That
By 11 p.m., Breitbart News ran the
is where the DACA issue stood before the
headline “AMNESTY DON” above
freakout of Wednesday night and Thursday
“REPORT: Trump caves on DACA.”
morning, and that is where the issue stood
Sean Hannity was skeptical, but still
afterward.
jumped in. Responding to a Twitter follower
All that panic for no reason. People are
who said Trump is “really pissing off his
on hair trigger these days. They go off before
base right now,” Hannity rushed to point the
they know what is going on. The DACA
finger at the Republican Party. “If reports true
fiasco should be a lesson.
100%,” Hannity tweeted. “I blame R’s. They
■
caused this. They wanted him to fail and now
Byron York is chief political correspondent
pushed him into arms of political suicide--IF
for The Washington Examiner.
T
Many spoke
without enough
knowledge
to draw any
conclusions.
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 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.