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OPINION
East Oregonian
Friday, November 24, 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
Tip of the hat;
kick in the pants
A tip of the hat to Umatilla County commissioners for approving
a four-way stop at the intersection of
Feedville and South Edwards roads near
Stanfield.
The crossing has been a danger zone
for years, with vehicles on Edwards too
often ignoring the stop signs and crashing
at high speeds into vehicles with the right
of way on Feedville. The collisions have
been horrific and have taken lives, seriously
injured others and left emotional scars on
survivors.
The unpredictability of others on the
road make motor vehicles an inherently
dangerous mode of transportation. Signs and signals, speed bumps and
rumble strips help but are never foolproof.
With that in mind, putting up a second set of stops signs at the Feedville/
Edwards intersection is past due. It seems that both teen drivers in the
wreck earlier this month will survive, but the next time might not be so
lucky. And it’s never too late to make the right decision.
Let this be a warning to all drivers who take the back roads — proceed
with caution.
A tip of the hat to Bryon Zumwalt, Stanfield’s police chief, for his
observant catch of a double murder
suspect on Tuesday.
Zumwalt spotted a red Honda Civic with
Idaho plates near the Pilot travel center
in his town and trailed it into the parking
lot by the McDonald’s entrance. He and
officer Joyce Wright helped make the arrest
of Richard Carlin, 73, who was wanted
out of Lewiston, Idaho, and considered
dangerous.
It’s a reminder of what police officers
deal with every day — the uncertain
circumstances and constant vigilance that
come with wearing the badge.
The arrest went down without incident, and for that we’re thankful.
A tip of the helmet to the Hermiston Bulldogs, who have had an
incredible run through the playoffs and
into the football state championship
game this Saturday.
The championship for the state of
Oregon, that is.
Next year the Bulldogs will leave
this state’s athletic association for
Washington’s, giving Hermiston the
opportunity for a perfectly timed mic drop.
Take the title and run. Go out on top.
Win or lose, the Bulldogs have played
with class this season, earning positive
remarks from opponents along the way.
At the end of the season, that’s what really matters. That’s what all good
coaches, parents and fans should be rooting for on the high school athletic
field.
But boy would a trophy be nice.
Good luck, Bulldogs. We’re rooting for you.
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
Senator seeks to curtail perks
for her colleagues in Congress
Fort Dodge (Iowa) Messenger
S
ome politicians seek federal
office in part so they can live an
extravagant lifestyle paid for by
American taxpayers.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa
Republican, is determined to curtail
that type of self-
serving behavior.
That’s why the
Iowa Republican
has just introduced
legislation that would
eliminate a tax break
federal lawmakers
crafted to benefit
themselves.
“Iowans sent
me to Congress to
make Washington,
D.C., squeal and
that includes
eliminating handouts
to politicians,” Ernst said. “To achieve
the ultimate goal of lowering tax
rates for hardworking families and
businesses, Congress is going to have
to eliminate various loopholes and
deductions in our outdated tax code.
Congress should lead by example
and offer up its own unnecessary tax
break.”
With that in mind, she is promoting
the Stop Questionable, Unnecessary,
and Excessive Allowances for
Legislators Act, also known as the
SQUEAL Act. If it becomes law, this
proposal would eliminate a provision
of the tax code that allows members
of Congress to deduct, for income
tax purposes, up to $3,000 annually
in living expenses while in the
Washington, D.C. area.
While this part of the tax code isn’t
hugely expensive, it is typical of the
thousands of special
provisions that have
been added to our
nation’s tax laws to
advantage people
who have influence
with lawmakers.
Collectively, they
make our tax laws
thousands of pages
long, waste taxes
people pay and
produce a tax system
that almost no one
believes to be fair.
Ernst’s proposal is
a small step in the right direction. Its
adoption by the U.S. Senate and U.S.
House of Representatives would show
that the members of these bodies are
serious about reforming our tax system
to make it both fairer and less wasteful.
The Messenger applauds Ernst’s
initiative. This legislation demonstrates
that she views the pledges she made
during her campaign for office as
commitments to be pursued vigorously.
That’s an example we wish more of
her colleagues in Washington would
emulate.
The legislation
would eliminate
a tax break
federal
lawmakers
crafted to benefit
themselves.
Six scenarios for GOP disaster
in Roy Moore Senate race
O
ne laconic Republican
Mitch McConnell said recently.
lawmaker said recently of the
That process would involve
Roy Moore situation: “Given
hearings, witnesses, evidence — a
the unusual circumstances and very
long and excruciating ordeal during
unusual personality involved, it’s hard
which Moore could defend himself,
to see this working out well.” The
and attack his accusers, at length.
Alabama Senate race is shaping up as
How long? The Ethics Committee’s
a catastrophe for the GOP, regardless
investigation of Sen. Bob Packwood
of how it works out. But just how big a
began in December 1992 and ended
Byron
catastrophe? Here are six scenarios:
with a recommendation to expel
York
1) Moore withdraws from the race.
Packwood in September 1995.
Comment
That’s the dream of many in the GOP.
(Packwood resigned before the Senate
Under that scenario, a Republican
could act.) Moore’s case would likely
be a long and ugly process. And a precedent-
write-in candidate would then be able to keep
setting one: The Senate has never expelled
the GOP seat in one of the nation’s reddest
a member for conduct that occurred before
states. But there’s a problem: Even if Moore
quit today, his name would remain on the Dec. the member joined the Senate. If McConnell
and his colleagues tried to
12 ballot. And if Moore
expel Moore on the basis
stays on the ballot, even
of accusations of conduct
after having withdrawn, he
dating 30 to 40 years before
will likely still get a lot of
the campaign, they would
votes.
set a new and potentially
“Candidates typically
dangerous example.
retain somewhere in the
5) Moore wins, and the
neighborhood of 20 percent
Senate GOP does not try to
to 25 percent of their
pre-withdrawal polling
expel him. This is, so far, an
average if they quit a race
unspoken scenario. What
but their names still appear
if Moore won, and Senate
on the ballot,” 538’s Nate
Republicans simply allowed
Silver wrote recently. That
him to serve? Moore would
seems particularly likely to
have essentially half a
be true in Alabama, given
Senate term; if elected, he
the devotion of Moore’s following. So would
would serve the remainder of Sessions’ term,
a GOP write-in be able to defeat Democrat
meaning he would be in office until the 2020
Doug Jones in what would amount to a three-
election.
candidate race, with Republicans divided
Republicans could shun him, if they chose.
between Moore and the write-in? Unlikely.
They could stand by as protesters dogged
2) The governor of Alabama changes
Moore’s every move. They could condemn
election day. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has
the embarrassing things he did. They could
already changed the day of the Senate election do everything they could to assure Moore
once. Her scandal-ridden predecessor, Gov.
is not elected to a full term in 2020. But the
Robert Bentley, originally scheduled the
GOP could, in essence, recognize that the
election to replace former Sen. Jeff Sessions
voters of Alabama made a choice, and even
for November 2018, as part of next year’s
if Republicans nationwide viewed it as a
regularly scheduled midterm elections.
calamitously bad choice, Moore is still a
But Ivey, who ascended to office after
senator until the end of his (shortened) term.
Bentley resigned in disgrace, moved the
6) Doug Jones wins. This is a very real
election up to Dec. 12. Now, she could change possibility, regardless of what the GOP
it again — say, to a few months from now,
does. What would it mean for the Senate’s
or back to 2018 as originally planned. That
Republican leadership? Just ask how hard it
would give the Republican Party time to
has been for the GOP to pass legislation with
regroup. But Ivey has said she has no interest
a 52-seat majority. It would become far harder
in a new change. And even if she did, it is hard with a 51-seat majority.
to see how that would make Roy Moore go
Plus, losing the Alabama seat would
away.
make it easier — not easy, but easier — for
3) Moore stays in the race with a GOP
Democrats to win control of the Senate in
write-in challenger. Yes, there is time, but
2018. That would have profound effects. For
many Republicans are deeply pessimistic
example, President Trump could probably
about the possibility of success. This is a
forget about putting another justice on the
special election, they note, not a general
Supreme Court, should a vacancy arise.
election. That means significantly lower
Trump and Republicans could forget about
turnout, and it means a high proportion of
passing legislation, even with the lowered
that turnout will come from the motivated
requirements of the reconciliation process.
supporters of Roy Moore. A divided
And Democratic committee chairmen would
Republican vote — some for Moore and some be running all the investigations of the Trump
for the GOP write-in — seems guaranteed to
administration they like.
ensure victory for Jones.
Six scenarios. For the GOP, six bad
4) Moore wins, and the Senate GOP tries
scenarios.
to expel him. “If he were to be sworn in, he
■
would immediately be in a process before the
Byron York is chief political correspondent
Senate Ethics Committee,” Majority Leader
for The Washington Examiner.
The Alabama
Senate race is
shaping us a
catastrophe for
the GOP, but
just how big a
catastrophe?
YOUR VIEWS
HIV-AIDS remains dangerous,
but treatment is available
The Pendleton chapter of PFLAG (Parents,
Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
would like to call attention to November
as National AIDS Awareness Month. Great
progress is has been made in the treatment of
AIDS and it does not carry the stigma it once
did. However, AIDS is still an international
problem.
When I was 14 I contracted AIDS, and
in February 1999 I was diagnosed with
full-blown AIDS. After I was given AZT for
the virus three months later, it was found that
AZT was killing me. I was given different
medication and was told four months later
that I had gone from full-blown AIDS to HIV
positive.
Six years later my medication was adjusted
once more. A few months ago I was put
on two new medications. At present my
HIV-AIDS is non-detectable, which means I
cannot transmit the disease to others.
If I can get to this point in my life, I know
others can do it as well. I want to give my
support to others who need the support I did
not have when I was younger.
PFLAG Pendleton provides support and
information to those dealing with HIV-AIDS,
including education on how HIV-AIDS is
contracted, spread, and treated.
You can contact the HIV virus through
sexual contact, dirty needles, and syringes.
The virus can be spread through the breast
milk of infected mothers. You can contract
the virus by getting tattoos if needles are
reused. There is a test for HIV-AIDS provided
through health providers.
Treatment helps to stop the virus. You can
stay updated by going online and searching
for HIV-AIDS tips and prevention, or by
contacting PFLAG Pendleton or the Eastern
Oregon Center for Independent Living.
Homer Bozarth
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 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.