A4
East Oregonian
Wednesday, October 9, 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
Let voters decide on death penalty
L
ike Kate Brown, who
replaced him as Oregon gov-
ernor, John Kitzhaber wanted
to do away with the death penalty in
the state.
But at least Kitzhaber respected
his constituents enough to recog-
nize that this matter ought to be left
to voters rather than the legislative or
executive branches.
When Kitzhaber declared a mor-
atorium on executions in Oregon in
2011, he supported the idea of put-
ting the issue on the ballot. This was
eminently reasonable — the last time
voters decided on the death pen-
alty, in 1984, 55% who cast a bal-
lot supported execution as a possible
punishment.
Moreover, that vote amended the
Oregon Constitution, which means
the voters, having decided capital
punishment should be an option, also
reserved for themselves the option of
changing their mind.
AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown speaks to reporters in February in front of pictures of previous
state governors in Salem.
Not that the sanctity of the Con-
stitution has proved much of a deter-
rent for Brown and the Democrats
who control the Legislature. They
not only haven’t shown much interest
in consulting voters about the death
penalty, but this year they passed a
law that severely narrows the defi-
nition of aggravated murder — the
only crime punishable by execution
in Oregon.
And although their intent was
that the new law would apply only
to future cases, the Oregon Justice
Department concluded the law could
potentially also affect defendants
who have already been convicted.
The bottom line here is that
Brown and her backers in the Cap-
itol, being legally precluded from
reversing voters’ 1984 decision, have
been striving to thwart the elector-
ate’s will anyway.
Oregon has changed quite a lot in
the past 35 years, with the elector-
ate trending toward the left side of
the political spectrum. It may well
be that a majority would choose to
remove capital punishment from the
Constitution. Brown and the Demo-
crats should advocate for giving vot-
ers that chance.
OTHER VIEWS
No escape from
trade wars’ effects
T
YOUR VIEWS
Yes vote is investment
in Hermiston students
Hermiston has the opportunity
in November to yet again invest in
its young people and its future.
The Hermiston School District is
asking voters to approve a bond that
will fund adequate classroom space
for its students. It’s a package that
takes into consideration the growing
student enrollment and the priorities
of residents polled in the past year.
Support for a school bond such
as this is truly an investment, and
we see the returns every day. Grad-
uates of the Hermiston school sys-
tem are a huge part of our commu-
nity. We’re lucky to live in a place
that adds jobs and housing at a pace
that enables alumni to return and
give back to the community they
grew up in.
It’s incredible to look around at
the number of businesses started
or managed by Hermiston gradu-
ates. Alumni are stepping up into
service clubs, nonprofit boards and
volunteer positions. At Hermiston
High School, more than a quarter
of the teachers were once Bulldogs
themselves.
I have always been apprecia-
tive of the education all my kids
received from the Hermiston School
District. My son teaches at Armand
Larvie Middle School, while
my daughter is a member of the
Rotarians.
My kids and so many others
were students who came up through
a district supported by the commu-
nity. They attended first-rate schools
with outstanding teachers and staff.
Residents made this possible by
supporting school bonds.
Please join me in voting Yes for
Hermiston Schools.
Phil Hamm
Hermiston
Agape House leader
announces new
journey
To the community:
For the past 17 years, it has been
my honor and privilege to lead East-
ern Oregon Mission and its two out-
reaches, Agape House and Mar-
tha’s House. It is now time for me to
turn over the reins and begin a new
adventure.
As I reflect on the past years,
I cannot help but see God’s hand
in all that has been accomplished.
These accomplishments are not
mine but His, and would not have
happened if you, our supporters,
had not provided prayers, vision,
and funding.
I want to give a brief recap of
the major highlights of what God
and this community have accom-
plished during my tenure here. At
my first board meeting, I was pre-
sented with a challenge: Bring to
reality the vision of the board for
a new facility. After three years of
planning and fundraising, Agape
House moved into its current home
at 500 Harper Road. With the new
building, Agape House was able to
expand services to those in need in
our community. Also during this
time, Agape House partnered with
Blue Mountain Community College
to open and operate a thrift store.
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.
We expanded our Harper Road
location with the purchase of two
additional acres to provide space for
current and future programs. Seven
years ago, with the encouragement
of the late mayor Bob Severson, our
board developed Martha’s House,
a homeless family transitional
program.
These are your accomplish-
ments. I was only the catalyst. A
very special thank you here goes to
my wife, Jodene, who is a prayer
warrior, confidante and encourager.
So what is your role in the future
of Eastern Oregon Mission? First
and foremost, your prayers are
needed to ensure the organization
continues to look to God for direc-
tion. Pray specifically that God
provides a new executive direc-
tor. Second, your financial support
is needed to allow Eastern Oregon
Mission to continue to provide ser-
vices to our community.
So what is up for Dave and
Jodene? I had a plan to enjoy retire-
ment here in the Hermiston area,
but God had a different plan. The
one major lesson I learned during
my time here is to follow God’s
leading. We will be moving to Ari-
zona and beginning a new journey.
In closing, I would like to per-
sonally thank each and everyone
who has supported Eastern Oregon
Mission during my time here. So
please join me on Oct. 12 from 2 to
5 p.m. at First Christian Church’s
fellowship hall and allow me to
thank you in person. Cake and
punch will be provided.
Dave Hughes
Hermiston
he trade wars are hitting
This protectionist action
me where it hurts.
spurred retaliation. IBD says
“economists generally argue that
One of my few respites
Smoot-Hawley helped dry up
from these rough-and-tumble
times is to sit by an autumn bon- global trade and exacerbated the
fire with good friends, a Leaf
Great Depression.”
Since then, tariffs had steadily
and Bean cigar and some fine
trended lower — until recently.
Scotch whisky.
“Before Trump took office,
But, reports Forbes, the U.S.
government announced last week half of U.S. industrial imports
entered the country duty-free,
a “25% tariff on all single malt
with no tariff imposed,” IBD
Scotch whisky imports, as part
of a wider set of tariffs aiming to says. “In 2016, the average U.S.
tariff rate was 1.6% across all
punish the European Union.”
products, according to the World
As of Oct. 18, Scotch whisky
Bank. ... After Trump’s esca-
— and Parmesan cheese from
lation of tariffs in May 2019,
Italy and olives from France and
the average U.S. trade-
Spain, tasty goods I
weighted tariff rate
also enjoy — will be
stood at about 7.5%,
more expensive.
according to a Deutsche
Regrettably, that
Bank calculation.”
means I have to pay
China, no stranger to
attention to govern-
ment trade actions —
unfair trade tactics, is a
which is about as fun as
primary target.
spending hours watch-
“In 2018, Trump
T om
ing spirits be distilled.
became
the first presi-
P urcell
dent
to
systematically
Forbes says the ori-
COMMENT
gin of my costly hooch
threaten and impose tar-
iffs to try and reshape
woes dates back to
2004, when the U.S. got steamed the flow of trade,” IBD says.
“Trump’s stated purpose for
that the E.U. was subsidizing
Airbus’ development of its A380 new and higher tariffs? Shrink
the 2017 U.S. trade deficit of
and A350 planes, which made
$566 billion, boost U.S. produc-
competing harder for America’s
tion and increase manufacturing
Boeing.
jobs.”
To retaliate, the U.S. raised
Now we’re in a bona fide trade
tariffs on the E.U., which caused
war — which isn’t going well.
the E.U. to raise tariffs on,
The trade deficit is getting worse,
among other things, American
not better. Americans are pay-
bourbon, which led the U.S. to
ing more for low-cost imported
raise its tariff on Scotch whisky.
I’m certainly no expert on tar- goods they depend on. And
iff diplomacy — I found trying
American farmers, who depend
to grasp Economics 101 at Penn
on exports to pay their bills, are
State unpleasant — but it seems
getting hurt as China retaliates.
It’s a game of “chicken” that’s
much like a playground fight
imposing uncertainty and pain
among children:
on global markets, including
“You’re a meanie!”
ours.
“You’re a dodo head!”
I don’t know how it’s going
“Nuh-huh!
to turn out. But I do know these
“Yuh-huh!”
stresses and strains get more
Investor’s Business Daily
troubling by the day.
(IBD) explains that tariffs used
They’re so troubling that I
to be how America paid its bills
can’t even escape them by sit-
— until 1913, with the introduc-
tion of the income tax (and later,
ting by an autumn bonfire with
payroll taxes).
good friends, a Leaf and Bean
cigar and some fine, though ever-
The average U.S. tariff then
more-costly, Scotch whisky.
fell until 1930, when — early
———
in the Great Depression — the
Tom Purcell is a nationally
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act hiked the
syndicated columnist.
average U.S. tariff by about 50%.
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