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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2019)
A4 East Oregonian Friday, August 2, 2019 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner ANDREW CUTLER Editor WYATT HAUPT JR. News Editor JADE McDOWELL Hermiston Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW It’s time to make the trade deal with China N ational press reports last week indicated that new trade talks between the United States and China were to take place this week in Shanghai. According to Politico, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was to meet with Chinese Vice Pre- mier Liu He and Commerce Minis- ter Zhong Shan. At particular issue is getting China to buy more U.S. agricultural goods, a promise Chi- nese President Xi Jinping made to President Trump in a bid to get trade talks between the countries going again. At this writing, those talks are still ongoing and no announcement has been made indicating their sta- tus. Regardless, we see resumption of negotiations as a positive thing. Trump targeted that country’s alleged manipulation of its currency and its violation of intellectual prop- erty protections. The administra- tion hiked tariffs on Chinese goods to force a change in those policies. China responded with tit-for-tat AP Photo/Ben Margot The container ship Kota Ekspres is unloaded at the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif. hikes on U.S. goods. The U.S. has legitimate issues with China that need to be addressed. But at the same time it has to be acknowledged that China has been a good customer of U.S. agricultural goods. In 2017 it bought $23.8 billion in U.S. farm products — 17% of U.S. ag exports. Farmers and ranchers have taken a big hit. Midwestern soybean farm- ers and pork producers felt the pain early, but the impacts have become far more widespread. In the North- west, Chinese retaliatory tariffs impact the sale of apples, cherries, nuts, wine, potatoes, hay and dairy products — all crops that are heav- ily dependent on the export market. Beyond the loss of the immediate sale, producers are watching com- petitors claim market share. With a new crop coming on, producers across the region are worried that even if the current trade hostilities end quickly their buyers will have found new suppliers. Since the early days of the cam- paign the president has prom- ised new and better trade deals for American products. That has yet to be the case. We suspect that nego- tiating with sovereign powers has proven more difficult than was orig- inally thought. At the same time, the stakes are higher and more far reaching than any deal to build a golf course, high rise or casino. We don’t doubt that the president is a first rate multi-tasker, but we’d like him to concentrate less on the perceived disloyalty of certain mem- bers of Congress or the rodent popu- lation of Baltimore and more on get- ting a deal for U.S. farmers. YOUR VIEWS Hermiston patriotism draws attention from investors By way of introduction, I purchased Uni- versal Realty in October of 2018, which we now operate the John L. Scott real estate fran- chise in the same location. A few weeks ago I was touring an out-of-state investor who was looking for land to help address the lack of affordable housing in the area. As we were touring the sites, the inves- tor said, “Look at that.” He was looking at an American flag in the yard of a resident. As we drove through the city of Hermiston, he would say, “And there is another one, and another one, and another one.” Finally, he stated, “You just do not see that kind of patri- otism in California.” I was so proud to hear that statement, I wanted to share it with you. This is one of many reasons we live in rural America and do business in Hermiston. A proud patriotic community that shares our same values is why we specifically choose the Hermiston community and do business here. Therefore, I wanted to share that your patrio- tism is recognized by others as they visit. It is an act all of Hermiston can be proud. This is one of many demonstrations by the community that we at John L. Scott Real Estate are so proud to be a part of your/our community. Dennis Gisi Walla Walla OTHER VIEWS CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES U.S. PRESIDENT GOVERNOR Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 whitehouse.gov/contact/ Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 U.S. SENATORS Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 La Grande office: 541-962-7691 Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753 Pendleton office: 541-278-1129 U.S. REPRESENTATIVE Greg Walden 185 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6730 La Grande office: 541-624-2400 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. REPRESENTATIVES Greg Barreto, District 58 900 Court St. NE, H-38 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1458 Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us Greg Smith, District 57 900 Court St. NE, H-482 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1457 Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us SENATOR Bill Hansell, District 29 900 Court St. NE, S-423 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1729 Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us Revenge veto would leave a bad taste Bend Bulletin “R evenge,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told a Politico reporter, “is a dish best served cold and slowly.” The governor apparently plans to be true to that idea by vetoing bills or spending — or both — favored by Republicans in the state Legislature. What’s slated for defeat is being kept under wraps, perhaps to heighten the suspense or forestall pressure about her choices. She’s blaming the GOP’s departure from the Senate in the last days of the 2019 session for the defeat of cap-and-trade legis- lation she favored. Most simply, it’s wrong because, walkout or no, Democrats themselves could not pro- vide the votes to approve the cap-and-trade bill in the Senate. Three of them made it clear they’d vote against the legislation, and without at least one of those votes the bill was dead. Worse, though, is the way the governor is handling her veto. There should be a legitimate public policy reason to veto a bill or a project. Revenge is a powerful, emotional motivation. As a justi- fication for public policy, it’s abhorrent. That would be a woeful exhibition of leadership. Brown may not only be seeking revenge on those who dared cross her, but she has also refused to identify what she plans to veto. Her spokespeople told The Oregonian‘s Hillary Borrud Tuesday that Borrud could file a public records request if she wanted further information. This from the governor who pledged to create a new era of transpar- ency for state government? Brown could be a champion of good and open governance. Revenge and withhold- ing information are a leap toward a misera- ble legacy. 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 the editor to editor@eastoregonian.com, or via mail to Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
