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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 2018)
Page 4A East Oregonian Thursday, May 17, 2018 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW What did we learn from Tuesday’s election? A nother election is in the books, and we may have learned a few things in the May primary. ▪ A shakeup on Umatilla County Board of Commissioners. Perhaps the only upset on the card was challenger John Shafer defeating incumbent Larry Givens in a race for county commissioner. The precinct results show an interesting political reality in Umatilla County. Givens won in the Hermiston area, but was soundly defeated closer to home around Milton-Freewater and Pendleton. Winning over his neighbors, but also convincing enough west county voters to make a change, was enough to put Shafer over the top. The other commissioner race has yet to be decided. George Murdock received the most votes but did not reach the 50 percent plateau, which means that he will face off with runner-up Rick Pullen in September. So for one race, the campaign season comes to an end, but for the other it has yet to really begin. ▪ OSU Extension has to go back to the drawing board. The idea of a two-county service district to support 4-H as well as international ag research hit the skids on Tuesday. The message and the measure failed in both Morrow and Umatilla counties. As we mentioned in the lead-up to the vote, passing a tax increase takes a lot of work. Each and every question has to be answered for voters to feel confident in heading down that route. And it is becoming more clear, as many taxing districts in the area hit compression, that new taxes are no longer just more money out of the taxpayer’s pocket. Now it’s about taking away money from other publicly funded projects — be it education or health care or public safety — which makes it an even more difficult sell. ▪ The Republicans will have some coming together to do in the governor’s race. Knute Buehler won handily, securing 46.5 percent of the vote when dispatching challengers Sam Carpenter and Greg Wooldridge. But the map shows a clear divide between Eastern Oregon and the rest of the state. Morrow, Grant and Malheur counties — and everything east of them — went for Carpenter. Every other county but Columbia and Coos went for Buehler. There are two ways to look at that result. The first is that Buehler still has to win over the reddest areas of the state, where turning out voters AP Photo/Don Ryan A voter drops off her ballot on the day of Oregon’s primary election at a drive by drop-off station in Portland on Tuesday. will be critical if he is able to upset Kate Brown. But other way to look at it is that a majority of Eastern Oregonians will surely vote for a Republican, and Buehler has made much stronger headway into the other side of the state than his opponents. ▪ Little effect seen from motor voter law. We learned that people who haven’t gone out of their way to register to vote are not willing to return ballots even when they are registered automatically. Our statewide voter turnout percentage declined from recent primary elections in 2014 and 2010, most similar to this year’s races. However, the actual number of voters grew slightly. That means the same people who like to vote are returning their ballots, but those who were automatically registered haven’t gotten engaged in the process yet. But perhaps the November general election will see a change. Oregon’s overall turnout was 33.6 percent — not great but still ahead of other states who have their primaries already: West Virginia saw 26 percent of registered voters return a ballot, Nebraska at 24.3 percent, Ohio at 20.9 percent and North Carolina at 14.3 percent. Even if there are hiccups in the process, we seem to be doing something right in Oregon. OTHER VIEWS The McCain controversy T YOUR VIEWS University of Oregon students turning frustration into action The Register-Guard K udos to some University of Oregon students who noticed that an organization classed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center is using a logo that is remarkably similar to the university’s trademark trademarked “O” and who responded wisely. The students, who are members of M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán), crafted a letter to the UO’s general counsel, explaining why they felt that Oregonians for Immigration Reform was violating a university trademark, why they were concerned, and what they hoped the UO would do. The university is zealous when it comes to protecting its trademarks, which have not only significant financial value but also emotional, intellectual and philosophical value. They represent the university to the world. UO attorney Kevin Hayes responded to the students by firing off a letter to OFIR, noting the SPLC’s reference to it as hate group — a designation that OFIR disputes — and saying that, while OFIR is free to espouse its opinions, “the University of Oregon neither supports your message, desires to be associated with your message, nor wishes to assist in your fundraising efforts.” Hayes then threatened the group with legal action based on trademark infringement and dilution. OFIR, which describes its mission as “ to stop illegal immigration as well as reduce legal immigration” has had some successes in Oregon. These include leading a successful campaign to overturn the state’s decision to give four-year driver’s cards to people who can’t prove they are in the United States legally. The group’s leader, Cynthia Kendoll, described illegal immigration from Mexico in an interview with Willamette Week as “an organized assault on our culture.” These messages hit close to home for the members of M.E.Ch.A., whose membership is open to all and whose mission includes increasing the number of Oregon Chicanos who attend and graduate from college. They chose to channel their hurt and frustration into a constructive response, which bodes well for their potential as future leaders in the community and in Oregon. UO threatened the group with legal action. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. here have been some ugly out of his way to irritate his party. comments recently about McCain would run a more Sen. John McCain. With the conventional campaign in 2008, senator at home in Arizona fighting showing extraordinary drive and brain cancer, a young White House resilience. When his primary aide reportedly told colleagues they campaign went broke and nearly need not worry about his objections collapsed, McCain — 71 years old, to CIA nominee Gina Haspel wealthy and with a safe seat in the Brian because, “It doesn’t matter, he’s Senate — still trudged through the York early voting states, addressing small dying anyway.” Comment crowds, struggling to stay in the At the same time, a retired three- game. He looked like a goner more star Air Force general suggested than once in the GOP primaries, yet still McCain cooperated with his North Vietnamese captors in his five-plus years in ended up winning the nomination. But after the dismal failures of two Bush captivity, saying McCain’s nickname was terms — a major war started by mistake “songbird John” — a baseless charge that dates back to dirty tricks against McCain in and an economic meltdown at the end — in the general election, McCain found the 2008 presidential campaign. himself running in the face of perhaps The slanders set off vicious battles on the strongest political headwinds ever. Twitter, with still more insults to McCain. Toss in a charismatic and history-making In response, many of the senator’s allies Democratic opponent, and there was no and supporters rushed to his defense. way McCain could win. McCain is having a moment, even Still, McCain remained a factor in as he deals with a terrible illness and is presidential politics. In 2015, when Donald not expected to return to Washington. Trump attacked McCain — “I like people Next week, he will release what is being who weren’t captured” — it set off a portrayed as a valedictory book, “The Restless Wave.” He is also the subject of an firestorm. Trump, who avoided service in Vietnam, defamed a man with a hugely upcoming HBO documentary. Given that, distinguished record. Still, Trump’s words it is probably fair to say that arguments did not do terrible damage to his candidacy, about McCain, both civil and not, will in part because a significant number of continue to the very end, and beyond. Republican primary voters had mixed Why? Because of the sheer complexity feelings about McCain. of John McCain. He has lived a big life McCain’s final act of angering with accomplishments few can match. Republicans came in July 2017, when he But in the course of that life, he has also cast the decisive vote to kill the GOP effort antagonized some who should be allies. to repeal and replace Obamacare. Many McCain’s years as a prisoner of war in Republicans felt it was a bad bill, and Vietnam will always define his biography. any lawmaker would have good reason to He showed courage and endurance oppose it, yet some still saw McCain’s vote under conditions most Americans cannot as a way of getting back at Trump. imagine. He is rightly celebrated for that. So McCain has a war record of pure But McCain’s valor came in a war heroism. He has a political record of real America did not win and which remains achievement, but also more than his share divisive to this day. More than a decade ago, the Vietnam fight was over John Kerry of the controversy that goes with politics. So which to emphasize in what might and swift boats. be McCain’s final days? Here’s a thought: In politics, McCain’s political career Why not dwell on the good, especially has been marked by a sometimes-testy relationship with Republican Party doctrine since it was so good? When someone dies, it really is fitting to look at the best and voters. In the 2000 GOP presidential that person did. And John McCain lived a primaries, his defeat of then-Texas Gov. great, patriotic life, doing more in service George W. Bush in the New Hampshire to the United States than his critics, or primary led to a nasty showdown in South almost anyone else. When he dies, why not Carolina. Bush won, McCain lost, and remember that? some in the press came away with the ■ impression that Bush had smeared McCain. Byron York is chief political On the other hand, some Republicans came correspondent for The Washington away with the impression that McCain, who styled himself a “maverick,” would go Examiner. 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. 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.
