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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 2018)
Page 4A East Oregonian Wednesday, August 29, 2018 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW Back to school he first day of school is a day that matters. It’s a day of hope and excitement, from the most wide-eyed kindergartner to the seasoned senior. It’s a day of butterflies in the stomach, of catching up with old friends and making new ones. It’s a day where expectations are set, not just for the next eight months but for the next stage in life. Education is the foundation on which our society is built. It’s a monumental task we give our teachers and administrators when we ask them to prepare our children, and by extension the future itself. We want reading, writing and arithmetic, but we also want kindness, curiosity and conscientiousness. We want them to learn the value of exercise and critical thinking, music appreciation and the scientific method. We expect a lot. Most other societal issues — crime, economy, politics — are easily traced T back to education, or lack thereof. It’s no wonder both of Oregon’s gubernatorial candidates have released education plans promising to increase our state’s standing in the U.S. We’ve taken issue in the past that the hours are too short in Oregon. Both Gov. Kate Brown and challenger Knute Buehler are vowing to increase the number of days required. Our only caveat would be to require expanded educational hours, not just days. For some of our rural districts, providing transportation and meals five days a week is a real cost concern, and the four-day option with longer school days has helped make ends meet. Both candidates have also talked about giving better support to teachers. Buehler suggests debit cards loaded with $250 for teachers to spend on classroom needs. Brown suggests creating stronger mentoring and development programs. The plans are available on each Staff photo by E.J. Harris Teacher Theresa Stangel reads instructions for students to write a short biography about themselves in a Bulldog catering class Monday at Hermiston High School. candidate’s campaign website, and there’s a lot of crossover between them. The biggest question that each must answer is how to fund the increases necessary to make real change, or whether there are cost-free changes that could have an impact. But while these ambitious promises remain fodder for debate, our educators are back at work in the real world. We wish them well and offer our support. We have high expectations, but realize it’s our job as parents and community partners to come alongside and help where we can. It’s a job that really matters. OTHER VIEWS In D.C., a rare relationship without pretense and B.S. here are people in a story headlined, “Trump shunned by Arizona’s GOP establishment Washington who hate each ahead of Phoenix visit.” McCain other but who, for public went on MSNBC to tell host consumption, pretend not to hate Andrea Mitchell that he found each other. What was almost Trump’s rhetoric offensive. refreshing about the relationship of “When he comes to Arizona, Sen. John McCain and President he will find that we Arizonans Trump was that there was no such Byron cherish our Hispanic heritage and pretending. York influence,” McCain said. “We A number of Trump’s 2016 Comment cherish the music, the culture, the Republican primary rivals who food.” serve in the U.S. Senate — Marco While McCain stayed away, Trump’s Rubio, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and rally was big. And of course, Trump fired Rand Paul — said some pretty vicious back at McCain. “We have incompetent things about Trump during the campaign, politicians, not only the president,” Trump and of course, Trump said vicious things said. “I mean, right here, in your own about them. Now, some of them have future political ambitions that would not be state, you have John McCain.” Trump served by feuding with a president of their later told reporters that McCain was “very weak on immigration” and could be own party. Others are just trying to get beaten for re-election “if the right person” things done and recognize the will of the voters. Whatever the reason, all have made ran against him. Of course, McCain struck back. On July their peace with Trump. Some are actually 16, talking to The New Yorker, McCain friendly with him. said, “This performance with our friend The notable thing about McCain, who out in Phoenix is very hurtful to me, even before he fell ill was approaching the because what he did was he fired up the end of his Senate career and whose own crazies.” runs for the White House were in the past, That same day, an enraged Trump, via was that he never felt the need to even feign positive feelings for his party’s leader. Twitter, demanded that McCain apologize In a way, the two men together, McCain to the “amazing Americans” who attended the rally. And then: “@SenJohnMcCain and Trump, struck a blow for genuineness amid the phoniness of official Washington. should be defeated in the primaries. Their antipathy played out in a series of Graduated last in his class at Annapolis — dummy!” escalating attacks on each other in 2015, In retrospect, all that was just setting as Trump began to make waves in the the stage for the nuclear explosion that Republican presidential primary. occurred two days later, on July 18. At an It started when Trump announced his event in Iowa, Trump, who never served candidacy on June 16, 2015. He pounded in the military, disparaged McCain’s on Mexico, accusing the country of taking experience as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. American jobs and giving little in return. “He’s not a war hero,” Trump said. “He “When Mexico sends its people, they’re was a war hero because he was captured. I not sending their best,” Trump said. like people who weren’t captured.” “They’re sending people that have lots Trump’s remarks set off a huge uproar, of problems, and they’re bringing those with some in the press expressing outrage problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. on McCain’s behalf. (McCain’s own public They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. reaction was subdued.) The conventional And some, I assume, are good people.” wisdom was best captured by Politico, That did not sit well with McCain, the which declared, “Donald Trump might longtime comprehensive immigration finally have crossed the line.” reform advocate and moving force behind Finally, there was July 27, 2017, the the Senate’s Gang of 8 immigration bill. night McCain’s thumbs-down vote killed During a June 30 town hall in Arizona, the GOP’s long-held hope — and Trump’s McCain was asked about Trump. “I campaign promise — to repeal Obamacare. don’t pay much attention,” McCain said, The irreparable breach between McCain according to an account in the Arizona and the president became even more Republic. (Some of this column is based irreparable. A dying McCain specified the on the Republic’s helpful timeline of president be excluded from his funeral, and the McCain-Trump relationship.) Later, when McCain passed away, the president McCain said he didn’t think Trump’s delayed releasing a routine proclamation in campaign would last and added, “I just recognition of his life. disagree with his comments about the, The relationship between the two men quote, Mexicans.” ended as badly as it began. But always The paper’s headline was, “John McCain the latest to pummel the Donald.” — and rarely for Washington — without It wasn’t much of a pummeling, but Trump pretense. ■ no doubt took notice. Byron York is chief political correspondent Trump scheduled a rally in Phoenix on July 11. Two days before, the Republic ran for The Washington Examiner. T YOUR VIEWS Time for our elected leaders to work for their constituents With all of the media coverage the last few days on the passing of Senator John McCain of Arizona, it occurred to a multitude of Americans that it is way past due for our elected leaders to put aside their petty, partisan politics and polarizing polemics and get about the business of doing what is best for their constituents, not special interests, not just the wealthy or the lobbyists representing them. Dr. Jake and Cathy Cambier Pendleton Parades a poor use of scant tax dollars to honor veterans Our nation and its tax dollars do not need to have multi-millions of dollars spent on parades. The most meaningful way to express our “gratitude and pride” in our armed forces is to put the many millions into helping our military and veterans with their basic needs. The funds for those purposes are stretched beyond their limits or neglected altogether because of the lack of money. The use of $50 million (or far more) wisely is giving heartfelt thanks to our military members in a meaningful manner. The president surely wants to make wise use of tax dollars. Our national debt needs to be our focus if we are ever to be able to reduce it. Darlene Abney Pendleton Walden listens to donors, but not his constituents The writer of a recent letter to the editor believes that Greg Walden’s inaccessibility to his constituents is because he’s too busy “doing his job.” Really? Walden’s job as a congressional representative is to represent his constituents. How can he represent his constituents if he doesn’t meet with us, talk to us and hear our opinions and concerns? And he hasn’t been listening for a long time. If Greg were listening to us, he would not have: • Voted, over fifty times, to repeal the Affordable Care Act, because that would have taken health insurance away from more than 130,000 people in his district. • Voted to remove protections to people with pre-existing medical conditions, because that will result in 27 percent of Oregonians, including 64 percent of farmers and ranchers, being denied health insurance. • Remained silent on Trump’s trade war, which is hurting our ag communities and leading to higher prices for every single person in his district. • Blamed the increasingly devastating wildfire seasons entirely on fuel loads in our forests without acknowledging the huge role of climate change and committing to leadership on climate action. So, who is he listening to? That’s easy. His big corporate donors: the pharmaceutical industry (over $500,000), the oil and gas industry (over $286,000) and the telecommunications industry (over $257,000). Jamie McLeod-Skinner is a fresh face and not a Washington insider. She’s traveled 40,000 miles through all 20 counties in our district, listening to people and learning about their concerns. She knows the job description and she’s showing up to do it. That’s why I’ll be voting for her in November. Angelique Loscar Bend CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES GOVERNOR Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 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. 900 Court Street Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 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.
