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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 2017)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Tuesday, November 14, 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 Pie in the sky, costs on the ground Governor’s energy orders set unrealistic construction standards Gov. Kate Brown issued two Construction Code requirements. By October 2023, new residences executive orders last week that would have to consume no more she said would reduce greenhouse emissions while supporting Oregon’s energy than they generate. By October 2025, new economy. commercial structures would have to The environmental aspects were obvious. The economic ones? Not safely reuse water for irrigation. so much. The Governor’s Office has Those changes, and others, yet to release any analysis of how during the next two to eight years her fiats would affect the economy, sound good in theory. Brown especially construction costs. says Oregonians will save money That should concern Oregonians. on utility costs and — with the emphasis on electric So too should vehicles — on the governor’s The Governor’s fuel. There also are decision to bypass that some the Legislature in Office has yet to provisions requirements could revising the state be temporarily building code. release any delayed if the costs As head of the analysis of how her are “significant,” executive branch, although that term is Brown certainly was fiats would left undefined. within her rights to expand purchases affect the economy, But in practicality, this of electric vehicles especially seems like a classic for state use and to of putting the require increased construction costs. case cart — in this case, energy efficiency an electric one — when the state before the horse. Brown provided builds or remodels its government buildings. The Legislature ultimately no evidence that her executive orders involved give-and-take will decide whether to fund those discussions with the construction decisions. industry, private property owners But in her 17 pages of executive and other Oregonians throughout orders, Brown also demanded the state. changes to building regulations that If state government wants to place affect all construction in Oregon, unfunded mandates on itself, that’s including requiring that new one thing. But it’s quite different to buildings be ready for installation of solar panels. That mandate would put those mandates on the private sector without first understanding the take effect in October 2020 for resulting financial and social costs. residences and October 2022 for Running a business, especially commercial buildings. By January 2020, high-efficiency a small business, is tough enough in Oregon. So is getting a housing water fixtures would be required in development to break ground in new buildings. Eastern Oregon. Every government By October 2022, new mandate increases both the cost and commercial buildings would have uncertainty of doing business. to exceed International Green Roy Moore should face defamation suit from God F 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. or decades, one of the most Looking back, some of the grossest sanctimonious moralizers in U.S. immorality of the late 20th century had politics has been Roy Moore, the nothing to do with gay bath houses, as longtime Bible-thumper in Alabama preachers sometimes suggested, but who crusaded against gays, transgender rather with the blowhard televangelists people, Islam and “sexual perversion.” who suggested that AIDS was God’s Moore suggested just this year that punishment of gay men. This smirking the 9/11 terror attacks were God’s moralizing slowed the response to punishment because “we legitimize Nicholas AIDS and arguably resulted in millions sodomy.” He has said homosexuality Kristof dying unnecessarily all over the world. is “the same thing” as sex with a cow In my columns, I’ve repeatedly Comment and should be criminalized, and argued defended evangelical Christians and that Rep. Keith Ellison should not be protested that they are one of the few allowed to serve in Congress because he is a groups that it’s socially acceptable for liberals Muslim. to mock, stereotype and discriminate against. All the while, Moore seems to have been Some liberals still haven’t forgiven me for my the king of hypocrisy. The Washington Post “Hug an Evangelical” column 13 years ago. published a devastating account of how he But I find it infuriating to see some evangelicals initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old now downplaying child molestation or our schoolgirl. president’s boasts of sexual assault. The victim said that Moore, then a We all make compromises — I supported 32-year-old assistant district attorney, drove Bill Clinton in 1992 over George H.W. the girl to his house, removed her clothes and Bush, whom I thought was personally more touched her sexually. Under Alabama law, moral — but that doesn’t require downplaying that apparently constitutes sexual abuse in the the inexcusable. I used to complain that second degree. If you want an example of a conservatives believe that morality is about politician who lost support and was arrested only personal behavior, while liberals believe for less egregious behavior, consider Anthony it is only about policy positions, while actually Weiner, the former Democratic member of it’s about both. Sadly, some of the “family Congress, who is now in prison for sexting a values” conservatives now don’t seem to care 15-year-old girl. about either private or public morality. The Post found three other women who said If evangelical Christians want to engage that Moore pursued them when he was in his in activism, they needn’t support hypocrites 30s and they were teenagers. The women did and bigots; they can support lifesaving not contact The Post and were initially reluctant organizations like World Vision or African to speak. Mission Healthcare Foundation, or fight human Moore denies the accusations as trafficking by supporting International Justice “completely false” — and promptly tried to Mission, or reduce abortions by backing use them for fundraising. My reaction was that the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Moore should have spent less time thundering Unplanned Pregnancy. about the Ten Commandments and more time As it happened, just before the revelations reading them. about Moore became public, I visited leaders This is of course a larger pattern in of an inspiring tri-faith project in Omaha, American life. As one reader put it on my Nebraska, where a church, a synagogue and a Facebook page: “Those who moralize most, sin mosque are partnering on a shared site to build most.” empathy and understanding. I asked the pastor That’s not always true, and sanctimonious involved, the Rev. Eric Elnes, for his reaction hypocrites inhabit the left as well as the right: to Moore. Harvey Weinstein participated in a “women’s “Blazing with self-righteous indignation march.” But we’re at a watershed moment in toward others is often what people use to hide the aftermath of the Weinstein case, trying to their own sins in the shadows,” Elnes said. end impunity for sexual assault, and allegations “This is probably why Jesus’ biggest problem against our leaders are even more serious than — by far — was with the self-righteous. When those against our entertainers. And, frankly, it came to those whom society cast away as it’s just staggering to see “family values” ‘sinners,’ Jesus was repeatedly gentle, gracious, conservatives making excuses for child encouraging and forgiving, but he continually molestation. castigated the self-righteous.” The Alabama state auditor, a Republican Elnes added: “I’ve never understood why named Jim Ziegler, defended Moore as “clean certain Christians are so eager to turn the as a hound’s tooth” and offered a bizarre United States into a Christian country when defense of child abuse: He asserted that the their time would be so much better spent Virgin Mary was a teenager when Joseph turning their churches into Christian churches.” married her (in fact, the Bible does not indicate Roy Moore today is a challenge for those her age), adding: “They became parents of who see themselves as good and decent Jesus.” people of faith: If you find yourself excusing Sigh. When Christians cite the Bible to child molestation, then you are driven not by defend child molestation, Jesus should sue for morality or faith, but simply by the emptiest defamation. kind of tribalism. Meanwhile, an Alabama Republican ■ legislator, Ed Henry, went even further: He Nicholas D. Kristof, a columnist for The said that the women accusing Moore should Times since 2001, is a two-time Pulitzer be prosecuted for waiting to make their Prize winner who grew up on a sheep farm in allegations. Yamhill, Oregon. YOUR VIEWS Westland needs a farmer like Jack Bellinger Much can be said for Jack Bellinger’s experience and impact as a director on the Westland Board. However, I would also like to highlight his excellent contributions as a member of the local community. A skilled and hardworking farmer, Jack has expanded his second generation farm from small scale to a thriving 900-acre operation. Watermelons are among Bellinger Farms’ most familiar offerings, and the Bellinger shop just outside of Hermiston is another familiar marker in the community. In recent years, Jack and his wife expanded the shop further to include the Gathering Place restaurant. Jack runs a successful farm and business with the community in mind. This is exactly the type of individual Westland needs on its board of directors. He is a great communicator and willing listener who welcomes patron feedback and comments. This is illustrated through his offer to meet with groups of district patrons to discuss concerns and answer questions. Jack understands the local region and the importance of water to it. Jack approaches his position on the Westland board of directors the same way he approaches his business and farming endeavors: with a strong work ethic, well-informed insights, and a continued willingness to improve and succeed. I encourage patrons of Westland Irrigation District to cast their vote next Tuesday to re-elect Jack Bellinger. Jake Madison Echo Movers, shakers and my friends Recently, I was approached by a local citizen who was plenty upset after reading a recent letter I had written that was published in the East Oregonian. Apparently he feels that I’m too sarcastic in my criticism of some actions taken by our City Hall. I explained that I was just expressing not only my views, but also those of friends and acquaintances. That was when he set me straight, letting me know that I was hanging around with the wrong people and making comments that were dividing the city. His parting remarks were, grow up, get with it, and support the local “movers and shakers” of the community because they know what’s best for everyone. My self-confidence was shaken to learn that since childhood, I had been associating with the wrong people. It turns out that the education I received in the Pendleton public school system regarding democratic principles was nothing but hogwash, and that real world experience, mostly military duty overseas, meant nothing. Evidently, what I needed was his strong dose of reality to set me on the right path. Actually, after the last election I was somewhat optimistic that politics as usual was in for a change. Goals were established to correct the neglect of city buildings and infrastructure. Goals that made sense. Activities such as Pendleton Bike Week, the summer concert series, Oktoberfest and Cattle Barons Weekend were maturing on the tourism front, and the UAV program began to produce results at the airport. However, with all this new prosperity, I fear City Hall is losing its focus and drifting away from their established goals, shifting its support to expensive private or special interest projects that benefit few. We’ve taken on a lot of debt with the infrastructure updates and airport construction projects. Projects at the airport, financed partially with a large state grant that the governor presented with great fanfare, which will most likely turn in to a loan that must be repaid for the failure to create the required number of jobs. Infrastructure loans that we, you and I, must repay directly through increased utility rates and fees. Consequently, it’s time for City Hall to refocus on those agreed-upon goals and start by saying “no” to those nonprofits and committees asking for funding of projects that have little public support. As for those “movers and shakers?” I think I’d rather keep with the friends and acquaintances I’ve made growing up here. Rick Rohde Pendleton 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 address concerns about individual ser- vices 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.
